Last updated March 2024
In the mood for Best intellectual Tv Shows? We put together 30 of the Best intellectual Tv Shows available, drawing top picks from IMDB ratings and user votes on our site. Cast your vote for favorite Best intellectual Tv Shows to guide fellow viewers toward quality content. User participation is what makes our platform so helpful.
Sherlock (2010)
Plot Summary:
A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London
Duration: 88 min
IMDB Rating: 9.1/10
IMDB Votes: 977000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Plot tags: sherlock holmes, investigation, private detective, murder mystery, mastermind, genius, friendship, british, murder, mind game, riddles and clues, prodigy, danger, partner, talented, buddies, eccentricity, intelligence, expert, friendship between men, inspector, police detective, deduction, mysterious character, teamwork
When They See Us (2019)
Plot Summary:
Five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they're falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park
Duration: 296 min
IMDB Rating: 8.9/10
IMDB Votes: 134000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History
Country: USA
Plot tags: investigation, legal, social injustice, black, black lives matter, black cast, racial injustice, black history, lgbtq, criminal justice, suspect, false accusation, social problems, fight for justice, social issues, false accusation of rape, falsely accused, racial issues, social justice, law and order, courtroom, accusation, guilty verdict, framed for a crime, blaxploitation
Narcos (2015)
Plot Summary:
The true story of Colombia's infamously violent and powerful drug cartels
Duration: 49 min
IMDB Rating: 8.8/10
IMDB Votes: 458000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Colombia
Plot tags: drug cartel, gangster, drug dealer, cartel, drug dealing, rise to the top, drug lord, illegal drugs, cia agent, dea, master criminal, ambition, hitman, criminal heroes, drug, organized crime, smuggling, politics, mafia, terrorism, cocaine, kidnapping, cold war, president, hidden money
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984)
Plot Summary:
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984–1985), The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1986–1988), The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1991–1993) and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1994), collectively known as Sherlock Holmes, are a series of adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories which were produced by Granada Television and originally broadcast by ITV in the United Kingdom. The series starred Jeremy Brett as Holmes and David Burke (in the Adventures series) and Edward Hardwicke (Return, Case-Book, Memoirs) as Dr. Watson. The programme adapted 42 of the original stories in 41 episodes, with 36 running for 50 minutes (in a one-hour timeslot), and five being feature-length specials. Adventures ran for two series totalling 13 episodes, from April to June 1984 and August to September 1985. Return ran for two series from July to August 1986 and April to August 1988, as well as the specials "The Sign of Four" and "The Hound of the Baskervilles", which aired on 29 December 1987 and 31 August 1988 respectively. Case-Book ran for one series from February to March 1991 and three specials which aired on 2 January 1992 and 27 January and 3 February 1993. Memoirs ran for one series from March to April 1994. A short episode was also produced as part of "The Four Oaks Mystery" which aired during the ITV Telethon in 1992. Sherlock Holmes appeared in the first part, with the casts of Van der Valk, Taggart and Inspector Wexford appearing in the second, third and fourth parts respectively
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 24000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Plot tags: sherlock holmes, private detective, investigation, riddles and clues, partners against crime, murder, victorian england, who done it, ego clash, rivalry, danger, law enforcement, talented, misfit partners, friendship, brother brother relationship, police, murder mystery, asexual, christmas, serial killer, steampunk, writers, driver, taxi
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
Plot Summary:
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. The show is set in the nearby regions of the Milky Way galaxy, approximately during the 2360s and features a new crew and a new starship Enterprise
Duration: 44 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 132000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: space travel, space opera, star trek, outer space, space exploration, alien planet, space, spacecraft, captain, alien encounter, alien, benign alien, spaceship, alien species, alien contact, teleportation, space and aliens, escapades, space battle, androids and robots, danger, liberal, artificial intelligence, female alien, time travel
Dark (2017)
Plot Summary:
A missing child causes four families to help each other for answers. What they could not imagine is that this mystery would be connected to innumerable other secrets of the small town
Duration: 1455 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 429000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Germany, USA
Plot tags: time travel, investigation, time loop, time machine, mysterious past, cave, time portal, missing child, repeated event, changing the future, disappearance, alternate dimension, deja vu, small town, loss of father, mysterious disappearance, butterfly effect, corpse, time traveler, family crisis, family relations, conspiracy, nuclear waste, apocalypse, school
Severance (2022)
Plot Summary:
