For years, FX has shown it can handle nearly any genre, with legal thrillers, mockumentary vampires, and anthology crime sagas all part of its output. Its own ranking of that history now stands as proof of how far its reach truly extends. The list, titled “10 Best FX Shows Of All Time, Ranked,” honors the network’s habit of taking chances rather than playing it safe.
Damages Opens The List
A list starts at position #10, where “Damages,” the legal drama is placed first. It follows cunning attorney Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) and her protégé Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne). The show was created by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman. Every season revolved around a distinct case involving the two women, pushing their professional limits and stormy bond to the test.
“Damages” is one of the best TV shows with non-linear narratives. It keeps audiences guessing with flashbacks, flash-forwards, and false leads. The writers trusted the audience to keep up, and each season finale featured a deeply satisfying reveal that didn’t feel like a cheat. That freshness sets it apart from the genre’s more conventional formulas.
What really counts are the performances, especially when Close’s. She won two Emmys for her delectably diabolical portrayal of a master manipulator. Unlike more virtuous TV attorneys, Patty Hewes isn’t tears someone apart’s life in order to win a case, including Ellen’s. The fact that she is so skilled at what she does is precisely why watching her is so engaging.
What We Do In The Shadows Turns Comedy On Vampires
The list moves to #9 with “What We Do in the Shadows,” a television adaptation of Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s 2014 vampire comedy. The series is presented as a mockumentary and follows four vampires: Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry), Nadja of Antipaxos (Natasia Demetriou), and energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). Their long-suffering familiar is Guillermo (Harvey Guillén).
A fresh approach to vampire stories is hard to come by, yet “What We Do in the Shadows” succeeds by embracing classic lore while mocking it. The show examines the tedium of eternal existence, with centuries-old roommates squabbling over baggage from the days of the Ottoman Empire. It is a horror take on a standard sitcom, which the ranking labels as “Friends with fangs.”
Before the series wore out its welcome, it concluded after Season 6, leaving viewers wanting more. The audience would happily take these bloodsuckers back into their homes for a revival.
Justified Brings Elmore Leonard To Television
The ranking jumps to #8 with “Justified,” the modern-day Western developed by Graham Yost. It centers on Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), an Old West-style lawman trapped in a modern world. After getting slapped on the wrist for the “justified” shooting of a mob fugitive, Givens is reassigned to the U.S. Marshals Service’s Lexington office in Kentucky, bringing him back to the criminal underworld of Harlan County he’d long since left behind.
Based on several Raylan Givens novels and short stories, “Justified” brings together the best of the Leonard books. The series builds a strong atmosphere, drawing on the Southern Gothic pulp and lurid tone of great crime thrillers. It featured a host of talented actors, among them Margo Martindale and Jeremy Davies, who took home Emmys. Walton Goggins got one of his most memorable parts as Boyd Crowder, the charming outlaw.
The show came to an end in 2015, but it made a comeback in 2023 with the limited series “Justified: City Primeval.” That revival moves Raylan from his home base in Miami to the streets of Detroit.
Fargo Sets The Bar For Anthology Series
The cable network FX boasts a solid roster of outstanding anthology shows, and the ranking makes the case that the finest among them is “Fargo.” The series was created by Noah Hawley, and its setup mirrors the Oscar-winning Coen brothers film, with each season presenting a distinct, standalone story set within that same universe. Small links between episodes keep things connected, even though the installments follow different people across multiple decades, all of whom tend to wind up in trouble and violence after a single poor choice, whether they’re cops, criminals, or just everyday folks.
“Fargo has remained consistently good throughout, with even its worst installment outshining most of what”
Unlike most anthology series, which lose momentum after a strong start, “Fargo” has kept delivering quality throughout. According to the ranking, even its weakest episode still outshines the best work of most other shows.
The Rest Of The List
A total of ten items make up the ranking, each standing for a distinct part of the network’s work. The tally serves as a reminder that FX has been at this for a long while, and has kept a high level of quality throughout its library.
The ranking’s own stated criteria call for shows that subvert expectations and hold true to the network’s standard of excellence. FX’s series have explored moral ambiguity and social complexity, centering antiheroes and outlaws over clean-cut protagonists. They have highlighted marginalized voices, bringing a wider range of perspectives to the screen.
FX’s most enduring shows are also its longest-running ones. “Justified” wrapped up in 2015, then came back for a second run in 2023. “What We Do in the Shadows” finished after Season 6, and audiences are still hoping it returns. And even “Fargo,” which has spanned decades of storytelling, has kept delivering strong episodes all along.
What The Ranking Says About FX
FX’s standing on this list shows how long the network has been producing top-tier content. Its catalog has kept a high standard throughout, and it has stuck to comedy, drama, animation, and limited series, always testing what basic cable storytelling can do.
The network’s productions have centered antiheroes and outlaws rather than clean-cut protagonists, delving into moral ambiguity and social complexity along the way. They have also brought a broader range of voices to the screen by highlighting marginalized perspectives. Above all, they have stayed consistently great across their runs, upholding the network’s standard of excellence.
The list makes for an entertaining read, and it is simple to understand why these series earned their spots. Each one stands out on its own merits, and together they showcase the finest work FX has delivered to viewers throughout the years. Fans of legal thrillers, vampire comedies, or crime anthologies will find something to enjoy, no matter which genre draws them in.
This ranking leans toward drama, comedy, and animation in an agreeable blend that feels less like a judgment and more like a personal suggestion. It shows how the network chooses not to play it safe, and it serves as a reminder that FX has been doing this kind of work for a long time.
Source material: “10 Best FX Shows Of All Time, Ranked,” TVLine.
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