Breaking Bad tops New York Times century TV ranking

Breaking Bad has been named the top television series of the 21st century by The New York Times, with actor Bryan Cranston praising the recognition after the ranking was released. The AMC drama earned the No. 1 position through votes from 516 television industry professionals.

According to The New York Times, the survey included actors, writers, showrunners and producers, with eligible programs required to have premiered on or after January 1, 2000. The Wire ranked second, followed by Mad Men, Succession and Fleabag.

Cranston, who portrayed Walter White in the five-season series, addressed the ranking while attending ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The actor said the honor represented the collective work of the cast and crew rather than a personal selection.

"That’s something that’s voted on," said Bryan Cranston, actor.

Cranston described the ranking as recognition given to everyone involved in creating the series, which aired from January 2008 to September 2013. The show followed a high school chemistry teacher who begins producing and selling methamphetamine after receiving a stage-three lung cancer diagnosis.

"That’s bestowed upon us as the collective who had something to do with that show," said Bryan Cranston, actor.

Breaking Bad featured Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman alongside Anna Gunn, Bob Odenkirk, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte and Jonathan Banks. According to the source report, the series won 16 Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Peabody Awards and a British Academy Television Award.

Cranston won four Emmy Awards for lead actor, while Paul won three supporting actor Emmys and Gunn won two supporting actress Emmys. The story later expanded through the spin-off Better Call Saul, which ran from 2015 to 2022, and the 2019 film El Camino.

The New York Times ranking also sparked debate over how different television genres should be compared, with dramas, comedies, reality programs and miniseries included on the same list. The Washington Examiner noted that the ranking placed Breaking Bad above several other acclaimed series while questioning some placements and omissions.