34 Shows Like Desperate Housewives If You Like Soap Dramas

Hola, fellow readers. In search of soap operas filled with drama, comedy, crime, adultery, secrets, and more? Well, we got you covered. Drama Soap shows are among the most popular genres of television shows and have the highest numbers of views on them.

Below is the list of 34 shows like Desperate Housewives, which is the daily dose of our entertainment and drama. Desperate Housewives is not what you might think it is. It is filled with mysteries and unexpected twists and turns. Here is a quick look at the show for you to start with.

Desperate Housewives is one of the most-watched television series around the globe. It had made its way to many Top 10s of the lists. At one point in 2007, the show was the third-most-watched television series in 20 countries, and it was also the third-highest revenue-earning series in 2010. It was also on the New TV Classics list at  Entertainment Weekly. Well, those are some impressive statistics.

Apart from facts and stats, the show has had a brilliantly written plot, an amazing cast, and a very productive production house. The story of Desperate Housewives follows a group of females residing in Wisteria Lane (a fictional street) who are shaken by the suicide of one of them. Although that wasn’t a normal suicide, it unveiled a lot of secrets and twists in the story. The show ran its course from Oct. 2004 to May 2012 with eight seasons and 180 episodes. 

Throughout the series, it featured many flashbacks and flashforwards. It also had a 5-year jump in between the season to kick-start the storyline again. It showed that what may look like a perfect, happy, and nice suburban neighborhood might not always be that perfect and nice, and it contained a lot of secrets, mysteries, forbidden love, scandals, and apparently, crime too.

Desperate Housewives had an ensemble cast of Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria, Steven Culp, Ricardo Antonio Chavira, Mark Moses, Andrea Bowen, Jesse Metcalfe, Cody Kasch, Brenda Strong, James Denton, Alfre Woodard, Doug Savant, and Richard Burgi. The series had a lot of changes in the cast throughout its course. It had been nominated for 273 awards in total in won 71 out of them.

Now, here is the list of 34 Shows like Desperate Housewives:

34. Melrose Place (Classic Series) 

The second series in the Beverly Hills 90210 show franchise is Melrose Place. It is based on the lives of the people residing in an apartment complex on Melrose Place in West Hollywood, California. This show was also on the New TV Classics list in Entertainment Weekly magazine. 

The show had been nominated for various accolades and had won the Favorite New TV Dramatic Series Award at the People’s Choice Award in 1993. Season 3 of Melrose Place was the most successful one and was the one that received a lot of positive reviews. 

Every big series or show comes with a big controversy too. Before Lisa Rinna was hired to play the role of Taylor McBride, Hunter Tylo was hired, but she was fired by Aaron Spelling as Tylo was pregnant, which pretty much was discrimination, and Tylo took it to court. This case set an example that females can work even when pregnant and look as beautiful and slim as they want to.

• Years: 1992-1999
• Genre: Soap Opera
• Main Cast: Josie Bissett, Thomas Calabro, Amy Locane, Doug Savant, Grant Show, Andrew Shue, Courtney Throne-Smith, Vanessa Williams, Daphne Zuniga, Heather Locklear, Laura Leighton, Marcia Cross, Kristin Davis, Jack Wagner, Rob Estes, Brooke Langton, Lisa Rina, Kelly Rutherford, David Charvet, Linden Ashby, Alyssa Milano, Jamie Luner, John Haymes Newton.
• Related: Beverly Hills 90210 (1990), Models Inc. (Spin-off: 1994)), 90210 (2008), Melrose Place (2009), and BH90210 (2019).
• No. of Seasons: 7
• No. of Episodes: 227
• Where to Watch: Vudu, Paramount+, Apple TV.

33. The Carrie Diaries

The Carrie Diaries is based on the book of the same name by Candance Bushnell, released in 2010. It is also a prequel to the series Sex and the City, which focuses on the life of Carrie Bradshaw in 1984 when she was in her junior year of high school. She works at a law firm and a magazine and trying to manage her love and sex life along with friendships. The show received mixed reviews.

• Years: 2013-2014
• Genre: Teen Drama, Comedy
• Main Cast: AnnaSophia Robb, Austin Butler, Ellen Wong, Katie Wong, Katie Findlay, Stefania LaVie Owen, Brendan Dooling, Chloe Bridges, Freema Agyeman, Matt Letscher, Lindsey Gort.
• No. of Seasons: 2
• No. of Episodes: 26
• Where to Watch: The CW, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Also Read: 50 TV Shows Like Gilmore Girls You Would Love To Watch.

32. Ugly Betty 

Ugly Betty might be a cult classic, but it failed to get an active audience while it was airing on TV and was canceled after four seasons. The word on the street is that makers are interested in rebooting a film of it, but no one knows how true or false it is. The show is based on the telenovela Yo soy Betty, la Fea by Fernando Gaitan.

The story is about Betty Suarez; even though she doesn’t fall under the category of beauty standards that the world has set, she manages to get a job at a fashion magazine because of her hard work. The show had been nominated for 163 awards and won 62.

• Years: 2006-2010
• Genre: Drama, Rom-Com
• Main Cast: America Ferrera, Eric Mabius, Vanessa Williams, Tony Plana, Ana Ortiz, Becki Newton, Michael Urie, Mark Indelicato, Ashley Jensen, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Dale, Kevin Sussman, Judith Light, Christopher Gorham, Daniel Eric Gold.
• Spin-Off: Mode After Hours.
• No. of Seasons: 4
• No. of Episodes: 85
• Where to Watch: Hulu.

