The 100 Best Shows on TV Right Now

We're shining a spotlight on the very best shows on TV right now -- active productions only. (Sorry, Game of Thrones.) Let's get started with No. 100: The Bachelor.

Where its early aughts reality peers have faded into irrelevance, The Bachelor remains incredibly popular, reinvigorated by social media and podcasting. The way real life manages to crack through the carefully crafted facade will always be interesting.

Packed with an all-star cast and clever jokes, Miracle Workers is a heavenly comedy that offers a different take on the afterlife as two angels (Daniel Radcliffe and Gerladine Viswanathan) must prove to God (Steve Buscemi) that Earth is worth saving.

Jordan Peele's take on Rod Serling's iconic sci-fi anthology series was hit-and-miss in its first season, but The Twilight Zone has always been defined by its creative high points, and when the new version dazzles, it feels like stepping back in time to Serling's heyday.

Dead to Me is Netflix in pure binge mode, with outrageous cliffhangers that basically force you to keep watching. Fortunate, then, that the show is equal parts hilarious and tragic, with meaty performances from Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, and James Marsden.

Snapped is proof that truth is stranger than fiction. And what makes Snapped stand out in a true-crime-saturated world is that in almost all cases, the perpetrator is a woman.

CBS's Love Island has been surprisingly earnest and sweet, but the British original is ruthlessly dramatic, thanks to an endless supply of messy betrayals, savage recouplings, and hilarious quips.

Amazon's adaptation of Hanna fleshes out the movies bones, adding depth we didn't know we wanted. Plus it doesn't skimp on the good stuff, location-hopping through Europe with plenty of bone-breaking, car-crashing action sequences.

With its gorgeous production design and a genuinely spooky story, Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina serves up fun, campy horror and plenty of girl-power moments that will have you wishing for a coven of your own.

The Society isn't perfect, but it's a perfect binge, a great blend of over-the-top twists (murder! A poisoned pie!) and an existential examination of fate versus free will. It's an ambitious young adult drama that had us hooked from the start.

American Horror Story's most recent season, Apocalypse, saw the witches from Coven doing battle against the Antichrist from Murder House. After a couple of duds, this season's smart storytelling and character development felt like a return to form for the FX anthology.

Black Monday won't be everyone's cup of tea. Jokes land hard. The tone waffles. The humor is crass and sometimes offensive. But all of that's the point, and exactly why Showtime's wild send-up of the 1980s is one of TV's most off-the-wall delights.

Mayans M.C., a spin-off of Sons of Anarchy that follows the Latino bikers of the Mayans motorcycle club, bridges the worlds of the two series in clever, surprising ways. It remains to be seen whether Mayans will reach the same heights as Sons, but so far, it's on the right track.

It's hard not to be in awe of SVU, which is both a cultural touchstone and a perfect show to marathon for eight-plus hours on a rainy day, sick day, or any day, really. And there's no indication the NBC procedural will be showing its age any time soon.

Supernatural is more than a show about two brothers fighting demons -- both physical and metaphorical; it's a heartfelt drama that appeals to the weirdo with deep-seated family issues in all of us.

Throughout its three seasons, Fargo has established its own universe of symbolic mythology, with images that stick in your mind long after the episode is over. If Season 4 (coming in 2020) is anywhere near as good, Fargo will be way higher on this list next year.

Vikings has evolved into a true ensemble drama that balances history, mythology, and some of the best battle sequences you'll find on TV. We're already bracing ourselves for all the deaths the final season will bring.

The Good Doctor feels good to watch, because even if there are hiccups or drama, the show is ultimately about good people doing the best they can.

The Umbrella Academy is catnip for fantasy, sci-fi, and comic book fans, featuring time travel, superheroes, a race against the apocalypse, a duo of lovable assassins, and even aliens, all with a star-studded cast and a breakneck pace that will keep you bingeing.

Rick and Morty moves a thousand miles a minute through an incomprehensible animated universe cemented in the relationship between Rick Sanchez and his grandson, Morty Smith -- and it's a wild ride well worth taking.

Dick Wolf's steamy firefighter show burns brighter than the rest, thanks to a stellar cast, thrilling action sequences, and sweet friendships that feel almost too good for this world.

The Walking Dead Season 9 recaptured the shocking spirit of the early seasons and made us care about the characters again (even the new ones).

