The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our lives in many ways, among other things keeping many people homebound for months. Fortunately, we’ve had great at-home entertainment options thanks to a plethora of streaming services. Binge-watching has become a national pastime.
24/7 Tempo has created a list of the most binge-worthy series you can stream right now. It highlights just how much great content has been created in recent decades — and is still being created, as some of the shows remain in production. Even better, these are the kinds of shows you can watch again and again and again — like these examples of the best classic TV shows available to stream.
The oldest shows on our list are “Seinfeld” and “The Simpsons,” which debuted in July and December of 1989, respectively. “Seinfeld” ran for nine seasons and there are a total of 180 episodes, which is a lot for a show about nothing. “The Simpsons” has been running for 32 seasons and there are a whopping 706 episodes so far, with more added weekly. Doh! Here are the highest-rated shows you can watch today.
Click here to see the most binge-worthy series you can stream right now
To determine the most binge-worthy series you can stream right now, 24/7 Tempo developed an index based on several measures from IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and the streaming guide Reelgood. The index consists of each movie’s IMDb user rating, the total number of audience votes on IMDb, and the Reelgood rating. Each measure was weighted equally. Only shows with at least 1,000 IMDb votes, have been on television for at least four years, and are available to stream on major services as of June 2021 were considered. Data was collected June 2021.
Information on debut year, average episode length, and cast came from IMDb. Information on principal streaming services for each series came from Reelgood and Decider, a pop culture website run by the New York Post. Where more than one service streams a series, the ones offering the most seasons or episodes are given. Seasons that have been announced or produced but not yet aired were not included. In the case of shows still running, the number of episodes will change. Note, too, that availability on various platforms changes frequently.
The most binge-worthy show of all is arguably “Game of Thrones,” HBO’s fantasy drama based on George R.R. Martin’s best-selling book series “A Song of Ice and Fire.” A lot happens in “Game of Thrones” and it most certainly isn’t a show about nothing.
Outlander (2014)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 67 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 64 minutes
> Streaming service: Starz (5 seasons), Netflix (4 seasons)
> Starring: Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Duncan Lacroix, Sophie Skelton
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The Expanse (2015)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 56 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 60 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video (5 seasons), Netflix (2 seasons)
> Starring: Wes Chatham, Dominique Tipper, Steven Strait, Shohreh Aghdashloo
My Hero Academia (2016)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 113 episodes (several not yet available)
> Avg. episode length: 24 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Daiki Yamashita, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Ayane Sakura, Kaito Ishikawa
The X-Files (1993)
> How much TV: 11 seasons, 218 episodes (plus two movies)
> Avg. episode length: 45 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, William B. Davis
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The Crown (2016)
> How much TV: 4 seasons, 60 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 58 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Matt Smith
The Blacklist (2013)
> How much TV: 8 seasons, 175 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 43 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix (7 seasons)
> Starring: James Spader, Megan Boone, Diego Klattenhoff, Ryan Eggold
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The Flash (2014)
> How much TV: 7 seasons, 165 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 43 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix (6 seasons)
> Starring: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes
Futurama (1999)
> How much TV: 10 production seasons, 7 broadcast seasons, 140 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille
This Is Us (2016)
> How much TV: 6 seasons, 89 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 45 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu (5 seasons)
> Starring: Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz
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Fringe (2008)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 100 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 46 minutes
> Streaming service: IMDb TV
> Starring: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Jasika Nicole
Sons of Anarchy (2008)
> How much TV: 7 seasons, 92 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 45 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Mark Boone Junior, Kim Coates
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Shameless (2011)
> How much TV: 11 seasons, 134 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 46 minutes
> Streaming service: Showtime (11 seasons), Netflix (10 seasons)
> Starring: Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy, Ethan Cutkosky, Jeremy Allen White
Community (2009)
> How much TV: 6 seasons, 110 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu
> Starring: Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Chevy Chase
Homeland (2011)
> How much TV: 8 seasons, 96 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 55 minutes
> Streaming service: Showtime, Hulu
> Starring: Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Damian Lewis, Rupert Friend
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Arrested Development (2003)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 84 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett
The Handmaid’s Tale (2017)
> How much TV: 4 seasons, 46 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 60 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes, Ann Dowd
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Lucifer (2016)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 83 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 42 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Kevin Alejandro
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013)
> How much TV: 7 seasons, 143 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu, Peacock Premium
> Starring: Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero
Parks and Recreation (2009)
> How much TV: 7 seasons, 126 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Peacock Premium (5 seasons), Hulu (3 seasons)
