The Best TV Shows on PBS

Every PBS Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Across the timeline from 1968 to 2017, PBS has presented audiences with over 20 captivating shows. Icons of PBS, The Dick Cavett Show and Sesame Street made their debut in 1968 and 1969, setting industry standards. Our curated list, current as of October 2025, showcases over 20 of PBS’s highest-rated series.

  • Masterpiece
    Masterpiece (2017)9.0

    As of the start of broadcasting Victoria Series One in January 2017, Masterpiece Classic was no longer branded as such, but simply Masterpiece (on screen, PBS Masterpiece online and social media), and it no longer had an on-screen host.

  • Reading Rainbow
    Reading Rainbow (1983)8.3

    Journey to exciting places and build a lasting connection with your favorite books. Each episode centers on a theme from a book, or other children's literature, which is explored through a number of segments or stories.

  • Nature
    Nature (1982)8.1

    Consistently stunning documentaries transport viewers to far-flung locations ranging from the torrid African plains to the chilly splendours of icy Antarctica. The show's primary focus is on animals and ecosystems around the world. A comic book based on the show, meant to be used an as educational tool for kids, was briefly distributed to museums and schools at no cost in the mid-2000s.

  • Wild Kratts
    Wild Kratts (2011)7.6

    The adventures of Chris and Martin Kratt as they encounter incredible wild animals, combining science education with fun and adventure as the duo travels to animal habitats around the globe.

  • Frontline
    Frontline (1983)7.4

    Since it began in 1983, Frontline has been airing public-affairs documentaries that explore a wide scope of the complex human experience. Frontline's goal is to extend the impact of the documentary beyond its initial broadcast by serving as a catalyst for change.

  • American Masters
    American Masters (1986)7.4

    American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.

  • American Experience
    American Experience (1988)7.4

    TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.

  • Victoria
    Victoria (2016)7.3

    The story of Queen Victoria, who came to the throne at a time of great economic turbulence and resurgent republicanism – and died 64 years later the head of the largest empire the world had ever seen, having revitalised the throne’s public image and become “grandmother of Europe”.

  • Sesame Street
    Sesame Street (1969)7.1

    On a special inner city street, the inhabitants—human and muppet—teach preschoolers basic educational and social concepts using comedy, cartoons, games, and songs.

  • NOVA
    NOVA (1974)7.1

    PBS' premier science series helps viewers of all ages explore the science behind the headlines. Along the way, NOVA demystifies science and technology, and highlights the people involved in scientific pursuits.

  • Curious George
    Curious George (2006)7.1

    With the help of his friend “The Man in the Yellow Hat,” a curious little monkey named George sets out on adventures to learn about the world around him.

  • Arthur
    Arthur (1996)7.0

    The show revolves around the lives of 8-year-old Arthur Read, an anthropomorphic aardvark, his friends and family, and their daily interactions with each other.

  • POV
    POV (1988)6.9

    Since its 1988 premiere, this critically acclaimed documentary series has presented hundreds of films that put a human face on contemporary social issues by relating a compelling story in an intimate fashion. "POV" has won virtually every major film and broadcasting award available, including 38 Emmys, 22 Peabody Awards and three Oscars.

  • The Dick Cavett Show
    The Dick Cavett Show (1968)6.8

    The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks.

  • WordGirl
    WordGirl (2007)6.6

    Disguised as mild-mannered fifth-grader Becky Botsford, WordGirl arrived on Earth when she and her monkey sidekick Captain Huggy Face crashed their spaceship. Now they fight crime and defend the town from a plethora of madcap villains and scoundrels, while at the same time enriching viewers' vocabulary usage.

  • Austin City Limits
    Austin City Limits (1975)6.2

    Now the longest-running music series in American television history, ACL showcases popular music legends and innovators from every genre.

  • This Old House
    This Old House (1979)5.6

    TV's original home-improvement show, following one whole-house renovation over several episodes.

  • Barney & Friends
    Barney & Friends (1992)5.6

    Barney & Friends is an American children's television series aimed at children from ages 2 to 5. The series, which first aired on April 6, 1992, features the title character Barney, a purple anthropomorphic Tyrannosaurus rex who conveys educational messages through songs and small dance routines with a friendly, optimistic attitude.

  • Great Performances
    Great Performances (1971)5.5

    The best in the performing arts from across America and around the world including a diverse programming portfolio of classical music, opera, popular song, musical theater, dance, drama, and performance documentaries.

  • Masterpiece Mystery
    Masterpiece Mystery (1980)5.0

    Mystery! is an episodic television series that debuted in 1980 in the USA. It airs on PBS and is produced by WGBH. The show has brought a large number of detective series and television movies—most of them British productions from the BBC or the ITV companies and usually adapted from mystery fiction literary sources—to air on American television. In 2002, they added an American-produced series based on the novels of Tony Hillerman to their roster.