Last updated March 2024
On the prowl for phenomenal Best Tv Shows 2010 to watch now? We compiled 30 spectacular, must-see Best Tv Shows 2010 backed by outstanding reviews from IMDB and our own discerning users. Dive right into these universally beloved titles handpicked for broad appeal across all audiences. Help fellow fans uncover hidden gems by voting for your personal favorites. We value your contributions showcasing elite titles!
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
Downton Abbey (2010)
Plot Summary:
A chronicle of the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the post-Edwardian era—with great events in history having an effect on their lives and on the British social hierarchy
Duration: 3110 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 220000
Genere: Drama, Romance
Country: UK
Plot tags: aristocracy, estate, traditional versus modern, relatives, manners, countryside, high society, butler, servant, family life, country estate, aristocrat, master and servant, family relations, couple relations, love and romance, upscale, social differences, staff, heir, domestic servant, parents and children, untimely death, class differences, social climbing
Justified (2010)
Plot Summary:
A character drama based on the 2001 Elmore Leonard short story "Fire in the Hole." Leonard's tale centers around U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens of Kentucky, a quiet but strong-willed official of the law. The tale covers his high-stakes job, as well as his strained relationships with his ex-wife and father
Duration: 3400 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 116000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Western
Country: USA
Plot tags: drug lord, u.s. marshal, lone wolves, justice, fighting crime, officer, white trash, tough law enforcer, ex convict, family feud, crime family, rivals, shooting, conflict, machismo, gunfight, dirty cop, criminal, afghanistan veteran, arrest, dumb criminal, police officer, police, murder mystery, cop
Boardwalk Empire (2010)
Plot Summary:
Boardwalk Empire is a period drama focusing on Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (based on the historical Enoch L. Johnson), a political figure who rose to prominence and controlled Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition period of the 1920s and 1930s. Nucky interacts with several historical figures in both his personal and political life, including mobsters, politicians, government agents, and the common folk who look up to him. The federal government also takes an interest in the bootlegging and other illegal activities in the area, sending agents to investigate possible mob connections but also looking at Nucky's lifestyle—expensive and lavish for a county political figure. Primetime Emmy Award-winning screenwriter and producer Terence Winter adapted the show from Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City, a book by Nelson Johnson about historical criminal kingpin Enoch L. Johnson
Duration: 55 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 200000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: mafia, gangster, mob boss, organized crime, prohibition, criminal heroes, corruption, politician, female nudity, american history, smuggling, businessman, crime boss, ambitious, elimination, strong sexual content, mobster, federal agent, politics, election, rivalry, society, ambition, power struggle, mayor
Young Justice (2010)
Plot Summary:
Teenage superheroes strive to prove themselves as members of the Justice League
Duration: 23 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 45000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Crime, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: superhero, team, superhero team, justice league, heroes, heroine, fighting crime, good versus evil, courage, batman, superman, superhuman powers, teamwork, rivals, leader, rivalry, danger, teenage life, teenage superhero, adolescence, robot, androids, extraterrestrial, superheroine, flying superhero
Adventure Time (2010)
Plot Summary:
Told in eight parts, Islands tells the story of Finn, Jake, BMO and Susan Strong leaving Ooo and traveling across the ocean to solve the mystery of Finn's past. During their trip, they unlock secrets, encounter various creatures, make new friends, and explore a variety of mysterious islands
Duration: 11 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 108000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: friends, imaginary kingdom, imaginary, buddies, young heroes, king, creature, princess, escapades, post apocalypse, boy, youth, monster, vampire, adventurer, magic, encounter, young kid, robot, kingdom, wizard, talking animal, surrealism, anthropomorphism, parallel universe
Regular Show (2010)
Plot Summary:
Regular Show is an American animated television series created by J. G. Quintel for Cartoon Network that premiered on September 6, 2010. The series revolves around the lives of two friends, a Blue Jay named Mordecai and a raccoon named Rigby —both employed as groundskeepers at a local park. Their regular attempts to slack off usually lead to surreal, extreme and often supernatural misadventures. During these misadventures, they interact with the show's other main characters: Benson, Pops, Muscle Man, Hi-Five Ghost, Skips and Margaret. Many of Regulars Show's characters are loosely based on those developed for Quintel's student films at California Institute of the Arts: The Naive Man from Lolliland and 2 in the AM PM. Quintel pitched Regular Show for Cartoon Network's Cartoonstitute project, in which the network allowed young artists to create pilots with no notes, which would possibly be optioned as shows. The project was green-lit and it premiered on September 6, 2010. The show is inspired by some British television series and video games. Episodes are produced using storyboarding and hand-drawn animation, and each episode takes roughly nine months to create. Quintel recruited several independent comic book artists to draw the show's aminated elements; their style matched closely Quintel's ideas for the series. The show's soundtrack comprises original music composed by Mark Mothersbaugh and licensed songs
