Entertainment The Best TV Shows With 100+ Episodes to Stream

'Cheers' | CBS Television Distribution 'Cheers' | CBS Television Distribution

Look, we're aware. You have a lot of time on your hands right now. The outbreak of COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus, has forced most of the country indoors. Staying home is the responsible thing to do right now. But what to do with all that time? Well, why not start a really long TV show? You know, one of those series that you've always been meaning to watch but there are just so many episodes. In the interest of lending you a hand, here are some of our favorites that hit the 100 episode mark. Traditionally, 100 episodes meant a show could go into syndication, leading to endless reruns on the likes of TBS. But all of these are available to stream so you can binge without fail.

Cartoon Network

Adventure Time 2010-2018, 283 episodes

Imagine if every backyard fantasy quest you went on as a kid could be fully realized in animation. Then stop imagining and start watching Pendleton Ward's Adventure Time -- the show is exactly that. Scripted like a Dungeons & Dragons campaign and illustrated like your spiraled notebook margin doodles, the Cartoon Network program could be mistaken for a show for kids (and, truthfully, they'd probably love it for its visceral, colorful energy). But Adventure Time builds off a bizarre mythology of post-apocalyptic Earth and the kind of hellish wizardry that would make Hieronymus Bosch's jaw drop. Add pop music interludes, meme slang, and non-sequitur jokes to the mix, and you have indescribable joy. Hey, we tried. Just watch it.

Watch on Hulu

NBCUniversal Television Distribution

Brooklyn Nine-Nine 2013-present, 137 episodes

One of the newer shows on this list, Brooklyn Nine-Nine hit 100 episodes during its fifth season, when it was still airing on Fox before jumping over to NBC. The sitcom, created by Dan Goor and Mike Schur, is a goofy, big-hearted affair starring Andy Samberg as Jake Peralta, a detective with Die Hard fantasies. But it's not just the Samberg show, even though he is great. The ensemble is amazing: From Andre Braugher's fastidious Captain Holt to Stephanie Beatriz's deadpan Rosa Diaz. Also, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has some of the best Halloween episodes out there, so you'll know when you've reached another year in your binge.

Watch on Hulu

20th Televsion

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1997-2003, 144 episodes

A sacred text of geek culture debuted on March 10, 1997, almost two years before The Sopranos kicked off the much-lionized "difficult men" period of Golden Age television. But if you were clued in to Joss Whedon's wickedly subversive WB (and later, UPN) action drama from the start, you knew the revolution of modern television was already under way long before Tony and his ducks. Anchored by Sarah Michelle Gellar's star turn, the show got deeper and darker as it went, turning a comedic riff on horror-movie tropes into a soulful meditation on the nature of bravery. Plus, it's got demons and stuff. Follow up by watching all five seasons and 110 episodes of spin-off Angel.

Watch on Hulu

CBS Television Distribution

Cheers 1982-1993, 273 episodes

For the days when you want to hang out where everyone knows your name without changing out of pajamas. Cheers had a marathon run over the course of 11 seasons, quickly and handily becoming one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. Led by Ted Danson's sleazeball with a heart of gold Sam Malone, an ex-Red Soxxer and reformed alcoholic slinging drinks, Cheers is all about its rotating cast of barflies, including barback Coach (Nicholas Colasanto) and his replacement Woody (Woody Harrelson), mailman Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger), Norm! (George Wendt), Boston psychiatrist to Seattle radio personality Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), and bloviating intellectual Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) and her on-and-off again romance with Sam. Pull up a barstool and crack open a cold one -- you'll be a regular in no time.

Watch on CBS All Access, Hulu and Netflix

Food Network

Chopped 2009-present, 543 episodes

In a "set it and forget it" fashion, more than a hundred episodes of Chopped on Hulu are waiting to be binge-watched. We all know the formula by now (right?): Accomplished chefs open a mystery box of typically unhelpful ingredients and scramble to cook something delicious and hopefully cohesive. The voyeuristic fun (and stress) in watching the competitors feel the squeeze of their limited time is bolstered by the rotating judging panel, plus host and OG Queer Eye Ted Allen, making insane comments about someone's forgotten croutons burning. Just remember while you're giggling at others' mishaps that you probably would never make it past the appetizer round.

