25 Best FX Shows, Ranked

This oddball comedy, following a group of friends who are wrapped up in a fantasy football league, didn’t always get the attention it deserved during its seven-season run between 2009 and 2015, but we can’t help but love it. The ensemble for this fun watch is made up of Mark Duplass, Nick Kroll, Katie Aselton, Paul Scheer, Stephen Rannazzisi, and Jon Lajoie.

The 2019 miniseries depicting the professional and romantic partnership between famed director and choreographer Bob Fosse (Sam Rockwell) and actress and dancer Gwen Verdon (Michelle Williams) was rightfully lauded for its compelling peek behind the curtain at these storied figures’ lives. Along with Rockwell and Williams, the must-see series starred Norbert Leo Butz, Margaret Qualley, Aya Cash, and Jake Lacy, among others.

In the tradition of shows like Friends or New Girl, FX’s comedy Adults follows pals Billie (Lucy Freyer), Samir (Malik Elassal), Anton (Owen Thiele), Issa (Amita Rao), and Paul Baker (Jack Innanen) as they grapple with the challenges of young adulthood while living under the same roof. The catch? Many of their struggles are of their own making. With a stellar cast of guest performers dropping in and out of Season 1, Adults quickly captivated our comedy attention.

Airing for three seasons on FX (before moving to Direct TV for the final two), Damages revolves around the ruthless lawyer, Patty Hewes (Emmy-winner Glenn Close), and her newest protégée, Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne), a recent law school graduate. Along with depicting various cases season to season, the drama unravels the personal and professional connection between Patty and Ellen.

If you enjoy seeing toxic characters attempt to find love in all the wrong ways, you’re bound to love this hilariously chaotic comedy starring Chris Geere and Aya Cash as Jimmy and Gretchen, two people who shouldn’t really be together, but can’t help but be drawn to one another. Along for the ride are their friends and family, portrayed by the delightful Desmin Borges, Kether Donohue, and Brandon Mychal Smith.

Denis Leary led the drama following a group of New York City firefighters through their personal and professional lives, chronicling their day-to-day struggles and triumphs. Debuting in 2004, Rescue Me also addressed the residual trauma impacting firefighters, giving it a unique perspective. In addition to starring Leary, Rescue Me featured Michael Lombardi, Steven Pasquale, Daniel Sunjata, and Andrea Roth, among others.

Pamela Adlon stars as Sam Fox, a single mom to three daughters working in Hollywood. Having run for five seasons, the dramedy is loosely inspired by Adlon’s own life, chronicling the ups and downs of being a working actress with a family. Along with shining a light on Adlon, the series showcased stellar performances from her onscreen daughters, Oscar-winner Mikey Madison, Hannah Alligood, and Olivia Edward.

The network’s long-running animated comedy spanned 14 seasons and followed the exploits of the titular spy voiced by H. Jon Benjamin. While the series leaned into the elements found in classic spy fare, most of the comedy revolved around the interpersonal relationships between the team at the center of it all. Archer‘s longevity is just one of the reasons it’s among FX’s best.

Noah Hawley brings Ridley Scott‘s Alien franchise to TV with an all-new entry into the universe. Unlike the original film’s tagline of “in space, no one can hear you scream,” Alien: Earth brings the action to the terrestrial, examining the concepts of artificial intelligence via Wendy (Sydney Chandler), who is a “Hybrid,” or human consciousness uploaded into a synthetic body. When a Weyland-Yutani ship crash-lands with five threatening species aboard it, including the Xenomorph, corporations ruling the world take notice, and while some may seek to keep these creatures, others are just trying to survive. One season in, Alien: Earth is proving to be a promising title for FX.

This second entry from Reservation Dogs showrunner Sterlin Harjo puts the spotlight on Tulsa and its resident Truthstorian, Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke). The show chronicles the investigative journalist’s journey to uncover a conspiracy among one of the community’s most affluent families. The offbeat noir highlights the importance of truth-telling with the help of spot-on performances from Hawke, Keith David, Kyle MacLachlan, and Jeanne Tripplehorn, among others.

This kitchen dramedy from Chris Storer took television by storm in 2022 when it debuted on Hulu. The FX-produced series has won many awards since then, proving it’s among the network’s best. Led by Jeremy Allen White as Carmy Berzatto, The Bear follows the young chef’s attempt to reshape his late brother’s sandwich shop into a fine-dining establishment with the help of his partner Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and a ragtag crew you can’t help but love.

Ryan Murphy‘s award-winning drama drops viewers into the world of New York’s ball culture in the late ’80s and early ’90s, examining the AIDS crisis and the impact of capitalism in the gay and trans community. A standout series among Murphy’s FX contributions, Pose features talents such as Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Billy Porter, Dominique Jackson, and Indya Moore, among others.

Created by the late John Singleton, Snowfall debuted in 2017 and ran for six seasons before concluding in 2023. Set in 1980s South Central Los Angeles, the drama follows the lives of an African American crime family run by budding drug dealer Franklin Saint (Damson Idris), as they navigate ways to make money from selling crack cocaine.  The drama was so successful it has led to the creation of a forthcoming spinoff fans surely won’t want to miss.