Netflix saved Lucifer from cancellation for a reason. The show -- about the devil (Tom Ellis), who runs away from hell to play hooky in Los Angeles and ends up consulting for the LAPD -- is a pitch-perfect must-binge.

Thanks to its premise that there's a soulmate in the house for every contestant, Are You the One? feels more earnest and authentic than its fellow reality dating shows. Plus, its most recent season featured an entirely gender-fluid cast, giving some much-needed visibility to the queer community.

Black Mirror fans might've been disappointed by the most recent season, but between Bandersnatch and a handful of stand-out moments in some of the new episodes, there's no doubt that the series still has some things to say.

Ava DuVernay's adaptation of Natalie Baszile's novel captures the beauty and complexities of black family life. The impeccably shot OWN drama features a rich story and a talented ensemble who deliver Emmy-worthy performances week in and week out.

A tantalizing cocktail of bold storytelling and romance novel erotica, Grey's Anatomy is medicine for the mind, body, and soul.

Perpetual Grace, LTD is a true original at a time when originality feels like its on its last legs. The noir crime thriller blends an off-kilter sense of humor with an engrossing, expansive story that quickly spirals out of control.

Derry Girls follows four Catholic schoolgirls in Northern Ireland in the 1990s during the period of unrest known as The Troubles. Set amidst the violence and ever-present army checkpoints, this coming-of-age story about family, relationships, and friendship is riotously funny.

Showtime's dark comedy Kidding examines the ongoing struggle between good and evil, with Jim Carrey's character providing plenty of optimism to counterbalance all the terrible things going on. It looks like he's fighting a losing battle, but he's still fighting, and that's the message.

The Challenge started off as a crossover between the Real World and Road Rules franchises, but it's grown into a cultural phenomenon all its own, building on the drama and betrayals of its previous outings, while stirring the pot with fresh faces hungry for their 15 minutes of reality TV fame.

Through Rue (Zendaya) and her peers, Euphoria delves deep into the psyches of young people struggling to figure out how to navigate life and find bliss wherever they can. It's an intoxicating story that, combined with its trippy visual aesthetic, makes for an almost out-of-body viewing experience.

The Expanse is one of the best sci-fi shows -- if not the best -- of the past decade. Hopefully, its move to Amazon will lead to more viewers discovering this action-packed drama, which is the closest we've gotten to a worthy successor to Battlestar Galactica.

Gentleman Jack, the incredible true story of industrialist Anne Lister and her marriage to sheltered heiress Ann Walker, is one of the most compelling historical dramas of the year thanks to Suranne Jones' star-making performance.

From the start, Mindhunter has boasted searing character work by actors playing the most notorious murderers in American history, coupled with a knack for fleshing out their terrible crimes through eerie dialogue. But as the drama's long-awaited second season confirmed, the show's heroes are the most complicated figures of all.

Murder for Hire finds a unique vantage point from which to tell its true-crime stories: The central figure in each episode is someone who has had a hit put out on them and thankfully lived to tell the tale. Damning footage of the actual police sting operations and the complex emotions expressed by the victims, who are often targeted by a loved one, make this the most gripping show the network has put out in years.

Issa (Issa Rae) and Molly's (Yvonne Orji) black girl magic may be on an extended hiatus, but their enduring love for one another and hilarious hijinks left legions who've learned to live in their La La Land waiting to see what's next.

Beat Bobby Flay only works because of the obnoxious ego at its center, which probably grows each and every time Bobby walks away a winner (which is almost every episode). Even if the entire Food Network show is rigged, it doesn't matter, because Beat Bobby Flay is pure entertainment.

With Jodie Whittaker in the leading role, Doctor Who may be more aware now of what it means to move through history with less privilege, but the character hasn't changed. Whittaker's Doctor takes charge, asks questions, tinkers with gadgets, and gets into scrapes like all the rest. Watching her is a reminder of what representation can do in every genre.

Doom Patrol takes conventional superhero origin tropes and force-feeds them LSD for a ride unlike anything else -- but still manages to tell emotional stories about broken heroes.

If you've been ignoring Steven Universe because you think animation is only for kids, you're missing out, because this groundbreaking, Emmy-winning gem is a treat for all ages. And with its uplifting, self-affirming message, it'll make you cry as much as any episode of Queer Eye.

Three seasons in, Dear White People continues to start pressing conversations about this turbulent social climate -- and with self-aware humor and sharp social commentary, they're doing it better than anyone else right now.

