50 best Western films of all time, according to critics

For decades, the most popular movie genre in America was the Western. Audiences could not get enough gun-slinging sheriffs, dashing outlaws, thundering cattle drives, horseback pursuits, and majestic landscapes. In fact, more Westerns were produced in the 1950s than all other movie genres combined. These days, Hollywood produces far fewer Westerns due to the smaller crowds they tend to attract. But for many movie buffs, they still have a persistent appeal.

Early Westerns like “Red River” and “Stagecoach” set the standard for the genre with plenty of shootouts and cowboys played by Gary Cooper and John Wayne. These big hits inspired genre spinoffs like spaghetti Westerns, products of the Italian film industry in the ’60s and ’70s like “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” and meat pie Westerns, the Australian equivalent that includes films like “The Sundowners.”

Modern Westerns focus more on themes than escapades, as in the Oscar-nominated “Killers of the Flower Moon” in 2023. But while Scorsese’s lauded film was a period piece, many contemporary Westerns are set in the present day—or in very recent history, like Ari Aster’s July 2025 film “Eddington,” which uses traditional Western tropes to explore the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. There’s also “Broke,” starring Wyatt Russell as a rodeo rider, which began streaming on Netflix on Aug. 21, 2025, and the Bob Odenkirk-led violent dark comedy “Normal,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 7, 2025.

In the coming years, we’ll discover which, if any, of these recent releases will stand the rest of time. For now, Stacker has rounded up a list of the 50 best Western films of all time, from the age-old classics to more contemporary box-office hits. The list was compiled using data (as of June 10, 2024) from Metacritic, a site that collects reviews from respected critics and uses them to determine the average rating.

Whether you’re a longtime Western fan checking in on your favorites or new to the genre, there’s a film on this list for you.

#50. Jauja (2015)

– Director: Lisandro Alonso
– Metascore: 77
– Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes

Viggo Mortensen stars in “Jauja” as Captain Gunnar Dinesen. After Dinesen’s daughter runs away with a soldier, he must travel into unknown worlds to find her. The film claimed the FIPRESCI Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.

#49. Shanghai Noon (2000)

– Director: Tom Dey
– Metascore: 77
– Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes

Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) attempts to save a princess who has been kidnapped and brought to the United States. Along the way, he teams up with the train robber Roy O’Bannon (Owen Wilson). This is the first movie in the “Shanghai” series, the second being “Shanghai Knights.”

#48. The Nightingale (2019)

– Director: Jennifer Kent
– Metascore: 77
– Runtime: 2 hours 16 minutes

Set in Tasmania in 1825, “The Nightingale” follows a young Irish woman as she sets out to pursue revenge with the help of an Aboriginal tracker with his own agenda. Viewers should take note—the film is so graphic and brutal that audiences walked out of multiple theatrical screenings.

#47. The Shootist (1976)

– Director: Don Siegel
– Metascore: 77
– Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes

John Bernard Books led a long life as a talented shootist, but now he is suffering from cancer and searching for the best way to die. Books was John Wayne’s final film role; he himself died of stomach cancer a few years after the film was released.

#46. The Misfits (1961)

– Director: John Huston
– Metascore: 77
– Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes

Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable star in the story of a divorced woman and an aging cowboy. At the time, Monroe was married to Arthur Miller, who wrote the film’s screenplay. Their union unraveled during filming in part because Monroe discovered Miller’s notebook, in which the writer described how he truly felt about her. Gable died of a heart attack just days after filming ended, and Monroe died about a year and a half later.

#45. Barbarosa (1982)

– Director: Fred Schepisi
– Metascore: 78
– Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes

Country music legend Willie Nelson stars in this ’80s Western about the unusual partnership between a young, inexperienced farmhand and a famous outlaw. An often overlooked film, “Barbarosa” has been critically praised for its acting, relative levity, and storytelling.

#44. The Sisters Brothers (2018)

– Director: Jacques Audiard
– Metascore: 78
– Runtime: 2 hours 2 minutes

Set in Oregon during the California gold rush, a pair of assassins known as the Sisters brothers chase down a man who claims to have developed a formula for finding gold. John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix star as the titular duo.

#43. Lone Star (1996)

– Director: John Sayles
– Metascore: 78
– Runtime: 2 hours 15 minutes

After the skeleton of a despised sheriff is discovered, the current sheriff, Sam Deeds, begins an investigation into the murder. “Lone Star” was highly rated by critics and nominated for several awards, including the Academy Award for writing.

#42. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

– Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
– Metascore: 79
– Runtime: 2 hours 13 minutes

The Coen brothers wrote and directed this Western anthology, which follows six stories set in the American frontier. Each chapter has a different cast, featuring actors like James Franco, Liam Neeson, Tom Waits, and Zoe Kazan.

#41. Hondo (1953)

– Director: John Farrow
– Metascore: 79
– Runtime: 1 hour 23 minutes

Based on a short story by Louis L’Amour, “Hondo” stars John Wayne as an army dispatch rider who becomes the de facto protector for a widow and her young son after they find themselves in the middle of a Native American battle. The movie is unique among Westerns of the era as it is one of the few to be shot in 3D, a popular technology in the ’50s.

#40. Sweetgrass (2010)

– Director: Ilisa Barbash, Lucien Castaing-Taylor
– Metascore: 80
– Runtime: 1 hour 41 minutes

“Sweetgrass” is a documentary about shepherds working in the mountains of Montana. Anthropologist Lucien Castaing-Taylor directed the film with his wife Ilisa Barbash. The film won the audience award at the 2010 International Documentary Film Festival of Navarra Punto de Vista.

