People Are Sharing TV Shows That Are Excellent "From Start To Finish," And I Agree With A Few Of These Myself

    "It actually changed how I feel about life a little bit. Really a deeply moving show."

    Morgan Sloss
    by Morgan Sloss

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Recently, Reddit user u/izukaneki posed the question, "What show stayed good from start to finish?"

    Freeform

    And there were so many great responses! Here are some of the top-voted TV shows:

    1. The Good Place (2016–20)

    two of the characters standing side by side
    Justin Lubin / NBC / courtesy Everett Collection

    "I don't think I know of another show that was so good at yanking the rug out from underneath the audience without ruining something. Every major plot twist was perfectly executed, and you genuinely did not have any idea where the show would go next. It also knew exactly when it should end and stuck the landing."

    —u/merlinicorpus

    "My wife and I bawled our eyes out at the series finale. Great show, 100% recommend!"

    —u/FILTER_OUT_T_D

    2. Avatar: the Last Airbender (2005–08)

    closeup of the cartoon character
    Nickelodeon

    "Personally, I think the show gets BETTER every season. Season 3 is peak TV. Nothing beats that season. I watch it religiously."

    —u/D1am0nd_28

    "Zuko's journey is the best character development in any piece of media I've ever seen."

    —u/The_Hot_Jalapeno

    "Not many TV shows intended for children have managed to stay relevant for this long and even gain whole new generations of fans."

    —u/throwaway807200

    3. Psych (2006–14)

    closeup of two characters looking perplexed
    Alan Zenuk /  USA Network / Courtesy: Everett Collection

    "This series has only gotten better with age, and the cast/crew seem as committed to it as the fanbase. Psych is forever."

    —u/motherofajamsandwich

    "By far, one of the best shows ever made. Still making movies after it's been cancelled for a decade."

    —u/WrockGawd

    4. Dark (2017–20)

    character by himself on a hike
    Julia Terjung / ©Netflix / Courtesy: Everett Collection

    "I am really picky about time travel implementation, and Dark is my favorite time travel show ever. It's absolutely brilliant, and I've never seen anyone talking about it. If you like thinking about determinism, causality, the structure of 4D time and such things, for the love of god, watch Dark."

    —u/R3LF_ST

    "It scores on every element. Acting, writing, production, cinematography, music, complexity. I loved it. It's my number one, top-rated show."

    —u/mr_jerry

    5. Fleabag (2016–19)

    woman and a priest
    Amazon / courtesy Everett Collection

    "Fleabag is, to me, the most accurate and fully fleshed-out depiction of women on TV, with all the positives and negatives. Not just the funny one, or the sexy one, or the smart one. The show does whole-ass imperfect people so well."

    —u/throwaway66778889

    "That show had me at 'Do I have a massive asshole?'"

    —u/x86_64_

    "It is without a doubt the only show ever for which I have zero critiques."

    —u/IMakeMyOwnLunch

    6. Black Sails (2014–17)

    two characters on a ship
    Starz! Movie Channel / ©Starz! Movie Channel/Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I generally don’t give many f*cks when it comes to pirate stuff. And with Michael Bay being a producer, and some of the trailer clips I saw, I had super low expectations. But holy f*ck! That show was incredible. I remember getting to the last few episodes, and I was so upset that I was almost done. I almost wanted to stop binging and drag out those last episodes a bit at a time, just so it wouldn’t be over so soon. Ugh, I miss that main title theme, too. Bear McCreary is awesome."

    —u/ranticHam5ter

    "The acting, the storytelling, the sets, the action, the pacing — it's just all so perfect."

    —u/Joe5205

    "Super underrated, such an incredible show. Always my go-to recommendation."

    —u/M4xusV4ltr0n

    7. Six Feet Under (2001–05)

    cop and a man standing in conversation
    HBO / Via youtube.com

    "The last episode was, hands down, the best last episode of any series I’ve ever seen and will probably ever see."

    —u/Whattheholyhell74

    "Literally great from start to finish. The end burned in my brain. I ugly cried. It was painful, heartbreaking, beautiful, and just so perfect."

    —u/Mojoanimeo33

    "It actually changed how I feel about life a little bit. Really a deeply moving show."

    —u/Spleensoftheconeage

    8. Derry Girls (2018–22)

    four teens sitting on a bench at school
    Channel 4

    "Derry Girls is f*cking hysterical. I was so bummed we only got three seasons. I've also never had a series finale of a show make me cry, but damn, the last five minutes had me in tears."

    —u/aheal2008

    "So funny. The nun headmistress is genius."

    —u/Cookie_Possible

    9. BoJack Horseman (2014–20)

    cartoon horse and woman in a dirty living room
    Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I still can't believe a show about a horse actor with a dog named Peanut Butter as his best friend ended up being the most spot-on depiction of so many mental illnesses and neurodivergent issues. No other show hits home the struggles of depression and addiction, as well as the downward spiral these issues bring. There was no redemption for his crappy decisions, just a dark reality that a lot of TV shows would be too afraid to reward their protagonists with."

    —u/lucrativetoiletsale

    10. The Americans (2013–18)

    three characters walking outside
    Patrick Harbron / FX Networks / courtesy Everett Collection

    "It’s absolutely criminal how underrated The Americans is. It does start off slow, but the pay off is so worth it. Couldn’t take my eyes off Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys. I even got my dad, who’s not usually into Cold War stuff, to watch the show with me, and he loved it."

