Anja Djuricic was born in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1992. Her first interest in film started very early, as she learned to speak English by watching Disney animated movies (and many, many reruns). Anja soon became inspired to learn more foreign languages to understand more movies, so she entered the Japanese language and literature Bachelor Studies at the University of Belgrade.
Anja is also one of the founders of the DJ duo Vazda Garant, specializing in underground electronic music influenced by various electronic genres.
Anja loves to do puzzles in her spare time, pet cats wherever she meets them, and play The Sims. Anja’s Letterboxd four includes Memories of Murder, Parasite, Nope, and The Road to El Dorado.
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but sometimes we have to admit that beauty persists even when all eyes are on it. This somewhat philosophical intro was meant to say that, if you’re recommended one show by ten or more people, it’s not an anomaly — it just really is good. The time of television is now, more than ever, as more high-profile actors are agreeing to TV content and adding stunning pieces of television to their portfolios.
For example, Meryl Streep starred in Only Murders In the Building, and she’s the most prolific film actor of our time; the same goes for Robert De Niro in Netflix’s Zero Day; Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline starred in Disclaimer, a series directed by the prestigious film director Alfonso Cuarón. The verdict is out — TV sometimes is better than film. If you’re finally convinced, and wish to give television a chance, here are the TV shows that are as good as everyone says they are.
1 ‘The Sopranos’ (1999-2007)
The Sopranos is a crime drama that’s frequently hailed as one of the greatest shows ever made, and for good reason. This groundbreaking series set a new bar for prestige television with its complex and tragic characters, Shakespearean themes, and a unique depiction of criminals in a vulnerable, complexly human state. The Sopranos won 21 Emmy Awards (out of 111 nominations) and inspired the golden age of TV antiheroes; without it, many of today’s biggest and boldest shows wouldn’t have existed, and without James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, TV wouldn’t have had its most iconic character.
The Sopranos is a mafia family drama about Tony Soprano (Gandolfini), the boss of a New Jersey crime family, father, son, and husband. Tony begins experiencing panic attacks, and visits a psychiatrist for it, with the show depicting his mental state throughout different events in his life. Gradually, the show doesn’t just focus on how the life of crime affects Tony, but those around him, too; it’s an unflinching look at the other side of being a mobster or being close to one. Decades later, critics and audiences still revere The Sopranos for its unparalleled storytelling and cultural impact, proving it truly lives up to its towering reputation.
2 ‘Breaking Bad’ (2008-2013)
Breaking Bad’s hype is matched only by its execution — each season garnered more acclaim than the previous one, which was almost universal. The saga of Walter White boasts a 96% average on Rotten Tomatoes, with 100% for the third and fourth seasons, and was even certified by Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed TV show of all time. It cleaned up in awards shows with 16 Emmy wins (four of those went to Bryan Cranston), and in 2023, it was ranked the best TV series of the last 25 years by a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ poll.
Breaking Bad is a crime thriller set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and follows Walter White (Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer. Walter faces the imminence of his life, realizing he doesn’t have much to leave his family; because of this, he decides to begin making crystal meth with a former student, and soon turns into a notorious and powerful criminal. Walter’s rise to power is documented gradually, realistically, and through a lot of symbolism, making Breaking Bad one of those shows that gets better as more seasons come. Few series have received universal praise like Breaking Bad has; from its tense writing and cinematography to an ending that satisfied fans and critics alike, it remains the stuff of legends.
3 ‘The Wire’ (2002-2008)
Yeah, it may sometimes be slow, very procedural, and painstakingly realistic, but The Wire earned near-unanimous acclaim for its journalistic and fairly unbiased exploration of Baltimore’s drug trade, institutions, and urban life. Each season took on a different facet of the city, from police and politics to schools and media, with realism and brilliant command of attention only David Simon understood how to write. Though it never won major awards during its six-season run, The Wire has grown in stature as a masterpiece of social commentary and become a quintessential police procedural that still inspires writers.
The Wire is set in Baltimore, and follows the police, criminals, and users involved in the drug trade around the city. Each season has a different antagonist and depicts the functioning of different aspects of the legal system, though overarching antagonists include Stringer Bell (Idris Elba), Omar Little (Michael K. Williams), and Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris). They’re all mesmerizing characters because of how deeply human they are, but at the same time, they feel like legends in a league of their own. Critics often put The Wire alongside The Sopranos as one of TV’s finest achievements, and it enjoys a rare 9.3/10 rating on IMDb, which is a testament to how fully this show meets, or even exceeds, its lofty praise.
