TV Channels – Series

Series television channels are the heartbeat of scripted entertainment, delivering gripping dramas, suspenseful thrillers, heartfelt family sagas, and intricate crime procedurals that keep viewers coming back episode after episode. From long-running network hits that span decades to critically acclaimed cable dramas that redefine the medium, series channels offer the deep storytelling and character development that episodic television does best. Today, audiences can watch live broadcasts via traditional cable and satellite subscriptions, digital terrestrial television (DTT), or increasingly through online streaming platforms and mobile apps. The digital revolution has made it possible to catch every plot twist, courtroom showdown, and hospital emergency from anywhere - whether you're following a weekly broadcast or discovering a classic series for the first time. This guide explores the major series TV channels that deliver the world's best episodic storytelling.

The Series Television Landscape

Series television encompasses a vast range of genres, formats, and production styles - from network procedurals and primetime soaps to premium cable epics and international co-productions. Leading the genre are the major broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX (USA), which produce and air hit series like Grey's Anatomy, Law & Order: SVU, NCIS, The Rookie, 9-1-1, and Chicago Fire/PD/Med. For cable drama, AMC set a new standard with Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Walking Dead, and Better Call Saul. FX and FXX deliver acclaimed series including The Americans, Fargo, Atlanta, Shōgun, and American Horror Story. USA Network built its brand on "characters welcome" with Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, and Suits. TNT (now merging with Warner Bros. Discovery) featured The Closer, Major Crimes, and Animal Kingdom. BBC One and BBC Two (UK) produce world-class dramas like Sherlock, Happy Valley, Line of Duty, and The Responder. ITV1 (UK) is home to beloved series including Downton Abbey, Vera, Endeavour, and Grantchester. Channel 4 (UK) pushes boundaries with series like It's a Sin, Utopia, and Hollyoaks. Many of these networks now offer robust platforms to watch TV online, allowing viewers to stream their favorite series from any device, anywhere.

Major Types of Series Channels by Genre

Series channels specialize in different genres to serve diverse audience tastes. Crime and legal drama channels dominate the landscape - TNT, USA Network, ION Television, BBC One, and ITV1 feature police procedurals (Law & Order, NCIS, Blue Bloods, Major Crimes), legal dramas (Suits, The Good Wife, Bull, All Rise), detective series (Monk, Psych, Elementary, Endeavour), and true crime-inspired dramas (Law & Order: True Crime, The Act). Medical drama channels - ABC, NBC, and Fox (via broadcast) plus BBC (Casualty, Holby City) - feature long-running hits like Grey's Anatomy, Chicago Med, The Good Doctor, New Amsterdam, and ER (in syndication). Action and thriller channels - FX, AMC, USA Network, and Fox - feature high-stakes series like 24, Homeland, The Americans, Burn Notice, Covert Affairs, and The Walking Dead. Period and costume drama channels - BBC One, ITV1, PBS (Masterpiece Theatre), and HBO - feature historical epics like Downton Abbey, The Crown, Victoria, Poldark, Outlander (on Starz), and Wolf Hall. Family drama channels - ABC, The CW, Freeform, and Hallmark Channel - feature heartfelt series like This Is Us, Parenthood, Gilmore Girls, Brothers & Sisters, and When Calls the Heart.

Premium Cable and Streaming Series Channels

Premium cable networks have redefined series television with cinematic production values, complex characters, and creative freedom. HBO is the gold standard, home to landmark series including The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones, Succession, True Detective, Big Little Lies, Chernobyl, and The Last of Us. Showtime delivers acclaimed series such as Dexter, Homeland, Billions, Yellowjackets, The Affair, and Shameless. Starz features hit series including Outlander, Power (and its many spin-offs), The White Queen series, and Spartacus. MGM+ (formerly Epix) offers series like Godfather of Harlem, Pennyworth, and Belgravia. Paramount Network (cable, not premium) has scored major hits with Yellowstone and its growing universe of prequels and spin-offs (1883, 1923, Lawmen: Bass Reeves). While streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, and Hulu operate primarily as on-demand platforms, many have introduced linear channels (on FAST services) that showcase their original series in a traditional schedule format, allowing viewers to watch live curated blocks of popular shows.