#39. Lucky (2017)

– Director: John Carroll Lynch
– Metascore: 80
– Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes

“Lucky” marks one of the final roles of Harry Dean Stanton, a prolific character actor who had roles in everything from “Cool Hand Luke” to “The Avengers.” In this slow-moving drama, he plays an aging cowboy who’s coming to terms with his own morality and wrestling with spiritual issues.

#38. The Settlers (2024)

– Director: Felipe Gálvez Haberle
– Metascore: 80
– Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes

In this Chilean production, three men are paid to protect an estate purchased by a wealthy businessman only to discover that their real job is to decimate a native population. The film won the FIPRESCI prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

#37. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)

– Director: Sam Peckinpah
– Metascore: 80
– Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes

A pair of bounty hunters set off in Mexico on the trail of a man wanted by a wealthy father for impregnating his daughter. It stars Warren Oates, Emilio Fernández, Gig Young, and Robert Webber, with an appearance from Kris Kristofferson as a biker. While now critically revered, the movie was trounced by critics when it was originally released.

#36. True Grit (2010)

– Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
– Metascore: 80
– Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes

“True Grit” is a Coen brothers adaptation of a novel by Charles Portis, which had already been made into a movie in 1969. Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie Ross, a girl seeking to avenge her father’s death. She hires U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to assist her.

#35. 3:10 to Yuma (1957)

– Director: Delmer Daves
– Metascore: 80
– Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes

In this mid-century classic, a down-on-his-luck cattle rancher agrees to escort a captured outlaw to the train that will bring him to jail. The escapade, of course, turns into a classic game of cat and mouse as the outlaw’s gang does their best to free him.

#34. Destry Rides Again (1939)

– Director: George Marshall
– Metascore: 81
– Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes

James Stewart is Thomas Jefferson Destry Jr., a deputy sheriff who wants to keep the peace in the lawless town of Bottleneck without using guns. Marlene Dietrich plays Frenchy, a not-to-be-trusted saloon singer. The film is based on the 1930 novel of the same name by Max Brand.

#33. Django Unchained (2012)

– Director: Quentin Tarantino
– Metascore: 81
– Runtime: 2 hours 45 minutes

A freed enslaved man (Jamie Foxx) journeys to save his wife (Kerry Washington) from a Mississippi plantation, accompanied by a German bounty hunter. Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed the film, which is his highest-grossing movie in the U.S.

#32. Bacurau (2020)

– Director: Juliano Dornelles, Kleber Mendonça Filho
– Metascore: 82
– Runtime: 2 hours 11 minutes

A remote town in Brazil disappears off satellite maps, loses its cellular service, and empty coffins appear at the side of the road. The town’s oddball cast of characters then must defend themselves against corrupt and greedy politicians and businesses. Former President Barack Obama listed it as one of his favorite movies of 2020.

#31. 3 Godfathers (1949)

– Director: John Ford
– Metascore: 82
– Runtime: 1 hour 46 minutes

Three fugitive bank robbers—played by John Wayne, Harry Carey Jr., and Pedro Armendáriz—risk capture to take care of a newborn baby. John Ford had directed an earlier silent version of the film, titled “Marked Men,” with Harry Carey Sr.

#30. The Sundowners (1960)

– Director: Fred Zinnemann
– Metascore: 82
– Runtime: 2 hours 13 minutes

A classic example of a meat pie Western, “The Sundowners” follows the rising tensions in one family as half its members desire a more settled lifestyle. In contrast, the other half prefers their current, nomadic sheep-herding existence. Although it was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, the movie didn’t ultimately bring any trophies home.

#29. Once Upon a Time in the West (rerelease) (2005)

– Director: Sergio Leone
– Metascore: 82
– Runtime: 2 hours 46 minutes

A harmonica-wielding stranger teams up with a desperado to save a widow in this spaghetti Western. While initially receiving mixed reviews, “Once Upon a Time in the West” has since received many accolades, including being named as one of Time magazine’s 100 greatest films of all time.

#28. True Grit (1969)

– Director: Henry Hathaway
– Metascore: 83
– Runtime: 2 hours 8 minutes

John Wayne takes top billing in the story of gruff, one-eyed U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn, who sets off to help avenge a killing, accompanied by a teenage girl (Kim Darby) and a Texas Ranger (Glen Campbell). Elvis Presley is said to have been considered for the Texas Ranger role, but when his manager Col. Tom Parker wanted Presley to get top billing, the part went to Campbell.

#27. Aferim! (2016)

– Director: Radu Jude
– Metascore: 84
– Runtime: 1 hour 48 minutes

Set in 19th-century Romania, an enslaved man has run away from his enslaver’s home after having an affair with his wife. A local policeman is hired to find him. The film won director Radu Jude the Silver Bear Award for best director at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival.

#26. Giant (1956)

– Director: George Stevens
– Metascore: 84
– Runtime: 3 hours 21 minutes

This Western epic stars Rock Hudson as a Texas cattle rancher, Elizabeth Taylor as his wife, and James Dean as cowhand Jett Rink. It was Dean’s last movie role. The young actor had major roles in only three films before he was killed in an auto collision accident in 1955, before “Giant” was released. George Stevens won an Oscar for Best Director.

#25. Meek’s Cutoff (2011)

– Director: Kelly Reichardt
– Metascore: 85
– Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes

This Western survival film follows a group of settlers traveling across an Oregon desert. It becomes apparent that their guide is lost. The ensemble cast includes Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Shirley Henderson, and Neal Huff.

