6. The Sopranos (1999-2007)
It is probably the best gangster show ever made. The show humanizes gangster as it focuses on how difficult it is to create a balance between a life of crime and family, and the toll it can have on you physically and mentally. James Gandolfini has done an excellent job as Tony Soprano, a New Jersey mob boss, around whom the show is centered. The show has all that you can expect from a gangster show and so much more. It is not just about crime but its consequences and it affects a person and his family.
5. Fargo (2014- present)
The show is based on the 1996 classic of the same name. It is an anthology series, dealing with different crime in a different period every season, but all of them happen in and around frozen Minnesota and always lead back to Fargo, North Dakota, one way or another. The show features an amazing assemble of cast every season which is a treat to watch. The show is dark, brutal and comic at the same time.
4. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962)
Alfred Hitchcock is the best director of thrillers of all time, period. Apart from an array of great movies, he also made this amazing show for television which had mysteries that ended in about thirty minutes, but had almost the same impact as feature films. The show consisted of unrelated short stories, covering elements of crime, drama, horror and comedy. The show was hosted by Alfred Hitchcock himself and his sense of humour made the beginnings and endings of each episode fun to watch.
3. Sherlock (2010- present)
I certainly couldn’t let the last episode of the much-loved series affect its status as the greatest detective series of all time. Whatever people say about it, ‘Sherlock’ will truly live on to remain a trend setting TV series, that redefined the genre. While much of the limelight is obviously stolen by the leads Cumberbatch and Freeman, Mark Gatiss, the creator of the show, who also plays Mycroft, deserves if not less, then equal amount of credit. His avant-garde techniques and innovative way of letting us glimpse the world through Sherlock’s prodigal mind were truly inexplicably mesmerizing.
2. The Wire (2002-2008)
This show was proclaimed as the best television show of all time till Breaking Bad came along. Do I really need to say more? The show is gritty and dark and explores crime on the streets of Baltimore. While the narrative line is slower and spreads across over five seasons, the storytelling is much more realistic. Further, the shifting perspectives from the police to the drug dealers portrays a continuous struggle between law and crime. One of the finest intellectually stimulating shows, this is a must watch for fans of crime genre.
1. Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
Breaking Bad is the best show ever made for television and that is it nothing more needs to be said about it. It is one one of those rare shows that get better with every new season, out-ranking tha last one. The show has all you can want in a show – watertight storytelling, excellent character development, fast paced narratives, gripping action and much more. And Bryan Cranston’s Walter White is television’s single greatest character of all time.
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