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The Best TV Shows on CBS

Every CBS Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Leading the pack on CBS are Valiant Lady and Route 66, with their initial broadcasts in 1953 and 1960. With its programming history stretching from 1953 to 2019, CBS offers an impressive lineup of over 20 shows. Peruse our comprehensive roster of CBS’s top shows, encompassing over 20 distinct series as of January 2025.

  • The Mentalist
    The Mentalist (2008)8.4

    Patrick Jane, a former celebrity psychic medium, uses his razor sharp skills of observation and expertise at "reading" people to solve serious crimes with the California Bureau of Investigation.

  • Criminal Minds
    Criminal Minds (2005)8.3

    An elite team of FBI profilers analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. The Behavioral Analysis Unit's most experienced agent is David Rossi, a founding member of the BAU who returns to help the team solve new cases.

  • Young Sheldon
    Young Sheldon (2017)8.1

    The early life of child genius Sheldon Cooper, later seen in The Big Bang Theory.

  • S.W.A.T.
    S.W.A.T. (2017)8.1

    A locally born and bred S.W.A.T. lieutenant is torn between loyalty to the streets and duty to his fellow officers when he's tasked to run a highly-trained unit that's the last stop for solving crimes in Los Angeles.

  • Muppet Babies
    Muppet Babies (1984)7.9

    The Muppet Babies (Kermit, Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzy and company) live in a large nursery watched over by Nanny. The babies have active imaginations, and often embark upon adventures into imaginary worlds.

  • Evil
    Evil (2019)7.8

    Skeptical forensic psychologist Kristen Bouchard joins priest-in-training David Acosta and technology expert Ben Shakir as they investigate supposed miracles, demonic possessions, and other extraordinary occurrences to assess for a scientific explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work.

  • Hee Haw
    Hee Haw (1969)7.6

    Hee Haw was an American variety show featuring a mixture of country music and comedy skits. Co-hosted by Buck Owens and Roy Clark for most of the series, the show also guested well-established country music stars including Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. Originally airing on CBS from 1969 to 1971, the show ran for over 20 years in syndication until 1993.

  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)7.6

    A Las Vegas team of forensic investigators are trained to solve criminal cases by scouring the crime scene, collecting irrefutable evidence and finding the missing pieces that solve the mystery.

  • NCIS
    NCIS (2003)7.6

    From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, a team of special agents investigates any crime that has a shred of evidence connected to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, regardless of rank or position.

  • Two and a Half Men
    Two and a Half Men (2003)7.5

    A hedonistic jingle writer's free-wheeling life comes to an abrupt halt when his brother and 10-year-old nephew move into his beach-front house.

  • Survivor
    Survivor (2000)7.4

    A reality show contest where sixteen or more castaways split between two or more “Tribes” are taken to a remote isolated location and are forced to live off the land with meager supplies for roughly 39 days. Frequent physical challenges are used to pit the tribes against each other for rewards, such as food or luxuries, or for “Immunity”, forcing the other tribe to attend “Tribal Council”, where they must vote off one of their players.

  • Newhart
    Newhart (1982)7.1

    Dick Loudon and his wife Joanna decide to leave life in New York City and buy a little inn in Vermont. Dick is a how-to book writer, who eventually becomes a local TV celebrity as host of "Vermont Today." George Utley is the handyman at the inn and Leslie Vanderkellen is the maid, with ambitions of being an Olympic Ski champion; she is later replaced by her cousin Stephanie, an heiress who hates her job. Her boyfriend is Dick's yuppie TV producer, Michael Harris. There are many other quirky characters in this fictional little town, including Dick's neighbors Larry, Darryl, and Darryl...three brothers who buy the Minuteman Cafe from Kirk Devane. Besides sharing a name, Darryl and Darryl never speak.

  • Alice
    Alice (1976)7.0

    Alice is an American sitcom television series that ran from August 31, 1976 to March 19, 1985 on CBS. The series is based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The show stars Linda Lavin in the title role, a widow who moves with her young son to start her life over again, and finds a job working at a roadside diner on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona. Most of the episodes revolve around events at Mel's Diner.

  • Mister Ed
    Mister Ed (1961)6.7

    Wilbur Post and his wife Carol move into a beautiful new home. When Wilbur takes a look in his new barn, he finds that the former owner left his horse behind. This horse is no ordinary horse . . . he can talk, but only to Wilbur, which leads to all sorts of misadventures for Wilbur and his trouble-making sidekick Mister Ed.

  • Cannon
    Cannon (1971)6.5

    Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March 26, 1971 to March 3, 1976. The primary protagonist is the title character, private detective Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad. He also appeared on two episodes of Barnaby Jones. Cannon is the first Quinn Martin-produced series to be aired on a network other than ABC. A "revival" television film, The Return of Frank Cannon, was aired on November 1, 1980. In total, there were 124 episodes.

  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015)6.5

    Stephen Colbert brings his signature satire and comedy to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the #1 show in late night, where he talks with an eclectic mix of guests about what is new and relevant in the worlds of politics, entertainment, business, music, technology, and more. Featuring bandleader Jon Batiste with his band Stay Human, the Emmy Award-nominated show is broadcast from the historic Ed Sullivan Theater. Stephen Colbert, Chris Licht, Tom Purcell, and Jon Stewart are executive producers. Barry Julien and Denise Rehrig serve as co-executive producers.must watch

  • Route 66
    Route 66 (1960)6.4

    Route 66 is an American TV series in which two young men traveled across America in a Chevrolet Corvette sports car. The show ran weekly on Fridays on CBS from October 7, 1960 to March 20, 1964. It starred Martin Milner as Tod Stiles and, for the first two and a half seasons, George Maharis as Buz Murdock. Maharis was ill for much of the third season, during which time Tod was shown traveling on his own. Tod met Lincoln Case, played by Glenn Corbett, late in the third season, and traveled with him until the end of the fourth and final season. Among the series more notable aspects were the featured Corvette convertible, and the program's instrumental theme song, which became a major pop hit.

  • Late Show with David Letterman
    Late Show with David Letterman (1993)6.3

    Late Show with David Letterman is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated and CBS Television Studios. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is Paul Shaffer. The head writer is Matt Roberts and the announcer is Alan Kalter. Of the major U.S. late-night programs, Late Show ranks second in cumulative average viewers over time and third in number of episodes over time. The show leads other late night shows in ad revenue with $271 million in 2009. In most U.S. markets the show airs at 11:35 p.m. Eastern/Pacific time, but is recorded Monday through Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., and Thursdays at 3:30 p.m and 6:00 p.m. The second Thursday episode usually airs on Friday of that week. In 2002, Late Show with David Letterman was ranked No. 7 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. CBS has a contract with Worldwide Pants to continue the show through 2014; by then, Letterman will surpass Johnny Carson as the longest tenured late-night talk show host.

  • Silk Stalkings
    Silk Stalkings (1991)6.0

    Silk Stalkings is a crime drama television series. The series portrays the daily lives of two detectives who solve sexually-based crimes of passion among the ultra-rich of Palm Beach, Florida.

  • Valiant Lady
    Valiant Lady (1953)5.0

    Valiant Lady is an American soap opera which ran daily on CBS radio and television from October 12, 1953 to August 16, 1957 at 12:00 PM. The show's title was taken from a 1930s radio soap opera about a young woman struggling through life but is otherwise very different. Like many early soap operas, the show was broadcast live from CBS studios in New York City. The series was created by Adrian Spies; the head writer was Charles Elwyn.