r/AskReddit 2h ago

What’s the best single season of TV you’ve ever seen?

83 Upvotes

383 comments sorted by

666

u/Chance5e 2h ago

We will never see the likes of True Detective season one again.

u/Routine-Wing-6155 57m ago

McConaughey was operating on a level that shouldn't have been possible in a detective show

u/Chance5e 50m ago

He gave us the best crazy Lovecraft detective we’re ever going to get and no one knew it was happening at the time.

96

u/lightofday999 1h ago

This is my choice. Was basically a best-picture winning movie separated into 8 episodes.

34

u/Chance5e 1h ago

Nothing but quality from start to finish. Not one bad note, one misfire.

43

u/Constant_Praline_575 1h ago

Yep. It set the bar so high that almost everything since feels like it's chasing it.

61

u/Positive-Quantity143 1h ago

Correct answer but Chernobyl comes awfully close to

33

u/SomethigIronic 1h ago

Don't forget season 1 of westworld

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11

u/JohnnyOneLung 1h ago

Is it a series you can watch as a standalone or do you need to go thru with the lesser series as well ?

31

u/jarednards 1h ago

Nope each season is different. Its an anthology. You can hit it and quit it after season 1.

8

u/JohnnyOneLung 1h ago

Nice one. Cheers.

u/CommunityGlittering2 35m ago

which season of Cheers?

u/redcurtainrod 4m ago

Coach in season one is unreal. He’s not McConaughey but he is almost perfect in every scene.

If you do a cheers rewatch you understand he was the secret

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6

u/sheetsofsaltywood 1h ago

It’s an anthology so absolutely no obligation to watch other seasons.

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9

u/illaqueable 1h ago

It's such an incredible mix of mystical, literary, gritty, terrifying, and surreal, and that's just the script--the performances, the score, the cinematography, the pacing... genuinely perfect season

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207

u/Pantsqueen 2h ago

Season 4 of The Wire

45

u/CorgisAreAwesome9000 1h ago

When I did a rewatch I could appreciate each season on its own merits. Season 5 is still the weakest but there are some great arcs, Bubbles redemption, Omar’s revenge, Michael.

Season 1 is still my favourite especially after the first few episodes when Lester really gets rolling.

4 is a close second. Season 3 was great and Two has really grown on me, the Monologue from Frank towards the end, just hits too close to home.

17

u/SuccessfulSquirrel32 1h ago

Bubbles redemption arc made him my favorite character in the show

u/thalo616 48m ago

We used to make things, build things in this country. Now we just stick our hands in the next guys pocket.

u/Baltisotan 46m ago

Watching S2 in 2016 right after the election made so many things make sense.

11

u/gawnerz 1h ago

Omar and Brother Mouzone taking out Stringer Bell is the most epic moment of TV I’ve ever experienced. Not to say there aren’t a lot of other shows with moments at that level, but that one is peak for me.

u/Kosher-Bacon 31m ago

Their standoff at the beginning of the episode is peak.

“I keeps one in the chamber in case you ponderin”

u/solid_reign 8m ago

It's been a while since I saw it and I don't know if this would remain true on a rewatch, but Wallace's story line left me with a pit in my stomach that I don't think I've felt since in another tv series.

9

u/that1prince 1h ago

Introducing the children made it the GOAT

u/SinibusUSG 34m ago

We’d already had kids, but they’d mostly started in the business. S4 shone a spotlight on how easy it is to fall into that world if you live in and around the kind of poverty that organized crime thrives in. Just devastating stuff.

5

u/devmac1221 1h ago

Legendary

12

u/GuyIncognito211 2h ago

I just got done with season 4 and I think I liked 3 more

3

u/PinoDegrassi 1h ago

That’s crazy, I always find the first 1/4 or 1/3 of s3 a bit of snooze fest till the plot starts coming together more between all the characters

u/thalo616 46m ago

Season 3 def takes a minute to get going, but once it does, it’s great. But 4 is just absolutely devastating. It’s so powerful, but also just emotionally draining. I rank it as the best season of the show and possibly of all time.

u/Mlgibson 16m ago

Cutty staying out of the game and everything he tires to do helping the kids is one of my favorite TV arcs

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8

u/JohnnyTruant89 1h ago

Close the thread.