31. Mistresses

Mistresses are based on the U.K. series of the same name by Lowri Glain & S. J. Clarkson, which is about four friends dealing with their complex relationships involving a lot of drama, scandal, and adventure. The show received good reviews and was nominated for two awards and won one out of them for Most Popular Foreign Drama at Seoul International Drama Awards (2013).

• Years: 2013-2016
• Genre:  Drama, Mystery, Soap Opera
• Main Cast: Alyssa Milano, Yunjin Kim, Rochelle Aytes, Jes Macallan, Brett Tucker, Erik Stocklin, Jason George, Jennifer Esposito, Rob Mayes, Tabrett Bethell.
• No. of Seasons: 4
• No. of Episodes: 52
• Where to Watch: Hulu

30. Manifest 

Manifest is about passengers and crew members of flight 191 who disappeared almost five years, and now, they are back and trying to fit in the world, but various mysteries unfold in front of them. The show originally aired on NBC and was canceled after three seasons, but when uploaded to Netflix, it hit the charts and was renewed for the last and fourth seasons (whose first installments of 10 seasons were released in Nov. 2022, and the second is TBA).

• Years: 2018-Present
• Genre: Supernatural Drama
• Main Cast: Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, Athena Karkanis, J. R. Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Jack Messina, Parveen Kaur, Matt Long, Holly Taylor, Daryl Edwards, Frank Deal, Alfredo Narciso, Mugga, Julienne Hanzelka, Malachy Cleary, Geraldine Leer, Omar Torres II, Victoria Cartagena.
• No. of Seasons: 4
• No. of Episodes: 52
• Where to Watch: Netflix

29. Scream Queens 

Scream Queen is another masterpiece by Ryan Murphy, which was critically acclaimed for its direction, narration, execution, story, costume, and cast performance. It is one of the best satirical series out there. Although the show was canceled after two seasons, Murphy did confirm that he might be working on a third season. 

Season 1 follows the students of Wallace University who are a member of a social group called Kappa Kappa Tau (KKT) who are being targeted by a serial killer who uses the Red Devil mascot as a costume. The second season is featured in a hospital instead of a university. The show has been nominated for 14 awards, out of which they won 3.

• Years: 2015-2016
• Genre: Black Comedy, horror, satire, slasher.
• Main Cast: Emma Roberts, Skyler Samuels, Lea Michele, Glen Powell, Diego Boneta, Abigail Breslin, Keke Palmer, Oliver Hudson, Nasim Pedrad, Lucien Laviscount, Billie Lourd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kirstie Alley, Taylor Lautner, James Earl III, John Stamos, Ariana Grande.
• No. of Seasons: 2
• No. of Episodes: 23
• Where to Watch: Hulu.

28. Sex and the City 

It doesn’t matter if you have watched this one or not; you certainly have heard this name. That’s the power of a name. No, Sex and the City are not only the movies. Movies are the ones that were inspired by the series. The series is also adapted from a newspaper column by Candace Bushnell and an anthology book (1996) of the same name.

The story is about four friends, Carrie, Samantha, Kristin, and Miranda, who are in their 30s and 40s. They all have different personalities, natures, and ever-changing sex life, but they still stick together. Through the story of these four, the creators and writers tried to bring up many modern issues about safe sex, sexuality, femininity, and promiscuity. Majorly the series is about relationships and friendships.

The show has received mixed reviews, but it also made it to the New TV Classic list by Entertainment Weekly and is considered to be the reason why HBO gained so much popularity. It has also been said to be the best television series of 2007 by Time and of 2013 by TV Guide. The show has been nominated for 210 awards in total and has won 55. The fashion of Sex and the City is also a topic of gossip.

• Years: 1998-2004
• Genre: Rom-Com, Drama.
• Main Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth, David Eigenbreg, Willie Garson, Kyle MacLachlan, John Corbett, Evan Handler, Jason Lewis, Lynn Cohen, James Remar, Mario Cantone, Frances Sternhagen, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Ron Livingston, Sean Palmer, Bridget Moynahan, Ben Weber, Blair Underwood.
• Spin-Off: The Carrie Diaries (2013-2014), And Just Like That… 
• Movies: Sex and the City (2008), Sex and the City 2 (2010).
• No. of Seasons: 6
• No. of Episodes: 94
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar.

Also Read: Why Did Carrie And Aidan Break Up In Sex And The City Season 4?

27. Will & Grace 

Will & Grace had educated Americans about Gay Rights more than anybody else. These are not my words. This was said by U. S. Vice President Joe Biden, and he ain’t wrong. Will & Grace is the most loved show with a Gay character in the lead, who teaches people about the LGBT community and the issues they face. It was ground-breaking.

Although the show was initially criticized for the stereotypical portrayal of the gay character, the show grows on you. It has made too many Top 20 lists, and all the main actors of the show have won one Emmy Award throughout its course. The story is about Will Truman and Grace Adler.

Will is gay and a lawyer and Grace is straight in that matter and is an interior designer. After Grace’s marriage fell apart, Will let her stay at his house, but she later became his permanent room partner. They have known each other since their college days, and Grace pretty much relies on him for most things.

The show had made a huge cultural impact, and the way they tackled modern-era topics like casual sex, divorce, the portrayal of gay and Jewish culture, marriage, and divorce was a thing of appreciation. Will & Grace had been nominated for 198 awards in total and won 51.

