From Grey's Anatomy to Law & Order: 7 long-running TV shows to binge watch
While choosing any of the numerous shows released each year is exciting, there is a comforting aspect to picking a long-running show with decades worth of seasons and binge watching them all. There's a sense of nostalgia and coziness in watching an older show from the beginning. Whether it is your first time watching it or a rewatch, long-running TV shows will always be a guaranteed comfort-watch.
Over the years, the trusted TV's have aired many series that can compete with the recent OTT shows. Whether it's the compelling medical drama Grey's Anatomy which has over 30 Emmy nominations or the classic police procedural and legal drama Law & Order with its iconic theme song and thrilling cases, the joy of watching a long-running show is unmatched.
Viewers who would like to go through some old gems can check the list for some of the most popular long-running TV series.
Criminal Minds, NCIS, Grey's Anatomy, and other long-running TV shows
1) Law & Order - Peacock
Created by Dick Wolf, Law and Order, is a police procedural and legal drama that began airing from 1990 and is still airing, currently in its 24th season. Though the show was on hiatus from 2010 to 2021, it is one of the most popular and longest crime dramas.
The show's format usually features the New York Police Department investigating a crime and apprehending a suspect, who is then prosecuted by the Manhattan district attorney’s office. The original cast included George Dzundza, Chris Noth, Dann Florek, amongst many others. The current main cast include Maura Tierney and Tony Goldwyn. This long-running beloved TV show has also resulted in various spin-offs.
2) Criminal Minds - Amazon Prime Video
The police procedural crime drama, Criminal Minds, was created by Jeff Davis and Erica Messer. The original series ran for fifteen seasons until 2020 but was revived with the title Criminal Minds: Evolution, which was renewed this year for a third season.
This long-running show follows a group of criminal profilers at the FBI as part of the Behavioral Analysis Unit and uses unique techniques to find the suspect behind a crime. The original cast had Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, among others. Currently the show features Adam Rodriguez in the main cast, among others. The show has also spawned many spin-offs.
3) NCIS - Amazon Prime Video
Created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill, NCIS, is an American military police procedural that premiered in 2003 and has 21 seasons currently. Introduced as a spin-off of the show JAG, NCIS focusses on a team of highly specialized agents of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
The team is known as the Major Case Response Team and deals with high-visibility crimes. It is the federal enforcement agency of the US Department of Navy. This popular show has inspired multiple spin-offs.
4) Grey's Anatomy - Hulu
Created by Shonda Rhimes, and one of the longest-running shows, Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama that revolves around the personal and professional lives of the hospital staff at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital.
The original cast included Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Sandrah Oh, among many others. Now, the show features Chandra Wilson, Niko Terho, Midori Francis, among many others. Grey's Anatomy began airing in 2005 and is currently in its 21st season. Earning universal praise, this beloved show is still a juggernaut after all these years.
5) Beverly Hills, 90210 - Apple TV+
Starring Tori Spelling, Jennie Garth, and others, Beverly Hills, 90210, is a teen drama created by Darren Star. The show aired from 1990 to 2000 for ten seasons. The show initially featured two twins who shift from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Beverly Hills, California.
Over the years, the show has focused on a group of friends as they transition from high school to adulthood. The show has addressed topics like homophobia, drug abuse, and more and was a pop culture phenomenon in the 90s.
6) 24 - Hulu
Starring Kiefer Sutherland, 24 is an action-drama series created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran. Sutherland plays a counter-terrorist federal agent Jack Bauer who gets 24 hours to solve a crime, which is shown alongside real time narration and makes up the crux of each season.
The long-running show premiered in 2001 and ran for nine long seasons, airing its finale in 2014. The show also deals with multiple plotlines and Jack’s personal life. Themes of political espionage, terrorism, and presidential assassinations are covered in this thrilling show.
7) Desperate Housewives - Amazon Prime Video
Created by Marc Cherry and starring Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria, and others, Desperate Housewives was a long-running comedy-drama TV show that aired for eight seasons from 2004 to 2012.
The story is set in an affluent neighbourhood, where the domestic lives and personal secrets of a group of women are detailed by their friend, who commits suicide in the first episode. The show remains a part of pop culture and received positive reviews almost universally.
From Grey's Anatomy to Law & Order, there is no shortage of shows to pick from and binge watch for hours on end.
