The Best Free TV Shows on YouTube

Catch your favorite episodes for free, with ads

By Robert Earl Wells III
Updated on June 6, 2024
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
Jon Fisher headshot
Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute

Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA-certified technologist with more than 10 years of experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.

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Streaming TV, Movies, & More

YouTube offers movies and TV shows to rent or purchase, but did you know that you can watch TV shows for free with ads? You can browse the full list of free YouTube TV shows on YouTube's site, or consult our guide to the best shows on YouTube.

01
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Scream Queens (2015): Funniest Tribute to the Slasher Genre

Scream Queens

Fox

IMDb rating: 7.1/10

Genre: Comedy, Horror, Mystery

Starring: Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Abigail Breslin

Created by: Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy

TV Rating: TV-14

Chanel Oberlin (Emma Roberts) and the other sisters of Kappa Kappa Tau are being targeted by someone disguised as the university mascot. Although it's a comedy, Scream Queens pays homage to classic horror movies like Psycho and Halloween. The original scream queen, Jamie Lee Curtis, even plays Dean Cathy Munsch. Nick Jonas and Niecy Nash round out the hilarious supporting cast.

02
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Eerie, Indiana (1991): Like the Outer Limits But For Kids

Omri Katz in Eerie, Indiana (1991)

YouTube

IMDb rating: 8.2/10

Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama

Starring: Omri Katz, Justin Shenkarow, Mary-Margaret Humes

Created by: Jose Rivera, Karl Schaefer

TV Rating: TV-Y7

In this hidden gem from the early 1990s, new kid Marshall Teller (Omri Katz) struggles with adjusting to life in a middle-American town with supernatural secrets. Eerie, Indiana walks a fine line between humor and horror, but it's tame enough for most kids. Sadly, only 19 episodes were ever made, but now you can watch them whenever you want, including one episode that never aired on TV.

03
of 12

Wilfred (2011): Strangest Comedy About a Boy and His Dog

Elijah Wood and Jason Gann in Wilfred

YouTube

IMDb rating: 7.8/10

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery

Starring: Elijah Wood, Jason Gann, Fiona Gubelmann

Created by: Jason Gann, David Zuckerman, Adam Zwar

TV Rating: TV-MA

Ryan (Elijah Wood) feels like he has nothing left to live for until meets an anthropomorphic dog who becomes his life coach. Wilfred was an Australian show before it was adapted for American audiences with show co-creator Jason Gann playing the title character in both versions. The humor is crude and irreverent just like the original, but like Ryan, you'll probably walk away from each episode in a better mood than you were beforehand.

04
of 12

Iron Chef (1993): Craziest International Cooking Show

Takeshi Kaga in Iron Chef

YouTube

IMDb rating: 8.6/10

Genre: Game Show, Reality-TV

Starring: Chen Kenichi, Hiroyuki Sakai, Rokusaburo Michiba

Created by: Fuji TV

TV Rating: PG

Before Iron Chef became a staple on the American Food Network, it was one of Japan's biggest game shows in which chefs from around the country challenged master chefs in timed cook-offs. Hosted by the charismatic and enigmatic Takeshi Kaga, Iron Chef is just as entertaining today as it was 30 years ago, and you might even get inspired to try some new cuisine.

05
of 12

Earth: Final Conflict (1997): A Bleaker Vision of the Future From the Creator of Star Trek

The cast of Earth: Final Conflict

YouTube

IMDb rating: 6.2/10

Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery

Starring: Von Flores, Leni Parker, Anita La Selva

Created by: Gene Roddenberry

TV Rating: TV-PG

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry had an idea for a darker sci-fi series about a clash between Earthlings and extraterrestrials. After his passing, Roddenberry's wife Majel Barrett-Roddenberry brought his vision to life with the show Earth: Final Conflict. When seemingly altruistic beings offer humans a cure for all the planet's ailments, some people start to become skeptical of their intentions.

06
of 12

The Carol Burnett Show (1967): Funniest Variety Hour of the 60s and 70s

Carol Burnett in the Carol Burnett Show

YouTube

IMDb rating: 8.7/10

Genre: Comedy, Family

Starring: Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence

Created by: Carol Burnett

TV Rating: TV-PG

In the 1960s and 70s, it seemed everyone had a variety show, from Sonny and Cher to the Brady Bunch. But no one could beat Carol Burnett, who ruled the world of sketch comedy for over a decade. The Carol Burnett Show won 25 Primetime Emmy Awards during its run. Many of the episodes on YouTube haven't been available since they originally aired, so if you missed them when they first ran, you have a lot of catching up to do.

