10 Most Rewatchable 2010s Shows, Ranked

Making up much of television’s golden era, the series of the 2010s represent small-screen entertainment at its most prestigious and engaging. With everything from winding crime thrillers to historical dramas, contemplative comedies, and even epic sci-fi and fantasy tales thriving throughout the decade, the 2010s is rife with outstanding television series that stand among the best the medium has ever seen.

As such, it stands to reason that the decade contains many series that have established themselves not only as defining highlights of television, but as endlessly rewatchable stories. Ranging from iconic comedy shows that are always a delight to revisit to enrapturing mysteries that remain just as absorbing no matter how often fans go back to them, these 10 TV shows are destined to be viewed time and time again for decades to come.

10

‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)

Created by Michael Schur

Winning over millions of fans with its brilliant premise, its underappreciated narrative dare, and its effervescent comedic nous, The Good Place can only be considered a defining gem of 2010s cinema and one of the most vibrant and innovative sitcoms of all time. While the plot evolves drastically across the series’ four seasons, it initially follows the recently deceased Eleanor (Kristen Bell) as she finds herself in the paradisiacal “the Good Place” and strives to conceal her life as an amoral pharmaceutical sales representative in order to remain in the heavenly state.

While the series maintains its fun and bubbly atmosphere, it isn’t afraid to use the full scope of its premise to explore themes of existentialism, morality, redemption, and both the best and worst of humanity. Additionally, it refuses to succumb to cozy, easy answers on its ponderings, instead presenting challenging ideas in an unpredictable and thought-provoking fashion. The fact that it can do this without ever losing sight of its most enjoyable aspects is a triumph that makes The Good Place endlessly rewatchable as both an enlightening and engaging think-piece as well as a light-hearted and funny dose of sitcom entertainment.

9

‘Downton Abbey’ (2010–2015)

Created by Julian Fellowes

While it may have faded from public consciousness more dramatically than some of its contemporaries, Downton Abbey remains an enthralling period drama that examines class and societal change with tantalizing decadence. It explores the aristocratic Crawley family and those who serve them on the grounds of Downton Abbey. Spanning from 1912 to 1926, the series analyses how significant events of the era stoked an upheaval of England’s social hierarchy, and how the abrupt evolution of society was received by people from all different backgrounds.

Loaded with an astonishing ensemble cast, the hit BBC series captivated millions the world over not only for its historical setting, family dramas, and its brilliant exploration of changing times, but also for the nuance and intrigue of its characters and the dynamics of their relationships. Its six seasons are a pleasure to revisit, as are its movie sequels. The story is set to conclude with the release of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale in September this year.

8

‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ (2017–2023)

Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino

It is certainly no coincidence that many of the most rewatchable series defy genre by incorporating many different storytelling devices and ideas while using the long-form storytelling of the medium to great effect. In this regard, there are few series as compelling or as exceptional as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Starting in the 1950s, it follows Miriam Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) as her recent split from her husband leads her to discover a talent for stand-up comedy. As she pursues her new career, she experiences the triumphs and pitfalls of stardom while still struggling to navigate her complex personal life.

Soaring with Brosnahan’s note-perfect and enchanting lead performance and its addictively witty screenplay, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel thrives as a considered and thematically rich comedy nestled within a mid-century period series. Its excellence in this regard is only matched by its satirical wrath and its delicate inflections of melancholy that bring tremendous depth to the characters. Juggling its tonal shifts with impeccable grace and confidence, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a glorious feat of acting and writing that holds up exceptionally well even on multiple rewatches.

Created by Dan Harmon

A true modern classic of comedy television, Community has amassed a sizable following of fans through its quirky humor that makes use of referential gags and meta-comedy to conjure up a viewing experience that is as lively as it is unique. Joel McHale’s Jeff Winger is disbarred from practicing law due to the fact that he doesn’t have a bachelor’s degree. Enrolling in Greendale Community College to amend his situation, he befriends an eclectic group of people and embarks on many wacky misadventures throughout his studies.

The series’ mastery of multiple forms of comedy is matched only by its relentless appetite for experimentation, making for a marriage of creativity and writing brilliance that never grows tiresome. While it errs somewhat in its fourth season, Community largely thrives throughout its six seasons as one of the most delightfully enthusiastic and ambitious series television has ever seen, one that always offers laughs aplenty no matter how many times audiences return.

6

‘Stranger Things’ (2016–2025)

Created by the Duffer Brothers

Action-packed, chaotically comedic, and often horrifying as well, Stranger Things premiered as an instant classic of streaming entertainment way back in 2016, and its legend has only grown greater with each ensuing season ramping up the stakes and expanding its scope. Set in the small town of Hawkins in the 1980s, it follows a group of young friends as they witness bizarre supernatural occurrences tied to a secret government operation’s mishandling of an interdimensional rift. As the group unearths more information about the terrifying mystery, they quickly realize that their hometown is under serious threat.

