Deutsch
TV-Shows.TV
1. The Big Bang Theory
(8/10 stars)A woman who moves into an apartment across the hall from two brilliant but socially awkward physicists shows them how little they know about life outside of the laboratory. more about The Big Bang Theory
Top 20 Short Runtime TV Series 2026
This selection focuses on the best short runtime TV series. Ideal if you want a strong show with fewer episodes or compact seasons.
How are the series charts created?
Rankings are based on real user ratings. The more votes a show receives, the more stable its chart position. When you rate shows yourself, your personal recommendations improve too.
Filter series by genre, status and streaming service:
Series Charts: Top 20
(8/10 stars)2. How I Met Your Mother
(7/10 stars)A father tells his children, through a series of flashbacks, the journey that he and his four best friends undertook, which would lead him to meet their mother. more about How I Met Your Mother
3. Scrubs
(8/10 stars)Scrubs focuses on the lives of several people working at Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced dialogue, slapstick, and surreal vignettes presented mostly as the daydreams of the central character, Dr. John Michael "J.D." Dorian. more about Scrubs
4. Californication
(8/10 stars)David Duchovny returns to TV with his Golden Globe-winning portrayal of author Hank Moody in the critically-acclaimed Showtime hit Californication. Author Hank Moody's life is spinning gloriously out of control as he juggles his sex and drug addictions while raising a daughter and trying to win back... more about Californication
5. Two and a Half Men
(7/10 stars)Charlie is a well-to-do bachelor with a house at the beach, a Jaguar in the front, and an easy way with women. His casual Malibu lifestyle is interrupted when his tightly wound brother Alan, who's facing a divorce, and his son Jake, come to live with him. Together, these two and a half men confront ... more about Two and a Half Men
6. Friends
(7/10 stars)Genres: Comedy
Rachel Green, Ross Geller, Monica Geller, Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing and Phoebe Buffay are six 20 something year-olds, living off one another in the heart of New York City. Over the course of ten years, this average group of buddies goes through massive mayhem, family trouble, past and future rom... more about Friends
7. New Girl
(8/10 stars)Genres: Comedy
Jessica Day is an offbeat and adorable girl in her late 20s who, after a bad breakup, moves in with three single guys. Goofy, positive, vulnerable and honest to a fault, Jess has faith in people, even when she shouldn't. Although she's dorky and awkward, she's comfortable in her own skin. More prone... more about New Girl
8. 2 Broke Girls
(7/10 stars)Genres: Comedy
Comedy about the unlikely friendship that develops between two very different young women who meet waitressing at a diner in trendy Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and form a bond over one day owning their own successful cupcake business. Only one thing stands in their way – they’re broke. more about 2 Broke Girls
9. The Simpsons
(8/10 stars)Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to... more about The Simpsons
10. Sex and the City
(7/10 stars)The narrative of the show focuses on Carrie Bradshaw and her three best friends, Miranda Hobbes, Charlotte York and Samantha Jones. The women discuss their sexual desires and fantasies, and their travels in life, love and lesbianism. The show often depicts frank discussions about romance and sexuali... more about Sex and the City
11. Weeds
(7/10 stars)Is the grass really greener on the other side? Yes, and it smells better, too! So when Nancy Botwin faces both sudden widowhood and poverty, she's determined to do anything to keep her kids in suburbia, including taking a job as the neighborhood pot dealer. more about Weeds
12. Modern Family
(8/10 stars)Genres: Comedy
This mockumentary explores the many different types of a modern family through the stories of a gay couple, comprised of Mitchell and Cameron, and their daughter Lily, a straight couple, comprised of Phil and Claire, and their three kids, Haley, Alex, and Luke, and a multi-ethnic couple, which is co... more about Modern Family
13. Death Note
(9/10 stars)When a Japanese high schooler comes into possession of a mystical notebook, he finds he has the power to kill anybody whose name he enters in it. more about Death Note
14. One Piece
(9/10 stars)The adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew in order to find the greatest treasure ever left by the legendary Pirate, Gold Roger. The famous mystery treasure named "One Piece". more about One Piece
15. King of Queens
(8/10 stars)Genres: Comedy
Life’s good for deliveryman Doug Heffernan, until his newly widowed father-in-law, Arthur, moves in with him and his wife Carrie. Doug is no longer the king of his domain, and instead of having a big screen television in his recently renovated basement, he now has a crazy old man. more about King of Queens
16. South Park
(8/10 stars)South Park is an animated series featuring four boys who live in the Colorado town of South Park, which is beset by frequent odd occurrences. The show grew out of a short film that Trey Parker and Matt Stone created called The Spirit of Christmas, and has become an award-winning show that is a uniqu... more about South Park
17. Rick and Morty
(9/10 stars)Follows the misadventures of an alcoholic scientist Rick and his overly nervous grandson Morty, who split their time between domestic family life and intergalactic travel. Often finding themselves in a heap of trouble that more often than not is created through their own actions. more about Rick and Morty
18. Family Guy
(8/10 stars)A sick, twisted, and politically incorrect animated series following the adventures of the dysfunctional Griffin family living in Quahog. Drunk goof Peter and long-suffering Lois are parents to three kids: sadistic Stewie, unpopular Meg, and not-so bright Chris, as well as talking dog Brian - who is... more about Family Guy
19. Futurama
(7/10 stars)A late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J. Fry, after being unwittingly cryogenically frozen for one thousand years, finds employment at Planet Express, an interplanetary delivery company in the 31st century. more about Futurama
20. Community
(8/10 stars)Genres: Comedy
The student body at Greendale Community College is made up of high-school losers, newly divorced housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active. Within these not-so-hallowed halls, Community focuses on a band of misfits, at the center of which is a fast-talking lawyer whose degree wa... more about Community
Why these charts are worth it
The charts combine community ratings with flexible filters for genre, runtime, status and streaming services. That makes it easier to move from broad discovery to precise recommendations that match your current mood and available time.
If you want to find a new series faster, start with a genre or streaming provider and narrow the ranking step by step. This saves time and usually leads to much better recommendations than browsing randomly.
Discover related charts
FAQ
What are short runtime TV series?
Short runtime TV series are shows with a shorter episode length or an overall more compact format. They are a strong fit if you want quality storytelling with less time commitment.
Do short runtime TV series always have only a few episodes?
No. A short runtime TV series does not automatically mean only a few episodes. The key factor is the shorter runtime and the more compact viewing experience.
Who are short runtime TV series ideal for?
They are ideal if you do not have much time but still want strong TV shows with a good story, a clear structure and a faster entry point.