Duration: 23 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 55000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: slacker, boss, giant bird, workplace, irresponsible, friendship, time travel, ghost, anthropomorphism, creature, friends, workplace situations, partner, absurd humor, buddies, apocalypse, manager, bird, escapades, coworker, disorder, mishap, dark humor, parallel universe, mature
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
Louie (2010)
Plot Summary:
Louis C.K. stars as a fictionalized version of himself; a comedian and newly divorced father raising his two daughters in New York City
Duration: 22 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 81000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: loneliness, dark humor, midlife crisis, performer's life, comedian, family relations, city life, parenthood, everyday life, lifestyle, disorder, frustration, artists and showbiz, divorced father, single parent, dating, urban, ancient, voodoo, nerd, humour, satire, bittersweet, mood swing, single father
Spartacus (2010)
Plot Summary:
Spartacus is an American television series inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BCE led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic departing from Capua
Duration: 55 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 253000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Plot tags: ancient rome, ancient history, roman empire, gladiator, sword fight, rebellion, battles, rebel, slavery, ambition, sex, swords and armor, friendship between men, self sacrifice, revolution, strong sexual content, warrior, rebelliousness, gory, power struggle, intrigue, arena, contests and competitions, female nudity, sword and shield
Terriers (2010)
Plot Summary:
Ex-cop and recovering alcoholic Hank Dolworth partners with his best friend, former criminal Britt Pollack, in an unlicensed private investigation business. The series is set in Ocean Beach, San Diego, California, although it is portrayed as a distinct town, with Dolworth having once been a member of the fictional Ocean Beach Police Department
Duration: 45 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: investigation, team, murder, private investigator, private detective, partner, suspicion, investigator, teamwork, buddies, lawyer, spy, friendship, murder mystery, ex-cop, recovering alcoholic, dog, friends, girlfriend, ex husband, coworker, resourceful, scheme, peril, bonding
Luther (2010)
Plot Summary:
A dark psychological crime drama starring Idris Elba as Luther, a man struggling with his own terrible demons, who might be as dangerous as the depraved murderers he hunts
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.4/10
IMDB Votes: 152000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Plot tags: uncover truth, murder, talented, police detective, police investigation, law enforcement, cruelty, psychopath, police, forensics, crime investigation, tough law enforcer, cop, against the rules, serial killer, investigation, police procedural, graphic violence, violent content, partner, multiple suspects, black, unlikely relationship, anti hero, killer
Parenthood (2010)
Plot Summary:
Parenthood is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Jason Katims. Loosely based on the 1989 film of the same title, Parenthood tells of the Braverman clan which consists of an older couple, their four children and their families
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 37000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: family drama, family life, parenthood, teenage pregnancy, responsibility, autism, family relations, large family, adolescence, marital problem, couple relations, parents and children, social relations, siblings relations, supportive parent, father son relationship, father, single parent, fatherhood, relationships, kids and family, parents, father and son, family problems, eccentric family
This Is England '86 (2010)
Plot Summary:
This Is England '86 is a 2010 British drama miniseries written by Shane Meadows and Jack Thorne, a spin-off from the 2006 film This Is England. Shaun has just finished his final exams and he realizes he is no longer a kid. It's mid 80's England, a World Cup summer, and the gang are back, looking for a laugh, a job, and something that resembles a future
Duration: 47 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: UK
Plot tags: subculture, skinhead, life is a bitch, youth, social misfits, friendship, friends, teenage life, rebelliousness, sexual relations, adolescence, student, love and romance, couples, society, social problems, lifestyle, misfit, infidelity, unemployment, looking for love, dishonesty, coming of age, rape, shipwreck
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
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (2010)
Plot Summary:
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is an American animated television series by Marvel Animation in cooperation with Film Roman, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers. The show debuted both on Disney XD and online in the fall of 2010, starting with a 20-part micro-series. Marvel Entertainment, LLC and Disney XD announced a "new Marvel Universe" programming block, named Marvel Universe, which began broadcasting in April 2012 and included the second season of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! and the animated series Ultimate Spider-Man. The series initially features a team based on the roster for the original Avengers, composed of Iron Man, Giant-Man, Hulk, Thor, and Wasp. The team is later joined by Captain America, Black Panther, and Hawkeye in the first season, and Ms. Marvel and Vision in the second season. In terms of overall tone and style, the series is based principally on the original stories by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. However, it also tends to utilize material from all eras of the comic's run as well as other sources, such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The series was replaced by Marvel's Avengers Assemble, which premiered on July 7, 2013