• Years: 1998-2016, 2017-2020
• Genre: Sitcom
• Main Cast: Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally, Sean Hayes, Gary Grubbs, Shelley Morrison, Michael Angarano, Debie Reynolds, Tom Gallop, Sydney Pollack, Laura Kightlinger, Molly Shannon, Steve Paymer, Leigh-Allyn Baker.
• Spin-Offs: Karen: The Musical, Jack & Karen, #VoteHoney.
• No. of Seasons: 11
• No. of Episodes: 246
• Where to Watch: Hulu

26. Bridgerton 

Bridgerton is a record-breaking series on Netflix. It is set in the Regency era of London’s ton, where the nobility and gentry meet and hold balls, dinner parties, and charity events so that the youth can find themselves a partner. Bridgerton is filled with twists and turns, mysteries, hidden identity female writers, and more.

The show has received a lot of positive reviews from critics and audiences for its narration, story, costume, casting, locations, direction, and more. It had been nominated for 49 awards and won 6, and 5 are pending. Bridgerton was renewed for 3rd and 4th season in April 2021.

• Years: 2020-Present
• Genre: History, Regency Drama, Romance.
• Main Cast: Adjoa Andoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ruby Barker, Sabrina Bartlett, Harriet Cains, Bessie Carter, Nicola Coughlan, Phoebe Dynevor, Ruth Gemmell, Florence Hunt, Claudia Jessie, Ben Miller, Luke Newton, Rege-Jean Page, Golda Rosheuvel, Julie Andrews, Simone Ashley.
• Spin-Offs: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023-TBR)
• No. of Seasons: 2
• No. of Episodes: 16
• Where to Watch: Netflix

25. Pretty Little Liars 

Pretty Little Liars is one of the most prominent and well-known mystery series of all time based on novel series by Sara Shepard. It features the story of four friends living in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, who was once a clique; after the death of their leader, their group fell apart. The story follows one year after their friend’s disappearance when all four of them started getting threats from an anonymous person, “A.”

Through the story, many secrets are revealed behind the disappearance of their leader and friend. After the identity of “A” is revealed, it is taken over by someone else. The show was nominated for 80 awards and won 48 out of them.

• Years: 2010-2017
• Genre: Mystery, Teenage, Drama.
• Main Cast: Torian Bellisario, Laura Leighton, Tyler Blackburn, Ian Harding, Holly Marie Combs, Andrea Parker, Chad Love, Janel Parrish, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Chad Lowe, Bianca Lawson, Sasha Pieterse, Nia Peeples, Shay Mitchell.
• Spin-Offs: Pretty Little Secrets, Ravenswood, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.
• No. of Seasons: 7
• No. of Episodes: 160
• Where to Watch: Netflix.

24. The O.C. 

The O.C. was the highest-rated teen drama show of 2003-2004 but was canceled after four seasons because the ratings declined with time. The story is set in titular Orange County and revolves around Ryan Atwood, who had been adopted by Sandy and Kirsten Cohen. Ryan and his step-brother Seth are trying to have fun and relationships. They both are opposite but work very well together.

The story also shows how Cohens are open open-minded and idealistic and how they have cultural clashes because of the materialistic society they reside in. The show was popular at first and received mixed reviews afterward. It had been nominated for 34 awards in total and won 14.

• Years: 2003-2007
• Genre: Teen Drama
• Main Cast: Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan, Ben McKenzie, Adam Brody, Mischa Barton, Chris Carmack, Tate Donovan, Melinda Clarke, Rachel Bilson, Alan Dale, Willa Holland, Autumn Reeser.
• Spin-Offs: Atomic County
• No. of Seasons: 4
• No. of Episodes: 92
• Where to Watch: Netflix

23. Gossip Girl 

Gossip Girl. Everyone knows of this one. The story is about Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen and is set in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Gossip Girl also shows other privileged upper-class teens who go to private schools. Blair was very popular and was envied by all until her ex-best friend came back after mysteriously disappearing for a long time.

The story is narrated by Kristen Bell, the “Gossip Girl,” who is a blog bigger and pretty much shares everything with the world. Gossip Girl is filled with scandals, schemes, conspiracies, and more. It shows the shallowness of upper-society teens. Gossip Girl was a hit worldwide and received mixed reviews. It was nominated for 34 awards and won 18.

Gossip Girl has spawned various adaptations and a sequel. The sequel is in the same setting but follows a new cast and new conspiracies but the same shared universe but from a different perspective. Again, Kristen Bell narrates the story in the sequel too.

• Years: 2007-2012
• Genre: Teen Drama
• Main Cast: Kristen Bell, Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford, Taylor Momsen, Ed Westwick, Kelly Rutherford, Matthew Settle, Jessica Szohr, Kayle DeFer, Zuzanna Szadkowski, Michelle Trachtenberg, Margaret Colin, Connor Paolo, Amanda Setton, Robert John Burke.
• Sequel: Gossip Girl (2021).
• No. of Seasons: 6
• No. of Episodes: 121
• Where to Watch: Prime Video.

Also Read: Where To Watch Gossip Girl Season 2? Streaming Guide

22. Grey’s Anatomy 

Grey’s Anatomy is the longest-running Primetime Medical Drama on ABC. It has made many longest-running and scripted primetime drama show series. The show has given worldwide recognition to Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, and Patrick Dempsey. The show has a huge following, but the ratings might have declined over the years.

