The 100 best TV shows of the 21st century: Did your favourite make the list?

South Africans know the danger of a good series. One minute you’re settling in for an episode, and the next it’s 2am, your alarm is set for 6am and you’ve convinced yourself there’s still time for one more.

Now, The New York Times has ranked its 100 best TV shows of the 21st century, giving series lovers another reason to revisit old favourites or discover something new.

Taking the number one spot is Breaking Bad, followed by The Wire and Mad Men. The top 10 also includes Succession, Fleabag and Game of Thrones, so clearly we’re not the only ones who enjoy a little drama, betrayal and family chaos.

And if comedy is more your thing, there’s plenty to celebrate too.

Breaking Bad takes the top spot

Breaking Bad has been named the best TV show of the 21st century on the list, ahead of The Wire in second place and Mad Men in third.

Succession takes fourth place, followed by Fleabag at number five and Game of Thrones at number six.

Comedy features prominently in the rest of the top 10, with Veep at number seven, 30 Rock at eight and Curb Your Enthusiasm at nine.

Atlanta rounds out the top 10.

Meanwhile, The Office (U.S.) lands just outside the top 10 at number 11. Apparently, we still haven’t had enough of workplace chaos.

Squid Game, Stranger Things and The Bear also feature

The list isn’t only about long-running favourites.

Squid Game comes in at number 72, while Stranger Things takes 53rd place and The Bear lands at number 74.

Other familiar titles include Peaky Blinders at number 43, The Crown at number 20 and The White Lotus at number 21.

Further down the list, Gilmore Girls, Community, House and Scandal also make an appearance.

So whether you love a gripping thriller, an emotional drama or a comedy that makes you laugh until you cry, there’s something here to add to your watchlist.

The full list: 100 best TV shows of the 21st century

Here is the complete ranking supplied from The New York Times, counting down to the number one show.

How many of the top 100 have you watched?

The list brings together everything from crime dramas and political thrillers to sitcoms, reality television and documentaries.

Some titles might be firm favourites. Others could be the series you’ve been meaning to start for years.

Either way, there are 100 reasons to cancel your plans, grab the remote and settle in.

Just don’t blame us when “one more episode” turns into another late night.

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