Duration: 30 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: superhero, superhero team, teamwork, team, scientist, good versus evil, villain, rescue, save the world, evil, save the day, supernatural, danger, rage, imaginary, giant, superhuman powers, hulk, comic book, avenger, monster, multiverse, comic hero, wendigo, badass
Blue Mountain State (2010)
Plot Summary:
Three incoming freshmen attending Midwestern college football powerhouse Blue Mountain State must quickly adapt to college life and juggle football, girls, classes and nonstop hazing
Duration: 22 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 57000
Genere: Comedy, Sport
Country: Canada, USA
Plot tags: college, american football, youth, athlete's life, sexual activity, college life, teenage life, rivalry, social relations, disorder, abuse, ambition, looking for sex, university, cheerleader, friends, strong sexual content, football, party, competition, coach, sport team, stoner, teenager, gay
The Pacific (2010)
Plot Summary:
A 10-part mini-series from the creators of "Band of Brothers" telling the intertwined stories of three Marines during America's battle with the Japanese in the Pacific during World War II
Duration: 530 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 125000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: USA, Australia
Plot tags: world war two, military, battlefield, war, battles, marines, soldier, squad, american soldier, pacific war, imperial japan, u.s. military, combat, world war, killed in action, navy, battle zone, male bonding, friends, gory, conflict, selflessness, behind enemy lines, peril, infantry
Treme (2010)
Plot Summary:
Tremé takes its name from a neighborhood of New Orleans and portrays life in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricane. Beginning three months after Hurricane Katrina, the residents of New Orleans, including musicians, chefs, Mardi Gras Indians, and other New Orleanians struggle to rebuild their lives, their homes and their unique culture
Duration: 55 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Drama, Music
Country: USA
Plot tags: musician, jazz, social problems, hurricane katrina, starting over, musician's life, survival, lifestyle, tragic event, life turned upside down, life is a bitch, poverty, destruction, society, talented, struggle, human nature, disappearance, social relations, artists and showbiz, black, interracial relations, city life, dancing, music
Raising Hope (2010)
Plot Summary:
James "Jimmy" Chance is a clueless 24-year-old who impregnates a serial killer during a one-night-stand. Earning custody of his daughter after the mother is sentenced to death, Jimmy relies on his oddball but well-intentioned family for support in raising the child
Duration: 22 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 40000
Genere: Comedy, Family
Country: USA
Plot tags: youth, family life, babies and infants, living with parents, eccentric family, parents and children, adolescence vs adulthood, single father, family relations, stupidity, parenthood, immature, supermarket, lifestyle, lifestyle change, twentysomething life, slacker, responsibility, disorder, dating, feminist, friendship between men, mature, team, fandom
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010)
Plot Summary:
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated is the eleventh incarnation of Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo animated series, and the first incarnation not to be first-run on Saturday mornings. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network and premiered in the United States on Cartoon Network on April 5, 2010, with the next twelve episodes continuing, and the first episode re-airing, on July 12, 2010. The series concluded on April 5, 2013 with two seasons and fifty-two episodes, with a total of twenty-six episodes per season. Mystery Incorporated returns to the early days of Scooby and the gang, when they are still solving mysteries in their home town, though it makes many references to previous incarnations of the franchise, not least among them many cases and creatures from the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!. Episode by episode, the series takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to the classic Scooby-Doo formula, with increasingly outlandish technology, skills and scenarios making up each villain's story, and a different spin on the famous "meddling kids" quote at the end of every episode. Contrasting sharply with this, however, are two elements that have never been used in a Scooby-Doo series before: a serial format with an ongoing story arc featuring many dark plot elements that are treated with near-total seriousness, and ongoing relationship drama between the characters
Duration: 23 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Family, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Country: USA
Plot tags: scooby doo, monster, team, villain, curses spells and rituals, witch, investigation, friends, cartoon dog, amateur detective, talking animal, fear, fandom, heroes, escapades, danger, disorder, young heroes, dog, friendship, criminal, partner, silly humor, reincarnation, heroic mission
The Walking Dead (2010)
Plot Summary:
Sheriff's deputy Rick Grimes awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world dominated by flesh-eating zombies. He sets out to find his family and encounters many other survivors along the way
Duration: 44 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 11000000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: zombie, survival, virus, pandemic, post apocalypse, apocalypse, supernatural, walking dead, zombie apocalypse, plague, undead, fear, peril, danger, survivor, graphic violence, death, zombie attack, human existence, zombie outbreak, epidemic, vestiges of humanity, moral dilemma, fate of humanity, insanity
Strike Back (2010)
Plot Summary:
