The Greatest TV Show of All Time Better Than Breaking Bad Officially Reclaims #1 Streaming Spot

The Sopranos has reclaimed the top spot on the Apple TV Store for the most-watched TV show on October 17, 2026. According to FlixPatrol, the HBO classic crime drama topped the pyramid in the United States. It has been on top of the charts since October 13. Other incredible shows that are trending on the platform are The Wire, Rome, and True Detective.

The show was one of the classics of the Golden Era of TV. With Mad Men and Breaking Bad, the crime drama made antiheroes a staple of quality television and saw the rise and fall of hubris-filled protagonists. While Breaking Bad has often been regarded as the best TV show of all time, The Sopranos’ current chart status has people rethinking that tag.

The Sopranos Charts Show Why it is the Best TV Show of all Time

James Gandolfini in The Sopranos | Credits: HBO

The numbers on the Apple TV Store chart tell a clear story. FlixPatrol shows The Sopranos at number one among TV shows in the United States on October 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, and the show has now spent 12 days on the chart. Behind it sit Rome, The Wire, I Love Lucy, and True Detective, so it leads a deep field of acclaimed series.

Unlike streaming platforms, the Apple TV Store offers shows and movies for rent and purchase. This means that there is genuine audience demand for The Sopranos and not just a general scroll. Apart from the Apple TV Store, the show has also been popular on OSN, putting it at the top 10 charts on the platform for 289 days in 2026.

Starring James Gandolfini and created by David Chase, the show sees the mafia boss, Tony Soprano, and his domestic and professional life clash as he undergoes therapy. It is an examination of the life of an antihero and his hubris as the FBI closes in on the crime family and his home life takes a tumble.

The HBO classic is often considered to be the greatest show of all time. It won 21 Primetime Emmy Awards and 5 Golden Globes throughout its 6-season run. Gandolfini’s performance, especially, has been regarded as one of the best portrayals on TV. At a time when network television was rehashing tried-and-tested content, HBO’s premium cable experimented with shows like The Sopranos and The Wire, bringing TV to cinematic levels of quality.

Tony Soprano Paved the Way for Walter White and Breaking Bad

Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad | Credits: AMC

Breaking Bad came on to TV screens with a story of a common man turning into a gangster through insane knowledge and a commitment to protect his family. Bryan Cranston’s groundbreaking performance and Vince Gilligan’s writing gave us five seasons, a movie, and a spinoff show that is arguably better than its predecessor.

However, there is no Breaking Bad without The Sopranos. The HBO gem was at the forefront of the Golden Era of TV and gave the blueprint for other shows like Mad Men, which made the fall of an antihero a cinematic treatment. The current streaming era and the quality of storytelling owe everything to these shows that laid the foundation.

Breaking Bad creator Gilligan explicitly mentioned the influence The Sopranos had on his own show and how much the character of Tony Soprano inspired the creator of Walter White. At the time of James Gandolfini’s death, Gilligan wrote in THR,

I’ve said it many times, publicly and privately. I’ve said it to friends and strangers alike. But I’ve never said it on an occasion as sad as this: Without Tony Soprano, there would be no Walter White. I’m pretty sure I said it to James Gandolfini himself the one time I met him.

In the Apple TV Store charts, Breaking Bad is not even there. This proves the appeal the HBO drama still has. The Sopranos shaped the rest of the golden age too. Matthew Weiner wrote for the show in its last two seasons and has said it changed his approach to Mad Men.

Do you think Breaking Bad beats The Sopranos? Comment your thoughts below.