The cast has undergone many changes since its first episode aired in 2055. Although Ellen, James, and Chandra reprised their roles from the original season, Ellen announced that she would take an exit from the show in the 19th season. She did appear in some of the episodes, and she is not a part of the permanent cast now.

Based on Gray’s Anatomy (1858) by Henry Gray, Grey’s Anatomy majorly revolves around a medical intern at Seattle Grace Hospital, Meredith Grey. It’s the story of her life, how she started as a surgical intern and now is the team’s chief. The story also features other interns, residents, and attendings that are associated with her.

Throughout the series, the surgical team faces medical emergencies and personal problems and fights to become the best in their field. Grey’s Anatomy has given birth to the terms like McSteamy, McDreamy, and my person. It had been nominated for a total of 170 awards and won 60.

Katherine Heigl won Primetime Emmy Award (2007) for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Teen Choice Award (2007) for Choice TV Show: Drama. She is the only one from the cast members of 19 seasons to win a Primetime Emmy or Teen Choice Award.

• Years: 2005-Present
• Genre: Medical Drama, Romance, Comedy.
• Main Cast: Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, T. R. Knight, Justin Chambers, Katherine Heigl, James Pickens Jr., Chandra Wilson, Sara Ramirez, Eric Dane, Brooke Smith, Chyler Leigh, Kevin McKidd, Jessica Chapsaw, Kim Raver, Jesse Williams, Sarah Drew, Camilla Luddington, Jerrika Hinton, Gaius Charles.
• Spin-Offs: Private Practice, Station 19, Grey’s Anatomy: B-Team.
• No. of Seasons: 19
• No. of Episodes: 406
• Where to Watch: Disney+, Netflix, ABC, Hulu, Prime Video.

21. Good Girls 

Good Girls may have been canceled after the fourth season, but it made a very effective impact on the hearts of people. No one goes down the path of crime themselves, and it’s the situations that made them do bad things (until or unless you are a no fuck giving serial killer psychopath).

The story follows two sisters, Beth and Annie, and their friend Ruby who reside in a suburban area. All three have personal problems, especially in monetary terms, so they rob a grocery store. Little did they know that robbery was going to change their life altogether. They went down a path they never imagined and got caught up in something way bigger than themselves.

• Years: 2018-2021
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, Crime
• Main Cast: Christina Hendricks, Retta, Mae Whitman, Reno Wilson, Manny Montana, Lidya Jewett, Isaiah Stannard, Matthew Lillard, David Hornsby, James Lesure, June Squibb, Zach Gilford, Sally Pressman, Allison Tolman, Braxton Bjerken, Danny Boyd, Mason Shea, Sam Huntington.
• No. of Seasons: 4
• No. of Episodes: 50
• Where to Watch: Netflix

20. You 

Initially, You was released on Tv, but as soon as it was made available to stream online on Netflix, it hit the charts and became the most-watched and most popular show on Netflix in 2019. In no time, You became a topic of gossip, especially because of your story.

Later it was renewed for season 2 and season 3. Season 4 is to be released in two parts. The first part will be released on February 9, 2023, and the second on March 9, 2023. The show has been nominated for eight awards. The series is based on the book series by Caroline Kepnes.

The three seasons follow around Joe Goldberg, who was a bookstore manager in season 1 and became obsessed with an aspiring writer Guinevere Beck. At the start, it seems normal until he starts showing his true colors. Wait, tell us. What do you think if someone is ready to kill you? Will you call it love? And what if someone killed you? I’m pretty sure you will call it a sociopath. Well, after sociopaths comes to Joe.

In season 2, he moves to LA to forget his past, but as soon as he sees Love Quinn, a chef, he falls into his patterns again. Stalking online, using any means to be with her. Little did he know Love was even a bigger sociopath than him, but it all changed after he got to know that Love was pregnant with his child.

Season 3 shows that Love and Joe are married and have moved to a Californian suburb of Madre Linda. Well, we ain’t spoiling it for you, but seriously, Joe is the tail of the dog that can never be straightened. If, after season 2, you think Love is the villain think again. You never know who is bad and who is good, but Joe is certainly not the team’s good. He falls again for a local librarian Marianne.

• Years: 2018-Present
• Genre: Psychological thriller
• Main Cast: Penn Badgley, Elizabeth Lail, Luca Padovan, Zach Cherry, Shay Mitchell, Jenna Ortega, Victoria Pedretti, James Scully, Ambyr Childers, Carmela Zumbado, Tati Gabrielle, Saffron Grant, Travis Van Winkle, Dylan Arnold, Lukas Gage, Charlotte Ritchie, Tilly Keeper, Amy-Leigh Hickman, Ed Speleers.
• No. of Seasons: 3
• No. of Episodes: 30
• Where to Watch: Netflix

19. One Tree Hill 

One Tree Hill is the fourth-longest-running show on The CW (The WB + UPN). One Tree Hill is a successful show and follows the story of two half-brothers who have a keen interest in basketball. The first four years revolve around their school days, character development, and relationships.

The creator, Mark Schwahn, then jumped the timeline to 4 years to kick start the story and showed their struggle after college. The story again jumped to 14 months ahead in the seventh season.