Mark leads a team of office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives. When a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it begins a journey to discover the truth about their jobs
Duration: 55 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 181000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: office, memory, distopia, alternate world, office politics, secret identity, conspiracy, mind control, private vs public, office worker, psycho, surgery, coworker, dark secret, surgical operation, coworker relationship, personal safety, satire, apocalypse, robot, post apocalypse, hunting, writers, human experiment, disaster
Endeavour (2012)
Plot Summary:
The early days of a young Endeavour Morse, whose experiences as a detective constable with the Oxford City Police will ultimately shape his future
Duration: 89 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Plot tags: police, police detective, investigator, murderer, talented, police investigation, coworker, british, oxford, murder, intelligence, bodies, police procedural, law enforcement, investigation, whodunit, police protagonist, justice, murder mystery, who done it, uncover truth, mafia, pride and honor, boss, victim
The Newsroom (2012)
Plot Summary:
A behind-the-scenes look at the people who make a nightly cable-news program. Focusing on a network anchor, his new executive producer, the newsroom staff and their boss, the series tracks their quixotic mission to do the news well in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles-not to mention their own personal entanglements
Duration: 55 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 123000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: journalism, journalist, politics, news, workaholic, psychologist, rebellion, ambitious, workplace, power of media, ethics, teamwork, media coverage, idealism, liberal, media, writers, reporter, psychiatrist, intelligence, colleague, rape, relationships, marketing, white house
House of Cards (2013)
Plot Summary:
Set in present day Washington, D.C., House of Cards is the story of Frank Underwood, a ruthless and cunning politician, and his wife Claire who will stop at nothing to conquer everything. This wicked political drama penetrates the shadowy world of greed, sex and corruption in modern D.C. House of Cards is an adaptation of a previous BBC miniseries of the same name, which is based on the novel by Michael Dobbs
Duration: 3804 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 524000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: politics, political intrigue, political corruption, manipulation, state affairs, intrigue, blind ambition, strategy, u.s. president, lobbyist, journalism, journalist, media, media manipulation, breaking the fourth wall, usa politics, ambitious, politician, revenge, u.s. congress, marriage, dishonesty, power relations, husband wife relationship, political conflict
Westworld (2016)
Plot Summary:
A dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged
Duration: 62 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 525000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: artificial intelligence, robot, androids, consciousness, moral dilemma, murder, technology gone awry, man versus machine, scientist, escapades, human android relationship, wild west, cyberpunk, stalking, imaginary, love, female protagonist, role playing, using others, danger, workplace intrigue, workplace, androids and robots, immorality, hacker
Mr. Robot (2015)
Plot Summary:
A contemporary and culturally resonant drama about a young programmer, Elliot, who suffers from a debilitating anti-social disorder and decides that he can only connect to people by hacking them. He wields his skills as a weapon to protect the people that he cares about. Elliot will find himself in the intersection between a cybersecurity firm he works for and the underworld organizations that are recruiting him to bring down corporate America
Duration: 49 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 410000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: hacker, computer hacker, hacking, computers and web, fighting the system, conspiracy, psychotherapy, split personality, paranoia, conspiracy theory, secret society, introvert, society, hallucination, schizophrenia, drug addict, social anxiety disorder, rebellion, friendship, childhood trauma, psychotherapist, revolution, brother sister relationship, murder, multiple personality disorder
Ozark (2017)
Plot Summary:
A financial adviser drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder $500 million in five years to appease a drug boss
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 337000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: money laundering, drug cartel, danger, family relations, rivalry, murder, investigation, drug, teenage girl, mafia, organized crime, violence, law enforcement, cheating wife, mind game, finance, gang, teenage boy, chase, couples, escapades, dishonesty, survival, money, apocalypse
Borgen: Power & Glory (2010)
Plot Summary:
Borgen is a drama series about the fight for political power – and about the personal sacrifices and consequences this has for those involved on and behind the political stage. The central figure is the 40-year old political leader Birgitte Nyborg, who through her idealism and huge effort secures her party a landslide victory and thus faces the biggest challenge of her life: how most effectively to use the newly won seats, and how far she is willing to go in order to gain as much influence as possible. Privately, Birgitte leads a happy family life with her husband and two children. She is a woman with a burning commitment, a big heart and little time. Will she be able to be a successful and professional top politician and stay true to herself at the same time?
