10 Best TV Dramas Turning 10 in 2025

The 2020s have unquestionably flown by, with the pandemic-struck television landscape of the start of the decade slowly evolving back into the industry’s best.

Five years into the decade, it’s impossible not to look back on what has come before, with the reality that 2015 was an entire ten years ago, a stomach-churning fact that may take some time to sink in. To help said fact sink in, here’s a look at the ten best TV dramas officially turning 10 in 2025.

10

‘Empire’ (2015 – 2020)

Created By: Lee Daniels, Danny Strong

This glitzy drama from creators Lee Daniels and Danny Strong is set firmly in the cutthroat world of music, following record label owner Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) as he is sadly diagnosed with ALS. Needing to choose a successor, Lucious looks between his three sons for who could take the throne, but a returning ex-wife believes the company is rightfully hers.

When Empire was first released in 2015, it blew audiences away. Each passing episode of Season 1 grew the fanbase thanks to an ever-evolving and emotionally-driven story set in a world that millions find fascinating. Alas, that strong start was almost doomed to create a bar too high for subsequent seasons, but let that take nothing away from the initial genius of Empire.

9

‘Banana’ (2015)

Created By: Russell T. Davies

The current showrunner of Doctor Who, Russell T. Davies, has been a champion of LGBTQ+ stories in the media for many years. From It’s a Sin to Queer as Folk, Davies has been the driving force behind a selection of big hitters, with 2015’s Banana his most underrated series. Banana showcases the ups, downs, and in-betweens of eight different couples as they navigate the trials and tribulations of modern romance.

Touching, diverse, and ever-so-relatable, Banana is like a warm hug on a cold night. Featuring stellar ensemble performances from the likes of Fisayo Akinde and Freddie Fox, the show pulls no punches in its depiction of some of the hardest challenges modern love can face. However, Banana never delivers these challenges without a ray of hope, giving the audience the sense that love – no matter its origins – can always prevail.

8

‘The Expanse’ (2015 – 2022)

Created By: Daniel Abraham, Mark Fergus, Ty Franck

Set 200 years in the future, The Expanse tells the tale of an inhabited solar system, with planets playing politics with one another. When a young, outspoken activist goes missing, the search for her accidentally reveals a universe-wide conspiracy ready to blow everyone’s mind.

The word that springs to mind when discussing The Expanse is ambition. To take the nuances of political warfare from our own planet and translate them into a volatile solar system whilst never veering into satire is quite an achievement, with The Expanse deserving of all of its high praise.

7

‘Bloodline’ (2015 – 2017)

Created By: Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman

This somewhat forgotten Netflix series from 2015 follows the Florida Keys-living Rayburn family, whose wealthy front hides a sinister collection of secrets. When the black sheep of the family returns home, all the secrets are set to be spilled, and it seems no one is safe.

Featuring a stellar central cast including the likes of Ben Mendelsohn, Kyle Chandler, Linda Cardellini, and more, Bloodline flew under many people’s radar a decade ago, even despite winning a Primetime Emmy and receiving four other nominations. Each unexpected turn this winding story takes is beautifully crafted, all leading to a Season 1 finale that spills the truth on Danny (Mendelsohn) and still has jaws dropped to this day.

6

‘Wolf Hall’ (2015, 2024)

Created By: Peter Straughn, Hilary Mantel, Peter Kosminsky

The best period drama to release in 2015, Wolf Hall plants itself into the most volatile, precarious point in the life of King Henry VIII (Damian Lewis), with the possibility of never producing a male heir leaving the King feeling as if he has no choice but to go to war with the Catholic Church. In steps a brand-new advisor, Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance), whose power slowly builds beyond anyone’s expectations.

As many great period dramas do, Wolf Hall boasts perhaps the best cast of the many great ensembles in 2015. From the aforementioned Rylance and Lewis to Claire Foy and Jonathan Pryce, Wolf Hall has a King’s court worthy of acclaim. An adaptation of Hilary Mantel‘s historical novels, Wolf Hall is both a doting tribute to the source material and a wonderful screen translation, proving so popular it would return almost ten years later.

5

‘River’ (2015)

Created By: Abi Morgan

From the brilliant mind of Abi Morgan, River tells the tale of the titular inspector, John River (Stellan Skarsgård), whose professional flair is plagued by the tortured souls of the victims of the crimes he investigates. A man fueled by passion and grief, will his ability prove a gift or a nightmare?

From the most minute of details to the grandest of themes, River nails every aspect of the crime genre. Skarsgård is simply mesmeric as the titular inspector, delivering one of his finest performances in an impressive career to date. Never expanded beyond its six-episode first season, River fans might rue never getting the chance to see more. However, River is already such a well-refined singular package that it perfectly bowed out on a high.

4

‘Daredevil’ (2015 – 2018)

Created By: Drew Goddard

Almost ten years before he was Born Again, Charlie Cox‘s Daredevil was unleashed on the world and became an instant hit. The superhero story follows Matt Murdock who, after becoming a victim of a chemical spill accident when he was young, was given extraordinary abilities that help him save lives as a lawyer by day and as a vigilante by night.

The superhero genre over the past fifteen years has become extremely saturated, which is why it’s always so refreshing when a story arrives with enough uniqueness to stand out. Managing to marry the love of critics and fans is almost unheard of in this genre, with Daredevil breaking boundaries for the television form of superhero storytelling.

3

‘Mr. Robot’ (2015 – 2019)

Created By: Sam Esmail

This beloved series by the brilliant Sam Esmail follows cyber-security engineer and genius hacker Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), whose skills are recruited to play a part in a worldwide chess-like battle for power. Unbeknownst to Elliot, he will become evermore integral to the global fight, with his personal and professional lives soon coming to blows.

A winner of three Primetime Emmys, including a nod for Malek’s lead performance, Mr. Robot is just as refreshingly immersive today as it ever was. Such is the quality of the individual episodes, Mr. Robot brings to the table, that one even holds an almighty 9.9/10 on IMDb – a feat even the greatest of television shows cannot boast.

2

‘Narcos’ (2015 – 2017)

Created By: Carlo Bernard, Chris Brancato, Doug Miro

One of Netflix’s most beloved shows, Narcos is the story of one of the most infamous criminals of all time, Pablo Escobar. Portrayed by Brazilian acting royalty Wagner Moura, Escobar’s drug-fueled highs and gutting lows are on display for all to see, with the DEA ever-so-slowly closing in.

Wholly underappreciated by the Primetime Emmys by receiving just three nominations and no wins in its time, Narcos is a series that deserves enormous praise for its handling of a central character with such immorality in his story. Joined by the iconic Pedro Pascal, Moura is a force of nature throughout the series, taking an infamous name and truly making it his.

1

‘Better Call Saul’ (2015 – 2022)

Created By: Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould

When the genius Breaking Bad took its final bow in 2013, it would have seemed nigh-on impossible for anything related to ever come close. Well, in 2015, audiences worldwide were implored to think again, with Better Call Saul proving that Vince Gilligan‘s masterstroke was no fluke. The series follows Bob Odenkirk‘s aspiring lawyer Jimmy as his ethics rapidly spiral out of control and a ruthless new personality takes hold: Saul.

Considered by many to be one of the finest series of all time, Better Call Saul didn’t just take the brilliant five years of Breaking Bad and effortlessly spin them into a new direction, it managed to outlive its counterpart by lasting two extra years on air. A winner of countless awards, including a staggering 53 Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Award nominations, there really is no other TV drama quite like Better Call Saul turning 10 this year.

Keep Reading: The 10 Best TV Dramas Turning 20 in 2025