07
of 12

Heartland (2007): Most Heartwarming Canadian Show for the Whole Family

The cast of Heartland

YouTube

IMDb rating: 8.4/10

Genre: Drama, Family

Starring: Amber Marshall, Shaun Johnston, Michelle Morgan

Created by: Murray Shostak

TV Rating: TV-PG

Not to be confused with the 2007 American medical drama with the same name, Heartland is a Canadian show about a family of ranchers. It's based on a series of books by Lauren Brooke, which follows the lives of sisters Amy (Amber Marshall) and Lou (Michelle Morgan) as they support their bereaved grandfather (Shaun Johnston). It's mostly wholesome family entertainment, although it sometimes deals with tough subjects such as loss and addiction.

08
of 12

21 Jump Street (1987): Coolest Cop Drama That Probably Couldn't Be Made Today

The cast of 21 Jump Street 1987

YouTube

IMDb rating: 7.2/10

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Starring: Johnny Depp, Dustin Nguyen, Peter DeLuise

Created by: Stephen J. Cannell, Patrick Hasburgh

TV Rating: TV-14

A team of young cops goes undercover posing as high school students to investigate drug trafficking, abuse allegations, and hate crimes. Despite the controversial concept, 21 Jump Street was a progressive show that didn't shy away from difficult topics. Starring Johnny Depp in his breakout role as Officer Tom Hanson, it's the type of show that often ends with a PSA from the cast.

09
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The Goode Family (2009): Most Politically Incorrect Show About Political Correctness

The Goode Family

YouTube

IMDb rating: 6.4/10

Genre: Animation, Comedy

Starring: Mike Judge, Nancy Carell, Linda Cardellini

Created by: John Altschuler, Mike Judge, Dave Krinsky

TV Rating: TV-MA

Mike Judge is best known for creating Beavis and Butt-Head and King of the Hill, but in 2009, he decided to try something a little different with The Goode Family. About a family of do-gooders who often only make things worse, Goode Family has some jokes that are already outdated by today's standards, but it can still be fun to go back and watch, just like Judge's other shows.

10
of 12

Z Rock (2008): Weirdest Star-Studded Band Mockumentary

The cast of Z Rock

YouTube

IMDb rating: 8.1/10

Genre: Comedy

Starring: Joey Cassata, Lynne Koplitz, David Zablidowsky

Created by: Mark Mark Productions

TV Rating: TV-MA

When you're an indie band, you have to take any gig you can get. That's why the members of the hard rock band Z02 all have day jobs performing at kid's parties. The show stars real-life brothers Paulie and David Zablidowsky, and it features cameos from the likes of Dee Snider and Dave Navarro. A lot of the dialogue is improvised, so it has a reality-TV vibe even though it's a mockumentary.

11
of 12

The Dead Zone (2002): A Steven King-Inspired Psychic Detective Story

Anthony Michael Hall in Dead Zone

YouTube

IMDb rating: 7.3/10

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

Starring: Anthony Michael Hall, Nicole de Boer, Chris Bruno

Created by: Michael Piller, Shawn Piller

TV Rating: TV-14

A head injury grants Johnny Smith (Anthony Michael Hall) psychic abilities, which he uses to help the police solve crimes. Meanwhile, Johnny has to deal with the fact that his ex-wife married the local sheriff while he was in a coma for six years. If that sounds like the plot of a Stephen King novel, it's because the show is based on the author's 1979 book with the same title.

12
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The Mediator With Ice-T (2021): A Judge Show for Problems Too Big for Judge Judy

The Mediator With Ice-T

YouTube

IMDb rating: 6.8/10

Genre: Reality-TV

Starring: Ice-T, Freddie Foxx, Eric Bates

Created by: Ice-T

TV Rating: TV-14

Rapper Ice-T is not a cop, but he does play one on TV. Now, he's putting his fake criminal justice experience to use in his new role mediating conflicts, serving as both the judge and the jury. In one episode, he assesses the emotional damage caused by missing bottles of body wash. It's like Judge Judy, but more legitimate.

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