The acclaimed comedy sees Zach Galifianakis pull double duty as twins Chip and Dale Baskets. After failing out of French clowning college, Chip returns to his family in Bakersfield, determined to make his dreams come true by becoming a professional rodeo clown. Going back home, though, means facing his family, including his mother Christine (Emmy-winner Louie Anderson), and his siblings. Along with Galifianakis and Anderson, Baskets also featured Martha Kelly.

This lauded drama follows the titular motorcycle club operating out of the small town of Charming, California. While they partake in legal and illegal activities, the club’s standing is put under pressure as president Clay (Ron Perlman) and his stepson Jax (Charlie Hunnam) have different visions for its future. While Clay leans into old-school violence, Jax is seeking something new, especially after uncovering his late father’s journal. Along with Hunnam and Perlman, the series starred Katey Sagal, Maggie Siff, Kim Coates, Mark Boone Junior, and Theo Rossi, among others. Sons of Anarchy was so popular that it spawned the spinoff Mayans M.C., which ran for five seasons from 2018 to 2023.

Ryan Murphy’s horror anthology has captivated audiences since it debuted with Murder House back in 2011, and since then, it has explored various chapters, ranging from Asylum and Coven to Freak Show, Hotel, Apocalypse, and most recently, Delicate. It’s become a pop culture phenomenon for a reason, bringing forth plenty of iconic characters and performances. Among some of the best repeat cast members? Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, and Kathy Bates, to name a few. This spot on the list also surely recognizes Murphy’s other successful anthology formats, including Feud, American Crime Story, and American Sports Story, among others.

This impactful drama, led by Timothy Olyphant, follows the travails of U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens as he delivers his version of justice, often putting him at odds with his colleagues in the Marshal service. Because of Raylan’s loose-cannon ways, he’s reassigned to cover the district in the town where he grew up, placing him in the path of rural Kentucky’s toughest criminals, including Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) and Mags Bennett (Margo Martindale). Justified was so good that it warranted a comeback nearly 10 years after the original series wrapped, and Justified: City Primeval earned plenty of its own… justified buzz.

James Clavell’s novel of the same name comes to dazzling life in this epic and expansive award-winning drama series. Set in 17th-century Japan, Shōgun chronicles the events surrounding a marooned European ship uncovered in a nearby Japanese fishing village, leading Brit Jack Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), to transform into a trained samurai. Used by Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) to help advance the man’s standing against his enemies, Blackthorne’s journey is a can’t-miss TV event elevated by Anna Sawai‘s stellar performance as Toda Mariko.

The Emmy-winning comedy from creator and star Donald Glover introduced viewers to a unique vision, chronicling the exploits of his character Earnest “Earn” Marks, who manages his cousin’s up-and-coming rap career in the Atlanta music scene. On the other side, Earn also grapples with the challenges of fatherhood and poverty. Joining Glover for the pivotal series are talents including Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz, among others.

Inspired by the 2014 film of the same name, What We Do in the Shadows, from creators Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, puts a spotlight on vampire roommates based out of Staten Island. The mockumentary format introduces viewers to Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch), and their human familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillen), who make up one hilariously messed-up supernatural family that delivered laughs for six fang-tastic seasons.

Debuting in 2021, this three-season wonder from Sterlin Harjo tells the coming-of-age story of four Native American adolescents — Elora (Devery Jacobs), Bear (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis), and Cheese (Lane Factor) — as they cope with the loss of a friend to suicide. The deeply moving comedy showcases the culture of their Oklahoma-based reservation and the innate humor to be found among their community. Elevated by stellar performances and impactful storylines, this sorely overlooked show is undoubtedly one of FX’s best.

Running from 2002 to 2008, The Shield saw Michael Chiklis take on the antihero role of Detective Vic Mackey, a crooked cop operating within the LAPD. The show followed his exploits alongside his crooked colleagues as they fought crime and committed it at the same time. An FX classic, The Shield also starred Walton Goggins and CCH Pounder, among others. Whether you watched live, or have yet to dive in, The Shield remains a TV classic for a reason.

Noah Hawley brings the sensibility of the Coen brothers’ classic 1996 film to TV with this anthology series chronicling different crime stories unfolding across the Midwest. From 1950s Kansas City to modern-day Minnesota, the carefully crafted chapters deliver their own twists while keeping similar tones. Pulling in various talents each year, kicking off with Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman in Season 1 and rounding out with Juno Temple and Jon Hamm in the most recent Season 5, this is a star-studded stunner worthy of a rewatch or two.

The drama about married KGB spies, Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys), follows their years living undercover in the United States amid the Reagan presidency. Their fascinating predicament is further complicated by their role as parents to children who are initially unaware of their ties to Russia, as well as their relationship with their neighbor Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich). It’s a series filled with dazzling disguises, deception, and drama that keeps you thinking long after the final credits roll.

Sure, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia may not have an Emmy to show off as some of the series ranked below it, but the comedy has been a pop culture mainstay for 20 years. It’s the longest-running live-action comedy in history, and the gang — Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), Charlie (Charlie Day), and Frank (Danny DeVito) — is still making us laugh. That’s more than worthy of this top spot win in our books.