#24. Unforgiven (1992)

– Director: Clint Eastwood
– Metascore: 85
– Runtime: 2 hours 10 minutes

Clint Eastwood directed, produced, and stars in this highly lauded Western. Eastwood plays William Munny, a retired bandit who takes on one final job in hopes of putting the money toward his failing farm. It won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Film Editing.

#23. Shane (1953)

– Director: George Stevens
– Metascore: 85
– Runtime: 1 hour 58 minutes

The saga of a Western land conflict between cattlemen and settlers was supposed to be shot in 48 days with a budget of less than $2 million. Instead, it took 75 days to shoot and cost more than $3 million, in part due to a long editing process. The lines “Shane! Shane! Come back!” became iconic.

#22. El Dorado (1967)

– Director: Howard Hawks
– Metascore: 85
– Runtime: 2 hours 6 minutes

John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, and James Caan star in the story of a gunfighter and a sheriff caught up in a battle between rival ranchers over water rights. Howard Hawks also directed such acclaimed films as “Scarface,” “His Girl Friday,” “To Have and Have Not,” “The Big Sleep,” and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” A scene of Caan impersonating a Chinese man is often edited out of television rebroadcasts of “El Dorado” as racist.

#21. The Rider (2018)

– Director: Chloé Zhao
– Metascore: 85
– Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes

Chloé Zhao directed this Western drama, which centers on Brady Blackburn, a young man struggling to find his purpose after a brain injury halts his rodeo career. “The Rider” won the Art Cinema Award at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.

#20. Bisbee ’17 (2018)

– Director: Robert Greene
– Metascore: 87
– Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes

Robert Greene’s documentary centers on a town bordering Arizona and Mexico. The community grapples with its past by holding a reenactment of a day that occurred 100 years earlier when 1,200 immigrant miners were deported.

#19. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

– Director: John Ford
– Metascore: 87
– Runtime: 1 hour 44 minutes

Directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” was one of the most expensive Westerns made up to that point with a budget of $1.6 million. The second installment in the so-called “Cavalry trilogy,” the movie follows an army captain on the brink of retirement whose last mission is to bring a group of women to safety before their settlement is attacked by Native Americans.

#18. Hell or High Water (2016)

– Director: David Mackenzie
– Metascore: 88
– Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes

Described by The Guardian as being “so good it’s criminal,” “Hell or High Water” tells the story of two brothers who rob a series of banks to save their family farm and the pair of Texas Rangers who are attempting to stop them. Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, and Gil Birmingham star in the Oscar-nominated production.

#17. Sweet Country (2018)

– Director: Warwick Thornton
– Metascore: 88
– Runtime: 1 hour 53 minutes

Set in the Australian outback, “Sweet Country” explores what happens when an Aboriginal farmer kills a white man in self-defense and is forced to flee for his life. Warwick Thornton directs this Western featuring Sam Neill, Bryan Brown, and Hamilton Morris.

#16. High Noon (1952)

– Director: Fred Zinnemann
– Metascore: 89
– Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes

Will Kane (Gary Cooper) faces a dilemma when outlaws threaten to kill him. His wife (Grace Kelly) wants him to leave town rather than defend himself. A number of U.S. presidents have listed “High Noon” as one of their favorite films.

#15. The Power of the Dog (2021)

– Director: Jane Campion
– Metascore: 89
– Runtime: 2 hours 6 minutes

With a whopping 12 Academy Award nominations, “The Power of the Dog” was undeniably one of the best movies of 2021. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, and Jesse Plemons, the movie follows a troubled family—two brothers, one of their wives, and her child—as they attempt to live harmoniously and wrestle with the secret truths they harbor within themselves. If that synopsis sounds vague, it’s because the movie itself intends to be subtle, slow, and confusing.

#14. Western (2015)

– Director: Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross
– Metascore: 89
– Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes

This documentary by the Ross brothers focuses on the small border towns of Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Mexico. It explores the lives of the residents in these communities with intimate storytelling capturing their daily experiences in the context of increasing drug-related violence and tensions along the border. The film is the third installment of the filmmakers’ Americana trilogy.

#13. Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

– Director: Martin Scorsese
– Metascore: 89
– Runtime: 3 hours 26 minutes

Based on the 2017 book of the same name by David Grann, “Killers of the Flower Moon” tells the true story of the Osage Nation murders after oil was discovered on their reservation. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, the Martin Scorsese-directed film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, and Jesse Plemons.

#12. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1967)

– Director: Sergio Leone
– Metascore: 90
– Runtime: 2 hours 58 minutes

This epic spaghetti Western stars Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach as rough characters seeking Confederate gold. Italian director Sergio Leone did not speak English, and he had to use an interpreter to communicate with his English-speaking actors. The film is part of a trilogy that includes “A Fistful of Dollars” and “For a Few Dollars More.”

#11. First Cow (2020)

– Director: Kelly Reichardt
– Metascore: 90
– Runtime: 2 hours 2 minutes

Set in the mid-19th century, long before the Oregon territory where it takes place was fully settled, “First Cow” is a buddy film that follows a quiet chef and a Chinese outlaw who hitch their fortunes together with grim outcomes. Nominated for dozens of awards, the film isn’t as high-action as the other entries on this list. Still, it’s a valuable watch with much to say about the perils of capitalism and the joys of companionship.

#10. Ride the High Country (1962)

– Director: Sam Peckinpah
– Metascore: 92
– Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes

Two lawmen agree to accompany a cache of gold across the mountains only to face a crisis of conscience when the temptation to steal it arises. According to Turner Classic Movies, the movie was the genesis of director Sam Peckinpah’s favorite theme to explore in film, namely the decline of the West.