Few shows go as big as Westworld does, and its ambitions to apply classic philosophy to modern technology, while at times wordy and pompous, are profound when they're achieved.

Superstore's fourth season was the show's best yet, and the charming NBC sitcom tackled unions, immigration, and ICE raids in a more heartfelt way than any other series on TV.

Big Brother is still finding ways to live up to its motto, "Expect the unexpected." The constant new hiccups, such as Season 21's Camp Comeback twist, keep houseguests and viewers on their toes, while trusty stalwarts like OTEV and Zingbot provide the comforts of tradition.

It may not be the talk of the town that it once was, but This Is Us still creates genuine and memorable moments that keep us invested in the Pearson family, thanks to Emmy-worthy performances from Susan Kelechi Watson and Mandy Moore.

The absurd Spanish-language comedy Los Espookys, co-created by Fred Armisen, follows a group of friends who start a business scaring people in ways that are often odd but always hilarious.

Whether you thought The Masked Singer was too ridiculous to even acknowledge or thought it was a family-friendly godsend at a time when everybody could use a pick-me-up, you thought about it, and that's what matters.

Few shows genuinely get to your insides like The Terror, an anthology series that adds supernatural flourishes to real historical events, taking the horror to the next level.

Hulu's hit comedy Shrill is full of empowering moments, but it's the unprecedented pool scene in the fourth episode that earned Aidy Bryant's painfully relatable new series a spot among the best shows on TV.

The gang at Paddy's Pub is always willing to surprise us. Whether those surprises end up being hilarious, gross, or even (occasionally) heartfelt, they are one of the main reasons It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia remains one of TV's best comedies after 14 seasons.

Star Trek: Discovery walked a fine line in Season 2, calling back to the original series through Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Pike (Anson Mount) while also pushing the boundaries of the Trekverse with thrilling new storytelling. The show proves that nostalgia and modernity aren't mutually exclusive.

The supernatural Western about an unconventional heroine (Melanie Scrofano) sending demons to hell is a powerful force for good, on-screen and off. With inclusive casting and a famously kind fanbase, Wynnona Earp is groundbreaking in more ways than one.

The Other Two follows two washed-up millennial siblings who may finally get their moment in the spotlight when their 13-year-old brother becomes an overnight YouTube singing sensation. It's a spot-on satire of fame and influencer culture, but it's far sweeter than you'd suspect.

Good Girls -- an intelligent drama starring Retta, Christina Hendricks, and Mae Whitman as a girl gang of reluctant criminals -- exemplifies how to portray multifaceted female characters while also keeping fans on the edge of our seats.

No show is having more fun than Legends of Tomorrow. The CW's zaniest series recognizes (and relishes) the whimsy of its premise, pushing the boundaries of what a superhero show can look like.

Lodge 49 follows a surfer bro who joins a fraternal lodge, where he finds out he might be the Messiah, and there's a guy who chases crows, and-- you know, describing Lodge 49 is a total disservice to the show. Just trust us and prepare for a light-hearted, wacky adventure about finding one's place in the universe.

Tim Robinson is one of the most unique comedy performers we have today. Half of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson's skits probably sounded dreadful spilling out of his mouth during his pitch, but he makes them funny, even when they have no business being so.

Vida is the tale of a fractured family trying to heal as much as it's an unflinching look at gentrification in L.A.'s historic Mexican-American community. And it's also filled with lots of hot sex -- including queer sex -- but depicted in ways that refute the cis male gaze.

Even as the alcohol-soaked stars of Vanderpump Rules age not-so-gracefully into adulthood, the series continues to be one of the best, thanks to the kind of epic blowouts and drunken shenanigans that reality TV show fans dream of.

Ramy Youssef's semi-autobiographical comedy series, Ramy, does something you almost never see on TV: It depicts a devout person who never questions their faith in God. It's difficult to talk about faith in mixed company, but Ramy nails it.

American Crime Story doesn't just mimic history or enjoy the smug pleasure of bringing vintage panormas to life. Every American Crime Story retelling urges audiences to pay attention to important lessons we didn't get the first time. The drama is always provocative, a little bit sexy, and a guaranteed must-see.

On Billions, the pyrotechnics are all conversational. The finance drama's delightful blend of Wikipedian references, business jargon, pugilistic insults, and outrageous metaphors make for the most distinctive dialogue of any show on TV, delivered by actors who are thrilled they get to talk instead of run away from zombies or yell at a tennis ball on a stick.