Watch on Hulu

Sony Pictures Television

Community 2008-2015, 110 episodes

There's a reason Dan Harmon's community college ensemble comedy amassed a devoted cult following for its six-season run, despite it nearly always being on the brink of cancelation. The series focuses on a lovable study group of misfits played by both comedy veterans and those then just on the brink of breaking out -- including consummate cool guy Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), lovable ditz Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), TV-obsessed Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi), anxious genius Annie Edison (Alison Brie), tough-but-firm mother Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), high school jock Troy Barnes (Donald Glover), and the baffling, bored, former CEO Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase) -- as they navigate their way through Greendale Community College. It’s a sitcom that’s goofy and delirious, but forever a lesson in how to become a better person.

Watch on Hulu

Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

ER 1994-2009, 331 episodes

If you really want a project, why not get into ER? The foundational medical show lasted for 15 seasons and is one of the most acclaimed series of all time. Of course, half the fun of watching ER is seeing George Clooney in his nascent stardom before he was Movie Star George Clooney, but don't let that stop you from further appreciating whole scope of the show.

Watch on Hulu

CBS Television Distribution

Frasier 1993-2004, 264 episodes

Finished Cheers? Okay, no go watch the equally good Cheers spinoff: Frasier. While Frasier Crane began as a character on the Boston-set sitcom, he truly flourished when he moved back to Seattle, started a radio show, and shacked up with his dad and his dad's Jack Russell Terrier, Eddie. (Remember when Eddie was on the cover of Entertainment Weekly? Yeah, Frasier was a big deal.) It's also one of the most wonderfully acted sitcoms there ever was with the likes of John Mahoney and David Hyde Pierce. Let the persnickety pretension of Frasier and Niles lull you into a sense of calm.

Watch on CBS All Access and Hulu

Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

Gilmore Girls 2000-2007, 153 episodes

In 2016, Netflix revived Netflix revived Gilmore Girls, but catch up with the original series about a wisecracking mother-daughter duo before watching the four-episode follow-up. The drama takes place in the quirky small town of Stars Hollow and features a dynamic supporting cast so fully fleshed, you'll feel like a local after your first hour. When Lorelai and Rory slip into their rapid-fire banter, it's like slipping on your favorite robe, familiar and exciting all at once. For extra credit, listen to Gilmore Guys, a podcast dissecting the series episode by episode, and then follow it all up by watching the Netflix continuation, called Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.

Watch on Netflix

Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

Gossip Girl 2007-2012, 121 episodes

While it's now known primarily as the show responsible for making Blake Lively and Leighton Meester famous, Gossip Girl's strength is delighting in the outsize amorality of elite high-schoolers on New York City's Upper East Side. This rarefied setting is a playground for the calculating, ambitious, backstabbing exploits of characters with surnames like "van der Woodsen," "Waldorf," and "Archibald." After plowing through your fifth episode in a row and experiencing a strange desire to get brunch and take a weekend shopping trip to Paris, you may hate yourself a little bit... but not enough to stop watching.

Watch on Netflix

20th Television

How I Met Your Mother 2005-2014, 208 episodes

Like Friends, but with a low-level mystery running throughout the series. Architect Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) has a tight group of friends, a cool job, and a dream NYC apartment (they always do), but he spends most of his time agonizing over finding his soulmate -- and narrates the series from the future, hindsight and all. That finale sure was a doozy, but even if you've already seen some episodes, with plenty of in-jokes and Neil Patrick Harris' show-stealing run as Barney Stinson, this one stands up to repeat viewings.

Watch on Hulu

NBC

Law & Order: SVU 1999-present, 474 episodes

Law and Order: SVU was designed for bingeing YEARS before on-demand streaming was invented, and while the original Law & Order was canceled in 2010, Special Victims Unit perfected the form and chugs along into its 18th season. Now that streaming is standard, you don't have to surf cable for a late-night insomnia salve or a hungover Sunday time-killer. You can drop in on Detectives Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson whenever you desire the simple satisfaction of fighting for justice in an unjust world.