#9. Stagecoach (1939)

– Director: John Ford
– Metascore: 93
– Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes

This story of passengers on a besieged stagecoach is John Wayne’s first starring role in a John Ford film. Wayne had worked as an extra, a stuntman, and an actor in other low-budget productions. Wayne wore his own cowboy hat, which he would continue to wear in several Westerns until 1959, when it started falling apart.

#8. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

– Director: Robert Altman
– Metascore: 93
– Runtime: 2 hours

Warren Beatty and Julie Christie play a gambler and a sex worker who team up as business partners in a remote town that comes under threat for its mining riches. Set in the Pacific Northwest mining town of Presbyterian Church, Roger Ebert said the movie “was a perfect film and one of the saddest he has ever seen.”

#7. Rio Bravo (1959)

– Director: Howard Hawks
– Metascore: 93
– Runtime: 2 hours 21 minutes

A sheriff (John Wayne) teams up with the town drunk (Dean Martin); an elderly deputy named Stumpy (Walter Brennan), and a young cowboy (Ricky Nelson), to help keep the murderous brother of a wealthy rancher in jail. Director Howard Hawks gave his daughter, Barbara Hawks, writing credit on the film for giving him the idea to throw dynamite, she is listed under the pseudonym B.H. McCampbell.

#6. The Gunfighter (1950)

– Director: Henry King
– Metascore: 94
– Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes

Gregory Peck plays Jimmy Ringo, a gunfighter who runs into his estranged wife. Even though trouble seems to follow him everywhere, he hopes to convince her he has been reformed and win her back. The film focuses on themes of guilt and regret, setting it apart from the more action-oriented Westerns of the time.

#5. The Searchers (1956)

– Director: John Ford
– Metascore: 94
– Runtime: 1 hour 59 minutes

John Wayne plays a Confederate Army veteran tracking down Comanche Indians who massacred his family, burned their ranch, and kidnapped his young niece. The film is based on the novel by Alan LeMay and inspired by the true-life story of Cynthia Ann Parker, who was kidnapped by Comanches in 1836.

#4. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

– Director: John Ford
– Metascore: 94
– Runtime: 2 hours 3 minutes

When U.S. Sen. Ranse Stoddard returns to the West to attend a funeral, he is forced to rehash his past, including the truth regarding the killing of an infamous outlaw. This black-and-white film was directed by John Ford and stars James Stewart, John Wayne, and Vera Miles. For the movie, Ford returned to filming on sound stages and in monochrome lending to the melancholic undertones of the film.

#3. Red River (1948)

– Director: Howard Hawks, Arthur Rosson
– Metascore: 96
– Runtime: 2 hours 13 minutes

A fictionalized account of the first cattle drive along the Chisholm Trail, from Texas to Kansas, “Red River” stars John Wayne and Montgomery Clift as a father-son team with different ideas about how to best get the job done. Hollywood history fans may be interested to know that the iconic Red River D belt buckles—which are so often associated with Wayne fandom—stemmed from this film as the wrapped gift the actor gave to several of his co-stars and crew.

#2. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

– Director: John Huston
– Metascore: 98
– Runtime: 2 hours 6 minutes

Penniless Americans Fred Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and Bob Curtin (Tim Holt) go on a gold-prospecting trip, joined by an older prospector named Howard. Director John Huston won the Academy Award for Best Director, and his father, Walter Huston, who played Howard, won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Bogart was not nominated for playing Dobbs, which was considered a snub.

#1. The Wild Bunch (1969)

– Director: Sam Peckinpah
– Metascore: 98
– Runtime: 2 hours 15 minutes

William Holden and Ernest Borgnine play gang members heading to Mexico to execute one final heist as the traditional America West dies around them in the early 20th century. The movie used more than 90,000 rounds of blank ammunition, and Warner Bros. said in publicity material for the film that it was more ammunition than had been used in the Mexican Revolution.

Additional writing by Madison Troyer. Story editing by Cynthia Rebolledo. Additional editing by Paris Close. Copy editing by Meg Shields. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.

50 best talk shows in TV history

“The Joe Franklin Show” was filmed in a dingy New York City basement where the “no smoking” sign aimed to ensure no wayward spark would cause a conflagration. The series, which remained on the air until 1993, is among the first (and longest-running) talk shows in the United States. Although it never achieved national syndication, it has become a cultural institution.

The talk show floodgates opened since Franklin’s program first aired. From long-standing broadcast institutions like “The View” to streaming releases like John Mulaney’s new weekly live series, which premiered on Netflix in March 2025, viewers can watch hosts discuss any topic they desire on any platform they can reach. The variety of styles and formatting is endless, including late-night celebrity talk shows, dramatic daytime series, political satire, and sports news programs, each filled with banter and debates. There are even talk shows that parody the traditional talk show format.

Of course, certain kinds of talk shows may not be around forever. In a June 2025 interview with Variety, “Late Night” host Seth Meyers echoed the sentiments of fellow host Jimmy Kimmel, who had previously stated that late-night hosts might not be around in a decade. “Unless some major sea change happens, I don’t think there’s going to be a whole new wave of network hosts, in the way there always has been,” Meyers said. “If you’re a great lover of the institution of late-night talk shows, there’s probably some sadness in your future.”