4 ‘Mad Men’ (2007-2015)
Mad Men is a period drama set in the 1960s advertising world, and it was showered with critical acclaim throughout its run. It’s a regular on various “greatest TV shows” lists, a four-time Emmy winner for Outstanding Drama Series, and has a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score (with 95% audience score) for its compelling, sophisticated, and immersive storytelling. The series drags viewers into an impeccably authentic 1960s style while dissecting American social changes through its enigmatic lead and characters surrounding him. Mad Men is the show people often think of first when they’re asked to name an exceptionally written series.
Mad Men’s protagonist is Don Draper (Jon Hamm), a handsome and seductive perfectionist with a knack for advertising. He works for the Manhattan-based advertising company, Sterling Cooper, is married to the beautiful Betty (January Jones), and is very much a product of his time. Over time, Don’s true face and his impact on the people around him are revealed, with the show focusing on other people and their troubles, as well. It is a slow-burn and often an emotionally difficult watch, but with mesmerizing character development, writing, and visual flair, Mad Men truly lives up to the hype. It’s a show as carefully crafted and consistently excellent as its reputation suggests.
5 ‘Succession’ (2018-2023)
Few recent series have dominated the cultural conversation like Succession, but this family drama/satire earned every bit of that buzz. The saga of a feuding media family maintained universal acclaim for all four of its seasons, with an average rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Succession was also 10th out of the 100 greatest TV series of the 21st century as voted by BBC Culture, and it was part of the greatest of all time lists made by the likes of Rolling Stone and Variety. These accolades are fine and dandy, but is Succession really, really this good? The answer is a resounding yes.
You may not even know how much you like it, but Succession proves its worth through cleverly written dialogues and conversations that echo throughout the show. Viewers have found themselves writing down and memorizing lines that resonate, which is interesting as the characters aren’t meant to be so painfully relatable. The show revolves around the family of media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox), and the efforts of his kids to topple him, outdo him, or win over his love. These efforts feel venomous and overcome the successors’ entire beings, often defining them; their emotions (and lack of) impact those not in the immediate family, too, and the mind games become an overwhelming part of the show’s DNA. As another complex and beautifully written show, Succession is the series that we could have only hoped for after Mad Men.
6 ‘Better Call Saul’ (2015-2022)
Better Call Saul is a spin-off of Breaking Bad, and it’s the rarest of its kind because it matched its parent show’s greatness. Each season was critically adored, and each holds a rating between 97% and 99% approval; many critics and fans argue the series ultimately surpassed Breaking Bad in quality, evolving into a profound and beautiful drama in its own right. Although it shockingly never won an Emmy, Better Call Saul stands tall as one of the best-reviewed dramas ever, fully living up to, and even exceeding, the expectations placed upon it.
Better Call Saul follows conman-turned-lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), and serves primarily as a prequel to Breaking Bad. A lot of its events follow the progression of Breaking Bad, as well, and even include some flash-forward moments, creating a well-rounded character in Saul. Saul is motivated by his brother to leave his life as a con artist in Chicago and comes to Albuquerque to work in a legal practice, where he establishes a new life and career; soon, he becomes the anti-hero that we all grow fond of, showing an imperfectly brilliant man. Odenkirk’s performance and the show’s attention-grabbing writing and storytelling are enough to draw you in and keep you glued to the screen.
7 ‘Abbott Elementary’ (2021-)
At a time when network sitcoms are often dismissed as lightweight or formulaic, Abbott Elementary stands out as a genuine critical and cultural success. The mockumentary-style comedy, created by and starring Quinta Brunson, has received widespread acclaim for its sharp and witty writing, brilliant performances, and refreshing optimism. The show does a great job of balancing laugh-out-loud humor with social commentary, without ever tipping into sentimentality or preachiness. Abbott Elementary has earned multiple Emmy wins, including Outstanding Comedy Series, and is on its way to becoming a staple of sitcom television.
Abbott Elementary follows the employees and students of the eponymous Abbott Elementary, a Philadelphia-based public school, and it’s filmed in mockumentary style, where the teachers have one-on-one interviews and are followed around during their workday. The ensemble is a brilliant mix of people led by Brunson as the optimistic and imaginative Janine Teagues; she’s joined by Tyler James Williams as the perfectionistic Gregory Eddie, Sheryl Lee Ralph as the musically inclined Barbara Howard, Lisa Ann Walter as the quintessential Philly local Melissa Schemmenti, and Chris Perfetti as Jacob Hill, the cringey teacher with his pulse on pop culture. Abbott is smart without being cynical, socially aware without being heavy-handed, and consistently funny without sacrificing character depth. In an era of prestige one-hour dramas, Abbott proves that a traditional half-hour comedy can still be essential viewing.
