25 Best Showtime Original Series, Ranked
25. The Curse (2023–2024)
Don't be fooled by the show's satirical comedy. The Curse follows married couple Asher and Whitney Siegel, who, along with their producer friend Dougie Schecter, star in a home-renovation series called Flipanthropy. Their mission is to revitalize neighborhoods, but their efforts often blur the line between charity and gentrification. Things take a strange turn when Asher is cursed by a young girl after cheating her out of $100, setting off a series of bizarre events that gradually unravel the Siegels' lives.
24. Escape at Dannemora (2018)
Prison escapes aren't exactly easy to pull off, especially from a maximum-security facility. That's what makes Escape at Dannemora so fascinating. Based on a true story, the series follows inmates Richard Matt and David Sweat as they spend months planning their escape with the help of prison employee Joyce Mitchell, who becomes romantically involved with both men. Once the pair disappear, authorities launch a massive manhunt that grips the entire country.
23. The Big C (2010–2013)
A show about terminal cancer doesn't exactly sound like an easy watch, but The Big C somehow finds the perfect balance between heartbreak and humor. After suburban teacher Cathy Jamison is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she decides it's finally time to start living life on her own terms. What follows is an emotional journey filled with laughter, difficult choices, and plenty of heartfelt moments that never feel overly sentimental.
22. United States of Tara (2009–2011)
The Gregsons might look like an ordinary suburban family, but they're anything but normal. Tara, a devoted wife and mother, lives with dissociative identity disorder, causing her to switch between several distinct personalities, each with its own quirks and behavior. While the premise sounds heavy, United States of Tara balances comedy and drama remarkably well, delivering an honest and surprisingly touching look at mental illness and family life.
21. Dead Like Me (2003–2004)
Life after death isn't exactly what George Lass imagined. After dying in a freak accident, she's recruited as a grim reaper whose job is to guide souls into the afterlife before they die. While George adjusts to her strange new reality, the series also follows her grieving family as they struggle to move on without her. It's a surprisingly heartfelt mix of fantasy, comedy, and drama with a refreshingly unique premise.
20. Weeds (2005–2012)
When life falls apart, most people look for a new job. Nancy Botwin decides to sell marijuana instead. After losing her husband, the widowed mother of two starts dealing weed to support her family. What begins as a desperate way to pay the bills slowly pulls her into the criminal underworld, where every decision becomes riskier than the last. Getting into the business was easy. Getting out? That's a whole different story.
19. Patrick Melrose (2018)
Money can buy luxury, power, and status, but it certainly can't erase childhood trauma. Patrick Melrose follows the life of a wealthy aristocrat who appears to have everything anyone could ask for, yet is haunted by years of abuse and neglect at the hands of his father. As Patrick struggles with addiction, self-destruction, and painful memories, he embarks on a deeply emotional journey toward healing. Driven by Benedict Cumberbatch's phenomenal performance, this miniseries is as heartbreaking as it is unforgettable.
18. The Chi (2018–Present)
One murder is all it takes to change an entire community forever. Set on Chicago's South Side, The Chi begins with the death of a teenage boy that unexpectedly connects the lives of Kevin, Emmett, Ronnie, and Brandon. As each of them deals with the aftermath in different ways, the series explores family, friendship, ambition, and survival while showing how a single tragedy can leave lasting scars on everyone it touches.
17. The Borgias (2011–2013)
Power rarely comes without betrayal, and The Borgias proves exactly that. Set during the Renaissance, the series follows Rodrigo Borgia as he secures the papacy through political manipulation and uses his newfound influence to strengthen his family's grip on power. From strategic marriages to dangerous alliances, every move is calculated, making this historical drama as much about ambition as it is about survival.
16. Californication (2007–2014)
Every writer's worst nightmare isn't rejection, it's running out of ideas. Hank Moody knows that feeling all too well. Battling a stubborn case of writer's block, the troubled novelist moves from New York to Los Angeles hoping a change of scenery might help him get his life back on track. Instead, he finds himself surrounded by temptation, chaos, and plenty of bad decisions, all while trying to move on from the love of his life, Karen.
15. The L Word (2004–2009)
While many dramas have traditionally centered on straight relationships, The L Word took a completely different approach. The series follows a diverse group of lesbian and bisexual women as they navigate friendships, careers, romance, and plenty of personal drama. Groundbreaking for its time, it remains one of television's most influential LGBTQ+ dramas.
14. The Tudors (2007–2010)
When people think of King Henry VIII, they usually think about his six wives. The Tudors goes far beyond that, exploring the political intrigue, ambition, and personal scandals that defined his reign. Jonathan Rhys Meyers delivers a charismatic performance as the unpredictable king, whose charm often masks a ruthless hunger for power. Lavish costumes, palace conspiracies, and complicated relationships make this one of the most entertaining historical dramas around.