The show received positive reviews and was nominated for 31 awards, out of which they won 3, including Choice Throwback TV Show at Teen Choice Awards (2017), Choice TV Actor: Drama (Chad Michael Murray) at Teen Choice Awards (2008), and Choice Breakout TV Star- Male (Chad Michael Murray) at Teen Choice Awards (2004).

• Years: 2003-2012
• Genre: Teen sports drama, Romance.
• Main Cast: Chad Michael Murray, James Lafferty, Hillarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz, Paul Johansson, Sophia Bush, Barry Corbin, Craig Sheffer, Moira Kelly, Barbara Alyn Woods, Lee Norris, Antwon Tanner, Danneel Harris, Jackson Brundage, Lisa Goldstein, Austin Nichols.
• No. of Seasons: 9
• No. of Episodes: 187
• Where to Watch: Hulu

Also, Read One Tree Hill Filming Locations & The Sets.

18. Revenge 

Revenge may not be able to spawn for its course, but it did make an impact on the people with its four seasons, as it was ABC’s highest-rated series. Revenge is based on the 1844 novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. During its course, it was nominated for 22 awards in total ad won 3 out of them, including Outstanding Drama at Gracie Aleen Awards in 2012. 

The show revolves around Amanda Clarke, who is on her journey to destroy Victoria Grayson and her family for sending his father to prison for a crime he didn’t commit and, even more, for having her father killed in prison only. During her journey, she learned about things that she didn’t know earlier and had her plan changed at any time. She also questioned the motive behind her plan.

• Years: 2011-2015
• Genre: Soap Opera, Mystery, Serial Drama, Psychological thriller.
• Main Cast: Madeleine Stowe, Emily VanCamp, Gabriel Mann, Henry Czerny, Ashley Madekwe, Nick Wechsler, Josh Bowman, Connor Paolo, Christa B. Allen, Barry Sloane, James Tupper, Karine Vanasse, Brian Hallisay, Elena Satine.
• No. of Seasons: 4
• No. of Episodes: 89
• Where to Watch: Roku Channel, Hulu, Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV.

17. Devious Maids 

Well, including Devious Maid in this list is our kind of petition to bring it back and give us the answers we deserve to know. Devious Maids was canceled after season four, but the story ended on a cliffhanger. It was based on the Mexican series named Ellas son… la Alegria del Hogar. Devious Maids has been nominated for four awards and 1 (Best Actress- television- Ana Ortiz at Imagen Awards 2014).

The show, as the name suggests, is about maids. Those Latino maids work for wealthy and powerful families in Beverly Hills, California. Well, as maids, they got to know a lot about those families’ secrets and crimes. The show received a lot of positive reviews, and online petitions were also signed to bring the series back to end the cliffhanger, but of course, that never happened.

• Years: 2013-2016
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
• Main Cast: Ana Ortiz, Dania Ramirez, Roselyn Sanchez, Judy Reyes, Edy Ganem, Rebecca Wisocky, Tom Irwin, Brianna Brown, Brett Cullen, Mariana Kalveno, Grant Show, Drew Van Acker, Wole Parks, Susan Luci, Mark Deklin, Joanna P. Adler, Dominic Adams, Colin Woodell, Gilles Marini, Cristina de la Fuente, Nathan Owens, Sol Rodriguez. 
• No. of Seasons: 4
• No. of Episodes: 49
• Where to Watch: Hulu

16. Weeds 

Weeds have been the highest-rated show of 2005 on Showtime. It had been nominated for 46 awards and won 5. The story is about Nancy Botwin, who started trading Marijuana after the death of his husband as she had a family to support. Can we just say that don’t marry Nancy and you will get killed? I mean, she married three times after that, and all of them were killed except one.

Throughout the series, the Botwin family gets engaged in more and more illegal activities, and in no time, Nancy has a prominent name in dealing with weeds in the underworld. She made some enemies and allies throughout the course and had everything she could to protect her boys. It shows the extent would go to provide a good life for her children.

• Years: 2005-2012
• Genre: Dark Comedy, Drama, Satire.
• Main Cast: Mary-Louise Parker, Justin Kirk, Hunter Parrish, Alexandra Gould, Kevin Nealon, Elizabeth Perkins, Romany Malco, Tonye Patano, Indigo, Renee Victor, Shoshannah Stern, Martin  Donovan, Allie Grant, Andy Milder, Fatso-Fasano, Page Kennedy, Matthew Modine.
• Spin-Offs: Weeds 4.20 (in development).
• No. of Seasons: 8
• No. of Episodes: 102
• Where to Watch: Hulu

15. Jane The Virgin 

Jane The Virgin has been in the limelight since the first episode dropped in 2014. The story is loosely based on the Venezuelan telenovela Juana la Virgen. The show had been nominated for 80 awards and won 36 in total. A tie-in novel, Snow Falling, was released in 2017.

The story is about Jane, who works at a hotel and has a keen interest in writing. Her life goes upside down when a regular check-up with her gynecologist turns into her invermination of hers.

Of course, it was an accident, and Jane knew nothing about it. She had sworn to her grandmother that she would save her virginity till her marriage, and now, this happens. Not only this, the donor is a recovered cancer patient, the owner of the hotel where Jane works, and a married man, and this is his last chance to big a father. Jane also had a crush on the donor in their teenage age.

