FX’s hit TV shows to binge watch and die for
FX has spent three decades carving out space for the strange, the sharp, and the unclassifiable. From prestige dramas that rewrite the rules to comedies that refuse to behave, the network built its identity on shows that look and sound like nothing else on the dial. The lineup below mixes early provocateurs with later standouts that kept that reputation alive.
The Comedians
This self-satirizing comedy received great critical acclaim and packed impressive star power with an icon in Billy Crystal (City Slickers) and his co-star Josh Gad (Beauty and the Beast). Although the show worked on multiple levels, with Crystal and Gad poking fun at themselves, the world, and everything else in between, it was only short-lived, and was axed after season one. In this case, The Comedians failed to maintain the laughs.
Wilfred
The storyline of Wilfred initially reeked of desperation – Ryan (Elijah Wood) survives a suicide attempt, only to find his neighbor’s dog has manifested as a man (Jason Gann) in a dog suit. Clutching at straws much? However, Wilfred evolved into a dark comedy, taking it past the whole “man in a dog suit” gag, and settled on an uncertain narrative that somehow just worked.
American Horror Story
Ryan Murphy really pushed the boundaries with this show, shelling out enough sex, violence, and freak shows to keep its audiences hooked for seven seasons and counting. Presenting the horror anthology with differing themes each season has clearly proved a popular concept, with the franchise morphing into a monster that could keep on living for years to come. Season 13 began filming in April 2026 and is slated for a September 2026 premiere, bringing back Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Jessica Lange among others.
Baskets
Baskets is a dark-comedy starring Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) in a tragi-comic performance as the clownish black sheep of his family. But the true shining star in this series is Emmy-winner Louie Anderson in his LOL role as Christine Baskets – the mom we all wish we had (purely for comedic reasons).
Nip/Tuck
No nip & tuck needed for this show, which ran for a solid six seasons back in the 00s. The plot followed the dark and twisted trials of two top plastic surgeons Dr. Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), containing enough sexy sex to render it “soft porn” material.
Louie
Sexual misconduct allegations against Louis C.K. aside, there’s no denying how much this show changed the TV landscape. As IndieWire put it, “for better or for worse, the show represented what could happen when a creator was given complete control over a small-budgeted production of their own sitcom.”
Better Things
While we’re on the topic, here’s hoping Pamela Adlon’s wonderful comedy Better Things will survive her association with longtime collaborator Louis C.K.; with season three on the cards, the outlook is positive. Offering a quiet and grounded story of a single mom and her three girls, the show made an impression with audiences thanks to Aldon’s warmth and vision as creator & producer. Looks like this show will move on to better things. Better Things ultimately ended after five seasons in 2022, closing on Adlon’s own terms.
Archer
Archer – the animated comedy where covert black ops and espionage take a back seat to zany personalities and awkward relationships between secret agents and drones. The show has proved so popular since launching back in 2009 that it’s coming back for a ninth season this year. Archer ultimately ran fourteen seasons before closing with a three-part finale in December 2023.
Atlanta
Donald Glover (The Martian) triumphed in his debut as creator with the critically-acclaimed Atlanta, about an aspiring rapper named Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry) and his cousin-slash-manager Earn (Glover). Season one was an odd ride, embracing a surreal narrative and highlighting just how bizarre, dangerous, and unfair life can be, especially when you’re black. Atlanta ran four seasons before concluding in 2022.
Fargo
While some series might have been stronger than others, overall Fargo has offered up some of the most daring TV-based storytelling swings of the last decade, as well as a glut of impactful characters including Mike Milligan, Lester Nygaard, Lorne Malvo, Gloria Burgle, and the entire Solverson family. With season four on the slate, no doubt Fargo will continue to go far. Season 5 aired in 2023-2024, while discussions for a sixth season continue but remain delayed.
Sons of Anarchy
Created by Kurt Sutter, Sons of Anarchy followed the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in the fictional Californian town of Charming. As one of FX’s most popular shows, Sons of Anarchy saw success by keeping viewers hooked with twist after twist over the course of its seven seasons.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
For comedy lovers around the world, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will continue to hold a special place in our hearts. The controversial black comedy based on the depraved antics of the gang in Paddy’s Pub builds on a solid foundation of laughing at idiocy. Also, Dennis and Frank Reynolds (Glenn Howerton and Danny DeVito) are two of television’s greatest gifts to the world. Season 17 premiered in July 2025, with an eighteenth season already in development.
The Americans
In one of the most critically heralded series of all time, Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields’ portrait of two Russian spies thrust together to form a makeshift American family takes on so many genres and ideas from scene to scene – first it’s dramatic, then it’s funny, then it’s got a lot of fighting action. Overall it’s a fantastically addictive and original show, and, in the words of Paste, “The Americans may well turn out to be the last great drama of television’s most recent Golden Age.” The Americans ended in 2018 after six seasons, its finale widely praised as one of the decade’s strongest conclusions.
The Bear
The Bear arrived as a pressure-cooker kitchen drama and quickly became one of FX’s biggest recent successes. The series follows a young chef returning to his family sandwich shop in Chicago, where the staff’s chaos mirrors the intensity of professional kitchens. Five seasons have aired so far, each one tightening the focus on grief, ambition, and the cost of excellence. The show’s rapid-fire dialogue and claustrophobic camerawork earned it multiple Emmys and turned its cast into instant stars.
Welcome to Wrexham
Welcome to Wrexham brought FX into unscripted territory with unexpected results. The documentary series follows actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds as they purchase a Welsh football club and attempt to revive its fortunes. Multiple seasons have documented everything from match-day tension to community politics, turning a niche sports story into appointment viewing. The series has become a flagship unscripted title for the network, proving FX can succeed outside scripted prestige.
Alien: Earth
Alien: Earth extended FX’s horror tradition into science-fiction territory. Created by Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley, the series premiered in 2025 and was renewed shortly after. Set in the same universe as the film franchise, it explores corporate power, synthetic life, and the same dread that made the original movies endure. Hawley’s involvement signaled FX’s continued interest in genre experiments that blend high concept with character focus.
Shōgun
Shōgun positioned FX as a home for sweeping historical drama. The series, which premiered in 2024, adapted James Clavell’s novel about political maneuvering in feudal Japan. Its meticulous production design and performances earned widespread praise and a renewal, expanding the network’s reach beyond contemporary settings. The show demonstrated that FX could handle large-scale prestige storytelling while keeping its taste for moral complexity intact.
FX’s catalog keeps shifting, but the pattern holds. The network favors shows that take narrative risks and trust audiences to follow. Whether the format is animated satire, anthology horror, or documentary sports, the best FX series still feel like they could only exist here.