That sadness might be coming sooner than expected, as fans of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” learned in July 2025 after the show’s abrupt cancellation by CBS amid rumors of political motivation. There was added cause for concern in September 2025 when “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was temporarily pulled off the air following comments made by the host about the death of Charlie Kirk, and threats from the Federal Communications Commission to pull ABC affiliate licenses. When Kimmel returned on Sept. 23, 2025, he spoke out about the importance of defending free speech.

For now, at least, there are plenty of talk shows—late-night and otherwise—to admire, along with countless classics from decades prior. With that in mind, Stacker is tipping its hat to the best talk shows throughout history. We analyzed IMDb data as of July 2023 to create the list, using its user ratings to rank shows. Anything before 1990 required at least 500 votes for consideration, whereas shows after 1990 needed at least 1,500 votes.

#50. Talking Dead

– IMDb user rating: 7.2
– On air: 2011-2022

The Chris Hardwick-hosted, celebrity-heavy talk show that breaks down “The Walking Dead” (and the cult show’s many spinoffs) aired initially after the zombie show’s second season premiere in 2011.  Twelve years, 10 seasons, four spinoffs (including shows on “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul”), two Emmy nominations, and 243 episodes later, it came to a close in November 2022 with “The Walking Dead” finale. 

#49. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

– IMDb user rating: 7.2
– On air: 2015-present

When David Letterman retired after more than 20 years hosting “The Late Show,” comedian Stephen Colbert took the reins. Already well known for his work on “The Daily Show” and its spinoff “The Colbert Report,” Colbert’s show was fairly well-received right out of the gate. Donald Trump’s presidential run proved a ratings boon; the show’s ratings climbed even more once Colbert shifted to a more political approach.

#48. The Problem with Jon Stewart

– IMDb user rating: 7.3
– On air: 2021-2023

Jon Stewart left his post on “The Daily Show” in 2015 but couldn’t stay away from the political arena for too long. In 2021, his new show, “The Problem with Jon Stewart,” debuted on Apple TV+. Unlike “The Daily Show,” each episode focused on a singular issue. Stewart also hosted a podcast of the same name that acted as a spill-over discussion of what didn’t make the TV cut.

#47. The Jim Jefferies Show

– IMDb user rating: 7.5
– On air: 2017-2019

Jim Jefferies was no stranger to television or politics when Comedy Central offered the Australian comic his weekly news satire show. From 2013 to 2014, he starred in “Legit,” a sitcom he co-created. In 2014, he delivered a popular bit about gun control in his stand-up special (which again went viral eight years after a Texas school shooting), and two years later, he spoke about Donald Trump in his “Jim Jefferies: Freedumb” special. Though his take on politics became a popular one, what might have been the best thing about “The Jim Jefferies Show” was Brad Pitt playing the weatherman. Fun fact: The A-list actor only got paid $400 per episode.

#46. Late Night with David Letterman

– IMDb user rating: 7.5
– On air: 1982-1993

Before the “Late Show,” David Letterman spent 11 years at NBC, establishing his late-night voice and carving out a name for himself. It was here he debuted his famous “Top Ten List” (later to become CBS’s “Late Show Top Ten”) and performed recurring skits like “Stupid Human Tricks” and “Viewer Mail.”

#45. Charlie Rose

– IMDb user rating: 7.6
– On air: 1991-2017

For 27 years, Charlie Rose interviewed everyone from Al Gore to Jon Bon Jovi on his eponymous talk show. He was an iconic broadcast journalist; however, the “Charlie Rose” show came to a screeching halt after its host was accused of sexual harassment by several former employees in 2017. PBS swiftly fired Rose, and Bloomberg Television severed ties after The Washington Post published a report detailing eight women’s abuse allegations.

#44. Running Wild with Bear Grylls

– IMDb user rating: 7.6
– On air: 2014-present

Adventurer extraordinaire Bear Grylls became a household name with “Man vs. Wild”—a show in which he showed viewers how to survive some of the planet’s most grueling environments. Though he usually ventured on his own, some of the episodes featured a celebrity tagging along. In 2014, that concept became the focal point of a new show, “Running Wild with Bear Grylls.” The survival skills reality series has starred the likes of Kate Winslet, Channing Tatum, and more A-list celebrities.

#43. Comedy Bang! Bang!

– IMDb user rating: 7.6
– On air: 2012-2016

A spinoff of a podcast of the same name, “Comedy Bang! Bang!” was a parody of late-night talk shows. The series featured real celebrity guests alongside comedy sketches and animated clips, spoofing late-night tropes while conducting real (albeit light) interviews. The show, well-received by both audiences and critics, aired for five seasons, while the podcast that inspired it is still in production.

#42. CBS News Sunday Morning

– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– On air: 1979-present

“CBS News Sunday Morning” has been going strong since 1979. In its 40-plus years on the air, the news magazine show has had three permanent hosts: Charles Kuralt, Charles Osgood, and current host Jane Pauley. Despite its long history, the past decade has been the show’s most successful—winning five Daytime Emmys in the Outstanding Morning Program category since first being nominated in 2013.

#41. The Ed Sullivan Show

– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– On air: 1948-1971

“The Ed Sullivan Show” hit its prime just as television became widely popular in the U.S. The weekly variety show aired every Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern time. In 1964, the height of its success, it pulled in 14 million weekly viewers. The program’s biggest claim to fame is booking the Beatles’ first live performance in America, which has since become one of the biggest moments in television history.

#40. Eye on Entertainment

– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– On air: 2005-present

Dawna Lee Heising created and hosts “Eye on Entertainment.” Each episode features the actor interviewing figures from different facets of the entertainment industry, from fellow actors and musicians to producers, artists, and more, focusing on independent arts. In January 2025, the show began its 21st season.

