The Best TV Shows on CNN+

Every CNN+ Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Stay up-to-date with over 20 of CNN+’s elite series, with our list refreshed for July 2026. Icons of CNN+, CNN Special Report and Mark Twain Prize made their debut in 1980 and 1999, setting industry standards. CNN+ has over 20 shows broadcast from as early as 1980 and as recent as 2024.

  • Race for the White House
    Race for the White House (2016)7.9

    From executive producers Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti, CNN Original Series "Race for the White House" captures the drama of how a high-stakes presidential election can turn on a single issue and so much more.

  • Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
    Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (2013)7.7

    Bourdain travels across the globe to uncover little-known areas of the world and celebrate diverse cultures by exploring food and dining rituals. Known for his curiosity, candor, and acerbic wit, Bourdain takes viewers off the beaten path of tourist destinations – including some war-torn parts of the world – and meets with a variety of local citizens to offer a window into their lifestyles, and occasionally communes with an internationally lauded chef on his journeys.

  • The Eighties
    The Eighties (2016)7.6

    The third installment from executive producers Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Mark Herzog, following in the footsteps of critically-acclaimed series THE SIXTIES and THE SEVENTIES, tackles 10 years shaped by exceptionalism and excess. Like its predecessors, THE EIGHTIES intersperses rare archival newsreel footage, interviews, and comments by historians, journalists, politicians, celebrities and others, painting a perspective-rich picture of a vibrant decade. Episodes examine the age of Reagan, the AIDS crisis, the end of the Cold War, Wall Street corruption, the evolving TV and music scene, and everything in between.

  • The Sixties
    The Sixties (2014)7.5

    The space race, the cold war, "free love," civil rights and more: The decade of the 1960s shaped our history -- and changed the world. In collaboration with Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Mark Herzog, CNN explores perhaps the most transformative decade of the modern era in a 10-part documentary series and brings new insights into how those events shaped today.

  • The Seventies
    The Seventies (2015)7.4

    A documentary series focusing on the ongoing Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, evolving music industry, the Iran Hostage Crisis, the sexual revolution, and the rise of foreign and domestic terrorism.

  • The Nineties
    The Nineties (2017)6.9

    Hit rewind and explore the most iconic moments and influential people of The Nineties, the decade that gave us the Internet, DVDs, and other cultural and political milestones.

  • CNN Special Report
    CNN Special Report (1980)6.7

    In hour-long, in-depth explorations, CNN hosts examine extraordinary individuals, unexpected events and controversial subjects through interviews, stories, images and videos.

  • The History of Comedy
    The History of Comedy (2017)6.6

    Explore what makes us laugh, why, and how that's influenced our social and political landscape throughout history.

  • The Story of Late Night
    The Story of Late Night (2021)6.6

    A six-part docuseries that takes viewers on a journey through late-night television’s most memorable moments. Spanning a more than 60-year history of engaging with, adapting to and influencing our rapidly changing society, late-night television has grown into a thriving entertainment phenomenon and vitally important cultural institution.

  • The Movies
    The Movies (2019)6.5

    Explore American cinema through the decades and the cultural, societal and political shifts that framed its evolution.

  • The 2000s
    The 2000s (2018)6.4

    Explore the cultural and political milestones of the 2000s decade, including technological triumphs like the iPhone and social media, President George W. Bush’s war on terror and response to Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s presidential election and the financial crisis, hip-hop’s rise to dominance and a creative renaissance in television.

  • Mark Twain Prize
    Mark Twain Prize (1999)6.2

    Honoring the best in American comedy annually since 1998, the recipients of the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor have included the likes of Billy Crystal, George Carlin, Carol Burnett, Bob Newhart, Steve Martin, Ellen DeGeneres, Eddie Murphy, and Tina Fey.

  • Have I Got News for You
    Have I Got News for You (2024)6.0

    Host Roy Wood Jr. and team captains Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black serve up a smart take on the news of the week and guide guests through comic games and panels that test their knowledge of current events.

  • Anderson Cooper 360°
    Anderson Cooper 360° (2003)5.4

    Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news.

  • At This Hour with Kate Bolduan
    At This Hour with Kate Bolduan (2014)5.0

    Weekday news and discussion airing at 11am Eastern.

  • The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer
    The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (2005)3.8

    The command center for breaking news, politics and extraordinary reports from around the world. Patterned after the concept of the White House Situation Room, CNN's lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer hosts newsmakers and experts to discuss and analyze the stories that are driving today's news.

  • Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?
    Who's Talking to Chris Wallace? (2022)3.7

    CNN anchor Chris Wallace, one of the most highly-respected journalists of our time, moves outside of politics to explore his wide range of interests across the spectrum of news, sports, entertainment, art and culture through candid conversations that are smart, sensible, and in-depth, guided by one of the best interviewers in the business. He seeks light, not heat.

  • CNN Heroes
    CNN Heroes (2007)1.0

    CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute is the award-winning annual television special created by CNN to honor individuals who make extraordinary contributions to humanitarian aid and make a real difference in their communities. Hosted by Anderson Cooper, it launched in 2007 and continues now, with the tribute show aired at the end of the year. CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute is the culmination of the year-round CNN Heroes campaign, airing across the worldwide networks of CNN including: CNN, CNN International, CNN en Espanol, HLN, and CNNHeroes.com. New heroes are introduced weekly on air and online. The Top 10 are selected and introduced every Fall and voting begins online at CNNHeroes.com for the CNN Hero of the Year. All 10 are honored on CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, each receiving $50,000 with the CNN Hero of the Year receiving an additional $250,000 to continue their amazing work. The Top 10 CNN Heroes are all introduced by celebrities who are active in charity work.

  • State of the Union
    State of the Union (2009)N/A

    State of the Union is a Sunday talk show hosted by Candy Crowley on CNN and broadcast around the world by CNN International.

  • CNN This Morning with Kasie Hunt
    CNN This Morning with Kasie Hunt (2012)N/A

    Early Start is a morning television show on CNN anchored by John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin. It premiered on January 2, 2012 and airs weekdays from 4:00-6:00 a.m. ET. The program originally aired only on weekday mornings for its first two months; a one-hour weekend edition of the program debuted on March 10, 2012, hosted by Randi Kaye, but the weekend edition is now replaced by New Day Weekend. Along with Starting Point, Early Start replaced American Morning, which aired from 2001 to 2011. Ashleigh Banfield who co-anchored with Sambolin until July 13, 2012 has since moved to the 11am hour of CNN Newsroom.