> Starring: Amy Poehler, Jim O’Heir, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt
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Money Heist (2017)
> How much TV: 4 seasons, 31 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 70 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Úrsula Corberó, Álvaro Morte, Itziar Ituño, Pedro Alonso
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005)
> How much TV: 14 seasons, 154 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu (14 seasons), FX (12 seasons)
> Starring: Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson
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Modern Family (2009)
> How much TV: 11 seasons, 250 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu, Peacock Premium
> Starring: Ed O’Neill, Sofía Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell
Suits (2011)
> How much TV: 9 seasons, 134 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 44 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video
> Starring: Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle, Sarah Rafferty
Seinfeld (1989)
> How much TV: 9 seasons, 180 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, Jason Alexander
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South Park (1997)
> How much TV: 23 seasons (plus 2 specials), 309 episodes (including 2 specials)
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: HBO Max
> Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Isaac Hayes, Mona Marshall
Supernatural (2005)
> How much TV: 15 seasons, 327 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 44 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Jim Beaver, Misha Collins
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Mr. Robot (2015)
> How much TV: 4 seasons, 46 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 49 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video
> Starring: Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Carly Chaikin, Martin Wallström
Prison Break (2005)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 90 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 44 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video, Epix
> Starring: Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller, Amaury Nolasco, Robert Knepper
House of Cards (2013)
> How much TV: 6 seasons, 73 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 51 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Kevin Spacey, Michel Gill, Robin Wright, Kate Mara
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The Simpsons (1989)
> How much TV: 32 seasons, 706 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Disney Plus (31 seasons), FX (24 seasons)
> Starring: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Harry Shearer, Julie Kavner
Fargo (2014)
> How much TV: 4 seasons, 41 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 53 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video, Showtime
> Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks
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Lost (2004)
> How much TV: 6 seasons, 121 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 44 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Yunjin Kim, Evangeline Lilly
Better Call Saul (2015)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 50 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 46 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks, Patrick Fabian
How I Met Your Mother (2005)
> How much TV: 9 seasons, 208 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video, Hulu
> Starring: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris
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The Sopranos (1999)
> How much TV: 6 seasons, 86 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 55 minutes
> Streaming service: HBO Max
> Starring: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli
Attack on Titan (2013)
> How much TV: 4 seasons, 75 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 24 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu (4 seasons), Funimation (4 seasons), Adult Swim (4 seasons)
> Starring: Yûki Kaji, Marina Inoue, Josh Grelle, Yui Ishikawa
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House (2004)
> How much TV: 8 seasons, 177 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 44 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video, Peacock Premium
> Starring: Hugh Laurie, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Jesse Spencer
Peaky Blinders (2013)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 30 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 60 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Helen McCrory, Sophie Rundle
Vikings (2013)
> How much TV: 6 seasons, 89 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 44 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock Premium
> Starring: Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgård, Alexander Ludwig, Georgia Hirst
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The Wire (2002)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 60 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 59 minutes
> Streaming service: HBO Max
> Starring: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce
The Office (2005)
> How much TV: 9 seasons, 201 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Peacock Premium
> Starring: Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson
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Black Mirror (2011)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 22 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 60 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Daniel Lapaine, Hannah John-Kamen, Michaela Coel, Beatrice Robertson-Jones
Dexter (2006)
> How much TV: 8 seasons, 96 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 53 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video, Showtime
> Starring: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas, James Remar
Rick and Morty (2013)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 41 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 23 minutes
> Streaming service: HBO Max, Hulu
> Starring: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer, Sarah Chalke
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Friends (1994)
> How much TV: 10 seasons, 236 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: HBO Max
> Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc
Breaking Bad (2008)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 62 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 49 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt
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Game of Thrones (2011)
> How much TV: 8 seasons, 73 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 57 minutes
> Streaming service: HBO Max
> Starring: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey
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