13. Your Honor (2020–2023)
Imagine spending your entire career upholding the law, only to be forced into breaking it to save your own child. That's the impossible situation Judge Michael Desiato finds himself in after his teenage son is involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident. Everything changes when Michael discovers the victim is the son of a powerful crime boss. What follows is a tense game of lies, cover-ups, and impossible choices where every decision only makes things worse.
12. The Affair (2014–2019)
Infidelity is something almost everyone agrees is wrong, yet people often find ways to justify it. The Affair explores that complicated gray area through the lives of Noah Solloway and Alison Bailey, two unhappy married people who begin an affair after meeting in Montauk. What makes the series stand out is its unique storytelling, showing the same events from multiple perspectives and proving that the truth often depends on who's telling the story.
11. Nurse Jackie (2009–2015)
On the surface, Jackie Peyton appears to be the ideal emergency-room nurse - compassionate, skilled, and deeply dedicated to her patients. Behind the scenes, however, she struggles with addiction and a web of personal secrets that threaten to destroy both her career and relationships. Balancing dark comedy with emotional drama, Nurse Jackie offers a compelling portrait of a flawed but unforgettable protagonist.
10. Yellowjackets (2021–Present)
If you're a fan of mystery shows that constantly keep you guessing, Yellowjackets deserves a spot on your watchlist. The story jumps between two timelines—one following a girls' soccer team stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash in 1996, and the other taking place 25 years later as the survivors continue to live with the trauma of what happened out there. The more answers you get, the more questions the show throws your way.
9. Queer as Folk (2000–2005)
Long before LGBTQ+ representation became more common on television, Queer as Folk was already breaking barriers. The series follows a close-knit group of gay friends as they navigate love, careers, friendships, and everything in between. It doesn't shy away from difficult conversations about acceptance, identity, and prejudice, while also celebrating the joy of embracing who you truly are.
8. Billions (2016–2023)
Money talks, and in Billions, it never stops. The series follows billionaire hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod and relentless U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades as they try to outsmart each other at every turn. Packed with power plays, manipulation, and corporate mind games, it's the kind of show that constantly keeps you wondering who's actually winning.
7. Masters of Sex (2013–2016)
Set during the early years of the sexual revolution, Masters of Sex chronicles the groundbreaking research of Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Working at Washington University, the pair challenge social norms by studying human sexuality at a time when the subject was rarely discussed openly. Combining compelling character drama with fascinating historical context, the series offers an insightful look at a cultural transformation that changed society forever.
6. Ray Donovan (2013–2020)
Need someone to make a problem disappear? Ray Donovan is the man for the job. Hollywood's go-to fixer handles everything from bribes and payoffs to threats and crime-scene cleanups without breaking a sweat. But his carefully controlled life starts falling apart when his father, Mickey Donovan, is released from prison, dragging Ray back into his messy past and putting him under the FBI's watchful eye.
5. Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)
Twenty-five years after the original series changed television forever, Twin Peaks: The Return picks up where the story left off. FBI agent Dale Cooper once again finds himself at the center of an increasingly surreal mystery that expands far beyond the murder investigation that started it all. Equal parts psychological thriller, horror, and David Lynch fever dream, it's a series that refuses to give easy answers—and that's exactly what makes it so unforgettable.
4. Penny Dreadful (2014–2016)
Anyone who hasn't watched Penny Dreadful is seriously missing out. Yes, it's a slow burn, but that's exactly what makes the horror so effective. The series follows Vanessa Ives and her allies as they battle terrifying supernatural forces while searching for a missing young woman. Filled with gothic atmosphere, disturbing imagery, and unforgettable performances, it's easily one of television's most underrated horror dramas.
3. Shameless (2011–2021)
Every young adult's worst nightmare is having too many responsibilities dumped on them without warning. And sometimes, there is simply no escaping them. That's exactly what happens to Fiona Gallagher. With an absent mother and an alcoholic father who is never around when he's needed, Fiona becomes the primary caregiver to her five younger siblings while trying to build a life of her own. Shameless perfectly balances outrageous comedy with emotional family drama, making the Gallaghers one of television's most unforgettable dysfunctional families.
2. Homeland (2011–2020)
What comes to mind when you hear the word terrorism? Fear? Panic? Suspicion? Homeland is built around those very emotions. After American soldier Nicholas Brody returns home from years of captivity in Iraq, he's welcomed as a national hero. But CIA officer Carrie Mathison is convinced something isn't right. She believes Brody may have been turned by a terrorist organization and begins a dangerous investigation to uncover the truth before it's too late.
1. Dexter (2006–2013)
Who would've thought a forensic blood-spatter analyst could secretly be a serial killer? Sounds alarming, doesn't it? By day, Dexter Morgan works for Miami Metro Police, helping solve murders. By night, he becomes one himself. The only difference is that Dexter has a strict code: he only kills murderers who have escaped justice. He insists he's making the world a better place, but whether that actually makes him a hero is for viewers to decide.