#39. My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman

– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– On air: 2018-present

Just a few years after retiring from late-night TV, host David Letterman launched this Netflix series, in which he interviews world leaders and other major celebrities with an intimate, personal approach. While the show is occasionally humorous, it has a much more subdued tone than his late-night work.

#38. Space Ghost Coast to Coast

– IMDb user rating: 7.9
– On air: 1993-2012

“Space Ghost Coast to Coast,” another parody talk show, was an animated series aimed at adults and hosted by the Hanna-Barbera character Space Ghost. Cartoon Network’s first original series aimed at adults featured interviews with real celebrities and ordinary citizens, completed via an ” intergalactic video phone.” Despite its awkward and occasionally hostile humor, the series was a hit with fans. The show would pave the way for Adult Swim and arguably the random, recontextualized humor prevalent today.

#37. The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien

– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– On air: 2009-2010

Conan O’Brien in 2009 was promoted from NBC’s “Late Night,” which he’d hosted since 1993, to the network’s premiere program “The Tonight Show”—a position he’d allegedly been promised in 2001. Six months later, however, O’Brien left the show amid a network feud with Jay Leno.

#36. Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– On air: 2012-2019

Hosted by longtime funnyman Jerry Seinfeld, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” was a low-key Netflix series where the host invited fellow comedians to drive around in vintage cars with him and eat food or drink coffee at nearby cafes. It was nominated for five Emmys and won five Producers Guild of America Awards. While the show aired its final episode in 2019, it wasn’t until November 2021 that Seinfeld confirmed he was done with the series.

#35. Soul Train

– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– On air: 1971-2006

This musical variety show, which launched in the early ’70s and ran all the way up until 2006, featured music and dance performances by artists rooted primarily in R&B, soul, pop, and hip-hop. In its 35-year run, the show was often called the “Black American Bandstand,” although its original host and creator, Don Cornelius, refuted the title, saying it was for everybody. It held the title of America’s longest-running first-run, nationally syndicated program until 2016, when “Entertainment Tonight” took the title.

#34. Pardon the Interruption

– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– On air: 2001-present

“Pardon the Interruption” is a weekday sports show that airs on ESPN. Hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon cram a lot into the 30-minute airtime, including national headlines, “Five Good Minutes” interviews with sports figures, various games, and the “Big Finish,” where the co-hosts discuss topics at a rapid pace. As the name suggests, Kornheiser and Wilbon often interrupt each other and debate over the topics of the day.

#33. SportsCenter

– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– On air: 1979-present

“SportsCenter” is ESPN’s flagship sports program that airs up to 12 times a day under different editions, offering viewers up-to-date clips of major highlights from games, score reviews, and general sporting news. Almost three dozen anchors currently host the show’s various iterations, including long-timers John Anderson, Linda Cohn, and David Lloyd.

#32. Adam Ruins Everything

– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– On air: 2015-2019

CollegeHumor comedian Adam Conover was the host of “Adam Ruins Everything,” an educational comedy show that debunked common misconceptions viewers held about…everything. During the show’s three seasons, Conover tackled topics ranging from presidential elections to counting calories, encouraging critical thinking from his audience while providing, as critic Andy Dehnart put it, “a highly effective model for overcoming the roadblocks between our brains and reality.”

The series ended in 2019, but Conover went on to host the Obama-produced Netflix limited series “The G Word with Adam Conover” in 2022.

#31. Late Night with Conan O’Brien

– IMDb user rating: 8.2
– On air: 1993-2009

Prior to his TBS show “Conan,” the popular late-night comedian spent 17 years performing on NBC’s “Late Night” franchise after its original host David Letterman moved to the network’s “Tonight Show.” O’Brien’s humor was goofy and often edgy, with lots of wacky stunts and silly sketches. The host spent time riffing with his house band’s drummer Max Weinberg and frequently did skits with Amy Poehler before she joined “SNL.”

#30. Conan

– IMDb user rating: 8.2
– On air: 2010-2021

After the flap with NBC and Jay Leno, late-night host Conan O’Brien permanently separated from his long-time network and migrated to TBS, where “Conan” lived from 2010 to 2021. The half-hour program is similar to its predecessors, albeit skewed toward a younger audience, with a monologue followed by celebrity interviews and a musical guest.

#29. The Dick Cavett Show

– IMDb user rating: 8.3
– On air: 1968-1988

“The Dick Cavett Show” premiered in 1968, six years after “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” Though Carson was the king of late night at the time, Cavett’s show was always seen as the cool alternative because of his rapport with rock ‘n’ roll icons like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, despite not caring about the genre itself.

#28. I Hate Everything

– IMDb user rating: 8.3
– On air: 2013-present

Alex Beltman’s series “I Hate Everything” is aptly titled. The YouTuber has been posting videos for the past decade where he slams things like popular video games and movies, toys, and even brands, using black comedy to back his opinions. Beltman may hate a lot of things, but there is one thing he loves: the minions.

#27. The Daily Show

– IMDb user rating: 8.3
– On air: 1996-present

Although “The Daily Show” was originally hosted by comedian Craig Kilborn, it was his successor Jon Stewart who made it famous with his quick wit and sharp political commentary. Stewart was succeeded by Trevor Noah, a fellow comedian who began as a recurring contributor on the satirical news show, which includes monologues, news roundups, political analysis, and guest interviews. Comedy Central said the goal of Noah’s tenure, which began in 2015 and ended in 2022, was to recalibrate the program for a new, younger generation. As of 2025, the series has rotating hosts, including Stewart, who generally takes the helm once a week.

