Rotten Tomatoes: The Ultimate Binge Guide: 296 Must-See Shows That Changed the Way We Watch TV

by Editors of Rotten Tomatoes

Discover (or revisit) 200+ of the best shows ever made.

For the completist, The Ultimate Binge Guide will be a challenge: a bingeable bucket list of all the shows you need to see before you die (or just to be super-informed at your next dinner party). For all readers, it will be a fascinating look at the evolution of TV.

The guide is broken down into several sections that speak to each series' place in TV history, including:


The Classics That Formed the Molds--Then Broke Them: The Jeffersons, All in the Family, Sanford and Son, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Get Smart, Cheers, Golden Girls, Happy Days...


Tony, Walt, Don, and the Antiheros: Oz, Mad Men, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, The Americans, Peaky Blinders, Ozark, The Shield, Boardwalk Empire, How To Get Away With Murder...


Game-Changing Comedy:Insecure, Community, 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Fleabag, Black-ish, Party Down, Veep, Catastrophe, Fresh Off the Boat, Tim and Eric, Schitt's Creek, Better Things, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Pen15, Freaks and Geeks, Broad City, Black Lady Sketch Show...


Genre Gets Grown Up (Horror, Heroes, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy): Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, Battlestar Galactica, The Expanse, Supernatural, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Star Trek, Watchmen, The Witcher, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones, Westworld, Doctor Who...


Mysteries and Mindf--ks:Twin Peaks, Lost, Sense8, Mr. Robot, Broadchurch, The Leftovers, Fargo, Top of the Lake, Killing Eve,Wilfred, True Detective, Hannibal, Mindhunter...


Reality TV and Docuseries That Captured the Zeitgeist:The Last Dance, Making A Murderer, Cheer, Tiger King, Planet Earth, RuPaul's Drag Race, Wild Wild Country, Queer Eye, The Jinx, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown...

In this punchy four-color guide, the editors of Rotten Tomatoes complement series write-ups with engaging infographics; fun sidebars (like a battle between the US and UK editions of The Office); and deep-dive essays on the streaming wars, superproducers to know, and the evolution of our collective viewing habits.

Genres: Nonfiction, Film, Reference

224 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2021

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

should have had better editing!
Alexis Carrington was played by Joan COLLINS not Joan CRAWFORD…..

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great summaries!

If you’ve ever wondered what to watch next, this is the book for you! With descriptions, summaries and ratings, this book gives you info on series you might want to watch and why. They tend to tell it like it is - say a show was great and highly rated but the final season was no good. Great for introducing shows new and old, English and foreign language to audiences around the world!

[Jbussen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was wondering what shows I may have missed and can watch. This conveniently comes with a list of where the show comes from CBS, FX, or Netflix etc.

I was also entertained by what they said about shows in the past that I have watched. This was a quick fun read.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like lists (I do) and enjoy the idea of an organized method to binging shows (I do) this is the perfect read. Great resource and fun way to pick then next binge.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun! Although didn’t need to know more shows to watch.

[John T]

Current and up to date with whats going on in the land of TV entertainment.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Added a few shows to my queue.

[Colin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Among the numerous shows listed, Smallville didn't warrant at least an honorable mention?