Duration: 58 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 29000
Genere: Drama
Country: Denmark
Plot tags: politics, journalist, journalism, marriage, nordic, female politician, politician, media coverage, prime minister, family life, ambition, power struggle, state affairs, election, political intrigue, head of state, ambitious, liberal, democrat, government official, workplace situations, leader, parliament, feminist, female protagonist
Inside No. 9 (2014)
Plot Summary:
An anthology of darkly comic twisted tales, each one taking place behind a door marked 'number 9'
Duration: 30 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 19000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Plot tags: supernatural, surprising revelation, surrealism, dark humor, hotel room, plot twist, macabre, halloween, illness, mental illness, mission, aspiration, impostor, satire, locked in a room, storytelling, sketch, cognitive science, sketch show, ghost, murder, criminal, intrigue, haunted house, under the surface
Psych (2006)
Plot Summary:
Thanks to his police officer father's efforts, Shawn Spencer spent his childhood developing a keen eye for detail (and a lasting dislike of his dad). Years later, Shawn's frequent tips to the police lead to him being falsely accused of a crime he solved. Now, Shawn has no choice but to use his abilities to perpetuate his cover story: psychic crime-solving powers, all the while dragging his best friend, his dad, and the police along for the ride
Duration: 44 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 104000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Country: USA
Plot tags: investigation, team, private detective, buddies, friends, intelligence, friendship, prodigy, best friend, who done it, hotshot, clairvoyant, manhood, cop, talented, interracial friendship, police, law enforcement, riddles and clues, serial killer, detective agency, peril, outside help, police investigation, coworker
The Handmaid's Tale (2017)
Plot Summary:
Set in a dystopian future, a woman is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship. A TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 253000
Genere: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: rape, sexism, surrogate mother, infertility, protest, dystopia, totalitarianism, slavery, tyranny, religion, belief, women's rights, violence, kidnapping, violence against women, torture, society, distopia, soldier, misogyny, coup d'etat, lesbian, alternate reality, alternate world, feminist
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013)
Plot Summary:
A single-camera ensemble comedy following the lives of an eclectic group of detectives in a New York precinct, including one slacker who is forced to shape up when he gets a new boss
Duration: 22 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 349000
Genere: Comedy, Crime
Country: USA
Plot tags: workplace, police station, cop, workplace situations, police, investigation, workplace humor, sleuth, police captain, sergeant, teamwork, verbal byplay, boss, young man, police detective, gay african american, coworker, coworker relationship, boss and employee, arrest, chief of police, law enforcement, policewoman, police officer, satire
Big Little Lies (2017)
Plot Summary:
Subversive, darkly comedic drama Big Little Lies tells the tale of three mothers of first graders whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder
Duration: 356 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 219000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Plot tags: domestic violence, female friendship, feminist, murder mystery, mother daughter relationship, husband wife relationship, marriage, murder, secret, infidelity, rape, female protagonist, housewife, family life, intrigue, feminism, gossip and rumors, mother, crumbling marriage, parent child relationship, violence against women, adultery, single mother, twists and turns, ex husband
Narcos: Mexico (2018)
Plot Summary:
See the rise of the Guadalajara Cartel as an American DEA agent learns the danger of targeting narcos in 1980s Mexico
Duration: 50 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 91000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: drug cartel, cartel, organized crime, marijuana, undercover agent, business, corruption, drug lord, gang, criminal, drug, drug dealing, cocaine, mafia, outlaw, drug dealer, dea, mariachi, investigation, crime boss, gangster, bandit, heroin, gang leader, criminal gang
Suits (2011)
Plot Summary:
While running from a drug deal gone bad, Mike Ross, a brilliant young college-dropout, slips into a job interview with one of New York City's best legal closers, Harvey Specter. Tired of cookie-cutter law school grads, Harvey takes a gamble by hiring Mike on the spot after he recognizes his raw talent and photographic memory. Mike and Harvey are a winning team. Even though Mike is a genius, he still has a lot to learn about law. And while Harvey may seem like an emotionless, cold-blooded shark, Mike's sympathy and concern for their cases and clients will help remind Harvey why he went into law in the first place. Mike's other allies in the office include the firm's best paralegal Rachel and Harvey's no-nonsense assistant Donna to help him serve justice. Proving to be an irrepressible duo and invaluable to the practice, Mike and Harvey must keep their secret from everyone including managing partner Jessica and Harvey's arch nemesis Louis, who seems intent on making Mike's life as difficult as possible
Duration: 44 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 461000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: lawyer, legal, law firm, photographic memory, hotshot lawyer, ambition, boss, mastermind, success, corporate world, workplace situations, ambitious, prodigy, rivals, talented, mentor, blackmail, assistant, lawsuit, hotshot, deal, power struggle, ego clash, court, judiciary
Star Trek (1966)
Plot Summary:
Space. The Final Frontier. The U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on a five year mission to explore the galaxy. The Enterprise is under the command of Captain James T. Kirk with First Officer Mr. Spock, from the planet Vulcan. With a determined crew, the Enterprise encounters Klingons, Romulans, time paradoxes, tribbles and genetic supermen lead by Khan Noonian Singh. Their mission is to explore strange new worlds, to seek new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before