#26. Selena + Chef

– IMDb user rating: 8.4
– On air: 2020-2023

Selena Gomez isn’t just a singer and actor; she’s also an aspiring cook. In “Selena + Chef,” the pop star invites acclaimed chefs into her home to help her make a meal. There are often mistakes along the way, making this show perfect for a viewer learning how to cook themselves. “Selena + Chef” closed out its run on HBO Max in 2022, with a final holiday season airing on Food Network in 2023. The spinoff “Selena + Restaurant” debuted on Food Network in 2024.

#25. Hot Ones

– IMDb user rating: 8.4
– On air: 2015-present

“Hot Ones” has been heating up the internet since it premiered in 2015. Host Sean Evans interviews celebrities while simultaneously going through a gauntlet of 10 hot sauce-drenched chicken wings that increase in intensity. By the bite of the last wing (if the guest can even get to it), the reactions are priceless and never get old, even 26 seasons in.

#24. Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj

– IMDb user rating: 8.4
– On air: 2018-2020

Hasan Minhaj hosted six seasons of this comedy news show on Netflix, focusing on the parts of American society that make us the angriest and providing pathways to solutions. With several accolades, including Emmy and Peabody Awards, the show was not without controversy (the streaming service pulled an early episode that criticized Saudi Arabia). But fans loved it regardless, even petitioning Netflix to reconsider the decision to cancel. “Patriot Act” was the first weekly talk show in the United States hosted by an Indian American.

#23. Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis

– IMDb user rating: 8.4
– On air: 2008-present

This quirky online talk show features Zach Galifianakis sitting awkwardly between two potted ferns while exchanging antagonistic jabs with his guests. The short-form sketches, uploaded to “Funny Or Die” and typically last five or six minutes, often become viral videos. Notable guests have included Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama, Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Jimmy Kimmel, Justin Bieber, and Bradley Cooper.

#22. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

– IMDb user rating: 8.4
– On air: 2005-2015

The third incarnation of CBS’s “Late Late Show” franchise, Craig Ferguson followed in the footsteps of his predecessors Tom Snyder and Craig Kilborn. The late-night show, which ran for over a decade with mostly positive reviews, featured a funny cold open that often included his animatronic skeleton sidekick Geoff Peterson, followed by guests, music, sketches, gags, and other offbeat humor.

#21. The Graham Norton Show

– IMDb user rating: 8.4
– On air: 2007-present

“The Graham Norton Show” is the quintessential late-night show in the U.K. The weekly program features the eponymous host using his comedic skills while interviewing celebrities in a group interview format. Daily Beast praised the U.K. show’s “pure, unapologetic fun.” Since premiering in 2007, “The Graham Norton Show” has won five BAFTA Awards.

#20. The Ricky Gervais Show

– IMDb user rating: 8.4
– On air: 2010-2012

“The Ricky Gervais Show” was an animated version of the namesake host’s popular British radio program. Gervais, perhaps most famous for being a co-creator of “The Office,” performed the show with fellow comedians Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington. It was essentially a cartoon that followed a casual, comedic conversation between the three men, facilitating jokes along the way.

#19. Sneak Previews

– IMDb user rating: 8.5
– On air: 1975-1996

“Sneak Previews” was Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert’s first film review show, which ran on PBS. The critics, who had a rocky relationship in their early years, discussed the latest movies each week and dissected what they did or didn’t like. At the end of each episode, one of the critics would sign off by saying, “See you at the movies.” The show continued after the pair left in 1981.

#18. You Bet Your Life

– IMDb user rating: 8.5
– On air: 1950-1961

Originally a radio show before moving to NBC in 1950, “You Bet Your Life” was a quiz show hosted by Groucho Marx. Unlike many of today’s game shows, the series featured a significant amount of conversation between the host and participants, giving it much more of a talk show feel. In 2021, Jay Leno began hosting a reboot of the series, which ended its run in 2023 amid the Writers Guild of America strike.

#17. At the Movies

– IMDb user rating: 8.5
– On air: 1982-1986

After leaving “Sneak Previews” in 1981, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert moved to Tribune Entertainment, where they starred in “At the Movies.” The duo left the show in 1986 amid a contract dispute, and the series continued for several more years with film critics Rex Reed and Bill Harris.

#16. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

– IMDb user rating: 8.5
– On air: 1962-1992

The original “King of Late Night,” Johnny Carson took over the “Tonight Show” from Jack Paar in 1962. Carson helmed the megalithic talk show for 30 years. The comedian, prone to light-hearted jokes and friendly, sophisticated humor, launched dozens of comedic careers, including those of Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, Joan Rivers, and others.

#15. The Being Frank Show

– IMDb user rating: 8.5
– On air: 2010-present

Frank D’Angelo is a comedian and entrepreneur, and both aspects of his career are on display on “The Being Frank Show.” The Canadian variety show is equal parts celebrity interviews, comedy sketches, and commercials for his products.

#14. The Colbert Report

– IMDb user rating: 8.5
– On air: 2005-2014

After Stephen Colbert’s enormously popular recurring role on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show,” Colbert got his spinoff in 2005. “The Colbert Report” ran for almost 10 years before the comedian left to host the “Late Show” on CBS. The news satire program centered around a fictional political pundit who was extremely uninformed and prone to senseless arguments. Colbert stayed in character constantly—through improv sketches and when he interviewed guests.