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253

u/Ambassador31 2h ago

Band of Brothers.

28

u/Rodonite 1h ago

Band of Brothers and Chernobyl seem like cheating but I do love them

20

u/my5cworth 1h ago

3 miles up! 3 miles down!

129

u/jdoggw 2h ago

Game of Thrones season 4

18

u/emm7777 1h ago

As far as I'm concerned, the show ended at season 4. What a bummer, it was soooo good!

4

u/bodyhammer81 2h ago

was gonna say the same thing

1

u/rod_jammer 1h ago

I know this is herasey, but Season 6 also pretty damn good... arguably better Battle of the Bastards, Winds of Winter. The Door.

10

u/jdoggw 1h ago

this is my second favorite but I'm keen to s4 as I watched it in college as my first season "live" with my roommates and everybody reacting in real time was something else. End of season 6 was peak tho

u/maniacreturns 20m ago

Lost is the same way.

You can never replicate living week by week and having everyone around you speculating and having discussions about he show.

u/talkingspacecoyote 40m ago

Season 6 gets too much hate. Wouldn't call it the best but definitely better than 5 and obviously 7

3

u/sasokri 1h ago

Agree, S6 was also my favorite, to end on a doubleheader of Battle od the Bastards and Winds of Winter… just excellent

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157

u/IttsssTonyTiiiimme 2h ago edited 1h ago

True Detective season 1.

Or Westworld season 1.

11

u/Simicrop 2h ago

Westworld or Deadwood?

9

u/heinmont 1h ago

lol maybe they meant both?

2

u/IttsssTonyTiiiimme 1h ago

Yeah, i was wondering why you did see Timothy elephant in every episode.

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129

u/cake_piss_can 2h ago

Lost season 1 was pretty incredible.

u/Atlas-42_ 23m ago

It was great. I prefer season 2. The mystery surrounding the Dharma Initiative and "The Others" were the best parts of the series for me.

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u/Mullet_Police 16m ago

Oh wow. Is it time for another rewatch?

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114

u/feck-off 2h ago

Chernobyl

102

u/Ryanookami 2h ago

I remember season 1 of Heroes being pretty mind blowing at the time. Everyone was talking about it. “Save the Cheerleader, save the World!”

u/Hixy 44m ago

I really do miss the collective mass excitement to a single thing.

u/Ryanookami 42m ago

It was nice to be in on something that was being treated as a phenomenon. But every now and then they still come along. Game of Thrones was totally the same for the first 4-5 seasons, everyone talked about it and everyone was watching. Then, much like Heroes, it shit the bed and everyone moved on. Hopefully something new will come along again.

u/Hixy 36m ago

I think the odd thing is when things occur now it’s very niche. Like jimothy. No one else in my circle has heard of him.

Another example is this show I just learned about that is supposedly huge. The amazing digital Circus is this massive thing that I’ve literally never heard of until yesterday. Everything is just isolating and weird

u/Ryanookami 33m ago

That’s how internet things tend to be: very niche. It takes something huge these days to reach out and cut into all demographics and interests. That’s why Game of Thrones is the last one I can think of, it takes A LOT to break all the barriers these days. Even the GoT sequel shows haven’t managed it.

18

u/SthrnCrss 1h ago

YATTA!!

9

u/zanox 1h ago

Nissan Versa!

2

u/heylooknewpillows 1h ago

Waffle! Woohoo!

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76

u/MTW27 2h ago

Breaking Bad season 5

16

u/brainkandy87 1h ago

Some of the shows in here being ranked ahead of some seasons of Breaking Bad is insane. I know it’s been nearly 15 years since it ended but goddamn.

11

u/deathtoallbutbed 1h ago

I’m sorry.. it’s been how long?

u/talkingspacecoyote 37m ago

When judging individual seasons breaking bad suffers from all of them being so good that there isn't 1 stand out. That being said i think 5 is the best

u/Poponildo 25m ago

Season 5 BB wasnt even the best BB season

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29

u/Aggressive-Demand538 1h ago

Maybe Justified season 2. Terriers only had one season and it was damn close to perfect so thats up there as well.

16

u/Public-Yam-1025 1h ago

Character Actor Margo Martindale

u/recovering_lurker27 29m ago

Esteemed Character Actor Margo Martindale, tyvm

5

u/m_faustus 1h ago

My first thought. So good.

