The Best TV Shows on CBS

Every CBS Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Among CBS’s finest offerings are Four Star Playhouse and Perry Mason, which debuted in 1952 and 1957, respectively. Discover the best of CBS with our list of over 20 series, meticulously updated for September 2025. Showcasing over 20 shows from 1952 up until 2018, CBS stands as a beacon of television excellence.

  • The Mentalist
    The Mentalist (2008)8.4

    Patrick Jane, a former celebrity psychic medium, uses his razor sharp skills of observation and expertise at "reading" people to solve serious crimes with the California Bureau of Investigation.

  • Criminal Minds
    Criminal Minds (2005)8.3

    An elite team of FBI profilers analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. The Behavioral Analysis Unit's most experienced agent is David Rossi, a founding member of the BAU who returns to help the team solve new cases.

  • How I Met Your Mother
    How I Met Your Mother (2005)8.1

    A father recounts to his children - through a series of flashbacks - the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to him meeting their mother.

  • Person of Interest
    Person of Interest (2011)8.1

    John Reese, former CIA paramilitary operative, is presumed dead and teams up with reclusive billionaire Finch to prevent violent crimes in New York City by initiating their own type of justice. With the special training that Reese has had in Covert Operations and Finch's genius software inventing mind, the two are a perfect match for the job that they have to complete. With the help of surveillance equipment, they work "outside the law" and get the right criminal behind bars. 

  • S.W.A.T.
    S.W.A.T. (2017)8.1

    A Los Angeles S.W.A.T. sergeant is assigned to lead a highly skilled unit in the community where he grew up. Torn between loyalty to the streets, where the cops are sometimes the enemy, and allegiance to his brothers in blue, he strategically straddles the two worlds.

  • Young Sheldon
    Young Sheldon (2017)8.0

    The early life of child genius Sheldon Cooper, later seen in The Big Bang Theory.

  • The Big Bang Theory
    The Big Bang Theory (2007)7.9

    Physicists Leonard and Sheldon find their nerd-centric social circle with pals Howard and Raj expanding when aspiring actress Penny moves in next door.

  • FBI
    FBI (2018)7.9

    The New York office of the FBI brings to bear all their talents, intellect and technical expertise on major cases in order to keep their city and the country safe.

  • Blue Bloods
    Blue Bloods (2010)7.8

    A drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan is the New York Police Commissioner and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood. He runs his department as diplomatically as he runs his family, even when dealing with the politics that plagued his unapologetically bold father, Henry, during his stint as Chief.

  • Hawaii Five-0
    Hawaii Five-0 (2010)7.8

    Steve McGarrett returns home to Oahu, in order to find his father's killer. The governor offers him the chance to run his own task force (Five-0). Steve's team is joined by Chin Ho Kelly, Danny "Danno" Williams, and Kono Kalakaua.

  • Perry Mason
    Perry Mason (1957)7.7

    The cases of master criminal defense attorney Perry Mason and his staff who handled the most difficult of cases in the aid of the innocent.

  • CSI: Miami
    CSI: Miami (2002)7.7

    CSI: Miami follows Crime Scene Investigators working for the Miami-Dade Police Department as they use physical evidence, similar to their Las Vegas counterparts, to solve grisly murders. The series mixes deduction, gritty subject matter, and character-driven drama in the same vein as the original series in the CSI franchise, except that the Miami CSIs are cops first, scientists second.

  • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)7.6

    A Las Vegas team of forensic investigators are trained to solve criminal cases by scouring the crime scene, collecting irrefutable evidence and finding the missing pieces that solve the mystery.

  • NCIS
    NCIS (2003)7.6

    From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, a team of special agents investigates any crime that has a shred of evidence connected to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, regardless of rank or position.

  • The Good Wife
    The Good Wife (2009)7.6

    Alicia Florrick boldly assumes full responsibility for her family and re-enters the workforce after her husband's very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail.

  • Elementary
    Elementary (2012)7.6

    A modern-day drama about a crime-solving duo that cracks the NYPD's most impossible cases. Following his fall from grace in London and a stint in rehab, eccentric Sherlock escapes to Manhattan where his wealthy father forces him to live with his worst nightmare - a sober companion, Dr. Watson.

  • NCIS: Los Angeles
    NCIS: Los Angeles (2009)7.5

    The exploits of the Los Angeles–based Office of Special Projects (OSP), an elite division of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service that specializes in undercover assignments.

  • Two and a Half Men
    Two and a Half Men (2003)7.4

    A hedonistic jingle writer's free-wheeling life comes to an abrupt halt when his brother and 10-year-old nephew move into his beach-front house.

  • Without a Trace
    Without a Trace (2002)7.3

    The series follows the ventures of a Missing Persons Unit of the FBI in New York City.

  • Four Star Playhouse
    Four Star Playhouse (1952)6.7

    Four Star Playhouse is an American television anthology series that ran from 1952 to 1956, sponsored in its first bi-weekly season by The Singer Company; Bristol-Myers became an alternate sponsor when it became a weekly series in the fall of 1953. The original premise was that Charles Boyer, Ida Lupino, David Niven, and Dick Powell would take turns starring in episodes. However, several other performers took the lead from time to time, including Ronald Colman and Joan Fontaine. Blake Edwards was among the writers and directors who contributed to the series. Edwards created the recurring character of illegal gambling house operator Willie Dante for Dick Powell to play on this series. The character was later revamped and spun off in his own series starring Howard Duff, then-husband of Lupino. The pilot for Meet McGraw, starring Frank Lovejoy, aired here, as did another episode in which Lovejoy recreated his role of Chicago newspaper reporter Randy Stone, from the radio drama Nightbeat.