#13. Siskel & Ebert

– IMDb user rating: 8.6
– On air: 1986-2010

Following “At the Movies,” Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert became the title stars of a new show. For 25 years, viewers could tune in to “Siskel & Ebert” to see the duo’s honest takes on movies. Siskel tragically died in 1999 after suffering surgery complications due to brain tumor treatment. Richard Roeper took his place the following year alongside Ebert.

#12. Inside the Actors Studio

– IMDb user rating: 8.6
– On air: 1994-2019

For 25 years, host James Lipton interviewed some of Hollywood’s most famous actors as part of “Inside the Actors Studio.” The show began as a televised seminar for students of the Actors Studio Drama School, where Lipton was dean emeritus. The Bravo network’s flagship program received 18 Emmy nominations, one of which it won for Outstanding Informational Series or Special in 2013. It moved to Ovation for its 23rd and final season in 2019, which was not hosted by Lipton, who passed away at 93 in March 2020.

#11. Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule

– IMDb user rating: 8.6
– On air: 2010-2017

Cartoon Network series “Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule” saw John C. Reilly play Dr. Brule, host of a predawn public-access talk show. Reilly’s character is inept and socially awkward—not at all the type of person you’d imagine would host a talk show, fictional or not. During each episode, Dr. Brule invites his audience to join him as he “checks out” some of the most basic facets of human life, from money to boats to relationships.

#10. The Eric Andre Show

– IMDb user rating: 8.6
– On air: 2012-present

Eric Andre’s off-the-wall sense of humor is on full display during the comedian’s namesake show. The format is a talk show parody-sketch comedy hybrid that digresses into absolute and pure chaos by the episode’s end. But in a good way.

#9. Inside the NBA

– IMDb user rating: 8.7
– On air: 1988-present

Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson make up the panel of experts on TNT’s “Inside the NBA.” During each episode, the group discusses basketball news, analyzes gameplay, and makes bets about upcoming matchups. The series has won 21 Sports Emmy Awards throughout its extensive run.

#8. The Grand Tour

– IMDb user rating: 8.7
– On air: 2016-present

“The Grand Tour” is a British motoring show on Amazon Prime Video hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. The three hosts began producing the show after Clarkson was suspended from their previous BBC show “Top Gear” amid complaints of racism and other ongoing issues. In each episode of “The Grand Tour,” the hosts travel to a different destination to drive cars and discuss auto-related topics.

#7. Top Gear

– IMDb user rating: 8.7
– On air: 2002-2022

“Top Gear” has been a British television institution since it first aired in 1977. The show’s most recent iteration, which premiered in 2002, picked up where its predecessor left off. Its enthusiastic hosts, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, turned the conventional car show on its heels, informing viewers of automobile news through creative (and often humorous) segments that included races and interviewing celebrities in “reasonably priced” cars.

After the original hosts left amid controversy involving Clarkson, BBC found a new trio (Freddie Flintoff, Paddy McGuinness, and Chris Harris) to get into the driver’s seat. Production for the 34th season was halted due to an accident involving Flintoff, and in November 2023, BBC announced the show would not return for the “foreseeable future.”

#6. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

– IMDb user rating: 8.9
– On air: 2014-present

This satirical late-night news show on Max features comedian John Oliver, a one-time correspondent and fill-in host for “The Daily Show.” The program begins with Oliver performing a humorous and sometimes critical recap of the week’s biggest news events. From there, the show morphs into a panel discussion broken up by funny segments and comedic sketches.

#5. Unstoppable with NBK

– IMDb user rating: 9.1
– On air: 2021-present

“Unstoppable with NBK” is an Indian talk show that’s known for its host Nandamuri Balakrishna’s ability to ask his guests the tough questions. The web series airs on Aha and was the streaming platform’s most popular celebrity talk show after its first season.

#4. On Cinema

– IMDb user rating: 9.2
– On air: 2012-present

On its surface, “On Cinema” is a parody of a film critic talk show, but at its core, the series is much more complex (and strange). Hosted by Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington, both known for their bizarre brand of comedy, each episode begins with a review of a movie neither character has seen before, devolving into arguments and rants about Heidecker and Turkington’s fictional lives. “On Cinema” began as a podcast and has transformed into a wacky universe with numerous spinoffs.

#3. Norm Macdonald Live

– IMDb user rating: 9.2
– On air: 2013-2017

Contrary to its name, “Norm Macdonald Live” wasn’t filmed in front of a live audience. Though it shared the same format as a talk show, the series was technically a video podcast that saw Macdonald and fellow comedian Adam Eget indulge in co-host banter, celebrity interviews, and spewing off one-liners.

#2. Best of the Worst

– IMDb user rating: 9.4
– On air: 2013-present

“Best of the Worst” centers on three commentators disparaging the worst B movies, educational films, and instructional videos ever created. The panel typically consists of a combination of Red Letter Media personalities with the occasional special guest. Like “Half in the Bag” (another Red Letter Media production), viewers can only find the series on YouTube.

#1. The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs

– IMDb user rating: 9.5
– On air: 2018-present

Joe Bob Briggs has been a horror icon since the ’80s when he hosted a show called “Joe Bob’s Drive-in Theater.” In 1996, he became even more well-known after taking over hosting duties on “MonsterVision.”

Fans were devastated when the movie commentary show ended in 2000, but it wouldn’t be the last time they saw their favorite horror film buff. The critic made his triumphant return in 2018 with “The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs”—a variety show that sees Briggs not only host horror double features, but also discuss the film’s history, accolades, and importance to the genre during its runtime.

Data reporting by Luke Hicks. Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.