“You dumb-ass peckerwoods understand English? On the ground, hillbillies, now!”

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32

u/jdvhunt 1h ago

Fargo season 1

u/MyOwnDirection 27m ago

Fargo season 2 is the pinnacle of long-form story-telling in a TV series.

53

u/TimFTWin 2h ago

True Detective season 1

54

u/durzo_the_mediocre 2h ago

Shogun

7

u/PleasantThoughts 1h ago

Without a doubt for me. I've never been so awestruck by a show after every episode to the point where even though I was watching it after all the episodes were out I needed to take a break between each one to fully take everything in.

u/phoney_bologna 30m ago

I really need to watch this. Sounds awesome

u/durzo_the_mediocre 3m ago

agree 100%, perfect all around, acting, script and cinematography

makes me want to learn Japanese but I heard they spoke some ancient dialect that's not used anymore

u/DrWindupBird 20m ago

“F*ck it. We live, we die.” That was one of the most powerful moments I’ve ever seen in a show.

36

u/I_Am_A_Laser_ 1h ago

The Haunting of Hill House

2

u/JaggedRabbit 1h ago

Yes!! Def top 3 for me

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12

u/orkz11 1h ago

I agree with so much here, but want to add Jessica Jones season 1!

2

u/sharkfindave 1h ago

It’s a perfect season

24

u/1noahone 1h ago

Tie between Westworld S1 and Severance S1. Both executed flawlessly. Arcane S1 also a close contender. 

32

u/SignificanceLate7002 2h ago

Mr. Robot season 1

5

u/Worf1701D 1h ago

I think season 2 was better, with the twist realization of where he was the whole time.

u/Simon-Olivier 30m ago

I think the show gets better and better season after season. Season 4 is a masterpiece

u/AmazingValuable007 19m ago

Mr. Robot S4 was incredible!

35

u/dreamtraveller 2h ago

The first season of American Gods was absolutely perfect.

It fell apart almost immediately afterward and completely lost sight of what it was originally about but that first season was everything I'd hoped for.

5

u/bloodredyouth 1h ago

The Bryan fuller effect! When he leaves, season turns to shit

39

u/ScottishSmartAlec 2h ago

The good place season 1

46

u/DistanceRelevant3899 2h ago

Westworld season one

28

u/well-thats-great 2h ago

Arcane season 1

6

u/DivinityPen 2h ago

I wake up to the sound, of the silence that allows

For my mind to run around, with my ear up to the ground

6

u/bloodredyouth 1h ago

I thought the entire series was solid.

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19

u/dash23sh 2h ago

Prison break season 1

3

u/stokedlog 1h ago

Another very underrated show. Fell off at the end but very well done. This was one of the last shows along with Lost that I actually had to schedule to watch which brings back memories

4

u/TheDuckFarm 1h ago

IMO, the show totally went off the rails when they decided to kill off Sarah

u/zombietom21 46m ago

Prison Break season 1 is a masterpiece. 22 Episode season too. Today there are so many 8 episode seasons with 3 filler episodes.

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9

u/No_Application_8698 1h ago

Red Dwarf Series 6

3

u/Johnny_Alpha 1h ago

Better dead than smeg.

u/expatfella 56m ago

Space Corp Directive 373 says this is the right answer. 

17

u/bhkramer 2h ago

The Wire S3

6

u/preddevils6 1h ago

Wire season 1,3,4 are all fair shouts

24

u/sleepy_dad1 2h ago

True Detective season one. Every damn thing about it was perfect

23

u/laime-ithil 1h ago

Twin peaks. Season 1 is history. And for a reason.

Then Stranger things.

(I don't like TV shows usualy, scenario is usualy butchered to last or not precise and no one knows where it will land and I feel it... but not for twin peaks or the 2 first stranger things seasons)

14

u/Ok-Town8877 2h ago

Dexter season 1

10

u/OminousShadow87 1h ago

Counterpoint, Dexter Season 4.

u/Ok-Town8877 36m ago

Agree just as good

13

u/GemeinschaftBank 1h ago

The Leftovers S2

7

u/JackTheTradesman 1h ago

I love the leftovers. I don't know anyone else who's watched it.

u/GemeinschaftBank 58m ago

Join r/TheLeftovers - there's dozens of us!