• Years: 2014-2019
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Satire.
• Main Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Andrea Navedo, Yael Grobglas, Justin Baldoni, Ivonne Coll, Brett Dier, Jaime Camil, Joseph Sanders, Elias Janssen, Anthony Mendez, Yara Martinez, Bridget Regan, Carlo Rota, Carmen Carrera, Priscilla Barnes, Justina Machado, Johnny Messner.
• No. of Seasons: 5
• No. of Episodes: 100
• Where to Watch: Netflix.

14. A Million Little Things 

A Million Little Things is about a group of friends who realize the true meaning of living and friendship when one of the members of their group dies by suicide. They understand the value of time and that how friendship is about a million little things and not one big thing. While processing the trauma, they try to make their bond even stronger.

Now, four seasons have been released. The last and final season 5, will be released on February 8, 2023. The show has been nominated for two awards and won 1 of them (Television Academy Honors for Outstanding Programs and Storytellers Advancing Social Change Through Television in 2019).

• Years: 2018-Present
• Genre: Family, Drama
• Main Cast: David Giuntoli, Romany Malco, Allison Miller, Christina Moses, Christina Ochoa, Grace Park, James Roday Rodriguez, Stephanie Szostak, Tristan Byon, Lizzy Greene, Chance Hurstfield, Floriana Lima, Ron Livingston, Constance Zimmer, Sam Pancake, Jason Ritter.
• No. of Seasons: 4
• No. of Episodes: 74
• Where to Watch: Hulu, Voot.

Also Read A Million Little Things Season 4 Episode 20 Release Date: Tyrell Avoids Yale.

13. Better Things 

Better Things is about a divorced woman who is a Hollywood actress and a mother of three daughters. She had to face struggles to raise her daughters and go ahead with her career. The show received a lot of positive reviews, especially for Adlon’s performance. Better Things had been nominated for 24 awards and won 4 out of them.

• Years: 2016-2022
• Genre: Black Comedy, Drama
• Main Cast: Pamela Adlon, Mikey Madison, Hannah Alligood, Olivia Edward, Celia Imrie, Diedrich Bader, Alysia Reiner, Greg Cromer, Rebecca Metz, Matthew Glave, Mather Zickel, Lucy Davis, Patricia Scanlon, Emma Shannon, Jeremy K. Williams, Henry Thomas, Marsha Thomason.
• No. of Seasons: 5
• No. of Episodes: 52
• Where to Watch: Disney+

12. Dead To Me 

A perfect pick for people who love dark comedies filled with secrets, mysteries, and drama. Dead To Me is the story of Jen and Judy, who met a support group. They both are dealing with a loss but have quite different approaches. Jen is dealing with the loss of his husband in a hit-and-run case while trying to investigate the incident.

Judy says she is dealing with the loss of her fiancée while the reality is gonna break them both. Despite being poles apart from each other, they have a very deep bond, and Judy keeps the secret to herself. The show has been nominated for 25 awards and won 1 out of them for Television Episodic: Comedy at the Writers Guild of America Awards in 2020.

• Years: 2019-2022
• Genre: Dark Comedy, Drama
• Main Cast: Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, James Marsden, Max Jenkins, Sam McCarthy, Luke Roessler, Diana-Maria Riva, Brandon Scott, Valerie Mahaffey, Natalie Morales, Ed Asner, Keong Sim, Telma Hopkins, Sadie Stanley, Haley Sims.
• No. of Seasons: 3
• No. of Episodes: 30
• Where to Watch: Netflix

11. Castle 

Castle is the best crime-solving series out there. It is a must-watch for drama lovers. The show is set in New York City, where Detective Kate Beckett has to work with Richard Castle, a novelist. At first, she didn’t like the idea of working with him, and later the two grew upon each other. A psychopath commits a murder based on the Castle’s novel, and Beckett is forced to work with him.

The show received positive reviews throughout the series and was praised for various aspects of it. The show has been nominated for 49 awards and won 26 out of them, including Favorite Tv Drama Actor for Nathan Fillion at People’s Choice Awards in 2012 & 2013 and, also People’s Choice Award for Favorite Crime Drama TV Actor- Nathan Fillion in 2015 & 2016.

The makers of the show have also released numerous books and novels under the name Richard Castle which were also featured in the show. The books are as below:

1. Heat Wave (2009).
2. Naked Heat (2010).
3. Heat Rises (2011).
4. Castle: Richard Castle’s Deadly Strom (2011) +3.
5. Frozen Heat (2012).
6. A Brewing Storm (2012).
7. A Raging Storm (2012).
8. A Bloody Storm (2012).
9. Deadly Heat (2013).
10. Raging Heat (2014).
11. Driving Heat (2015).
12. High Heat (2016).
13. Heat Storm (2017).
14. Crashing Heat (2019).

• Years: 2009-2016
• Genre: Mystery, Crime, Comedy, Drama
• Main Cast: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Tamala Jones, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Molly Quinn, Susan Sullivan, Penny Johnson Jerald, Toks Olagundoye, Arye Gross, Scott Paulin, Maya Stojan, Juliana Dever, Monet Mazur.
• No. of Seasons: 8
• No. of Episodes: 173
• Where to Watch: Hulu

10. Killing Eve 

We all love enemies to lovers, don’t we? Killing Eve is based on the novel Villanelle by Luke Jennings. The show received high ratings and positive reviews, especially for the first two seasons and the performance of Sandra Oh and Jodie Corner in the lead roles. Killing Eve has been nominated for 71 awards and won 16.