Murder and mayhem drive Claws' chaotic and thrilling plots, but the heart of the story lies in the unbreakable bond between five female friends trying to survive a perilous, criminal world that constantly underestimates their value.

Any early concerns about how this film-to-TV adaptation would be able to turn 85 minutes of vampire gags into a full television series were quickly staked in the heart. Why did we ever doubt Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi?

Featuring a story told in multiple timelines, and with the threat of a nuclear apocalypse looming over it all, Dark is one of the best sci-fi shows in recent memory. Just when you think you have the show's non-linear narrative figured out, yet another complicated layer threatens to change everything you thought you knew. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Planet Earth takes viewers around the world and offers them a rare, in-depth look at some of our planet's most beautiful creatures and locales, all without leaving the comfort of the couch.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a thrilling watch as fast-talking funny lady Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) slowly but surely comes into her own as a comedian.

Fast-paced, sexy, and packed full of explosive twists, Power has become Starz's most-watched show in the network's history and one of the best TV crime dramas of all time.

The Crown, which follows the long reign of Queen Elizabeth II through the decades, offers delicious insight into what went on behind the monarch's poised facade.

Late night talk shows are stale...except for Desus & Mero. Through sheer force of personality and brains like comedy supercomputers, Desus Nice and The Kid Mero are reinvigorating the format.

Reliving your own puberty might not sound appealing, but reliving puberty through the eyes of John Mulaney and Nick Kroll as a pair of middle school boys -- now that sounds like a fun time. Even when tackling big topics like consent, Big Mouth is a nonstop hoot.

The Handmaid's Tale still manages to curdle our blood, but just when it seems that hopelessness might win, June (Elisabeth Moss) always discovers a new reason to keep going. Blessed be the fight.

A risky three-year time jump landed Pose in the epicenter of the AIDS crisis, as well as the precise moment pop culture started co-opting the voguing scene. Yet no matter what gets thrown at the characters, Pose remains a triumphant song about the humanity of every person, regardless of how they identify.

BoJack Horseman is an animated sad-com that details the fallout of a deeply unhappy person (er, horse) getting everything he wanted and realizing he's still not happy. It's a beautifully empathetic study of how people turn into their own worst enemies.

This season of New York delivered one of the darkest and most captivating fights we've seen in any Housewives city in a long time when Bethenny finally turned on Luann with a scathing monologue we'll be dissecting for years to come -- a perfect example of the spectacular, must-see TV moments the show delivers season after season.

On My Block, about a group of black and Latinx teens growing up in a neighborhood of Los Angeles that has been torn apart by gang violence, balances an absurd sense of humor with honest and heartfelt character moments.

When is a spin-off more than a spin-off? When it's The Good Fight, which took Diane (Christine Baranski, a hero and legend) from The Good Wife and turned her into the centerpiece of a thoroughly entertaining, often subversive procedural. The Good Fight is fearless, relentless, essential viewing.

An intimate study of the chaos and strain of motherhood, especially single motherhood, Better Things captures what hard work it is to care for -- and about -- someone. Stylistically, the series continues to get bolder as Pamela Adlon taps into the surreal side of parenting with dreamlike flights of fancy that somehow only make the show more realistic. Better Things isn't about how life looks; it's about how it feels.

The world of gel pens and AIM comes bursting back to life in all its awkward glory in this horrifically accurate comedy about two teenage girls (played by adults) set in 2000. PEN15 is a real heartwarming story of friendship that will leave you reminiscing... and cringing.

Part Mad Men, part Gossip Girl, part Being Very Online, The Bold Type brought the real world into its orbit during Season 3 thanks to ripped-from-the-headlines plots that didn't feel pandering or forced -- and the genuine chemistry between the show's three delightful leads.

The new Veronica Mars was a treat for longtime fans while also successfully evolving into a more adult series. And despite the season's shocking conclusion, we can't deny how much fun we had returning to Neptune.

Nailed It's thesis is that we're all going to mess up, so we might as well have fun and get some cake out of the deal. And if anyone is having a better time than Jacques Torres and Nicole Byer, we haven't seen them.

The raunchy-on-the-outside, sweet-on-the-inside British series is a charming coming-of-age story that blends modern sensibilities with a nostalgic John Hughes vibe. Sex Education takes its intimate subject matter seriously, but with its playful visual style and distinct sense of humor, the show insists growing up can be whimsical too.