The monsters, conspiracies, and hard-core sci-fi aspects of the series are appropriately enchanting, but Stranger Things finds its true appeal in its wonderful tale of friendship and bravery, its undying sense of camaraderie and goodness that hearkens back to the blockbusters of the ‘80s with a beautiful, nostalgic might. Such an allure is a treat to revisit, while the series’ sprawling story and its litany of magnificent characters only garner a greater appreciation upon rewatches. With the fifth and final season set to air later in 2025, plenty are hoping it can maintain the series’ excellence to deliver a modern television classic that can be enjoyed time and time again without diminishment.

5

‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ (2013–2021)

Created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur

Arguably the defining sitcom of the 2010s, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is not only a fun-loving police sitcom enriched with distinct and lovable characters, but an effortlessly engrossing series that has a certain welcoming warmth that many fans have found solace and comfort in. It focuses on the detectives in the 99th precinct of the NYPD in Brooklyn, following their daily antics and blossoming relationships as they set out to fight crime and keep the streets safe.

Its eclectic mix of characters presents a certain effervescence that is irresistibly charming and ceaselessly hilarious. Additionally, the series strikes the perfect balance between adhering to its formula and advancing the central characters’ relationships to make for a viewing experience that is inviting through its familiarity while still bolstered by the intrigue of romantic subplots. The end result is a series defined by its re-assuring charms as much as its comedic fervor, making for an endlessly rewatchable classic that many fans have turned to countless times for heartfelt comedy.

4

‘Parks and Recreation’ (2009–2015)

Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur

From the creative team behind the U.S. version of The Office, Parks and Recreation is another classic comedy that could lay claim to the honor of being the defining sitcom of 2010s television. The light-hearted, loony, and lovable political satire transpires in the Parks and Recreation Department of the small Indiana town of Pawnee as the idealistic and encouraging mid-level bureaucrat Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) strives to make the town a better place while her eclectic band of colleagues embark on their own workplace misadventures.

Like several of the best sitcoms of the decade, Parks and Recreation appeals to fans through its consuming yet inviting sense of warmth, its colorful array of zany characters, and its playful addressing of contemporary issues. Granted, the series did need to overcome a lackluster first season, but the remainder of Parks and Recreation’s seven-season run excels as a jubilantly inspired, brilliantly conceived, and frequently touching display of American humor at its best.

3

‘BoJack Horseman’ (2014–2020)

Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg

Typically, the series that inspire fans to keep coming back for multiple rewatches are the ones loaded with thematic depth that leads to new discoveries with every revisit or refreshing and brilliant comedy that never tires. BoJack Horseman enjoys the best of both worlds, with the Netflix original animated series balancing absurd laughs with poignant drama as it follows BoJack Horseman (Will Arnett), a fading sitcom star from the ‘90s who self-sabotages his egotistical pursuit of a career comeback with his issues of addiction and his own self-loathing.

Laced with an acidic wit that is applied to issues in contemporary society, while also thriving as an in-depth examination of one of the most complex, contradictory, and nuanced characters the small screen has ever seen, BoJack Horseman is an addictive viewing that is only enhanced by repeat watches. The creative might of its animated lunacy is just an added bonus that makes the series all the more appealing to return to.

2

‘Sherlock’ (2010–2017)

Created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat

Vibrant and wickedly intelligent, while striking a perfect balance between mystery intrigue, criminal suspense, and chaotic fun, Sherlock is a defining masterpiece of 2010s television. Modernizing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘Sherlock Holmes’ saga, it focuses on the genius consulting detective Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his colleague Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman) as they set out to solve crimes that leave the local police force baffled and bring down evil masterminds prospering off the suffering of others.

Handled with such entertaining flamboyance, Sherlock makes for intoxicating viewing that, thanks to its razor-sharp writing and the chemistry of its sublime cast, does not diminish upon rewatch. Regardless of whether Holmes and Watson are vying against Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott), working under the supervision of Mycroft Holmes (Mark Gatiss), or even solving a murder that is yet to transpire at Watson’s wedding, Sherlock offers scintillating and engaging drama throughout its four seasons.

1

‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)

Created by Vince Gilligan

Regarded by many to be the single greatest series of all time, Breaking Bad thrives as an arresting and heart-stopping crime thriller that offers drama, suspense, and even absorbing fun in equal measure. The hit AMC series follows struggling high school science teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he begins cooking crystal meth as a means to gain money for his family when he is diagnosed with terminal cancer. As his empire expands, Walter and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) find themselves at the head of the largest drug operation in the country.

Its resonant story of desperation and crime combines beautifully with White’s captivating downward spiral from a doomed man who goes to drastic lengths to leave something for his family to a callous and violent man in love with the power he wields. Astonishingly acted, flawlessly written, and with every tonal shift being realized with absolute perfection, Breaking Bad strikes an impeccable balance of confronting thrills and searing entertainment to be one of the most rewatchable series of all time.

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