Watch on Amazon Prime and Hulu

CBS

The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1970-1977, 168 episodes

Toss your hat into the air and dive into what is one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. The Mary Tyler Moore Show opens with the eponymous star's alter ego Mary Richards moving to Minneapolis and getting a job at WJM-TV. You probably know bits and pieces of the rest. She works for crotchety Lou Grant and is best friends with the talkative Rhoda Morgenstern. Watching MTM from the beginning is a joy. It's a portrait of a woman both of and ahead of her time and genuinely hilarious.

Watch on Hulu

NBCUniversal Television Distribution

The Office 2005-2013, 201 episodes

Go ahead and try to prevent your brain from firing off loads of oxytocin as soon as those opening piano notes hit your eardrums. As scenes from Scranton and the Dunder Mifflin office play across the screen, you'll find it difficult to resist falling into a wormhole of nostalgia, knowing all along that (SPOILER) Jim and Pam get together in the end. If you're watching for the first time, you'll understand why so many people fell for Michael Scott and the soft-bellied, straight-faced humor that reinvented network television.

Watch on Netflix

Cartoon Network/Adult Swim

One Piece 1999-Present, 924 episodes

Yes, you read that correctly: This long-running pirate anime is well on its way to hitting the thousand-episode mark, with no signs of slowing, meaning One Piece can very well last you for years if you decide to take the plunge, which you should. Following the seafaring quest of Monkey D. Luffy, a kid with big dreams of becoming the Pirate King, and his ragtag crew looking for the mythical One Piece treasure, this Toei Animation series is uniquely paced with mini arcs throughout each of its marathon seasons, mimicking that of its serialized manga, breaking it up into manageable chunks of episodes that make diving in less daunting.

Watch on Hulu

NBCUniversal Television Distribution

Parks and Recreation 2009-2015, 125 episodes

In the vein of workplace "reality" comedies like The Office, creator Michael Schur's take on a local parks and rec department finds humor in the mundane -- like bosses who take themselves way too seriously. Watching this show now is like being treated to a buffet of comedic royalty; there's Amy Poehler! Adam Scott! Chris Pratt! Aubrey Plaza! Aziz Ansari! And more! Their performances cemented Parks and Rec's place in network comedy lore.

Watch on Amazon Prime and Netflix

Cartoon Network

Sailor Moon 1992-1997, 200 episodes

Whether you watched Sailor Moon when it was syndicated on Toonami in the late '90s or just know of it through memes, now is the perfect time to get (re-)acquainted with this cult anime series. Part of its charm is Sailor Moon shouting her catchphrase ("In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!") as she kicks evildoers' butts alongside her talking cat Luna, of course, but when she's not doing that, the series is a slice-of-life comedy about the star-powered hero's teenage alter ego, Usagi, who is clumsy, lazy, and boy obsessed -- in other words, relatable. Most episodes are self-contained stories, so feel free to kick back with practically any of them for a low-stakes and endless comfort watch.

Watch on Hulu

Sony Pictures Television

Seinfeld 1989-1998, 180 episodes

The genre-defining "show about nothing," now exclusive to Hulu, is worth the subscription fee alone. Whether you're new to the sitcom that put writer Larry David on the map, or watching Kramer burst through that door for the thousandth time, we advise you watch all nine seasons and become master of situation comedy's domain.

Watch on Hulu

Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

Smallville 2001-2011, 217 episodes

Before Marvel Studios formulized the superhero origin story, we had to turn to the small screen to find out what Superman was like when he was just a small-town kid coming to terms with the fact that he was an alien (every small-town kid's dream from the years 2001 to 2011). The show has minimal special effects, sticking to the creators' "no tights, no flights," rule, which gave them time to focus on who Clark Kent (Tom Welling) and his adoptive family and friends are as people, in more of a teen soap setting. Later on, the show became more comic book-y, introducing Lex Luthor and a whole army of escaped Phantom Zone criminals for Clark to fight off while trying to get good grades in school, impress his crush, and figure out how to work his pesky heat vision.