The show follows Eve Polastri and Villanelle. Eve is a British Intelligence investigator, while Villanelle is a repulsive psychotic assassin who works for a secret agency called Twelve. Eve is given the mission to find Villanelle and destroy Twelve while Villanelle is on her mission to kill Twelve.

When the two of them cross paths with each, they start to grow closer to each other. Many breakthroughs and secrets were unveiled during the series. In the end, Eve is to destroy Twelve while Villanelle is changing for Eve.

• Years: 2018-2022
• Genre: Spy Thriller, Black Comedy, Drama.
• Main Cast: Sandra Oh, Jodie Corner, Fiona Shaw, Kim Bodnia, Owen McDonnell, Sean Delaney, Darren Boyd, David Haig, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Nina Sosanaya, Edward Bluemel, Henry Llyod-Hughes, Adrian Scarborough, Adeel Akhtar, Raj Bajaj, Turlough Convery.
• Spin-Offs: In Development.
• No. of Seasons: 4
• No. of Episodes: 32
• Where to Watch: BBC iPlayer

Also Read: Why Did Carolyn Kill Villanelle? Spoilers Of Killing Eve Ahead.

9. Orange is the New Black 

A series that was the first of its kind to receive a nomination in both the Comedy and Drama categories at Emmy Awards, which were originally the ones that forced the makers to change their category from Comedy to Drama. Orange is the New Black is one of the most acclaimed Netflix Original series, and in 2016 it was the most-watched and longest-running series.

Based on the 2010 autobiographic book (Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison) of Piper Kerman, Orange is the New Black is Piper’s story of the conviction of a crime she did ten years ago and who that year in the women’s prison changed her as a person and made her do many things. The show had been nominated for 165 awards in total and won 46, and it also made many Top 10 lists throughout its course of streaming.

• Years: 2013-2019
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, Crime
• Main Cast: Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Michael J. Harney, Nick Sandow, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Natasha Lyonne, Michelle Hurst, Laura Gomez, Danielle Brooks, Adrienne C. Moore, Jessica Pimentel, Kate Mulgrew, Taryn Manning, Lea DeLaria, Yael Stone, Jason Biggs, Uzo Aduba, Dascha Polanco, Samira Wiley, Selenis Leyva, Jackie Cruz.
• No. of Seasons: 7
• No. of Episodes: 91
• Where to Watch: Netflix

8. How to Get Away with Murder 

The show gave us the first black woman to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Yup, we are talking about Viola Davis. We had to start the explanation with her, and she is the backbone of the show. The story is about Davis’s character Annalise Keating who is a defense attorney and a law professor at Philadelphia University.

She and her five students were caught up in a murder. Well, Did they do it? Were they framed? Were they helping someone? There are so many questions that need to be answered, but the title of the show says it all, which we think is a million-dollar question, ain’t it?

The premise of the show is the most important aspect, and the writers have delivered the expected outcome. The show had been nominated for 58 awards and won 12 out of them, giving Viola Davis a hell of recognition and the show too.

• Years: 2014-2020
• Genre: Legal Drama
• Main Cast: Viola Davis, Billy Brown, Alfred Enoch, Jack Falahee, Katie Findlay, Aja Naomi King, Matt McGorry, Karla Souza, Charlie Weber, Liza Weil, Conrad Ricamora, Rome Flynn, Amirah Vann, Timothy Hutton, Behzad Dabu.
• No. of Seasons: 6
• No. of Episodes: 90
• Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu.

7. Why Women Kill 

We assure you that Why Women Kill is as entertaining as the title sounds. It’s an anthology show which means it is not about a specific character or place. It features different stories of different people in different periods. Why Women Kill is basically about three women in different periods in an infidelity marriage who have resided in a Pasadena mansion, and their relationship eventually leads to death, hence, the name.

• Years: 2019-2021
• Genre: Dark-Comedy Drama Anthology
• Main Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Sam Jaeger, Sadie Calvano, Spencer Garrett, Lucy Liu, Jack Davenport, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Alexandra Daddario, Reid Scott, Alicia Coppola, Adam Ferrara, Lindsey Kraft, Katie Finneran, Leo Howard, Li Jun Li.
• No. of Seasons: 2
• No. of Episodes: 20
• Where to Watch: Paramount+

Also Read: Why Women Kill Season 3: Should We Expect Another Run?

6. The Americans 

The Americans are one of the shows that you must watch once in your lifetime. It’s a perfect blend of spy thriller and period drama. The show is set during the Cold War when two Russians, Elizabeth Jennings and Philip Jennings, possess as Americans and live in Washington, D.C., with their two kids to spy on the government.

The show also shows their neighbor as an FBI Agent working in counterintelligence which pretty much helps us to understand the perspective of both sides (FBI and KGB Rezidentura). The show also features the events between 1981 and 1987 when the Soviet Union and the United States signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and also the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan.

The show received positive reviews from viewers and was critically acclaimed for its writing, cast performance, and character development. The show has been nominated for 86 awards in total and won 26.

The Americans won the Top 10 Shows of the Year Award at the American Film Institute for four consecutive years from 2013 to 2016 and also in 2018. They also won Critics Choice Television Awards for Best Drama Series in 2015 and 2019.