Duration: 50 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 91000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: star trek, space travel, outer space, space and aliens, heroic mission, friendship, benign alien, spacecraft, alien species, alien planet, space exploration, space, exploration, scientist, commander, captain, alien encounter, space opera, female alien, escapades, warp speed, teleportation, intergalactic, spaceship, alien
In Treatment (2008)
Plot Summary:
Set within the highly charged confines of individual psychotherapy sessions and centering around Dr. Paul Weston, a psychotherapist who exhibits an insightful, reserved demeanor while treating his patients—but displays a crippling insecurity while counseled by his own therapist
Duration: 30 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: psychologist, therapist, introspection, doctors and patients, psychotherapy, psychotherapist, patient, emotional breakdown, psychology, self involved, haunted by the past, power relations, workplace, psychiatrist, medical, medicine, hospital, psychiatry, psychological manipulation, disorder, mental health, arrested development, slice of life, drug, depression
Maid (2021)
Plot Summary:
Inspired by the powerful New York Times best-selling memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land, Maid will chronicle a single mother who turns to housekeeping to - barely - make ends meet as she battles against poverty, homelessness, and bureaucracy
Duration: 545 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 96000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: single mother, homelessness, memories, life, children, custody, poor family, job, life is a bitch, domestic violence, social problems, family problems, single parent, money problems, lesbian, women, medicine, sexual abuse, motherhood, feminist, hardship, choice, disease, social injustice, coming of age
Billions (2016)
Plot Summary:
A complex drama about power politics in the world of New York high finance. Shrewd, savvy U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades and the brilliant, ambitious hedge fund king Bobby "Axe" Axelrod are on an explosive collision course, with each using all of his considerable smarts, power and influence to outmaneuver the other. The stakes are in the billions in this timely, provocative series
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 107000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: money, corruption, investor, ambition, wall street, finance, stock exchange, stock market, wealth, twists and turns, rivalry, family relations, businessman, lifestyle, dishonesty, investigation, obsession, betrayal, couple relations, legal, friendship, gambling, lawyer, trading, husband wife relationship
Millennium (2010)
Plot Summary:
The paths of journalist Mikael Blomkvist and computer hacker Lisbeth Salander cross and they team up to reveal a dark and terrifying truth involving murder and sexual abuse, a story that has long been concealed in Swedish society
Duration: 540 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Sweden, Germany, Denmark
Plot tags: twists and turns, investigation, lesbian, journalist, hacker, life is a bitch, uncover truth, journalism, amateur detective, danger, partner, nordic, corruption, lgbt, feminist, criminal psychology, badass female lead, heroine, heroes, profanity, reporter, middle aged, strong female presence, abuse, journal
Orphan Black (2013)
Plot Summary:
A streetwise hustler is pulled into a compelling conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her
Duration: 44 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 116000
Genere: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada
Plot tags: lesbian, strong female character, female protagonist, shooting, family relations, uncover truth, lesbianism, danger, heroine, suicide, supernatural, killings, lesbian relationship, lgbt, lookalikes, boyfriend, experiment, characters in danger, eugenics, top secret, strong female lead, female assassin, mad scientist, conspiracy, clone
The Morning Show (2019)
Plot Summary:
A behind-the-scenes look at the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning, exploring the unique challenges faced by the men and women who carry out this daily televised ritual
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
IMDB Votes: 123000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: women, television, career woman, journalist, scandal, job, protest, journalism, feminism, co worker co worker relationship, workplace situations, female protagonist, lifestyle, employer employee relationship, news report, betrayal, society, nothing goes right, workplace, talk show host, lesbian, stephen king, lgbt, power, lesbian teen
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (2016)
Plot Summary:
A comedic thriller that follows the bizarre adventures of eccentric “holistic” detective Dirk Gently and his reluctant assistant Todd. An adaptation of Douglas Adams’ wildly successful comic novels
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
IMDB Votes: 56000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: time travel, clue, private detective, murder investigation, unstoppable, hallucination, investigation, strange person, superpower, government agent, magic, supernatural, occult, crime investigation, partner, detective agency, absurd humor, absurdism, superhero, psychopath, police, beast, psychic, friends, myth
White Collar (2009)
Plot Summary:
Neal Caffrey, a con man, forger and thief, is captured after a three-year game of cat and mouse with the FBI. With only months left serving a four-year sentence, he escapes to look for Kate, his girlfriend. Peter Burke, the FBI agent who initially captured Caffrey, finds and returns him to prison. This time, Caffrey proposes a deal with the FBI, as part of a work-release program. After some hesitation, Burke agrees, and thus begins this unconventional arrangement where Caffrey helps Burke apprehend white collar criminals
Duration: 40 min
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
IMDB Votes: 139000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Plot tags: investigation, fbi, law enforcement, art thief, mastermind, con artists, criminal, unlikely partners, friendship, talented, cons and scams, expert, forger, deal, genius, thief, embezzler, fbi agent, intelligence, dishonesty, crime investigation, ethics, chases and races, cop, cat and mouse