The Most Iconic TV Shows of the 2020s (So Far)

With a New Year and a new season of The Traitors (UK) starting today, it feels like the right moment to take stock of the shows that have defined the 2020s so far. This has been a decade shaped by lockdown viewing, culture-war discourse, TikTok fandoms and the final flowering of “Prestige TV” before streaming economics got complicated. Here are the shows that didn’t just pull big numbers, but genuinely set the tone.

The Traitors (UK & global formats) (2022–present)

The defining reality format of the decade so far. The Traitors fuses reality TV with the tension, pacing and visual language of prestige drama. It’s endlessly memeable, deeply strategic and surprisingly emotional. In an era of background viewing, it dragged audiences back to watching together and guessing loudly. Season 4 is launching on New Year's Day, plus a new Celebrity Traitors series is also confirmed for later in 2026.

Squid Game (2021– 2025)

A once-in-a-decade cultural explosion. Squid Game became Netflix’s ultimate proof that global storytelling can beat Hollywood hype. Its savage take on inequality, wrapped in candy-coloured nostalgia and extreme stakes, has dominated pop culture in a way few shows ever manage.

The Bear (2022–present)

Possibly the most intense half-hour on television. The Bear turned grief, ambition and burnout into visceral entertainment, redefining what a “comedy” can be. Its influence is already everywhere, from editing styles to how TV depicts work, pressure and masculinity. The Bear is officially returning for Season 5, with FX confirming a 2026 release window.

Euphoria (2019 US pilot, breakout 2020s impact)

Becoming the defining Gen-Z show. While technically arriving at the tail end of the 2010s, Euphoria belongs to the 2020s in impact and relevance. Its second season cemented its place as a visual and cultural juggernaut, shaping Gen-Z aesthetics, music discovery and how TV explores identity, addiction and intimacy. Season 3 is officially coming in April 2026 on HBO, with a five-year time jump from Season 2.

The White Lotus (2021–present)

Sun, sex, money and moral rot. The White Lotus perfected the slow-burn social satire, turning privilege into a suspense mechanism. Each season feels like a shared cultural event, complete with breakout stars, viral moments and obsessive theorising. Season 4 is officially happening, set in France (Paris & French Riviera), with production aiming for early 2026, and potentially airing in late 2026 or 2027.

Bridgerton (2020–present)

Proof that period drama can be bold, bingeable and unapologetically fun. Bridgerton smashed streaming records by reimagining period drama with pop music, colour-conscious casting and unapologetic romance. It changed Netflix’s content strategy overnight and made corsets cool again. The fourth season will be released on Netflix in two parts again, premiering on 29th January and 26th February 2026.

The Last of Us (2023–present)

The gold standard for video-game adaptation and far more than that. The Last of Us delivered emotionally devastating storytelling, cinematic craft and standalone episodes that felt like short films. It showed blockbuster TV could still be intimate, quiet and human. Plans are underway for a Season 3, with our contacts hinting at a potential 2027 release for the next chapter to finish the story.

What this says about the 2020s so far... The most iconic shows of the decade share a refusal to sit neatly in one box. Reality looks like drama. Comedy feels traumatic. Genre TV goes emotional. And audiences reward ambition, especially when it feels authored.