From ‘Mad Men’ to ‘Breaking Bad,’ the Top 10 dramas of all time

The piece ranks the writer’s top 10 television dramas and explains the case for each choice. It also frames “Breaking Bad” as a likely top-10 show and briefly revisits how its awards and story placed it in the medium’s pantheon.

Reading notes

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• The list is presented as a moving ranking that could change over time, but it currently places “Deadwood” at No. 1.
• “Breaking Bad” is described as one of the unlikeliest great shows, built around Walter White’s fall from chemistry teacher to meth kingpin.
• “Game of Thrones” is praised for turning power struggles and survival into a familiar dramatic dynamic, even without literal realism.
• “Downton Abbey” is valued for balancing British wit and class drama while showing that privilege does not remove life’s pressures.
• “Law & Order” is defended as a durable procedural that sustained interest for two decades while handling difficult cases.
• “The West Wing” is credited to Aaron Sorkin’s fast-moving political writing and its mix of process stories with human digressions.
• “I’ll Fly Away” is singled out as a view of the American South and the civil rights movement from both black and white perspectives.
• “The Sopranos” is praised for James Gandolfini’s performance, its mix of crime and American dream themes, and its sharp use of popular culture.
• “The Twilight Zone” is treated as a foundational source for later mystery drama because its stories reached beyond science fiction into human fears.
• “Mad Men” is described as revealing both the dark side and promise of the American dream through Don Draper and Peggy Olson.
• “Deadwood” is called the closest TV ever got to perfection, with its historical setting, ensemble cast, and abrupt ending among the reasons it stands out.