Succession, the sleeper hit of summer 2018, is now just a hit, and Season 2 penetrates even deeper into the dark souls of the super rich. The saga of the media mogul Roy family is as hilarious as it is tragic.

Bodyguard became a word-of-mouth sensation for Netflix after first airing on the BBC, taking audiences on an intense ride with Richard Madden's David Budd as he tries his hardest to protect the woman he's sworn to keep out of harm's way.

Even after six seasons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is still one of the most joyful things on TV. You can be giggling at Captain Holt's (Andre Braugher) playful vacation shirts in one moment and tearing up at Gina's (Chelsea Peretti) heartfelt goodbye in the next. If that isn't great television, we don't know what is.

Natasha Lyonne anchors Russian Doll as Nadia, a gravel-voiced game coder who can't seem to stop dying on the night of her birthday party. As she unravels her own trauma, she finds the companionship she needs to carry on. Russian Doll is saturated with death, but it's about the absurdity of being alive.

Even as Bob's Burgers approaches a decade on television, it's as clever and as laugh-out-loud funny as it's ever been. What more could we ever ask for?

Killing Eve's sophisticated cat-and-mouse game is still worthy of our obsession, thanks to the macabre delight at watching Villanelle (Jodie Comer) stab, slice, and shoot everyone in her path, and the thrill of seeing Eve (Sandra Oh) face pulse-quickening physical danger and a mental hell of her own making.

It's rare that bingeing a show could be considered self-care, but treating yourself to a few hours of Queer Eye is like getting a cleansing facial, a mani-pedi, and a massage.

YOU became 2019's first viral sensation and pushed misplaced thirst for Penn Badgley's Joe, the show's sociopathic murderer, into overdrive. But that's the trick of the series, which forces viewers to flirt with empathy for Joe and in turn examine their own internalized misogyny: It takes the well-worn romantic-comedy tropes many of us grew up on, flips them over, and exposes the dark underbelly to the light.

GLOW, which started ostensibly as a series about the fledgling launch of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, has become something so much more: a series about what happens when women force change, take what's theirs, and don't apologize for anything.

The Haunting of Hill House was more than just some jump scare-heavy horror show. In this thoughtful adaptation of Shirley Jackson's classic novel, Mike Flanagan managed to creep everyone out with spooky atmospheres, grisly imagery, and heartbreaking twists that stayed on our minds long after the finale.

After One Day at a Time was ruthlessly canceled by Netflix, Pop TV swooped in to save the day. Now, one of the best casts on television (Rita Morena! Justina Machado!), will be back for a (hopefully) long tenure at their new home where they can tackle all the beautiful subtleties of being a loving immigrant family in modern America.

With Game of Thrones done, it's left to Stranger Things to become television's biggest event series. Fortunately, Season 3 of the Netflix show was more than up to the task, remixing pop culture in ways that feel fresh and lively. Let's hope the '80s never end.

Better Call Saul is built on knowing Jimmy's (Bob Odenkirk) schemes will be his undoing, even when those schemes are fun or well intentioned. And yet the AMC drama still knows how to keep fans guessing. Better Call Saul could have been a paint-by-numbers prequel; instead, it takes its time watching a fascinating cast of characters try not to fail.

The Good Place tackles some ridiculously profound content, but the creative team and this gifted crew of actors have made a serious moral philosophy lesson genuine, heartwarming fun.

HBO's Barry packs more into a half-hour than most dramas manage to fit in an hour. Not only is it a laugh-out-loud showbiz satire, but it has hold-your-breath action scenes and gut-punching character drama about people trying and failing to change who they are.

When this list was released last year, Atlanta placed No. 2 overall. One year later, with no new episodes to its name, Atlanta is still No. 2, having aged like a fine wine. Funny, heartbreaking, poignant, and unapologetically weird, Atlanta distills the whole black experience through one small, powerful prism.

It's a rare thing to make art that swears people are good. It's rarer still to do that without being toothless. But Schitt's Creek is never saccharine; it's just smart about how weird, terrifying, and worthwhile it is to let yourself grow. It's no wonder new fans are still flocking to the fictional town, even with a farewell season on the horizon, and finding a warm welcome. In Schitt's Creek, the door isn't just always open -- it's all the way off the hinges.