The highest-rated movies and TV shows you can stream right now

We had to start here, with the movie that, for better or worse, symbolizes the IMDb rankings. For years “The Shawshank Redemption” has ranked as the top movie by IMDb voters. It didn’t win Best Picture. Critics don’t consider it an all-time great. However, the Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman vehicle adapted from a Stephen King story is the apparent definition of popularity. People seem to love it. Judge it for yourself on Hulu.

The first two movies in Sergio Leone’s trilogy, built around Clint Eastwood’s “Man with No Name,” are considered solid by fans of Westerns. However, the third movie from the trio, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” is thought of as an all-time classic. We do agree that it’s the best of the three. You can watch it on Netflix, Amazon Prime or DirecTV.

The people who vote for movies on IMDb apparently love Christopher Nolan. Well, Nolan fans do tend to be quite vocal. “Inception” is his trademark movie not featuring Batman, and it's a mind-bending affair set in the world of dreams. Head into the dream world with Leonardo DiCaprio on Netflix, Sling or the TNT app.

Martin Scorsese has made many fine films, but the slick gangster story “Goodfellas” reigns as his most popular. It’s one of those movies that seems to be among everybody’s favorites. We aren’t complaining, as it is a gripping bit of cinema with some memorable performances. Go home and watch it on TNT or Sling. Your shine box is optional.

“Fight Club” is a divisive movie. But as is the case with many polarizing topics, its supporters are ardent, and they are the ones likely flocking to IMDb to give it a 10 rating. We won’t make your decision for you. Just be ready for some violence and some weirdness. The first rule of “Fight Club?” Watch it on HBO.

Like “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Pulp Fiction” didn’t win Best Picture for 1994. Unlike “The Shawshank Redemption,” it introduced Quentin Tarantino to a wide audience and changed the movie landscape. It’s been quoted to death and has inspired dozens of imitators. You can watch it with a Starz subscription. We don’t know what that's called in France.

Of all the “Star Wars” films, “The Empire Strikes Back” has the highest rating. It doesn’t have any of the toxicity that surrounds the most recent trilogy, and generally people find the second film in the franchise to be the best. That makes this rating sensible. Don’t start with “The Empire Strikes Back,” but if you just want some nostalgia, it’s time to get on Disney+, where you can find all the “Star Wars” movies.

“Parasite” is fresh off being named Best Picture, so it’s likely the least-seen movie on this list. The Korean film from Bong Joon-ho is a challenging one, but watching it you can see why it won Best Picture. Bong made history with “Parasite.” The least you can do is view it on Hulu.

Yes, we’re doing two Nolan films, but his films are just stuffing the top of IMDb’s rankings. As such, we’re willing to acknowledge him again. That’s especially true for “Interstellar,” arguably his film that has most fallen through the cracks. You may have missed it. Now you can amend that. You can stream it with FXNow.

“Better Call Saul” recently ended its fifth season. You’ve watched “El Camino.” Why not go back to the iconic series that started in all? Never watched the Emmy darling “Breaking Bad”? Then this is the perfect time to give it a shot. Watch Walter White’s journey on Netflix.

We assume “Game of Thrones” has seen its rating dip since the final season, which even die hards seemed not to enjoy. Well, it’s still highly rated on IMDb, and it’s still the show that everybody you knew was talking about for years. Want to see what the fuss is about? Then check it out on HBO.

This list is actually full of HBO shows, which is good, given that during the pandemic HBO has been allowing some of its shows to be seen for free. “Band of Brothers” is a miniseries, so you don’t have as much of a commitment as you would have with others. Not that you won’t be spent by the end of its 10 episodes. “Band of Brothers” is also on Amazon Prime.

“The Wire” is the ultimate critical darling. It wasn’t overly popular in its time, but it feels like everybody has seen it now. Tell somebody you haven’t seen “The Wire” and get ready for their jaw to drop. The show is extremely dark and bleak, so don’t try it if you want something uplifting. If you’re up for that, though, then “The Wire” may be just what you ordered. You can go way down in the hole on HBO, Hulu or Amazon Prime.

This was an odd one, but we felt we should include it, if only out of curiosity. “Telenovela” was a parody of, well, telenovelas starring Eva Longoria. It was canceled after 11 episodes, and yet, it has incredibly high ratings on IMDb. It’s a strange old world sometime. See why “Telenovela” has a 9.2 rating with the NBC app.

There have been many versions of Sherlock Holmes. What makes “Sherlock” stand out? Well, for one, Holmes and Watson are played by Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. On top of that, it’s set in modern times. Get ready for Sherlock texting. You can find four seasons of “Sherlock” on Netflix, one season on the PBS app and one season on Amazon Prime.

“The Sopranos” changed TV, and it helped turn HBO into a behemoth of original programming and an Emmy darling. Network dramas are basically an afterthought these days, and it largely started with James Gandolfini as the iconic mobster Tony Soprano. If you haven’t watched “The Sopranos” yet, it’s on HBO, but you can also find it on Amazon Prime and Hulu.

The “Twilight Zone” was rebooted recently with Jordan Peele, but nothing lives up to the original. Rod Serling’s show was basically a series of standalone plays, often with a morbid or sci-fi bend to them. Serling loved twists and social commentary, and “The Twilight Zone” is filled with that. There are five seasons on Hulu and CBS and four seasons on Netflix.

Not a lot of people watched “Firefly,” which is why it was canceled. However, its fan base was so fervent it eventually inspired a movie based on the show, called “Serenity.” Joss Whedon’s sci-fi adventure is an easy binge, given that there aren’t a ton of episodes. You might be able to watch all of it on Hulu in one weekend.

We end with the only active show on the list. “Fargo” is in the midst of its fourth season, but you can catch up by watching the first three seasons, which are all tied together but also stand alone as their own stories. The best of the bunch is the second season, if you only have so much time. All three seasons are on Hulu, while two are on DirecTV.