8 ‘Fleabag’ (2016-2019)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag is a textbook case of a show fully worthy of the hype it received, and keeps receiving over the years. This British tragicomedy holds a rare 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes for both its seasons, indicating almost no critique whatsoever. Critics and audiences alike were won over by the show’s sharp wit, dark humor, and emotional honesty. Fleabag’s second (and final) season, in particular, swept major awards, including the 2019 Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, beating some of the big-name favorites, like Veep, Barry, and Schitt’s Creek, the most common winners at that time.
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Fleabag follows the protagonist known only as Fleabag (Waller-Bridge), and her life and relationships with boyfriend, family, and friends. Fleabag is tormented by past trauma and grief, but her behavior often doesn’t reflect remorse or guilt, until it does. The show is hilarious and often heartbreaking, and introduces a brilliantly imperfect female protagonist that wasn’t seen in such a light before. Besides being famous for being emotionally devastating, Fleabag’s signature is frequent fourth-wall breaks that take on a different meaning in Season 2. Fleabag is still often called one of the finest TV comedies of the modern era.
9 ‘Chernobyl’ (2019)
A surprise hit in 2019, Chernobyl won widespread praise for its harrowing and historically accurate dramatization of the 1986 nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. The five-part miniseries is rated at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, with praise going to its tense writing, direction, and the haunting performances by Jared Harris and Stellan Skarsgård. The series swept awards as well; Chernobyl earned 10 Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Series in 2019. On lists of the best miniseries of all time, Chernobyl often holds a spot close to the very top. Indeed, shows about true events have rarely been as hard-hitting and emotionally gripping.
Chernobyl recreates the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, when one of the nuclear plant’s power reactors exploded and spread radioactive particles across the territory (and even outside the USSR). The miniseries follows the cleanup efforts and first responders on the scene, like the firefighters and the army, and shows how the families of the workers and people in proximity were affected by the disaster. Harris portrays Valeriy Legasov, the scientist who led the cleanup efforts and the investigation into the cause of the reactor’s explosion. Chernobyl is bleak but somehow touching, and a cautionary tale with messages on corruption and morality; it’s one of the best shows of all time for good reason.
10 ‘Arcane’ (2021-2024)
Arcane exploded onto the scene in 2021 as a video game adaptation that not only defied the odds, but set a new gold standard. The gorgeously animated League of Legends-inspired series achieved a 100% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 97% audience score to match — an almost unheard-of feat across multiple (though only two) seasons. Even those unfamiliar with LoL were captivated by Arcane’s rich world-building, complex characters with cleverly evolving arcs, and beautifully emotional storytelling.
Arcane follows sisters Violet (Hailee Steinfeld) and Powder (Ella Purnell), natives of the oppressed Zaun, who become orphans very young and grow up to witness the conflict against the looming and powerful aggressors of the city of Piltover. Their character development is traced across the two attention-grabbing seasons, together with stunning side characters that help their self-discovery and growth. It’s very easy to claim Arcane to be as good as everyone says: it’s a visually stunning, narratively compelling series that proves animated shows can earn universal acclaim on par with the very best in TV.
Like Follow Followed Arcane TV-14 Animation Drama Action Fantasy 8 10 Release Date 2021 – 2024 Network Netflix Cast See All Hailee Steinfeld Vi Ella Purnell Jinx Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming BUY
Showrunner Christian Linke Directors Barth Maunoury, Marietta Ren, Christelle Abgrall Writers Amanda Overton, Nick Luddington, Mollie Bickley St. John, Ben St. John, Giovanna Sarquis, Henry G.M. Jones Franchise(s) League of Legends Genres Animation, Drama, Action, Fantasy Main Genre Animation Seasons 2 Producers Christian Linke, Brandon Beck, Thomas Vu, Marc Merrill, Jane Chung, Ash Brannon, Christine Ponzevera, Brian Wright, Melinda Wunsch Dilger, Arnaud Delord, Alex Yee, Pascal Charrue Streaming Service(s) Netflix Executive Producer(s) Christian Linke, Brandon Beck, Thomas Vu, Marc Merrill, Jane Chung, Brian Wright, Melinda Wunsch Dilger, Arnaud Delord, Alex Yee, Pascal Charrue Powered by Expand Collapse