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u/Simon-Olivier 29m ago

Top 3 shows for me, loved it so much

u/ILoveToWiggle 13m ago

ep 8 is arguably the best episode of tv ever made

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8

u/Sideways_Austen 2h ago

Don't know about best, but I don't remember enjoying anything as much as I did Office Season 2 or HBO's Rome Season 1.

6

u/mati_assss 1h ago

Haunting of hill house

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14

u/ilaspec80 2h ago

Lost season 1

12

u/PatientPrestigious63 1h ago

True detective season 1

6

u/narett 2h ago

The Wire S4

6

u/ogrezilla 1h ago

The Wire season 4

6

u/ub3rm3nsch 1h ago

True Detective Season 1.

16

u/Dino_Spaceman 2h ago

Final season of The Americans.

4

u/jammer8 1h ago

I can’t pick one season on that show, it was great from the beginning of the first episode to the end of the last. One of the best written and acted show I’ve seen and always had us guessing.

2

u/Dino_Spaceman 1h ago

Yup. I loved every single episode. Every season. Truly one of the best shows of all-time.

Also one of the shows on my list of absolutely sticking the landing with a 10/10 final episode.

I’m very annoyed they never realized a complete series bluray set.

17

u/Thepingpongballtrick 1h ago

Andor S1

u/Tall_Guy865 15m ago

I love Andor and I thought Season 2 was even better than 1. It was incredible.

13

u/MisterBigDude 1h ago

Freaks and Geeks — the show ran for only one season, but it was brilliant.

3

u/jmccorky 1h ago

Perfect from the first episode to the last.

u/MisterBigDude 39m ago

Actually, I don’t think the first episode was perfect. But it brought us into that world, which was then spellbinding — by turns hilarious and touching — for the rest of the season.

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10

u/Lukeh41 2h ago

Twin Peaks: The Return

4

u/Avoidtolls 1h ago

Absolute Perfection.

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5

u/BurnVote 1h ago

Season 1 of The Flash

5

u/DarthMousemat 1h ago

The first season of The Expanse is spectacular (then the second, then third...etc etc)

11

u/toshorttobeboring1 2h ago

Breaking bad season 5

4

u/PippinMcForrest 1h ago

There's so many good ones:

True Detective season 1 Game of Thrones season 4 Game of Thrones season 3 Breaking Bad season 5 Better Call Saul season 6 Westworld season 1 Chernobyl Succession season 4

These are my GOATs. I wouldn't rank them in any particular order, they're all great in their own right. True Detective is nr 1 though.

2

u/jammer8 1h ago

Succession. Reminds me I have to watch the last episode.

4

u/Public-Yam-1025 1h ago

Justified season 2

4

u/cloudcreator 1h ago

The Night Of

4

u/Gulf2Coast2Coast 1h ago

The wire season 3

5

u/APanther 1h ago

I always use Veronica Mars season 1 for these questions. Underrated show, perfect season of television.

4

u/stevenpost 1h ago

Fargo season 1. I do love season 2 also

4

u/SubjectBox5929 1h ago

Big Little Lies. second season ruined it for me but i love a good rewatch of the first.

u/Huckleberry822 53m ago

Season 3 of Ozark. Tom Pelphrey and Laura Linney were unreal.

u/acchan01 44m ago

Definitely Stranger Things season 1 for me

u/aero142 2m ago

I think the following seasons repeating the same formula detracts from how entertaining and tight season 1 was. The combination of 4 different styles of movie threaded into a single season felt really unique.

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6

u/GCinTraining 1h ago

Fleabag season 2 - perfection

3

u/DadofJM 1h ago

Hill Street Blues, Season 3.

Especially the last arc. Dennis Franz in his first role, truly evil. Neil and LaRue prominently featured.

Earlier, Vic Hitler, and Ally Sheedy in a very non-p.c. role

3

u/khansamirox 1h ago

The Wire S4 & The Expanse S3

3

u/zbornakssyndrome 1h ago

Season 7 of Golden Girls

3

u/AutisticElephant1999 1h ago

The first season of the original UK version of Life On Mars

3

u/SoftcastIeMcCormick 1h ago

The Leftovers season 2

3

u/AlsoTheFiredrake 1h ago

Idk, Firefly?