International and Regional Series Channels Worldwide

Beyond American and British broadcasters, many regions have dedicated series channels featuring local productions and international imports. In Canada, CTV Drama Channel (formerly Bravo) features Canadian and international dramas, while CBC Television produces acclaimed series like Heartland, Schitt's Creek, Anne with an E, and Coroner. Global TV airs Canadian and US dramas. In France, TF1 and France 2 produce popular French dramas (HPI, Le Bazar de la Charité), while Canal+ produces premium series (The Bureau, Versailles). OCS (Orange Cinema Series) features French and international series. In Germany, Das Erste (ARD) and ZDF produce popular German series (Tatort, Babylon Berlin, Dark), while Sky Deutschland produces original German dramas. In Italy, RAI (RAI 1, RAI 2, RAI 3) produces popular Italian series (Inspector Montalbano, My Brilliant Friend), while Mediaset (Canale 5, Italia 1) airs Italian dramas and soap operas. Sky Italia produces original series like Gomorrah and 1992/1993/1994. In Spain, Antena 3, Telecinco, La 1 (TVE), and Movistar Plus+ produce Spanish dramas (Money Heist originated on Antena 3, Elite on Movistar Plus+ before Netflix). In Latin America, Telemundo and Univision (USA-based but Spanish-language) produce popular telenovelas and series (La Reina del Sur, El Señor de los Cielos). Globo (Brazil) is a powerhouse of Brazilian telenovelas and series exported worldwide. In India, Star Plus, Colors TV, Sony TV, Zee TV, and DD National produce an enormous volume of Hindi-language dramas, family sagas, and mythological series, many of which air daily or multiple times per week. In Turkey, Kanal D, ATV, Star TV, Show TV, and Fox Türkiye produce Turkish dramas (diriliş: Ertuğrul, Kuruluş: Osman, Kara Sevda) that have become international sensations, exported to over 100 countries. In South Korea, KBS, SBS, MBC, and cable channels like tvN and JTBC produce Korean dramas (K-dramas) that have a massive global following, with many available for live streaming with subtitles. In Australia, Seven Network, Nine Network, Network 10, and ABC Australia produce local dramas (Home and Away, Neighbours, Mystery Road). For viewers who prefer stream online access, many of these international series channels offer 24/7 linear streams on their websites or connected TV apps.

FAST (Free Ad-Supported) Series Channels

The rise of free streaming platforms has created a wealth of dedicated series channels available at no cost. Pluto TV Series features multiple channels including Pluto TV Dramas, Pluto TV Crime Series, Pluto TV Medical Dramas, Classic Doctor Who, Star Trek Channel, and Hell's Kitchen (reality competition, but structured like a series). Amazon Freevee Series offers rotating series programming including Bosch, Leverage, and Murder, She Wrote. Samsung TV Plus Series features channels like K-Dramas, Turkish Dramas, Crime 360, and Drama Box. Xumo Series and The Roku Channel Series offer similar free 24/7 series streams. Tubi Series (owned by Fox) features an extensive on-demand library of complete series alongside linear series channels. Plex Series offers free series channels as well. These FAST channels are perfect for viewers who want to watch live series content without a subscription - just turn on and discover a new show or revisit an old favorite.

The way viewers consume series television has transformed dramatically. While traditional cable and satellite packages remain popular (with AMC, FX, USA Network, TNT, BBC America, and network affiliates available on providers like DirecTV, Dish, Comcast, Spectrum, and Cox), internet-based viewing is now the norm. Most major series networks offer dedicated streaming services and apps - AMC+ (AMC, BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV series), FX on Hulu (all FX series stream exclusively on Hulu), Peacock (NBC dramas and classic series), Paramount+ (CBS dramas, Showtime series, and Nickelodeon dramas), Hulu (ABC, Fox, and Freeform series plus originals), Max (HBO, TNT, TBS, Adult Swim, and Discovery series), Prime Video (Amazon originals and licensed series), Netflix (massive library of original and licensed series from around the world), Disney+ (Marvel and Star Wars series, plus ABC and Fox family dramas), Apple TV+ (premium originals), and BritBox (dedicated to British series from BBC and ITV). Free ad-supported streaming platforms (FAST) like Pluto TV, Amazon Freevee, Samsung TV Plus, Xumo, The Roku Channel, Tubi, and Plex have dedicated series channels offering 24/7 curated content at no cost. Subscription live TV services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV (with drama and news add-ons), FuboTV, and DirecTV Stream include most major series channels in their lineups. For international series fans, specialized services include Viki (Asian dramas, especially K-dramas, C-dramas, and J-dramas), Rakuten Viki, Kocowa (Korean dramas), iQIYI (Chinese dramas), WeTV, TurkFlix (Turkish dramas), and Shahid (Arabic series). For the most comprehensive access, smart TV platforms (Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast with Google TV) support all major series channel apps with full streaming functionality. This shift means that whether you're at home for a weekly premiere, on your commute catching up on last night's episode, or traveling abroad discovering international series, you can easily stream online series from around the world. The flexibility of live streaming ensures you never miss a season premiere, a series finale, or a crucial mid-season twist. Series television reminds us that great stories connect us all - and now they're more accessible than ever before.