    —u/Calvert-Grier

    "In my four decades of life, there have been five to six TV shows that I go back to again and again, and I feel like they define the pinnacle of storytelling, acting, and thematics. The Americans is definitely among these few. It's an extraordinary show."

    —u/fulthrottlejazzhands

    11. Malcolm in the Middle (2000–06)

    3 kids and their dad spraying silly spray
    Larry Watson / TV Guide / TM / Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "I started watching this show again, and it’s as funny now as it was when it first aired. The Komodo 3000 still kills me every time!"

    —u/fuelbombx2

    "It actually deals with relatable problems and doesn't shy away from serious issues in a comedy show."

    —u/See-A-Moose

    12. Breaking Bad (2008–13)

    two characters in a car one holding a gun
    Ben Leuner / AMC / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "Well-written with catering to detail. Excellent piece of work."

    —u/bbcboundelss

    "Best show to ever be on television, hands down. For a while, I thought Game of Thrones might’ve dethroned it, but then...y’know."

    —u/dookiebuttholepeepee

    13. M*A*S*H (1972–83)

    group smiling in a lobby
    20th Century Fox Television /Courtesy Everett Collection

    "The show had many significant cast changes and additions and fluctuated in tone over time as well as within seasons. Nevertheless, it remained a high-quality, very watchable show. Not easy and rare; loved it until the end."

    —u/NoHedgehog1650

    14. Galavant (2015–16)

    two confused characters in renaissance clothing
    Nick Ray / ABC / courtesy Everett Collection

    "I dislike musicals and only watched it on a whim. By the end, I was not only blown away by how great it was but I was completely blown away that it got cancelled and never picked up anywhere. It was perfect, could not be improved upon."

    —u/_Robbie

    15. House (2004–12)

    man in front of a dry erase board
    20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection

    "House’s worst season was still better than most other medical dramas ever."

    —u/JoanieMehhhChachi

    16. The Inbetweeners (2008–10)

    teens walking out of an amusement park holding a car door
    E4/Channel 4 / Courtesy: Everett Collection

    "Captured growing up in England so well. Literally like going back to secondary school."

    —u/Sleeze1

    "It introduced me to some of the most vulgar references to human anatomy I’ve ever heard. It was amazing."

    —u/redsavage0

    17. The Last Kingdom (2015–22)

    closeup of two characters looking out at something
    Netflix / Via youtube.com

    "I started it begrudgingly because I couldn't find anything else to watch. By the last episode, I would have followed Uhtred anywhere."

    —u/what_me_nah

    "It really is a gem in the Netflix catalog."

    —u/rh681

    18. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–03)

    woman fighting a zombie with a weapon
    20th Century Fox / courtesy Everett Collection

    "I know people say Season 4 is crap, but I still love it. It’s still camp, and fun, and exactly Buffy."

    —u/mimiiscool

    "I just finished binging it, and it was a lot more fun than I remembered. So much late '90s nostalgia."

    —u/fragilemuse

    19. Mr. Robot (2015–2019)

    closeup of a man whispering in someone's ear
    Scott McDermott / USA Network / Courtesy Everett Collection

    "It definitely picks up in the middle seasons and goes from good to great, but the entire show is very well-made. It's a shame it never really caught on, and I definitely think more people should watch it."

    —u/SkylerPC

    20. Better Off Ted (2009–10)

    three characters in a hospital
    Craig Sjodin / ABC / Courtesy: Everett Collection

    "Amazingly funny, poorly marketed, and pushed to the fringes. It's the show I wish would have kept going, even more than — gasp! – Firefly."

    —u/Nisquityl

    21. Jane the Virgin (2014–19)

    family ouside on a porch swing
    Danny Feld/The CW Network / courtesy Everett Collection

    "Honestly, Jane the Virgin was a great show with a great cast and fantastic storylines."

    —u/boylookiehere

    "Such good storylines and character development!"

    —u/Enough-Ice6131

    22. Deadwood (2004–06)

    closeup of two characters in hats looking out at something
    HBO / Via youtube.com

    "I don't care for Westerns but started Deadwood on a friend’s recommendation. I was surprised by my emotional involvement in the characters. So under-appreciated. I wish there were subsequent seasons."

    —u/yvetteski

    23. The Expanse (2015–2022)

    closeup of two characters
    Amazon/Courtesy Everett Collection

    "It's way up there on the list of all-time best sci-fi shows. What I really love about it is that it's largely hard sci-fi and feels grounded and realistic. The space battles especially are visceral and have a lot of weight, unlike a lot of pew pew laser gun scenes that happen in other shows and movies."

    —u/DerelictDonkeyEngine

    "I wanna buy a bigger TV just so I can watch it all again."

    —u/VFP_ProvenRoute

    24. And finally, Schitt's Creek (2015–2020)

    closeup of one character in shock and the other smiling
    Steve Wilkie / CBC/POP / courtesy Everett Collection

    "One of the few shows that actually had all the characters grow/evolve and become better. Super funny and well-written."

    —u/ImLookingatU

    "I don't think I've ever cried about a show ending before until Schitt's Creek. I loved every character and felt like they were family by the end."

    —u/nethtari

    What's your favorite show of all time? LMK in the comments below!

    Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.