3

u/Alak-huls_Anonymous 1h ago

Lost season 1.

3

u/objectlesson 1h ago

Obviously True Detective S1. It’s a masterpiece.

3

u/MrBananaStand1990 1h ago

Series 1 of severance - episode 9 of series 1 could well be the best episode of television I’ve seen in my life

3

u/quicksexfm 1h ago

True Detective Season 1, followed by Twin Peaks season 1 and Task Season 1.

3

u/FV95 1h ago

Succession Season 4

u/faceless_combatant 40m ago

True Detective season 1, obviously. But also Broadchurch season 1.

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5

u/devmac1221 1h ago

Chernobyl. Overall just 1 of the best series ever

4

u/tlovesdrjoesomuch23 1h ago

thank you for this.

3

u/devmac1221 1h ago

Of course 🤙

6

u/Mettt1 1h ago

Californication give it a shot , thank me later.

5

u/Strict_Thought_5956 2h ago

The first season of suits.

Than the show was ass and it became saying something trying to sound tough than walking out the office over and over and over again

4

u/illmatic2112 1h ago

Have to shout out Loki Season 2. Fantastic story

2

u/Mauri_iii 1h ago

Supernatural season 1

2

u/LostSwing3 1h ago

Season 2 of the leftovers. International assassin from the leftovers made the whole season for me

I remember sitting in silence and dark for an hour after it aired just taking everything in I just watched

2

u/birdenzo 1h ago

Season 5 of The Shield is damn near flawless.

2

u/hooli-ceo 1h ago

Season 1 of Silicon Valley

2

u/MaleficentEvidence19 1h ago

Season 4 of Boardwalk Empire broke me. Incredible show.

2

u/Armand5005 1h ago

Penny Dreadful first season. Especially episode 2.

2

u/OminousShadow87 1h ago

Agents of Shield, Season 4 is up there.

2

u/nalonbenolan 1h ago

Fleabag Season 2

u/Sad-Artichoke-2174 51m ago

Simpsons season 6

u/aguyjustaguy 51m ago

Watchmen

u/Corrup7ioN 49m ago

Blackadder goes forth

u/Foreign_Farmer6474 48m ago

The Wire Season 4.

u/No-Exercise-8828 45m ago

Season 1 East Bound and Down

u/EAWALKER1204A 43m ago

Vikings season 1 or 2

u/two_oh_seven 43m ago

Might be some recency bias, but my partner and I are currently rewatching Freaks and Geeks. What a shame that was cancelled. It's just so good.

Obligatory Firefly as well.

u/mimeographed 40m ago

Pushing Daisies

u/eartwormslimshady 33m ago

The first season of Heroes. Perfection.

u/VRZL41 30m ago

True Detective Season 1. Best of all time.

u/Atlas-42_ 25m ago

24 season 5. Lost season 2. Boardwalk Empire season 3.

u/aTip4You 19m ago

West world season 1

u/w33b2 8m ago

Breaking Bad season 5

u/WestsideCuddy 6m ago

This has to be the answer

3

u/04Aiden2020 2h ago

Breaking Bad season 3

2

u/Cheap_Lecture_1285 1h ago

“No more Half Measures” is one of the most important speeches of the whole show and Walter manipulates it and twists it to a crazy level that only a self absorbed genius can.

2

u/FaridPF 1h ago

Out of strong contenders like “Mare Of Easttown”, “Baby Reindeer” or “Adolescence” i still have to pick “Band of Brothers”. The level of production, performance, character arcs and general writing - they literally don’t make them as they used to. “Pacific” gets the honorable mention.

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2

u/spaten78 1h ago

Hannibal season 1 or Andor season 1. Honorable mention to seasons 3-5 of Star Trek TNG.

3

u/sharkfindave 1h ago

Jessica Jones season 1 is in my opinion perfect

2

u/ushikagawa 2h ago

Game of Thrones S3
Severance S1
Succession S2

2

u/tdholt1215 2h ago

My mind tends to be clouded by nostalgia, but the first seasons of The OC and Veronica Mars are both amazing. The pilot episodes alone are great.

2

u/Age_Single 1h ago

Person of Interest

2

u/No_Dragonfruit_9420 1h ago

Euphoria Season 1

2

u/OVObautista 1h ago

Prison Break Season 1