The Sopranos named best-written TV show ever Best show of all time: James Gandolfini in scene from final episode of TV series The Sopranos. HBO's multiple award-winning hit series, The Sopranos, has topped the list as the best-written show in television history. Officials at the Writers Guild of America have compiled a list of 101 of the most cleverly written shows to appear on US TV, and the mobster series - which ran from 1999-2007 - came out on top. The David Chase-created gangster show topped the list of some of the most beloved and admired series from all genres of English-language television over the last seven decades. Long-running sitcom Seinfeld was second on the countdown, followed by the original 1959 series of The Twilight Zone. All in the Family, whose star Jean Stapleton died on Friday, and M*A*S*H* round out the top five. Other shows to make the top 10 include Mad Men, Cheers, The Wire and The West Wing. A statement from Writers Guild of America reads: "At their core, all of these wonderful series began with the words of the writers who created them and were sustained by the writers who joined their staffs or worked on individual episodes. This list is not only a tribute to great TV, it is a dedication to all writers who devote their hearts and minds to advancing their craft.