• Years: 2013-2018
• Genre: Period Drama, Spy Thriller.
• Main Cast: Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Maximiliano Hernandez, Holly Taylor, Keidrich Sellati, Noah Emmerich, Annet Mahendru, Susan Misner, Alison Wright, Lev Gorn, Costa Ronin, Richard Thomas, Dylan Baker, Brandon J. Dirden, Margo Martindale, Daniel Flaherty, Peter Von Berg.
• No. of Seasons: 6
• No. of Episodes: 75
• Where to Watch: Hulu

5. Modern Family 

Modern Family was quite famous in the first few seasons, but as it went on, it faces faced criticism for being sexist. A lot of questions were raised on the show for being male-centric and any of the women not working or earning (that criticism is the reason why Claire became the CEO of his father Jay’s company in season 5).

The show may be criticized, but it cannot change the fact that it won Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series for five years straight and other accolades too. It was also the 10th highest-grossing show of 2012. The show has been nominated for 194 awards and won 54 (excluding nominations). They have won 17 Primetime Emmy Awards, 5 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, 1 Golden Globe Award, and more.

The show breaks the fourth wall on multiple occasions and is a comedy classic that revolves around three families who are linked to each other because of Jay Pritchett. All the families are different from each other; one is nuclear, one is the same sex, and one is well blended.

They often fall into funny circumstances and unusual problems, which they try to tackle every day. Modern Family also features some modern-day problems that the families might suffer.

• Years: 2009-2020
• Genre: Sitcom, Mockumentary
• Main Cast: Ed O’Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould, Rico Rodriguez, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, Jeremy Maguire, Reid Ewing.
• No. of Seasons: 11
• No. of Episodes: 250
• Where to Watch: Hulu, Peacock.

4. Ozark 

Ozark is one of the best crime dramas out there. It is about Marty Byrde, who is a financial planner and has recently moved his family to the Lake of the Ozarks, where they became money launderers. They have two kids. Unknowingly, they became entangled with a Mexican drug lord, and now, Marty has to pay him off to keep his family safe. 

The show received positive reviews and was nominated for 104 awards in total and won 13 out of them, including Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Jason Bateman) at Primetime Emmy Awards (2019), and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Julia Garner) at Primetime Emmy Awards (2022).

• Years: 2017-2022
• Genre: Crime Drama, Thriller
• Main Cast: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hubiltz, Skylar Gaetner, Julia Garner, Jordana Spiro, Jason Butler Harner, Esai Morales, Peter Mullan, Lisa Emery, Charlie Tahan, Janet McTeer, Tom Pelphrey, Jessica Frances Dukes, Felix Solis, Damian Young.
• No. of Seasons: 4
• No. of Episodes: 44
• Where to Watch: Netflix

3. Big Little Lies 

Why is it always the quiet and nice towns that are full of secrets and ugly truths? The show is based on the Liane Moriarty 2014 novel “Big Little Lies” and received much worldwide acclaim for its story, cast performance, direction, narration, and more. 

The story is about three women from California who get entangled in murder investigations, and their lives after that change forever. The show had been nominated for 58 awards and won 25 awards out of them, including Top 10 TV Programs of the Year at the American Film Institute Awards for Season 1.

• Years: 2017-2019
• Genre: Drama, Mystery, Black Comedy
• Main Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Skarsgard, Adam Scott, Zoe Kravitz, James Tupper, Jeffrey Nording, Laura Dern, Iain Armitage, Sarah Baker, Sarah Burns, P. J. Byrne, Santiago Cabrera, Darby Camp, Robin Weigert, Chloe Coleman, Larry Sullivan.
• No. of Seasons: 2
• No. of Episodes: 14
• Where to Watch: Disney+ Hotstar

2. Shameless 

Shameless was the longest-running original scripted series in 2018. It was critically acclaimed and received positive reviews. The story is about a single father who has six children. While the father (Frank) spends most of his days drunk and high, his children find a way to fit in and tackle the problems that get thrown their way. The show shows how Frank’s addiction affects his family rather than showing about other people. 

Shameless is based on the British television series of the same name by Paul Abbott. It had been nominated for 45 awards and won 9 out of them, including Comedy Series- Substance Use Prism Award at Prism Awards (2012). The show received a lot of positive reviews.

• Years: 2011-2021
• Genre: Black Comedy, Family, Drama.
• Main Cast: William H. Macy, Emmy Rossum, Justin Chatwin, Ethan Cutkosky, Shanola Hampton, Steve Howey, Emma Kenney, Jeremy Allen White, Cameron Monaghan, Laura Slade Wiggins, Joan Cusack, Noel Fisher, Emma Greenwell, Zach McGowan, Jake McDorman, Christian Isaiah, Kate Miner.
• No. of Seasons: 11
• No. of Episodes:  134
• Where to Watch: Prime Video

1. Arrested Development 

Arrested Development is said to be the best sitcom to air on TV. It was aired for three seasons on Fox and was then moved to Netflix, and the other two seasons were released on Netflix only. Arrested Development received a lot of positive reviews and was nominated for 84 awards, and won 30.

Arrested development is about the Bluth family, who was once reputed and rich. After the head of the house was claimed to be involved in a fraud, everything was lost. Now, Michael has to take command and correct everything. 

• Years: 2003-2006, 2013-2019
• Genre: Sitcom
• Main Cast: Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Alia Shawkat, Tony Hale, David Cross, Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter, Ron Howard, Jeffrey Tambor, Liza Minnelli, Henry Winkler, Judy Greer, Justin Grant Wade, Justin Lee, Ben Stiller.
• No. of Seasons: 5
• No. of Episodes: 84
• Where to Watch: Netflix