Explore the ultimate guide to must-watch American television series! From gripping dramas to next-level thrilling, here are some shows that you simply need to watch. Dive into the world of compelling storytelling and iconic characters with our curated list of the best American TV shows. Find your next binge-worthy obsession and elevate your TV experience with these must-watch series.
Game of Thrones
George R. R. Martin’s LoTResque fantasy drama is about Seven noble families fight for control over the mysterious land of Westeros. The story is gripping. The cast is amazing. The cinematography will leave you awestruck. The twists will make you pause the show and go ‘Wow’ from time to time. Fair warning, this is not for the faint hearted. There is a lot of gore. This is one show you would not want to watch with your younger siblings or parents. My advice, do not fixate on a character. They might die very soon!
The Newsroom
The latest masterpiece by Aaron Sorkin. Behind the scene events of what goes on in a popular news channel named Atlantis Cable Network (ACN). The journey of a news item from being a blip on a computer to a full blown coverage on national television. The show covers a lot of real life events very brilliantly. The intensity shown by the characters, the work life balance that people in news channels have to deal with and just the various situations that they have to deal with have been shown amazing well. If you are an aspiring reporter or just like the world of journalism, do not miss this.
Below is a clip from the first season’s premiere of the show that went viral. And is worthy of going viral!
The Big Bang Theory
Four socially awkward scientists and a hot cheesecake factory waitress become neighbours. Hilarity ensues. Sheldon, Howard, Raj and Leonard are four of the most quirky guys you will ever meet. Penny, their hot new neighbour throws their well planned life into a tailspin. Watch the show for it unimaginably nerdy punch lines. Amazing performances by almost all the characters. A lot of guest appearances including a few episodes where Stephen Hawkings is there! If there is a nerd in you somewhere, you will love this.
Person of Interest
This show made government snooping famous before we found out that the American government did it in real life as well. The story revolves around a ‘machine’ which sees everything through all the cameras in the country. It records, analyzes and finds results with the help of all the data. What results? Well the machine predicts that a specific person is going to commit a violent crime or going to be the victim of a violent crime in the future. It gives out the social security number of that person. The person who built the machine hires an ex-army to find and save people’s lives. The show literally takes off after the first few episodes. It is not like the Matrix but a little like The Minority Report. Although the story line for the two is completely different. Stellar performances by the main characters. If you were interested in the recent news about government snooping, this one is for you!
Castle
Richard Castle, a famous novel writer joins the NYPD to ‘research’ for his new mystery book. He is appointed to Detective Kate Beckett’s group. He brings with him, ‘a different approach’ of looking at evidence and helps the NYPD solve a lot of cases. Result? He is made a part of the team. He even has his own bulletproof vest which says ‘Author’ on it. He falls in love with Detective Beckett and they solve crimes left right and centre. The show had gotten a little monotonous in the last season but it has come back pretty strongly after that. If you are into funny-detective type shows then miss this, you must not!
Suits
The big bad world of law firms. If you thought lawyers were manipulative, greedy and just downright selfish, imagine an office which is full of them! The story revolves around the life of Harvey Spector, who is one of those badass lawyers and Mike Ross, the guy who remembers and can understand everything after reading it just once. If you are a lawyer/law student, this is a must watch. If you not a lawyer or a law student then watch this to find out what do lawyers do apart from the usual tareekh pe tareekh!
Breaking Bad
While Breaking Bad just concluded its all seasons, this is a must watch. A chemistry professor from college finds out he has cancer. He doesn’t have a lot of money. What does he do? Cooks meth of course! Breaking Bad shows you how anyone in the world can be ‘bad’. The series is a little slow in the beginning but will blow your mind at the end. It has just ended and if you are a regular on the internet, you would know how people treated the end of the show as the end of the world. Watch it for the amazing performances.
The Simpsons
The longest running television series in the world. It never gets old. A dysfunctional American family living in a town called Springfield. The show is a satire on American culture, movies, political situations and also other tv shows. Family Guy was started as a satirical take on The Simpsons. If a show is running for 20 years and has a satirical show about it, how can it not be amazing? Caution: Indians might not get all the jokes because the show is made for an American audience and is therefore America centric but if you are generally aware about most things happening in the world, you should be laughing through and through!
Dexter
Dexter has by far the most appropriate and brilliantly shot opening sequence you will ever see. A blood splatter analyst turns into a serial killer when he feels that ‘the system’ is not doing justice. He doesn’t just kill the bad guys. He explains to them why he is killing them. He tapes them naked on an operating table. Cuts them into pieces. Puts the parts in a big bag and then disposes it in the sea. Cold blooded enough? Dexter is not your usual fast paced television series. Everything is methodical. Precise. Right from how he chooses his target to how he kills them. Is Dexter a saint or a sinner? You decide!
Modern Family
The definition and composition of families have changed over time. So why not have a show which shows how they have changed? No no. Don’t worry. This is not drama. This is pure, unadulterated comedy. Modern family is hilarious. The characters and their problems are very modern, as the name rightly suggests. We have a gay couple who have adopted an Asian baby. We have a grandfather who is married to a hot latina with a son. We have a couple who have two daughters and a son but all of them represent a very typical type of character. Add to this the modern day background and you have an amazing show. The humour might seem a little dry to some people but once you get used to it, you will wait for its new episodes with bated breath.
Masters Of Sex
Masters Of Sex has four seasons. The series, which many of you may consider perverted, elaborates the life story of Dr. William H. Masters who pioneered various sexuality studies during the late 1950s and the 1960s till the 1990s. Masters and Virginia Johnson made breakthrough research in understanding of sexual dysfunctions, disorders, behavioural patterns, etc. All of that despite the fact that sex was considered a gore taboo back in the day. Must watch.
White Collar
Into its fifth season, White Collar portrays the partnership of FBI Agent Peter Burke and convicted conman Neil Caffrey. What is surprising is how the producers of the show have been able to hold up to the core concept of the show – the partnership – without making it boring, for five straight years. While the series sports revelling incidents where the partnership works like a charm catching art thieves and the likes, there are times when the conman in Caffrey surfaces and makes things ever so interesting.
Of course, these twelve series do not form a complete list. Some of the shows we recommend but kept out are: The Wire, Criminal Minds, The Good Wife, Homeland, Grey’s Anatomy and How I Met Your Mother.
Also, there are few shows which have ended a while back but are timeless. Coupling, Friends and Two and a Half Men [yes it ended when Charlie Sheen left].
Have a show you think should be on the list? Let us know in the comments below!