Watch on Hulu

CBS Television Distribution

Star Trek: The Next Generation 1987-1994, 178 episodes

After a string of The Original Series-inspired movies and miscalculations on how to revive the sci-fi franchise for television, Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek boldly went where no concept had gone before with The Next Generation, a shinier, headier, all-around better (yeah, we said it) saga in the United Federation of Planets' history. Led by Patrick Stewart and helped by an iconic supporting cast, The Next Generation followed the TOS mission to speculate about and empathize with social issues of the day, filtered through a lens of A-grade sci-fi writing that stands the test of time.

Watch on Amazon Prime, CBS All Access, and Netflix

Warner Bros. Television Distribution

Supernatural 2005-present, 318 episodes

"That show's been on for HOW LONG???" is usually how it goes whenever you tell someone that Supernatural, The CW's most improbable success story, has been going strong for fifteen seasons (the end of which will be the show's last). Revolving around Sam and Dean Winchester (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, respectively), two hot brothers who drive across the liminal spaces of the American interior, killing demons and battling angels and getting sent -- literally -- to Hell and back for their trouble, it's come a long way from "The X-Files but about the Bible" monster-of-the week show that it once was, cementing itself in pop culture and inspiring legions of really, really weird fan fiction. If you've always wanted to get into it but only want to watch the good stuff, we've got you covered.

Watch on Netflix

NBCUniversal Television Distribution

Top Chef 2006-present, 246 episodes

The reality show that's turned chefs and their restaurants into must-visit destinations, Top Chef is a cornerstone cooking competition in our post-Food Network celebrity chef world. Unlike spiritually similar shows like Masterchef or Chopped, Top Chef is less about watching chefs struggle, instead highlighting the bright spots -- creative choices, line efficiency, celebrating the cities each season is shot in, etc. -- and big personalities that inevitably clash in their Real World-esque living quarters.

Watch on Hulu

CBS Television Distribution

The Twilight Zone 1959-1964, 156 episodes

Every lauded sci-fi movie or television show owes Rod Serling residuals. Over 156 episodes, Serling speculated and dreamed, refracting his present day through the trippiest scenarios to ever beam through mild-mannered American homes. The Twilight Zone’s visual prose took us to jungles, to space, to 20,000 feet, and to the sunny block from every person’s childhood, where the worst existential revelations tended to lurk. The Twilight Zone still speaks volumes. Buckle up and fly into a dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind.

Watch on CBS All Access, Hulu, and Netflix

Warner Bros. Television Distribution

The West Wing 1999-2006, 156 episodes

Don't hold The Newsroom against him: Aaron Sorkin's political fable is smarter, funnier, and less bombastic than some of the Oscar-winning screenwriter's later television work. In telling the story of President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and his workaholic senior staff, Sorkin found the perfect subject matter for his farcical, monologue-heavy, walk-and-talk style. Though the show lost some of its charm when Sorkin left after the fourth season, the later episodes -- complete with an Obama-like presidential candidate played by Jimmy Smits -- work as a liberal wish-fulfillment fantasy in these very, uh, un-Bartlet-ey times.

Watch on Netflix

20th Television

The X-Files 1993-2002, 218 episodes

Hulu is the best place to catch up on Mulder's paranoia, Scully's sleuthing, and the burning chemistry that launched a thousand GeoCities sites. The streaming site offers both the original 218-episode run of Fox's paranormal investigation drama and the recent miniseries revival. If nine and a half seasons is too much to binge, cherry-pick the classics. We made it easy by ranking the entire series.

Watch on Hulu

NBCUniversal Television Distribution

30 Rock 2006-2013, 138 episodes

Tina Fey's workplace sitcom was so good for so long that it's easy to take it for granted. Since it went off the air in 2013, comedies have gotten stranger, more dramatic, and more formally ambitious. But have they gotten any funnier? We'd argue no. Between Jack Donaghy's Bush-era conservative zingers, Tracy Jordan's endlessly absurd one-liners, Kenneth's disturbing hillbilly antics, and Jenna Maroney's deranged celebrity narcissism, the show delivered perfect jokes at an exhilarating pace. What's more innovative than that?

Watch on Amazon Prime and Hulu