The series follows John Porter, a former British Special Forces soldier, who is drafted back into service by Section 20, a fictional branch of the Secret Intelligence Service
Duration: 45 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 33000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: UK
Plot tags: terrorist, mission, soldier, military, top secret, swat team, heroes, one man army, cia agent, daring rescue, heroic mission, terrorism, teamwork, spy, warrior, battles, air force, danger, commander, military life, behind enemy lines, peril, escapades, nudity, special forces
The Big C (2010)
Plot Summary:
A suburban mother faces her cancer diagnosis while trying to find humor and happiness as well
Duration: 30 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: teacher, fighting illness, terminal illness, dying, cancer, couples, human spirit, family relations, parents and children, life is a bitch, marriage, hopes, couple relations, dark humor, doctor, suburbs, student, human relationship, dealing with death, teenager, women, medical, education, girl power, young adult
The Pillars of the Earth (2010)
Plot Summary:
The Pillars of the Earth is an eight-part 2010 TV miniseries, adapted from Ken Follett's novel of the same name
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.0/10
IMDB Votes: 33000
Genere: Drama, Romance, Thriller, War
Country: Germany, Canada, UK, Hungary
Plot tags: medieval, king, power struggle, ambition, state affairs, catholic church, throne, heir, cathedral, religions or cults, culture clash, world politics, storytelling, society, manipulation, rivals, power relations, ancient, british history, british royal family, greed, royal family, queen, british monarchy, royalty
Ugly Americans (2010)
Plot Summary:
Ugly Americans is an American animated sitcom created by Devin Clark and developed by David M. Stern. The program focuses on the life of Mark Lilly, a social worker employed by the Department of Integration, in an alternate reality version of New York City inhabited by monsters and other creatures. Daniel Powell serves as executive producer and Aaron Augenblick is supervising producer and animation director. Ugly Americans aired on Comedy Central from March 17, 2010 to April 25, 2012 with a total of 31 episodes over two seasons
Duration: 30 min
IMDB Rating: 8.0/10
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Country: USA, Canada
Plot tags: boss and employee, absurd humor, city life, workplace romance, friendship, monster, zombie, imaginary, silly humor, immigrant, social worker, alternate reality, supernatural, adult humor, mature, dark humor, stoner, supernatural horror, vulgar, officer, boss, ordinary person, urban, ex husband, newcomer
How to Make It in America (2010)
Plot Summary:
Trying to make a name for themselves in New York's competitive fashion scene, Ben Epstein and his friend and business partner Cam Calderon use their street knowledge and connections to bring their ambitions to fruition. With the help of Cam's cousin Rene, who is trying to market his own high-energy drink, and their well-connected friend Domingo, the burgeoning entrepreneurs set out to make it big, encountering obstacles along the way that will require all their ingenuity to overcome
Duration: 30 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: entrepreneur, follow your dream, ambition, lifestyle, businessman, ambitious, group of friends, success, girlfriend, career, determination, buddies, young woman, party, business, finance, magician, american dream, twenty something, young adult, musician, friends, profanity, young man, skating
Rubicon (2010)
Plot Summary:
Rubicon is an American television series that centers on an intelligence analyst at a national think tank in New York City called the American Policy Institute, who discovers that he may be working with members of a secret society that manipulates world events on a grand scale
Duration: 45 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: conspiracy, uncover truth, analyst, prodigy, undercover, espionage, spy, surveillance, boss, twists and turns, workplace, government facility, intelligence, paranoia, cover up, manipulation, danger, secret, evidence, peril, homosexual, loner, investigation, murder, riddles and clues
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2010)
Plot Summary:
"Get your muzzle out of those books and make some friends!" That's what Princess Celestia tells Twilight Sparkle. She may be the smartest unicorn in Equestria, but Twilight Sparkle gets an "incomplete" in friendship. There's more to life than learning magic, after all -- so she goes to Ponyville on a mission to make friends. There she meets five special ponies who take her on exciting adventures and teach her the most powerful magic of all ... the magic of friendship!
Duration: 22 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Music, Musical
Country: USA, Canada
Plot tags: pony, princess, my little pony, friendship, imaginary kingdom, female protagonist, friends, imaginary, unicorn, horse, talking animal, magical, slumber party, friendship between girls, autistic, legend, artifact, surrealism, heroine, chaos, magic spell, girl power, youth, magic, autism
Blue Bloods (2010)
Plot Summary:
A drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan is the New York Police Commissioner and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood. He runs his department as diplomatically as he runs his family, even when dealing with the politics that plagued his unapologetically bold father, Henry, during his stint as Chief
Duration: 43 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 46000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: family relations, police commissioner, police detective, family tradition, law enforcement, investigation, family life, police procedural, price of justice, chief of police, police, nypd, female detective, police brutality, father daughter relationship, brother sister relationship, father son relationship, brother brother relationship, grandfather grandson relationship, three generations, legal, cop, police officer, police protagonist, exodus