Some TV shows are meant to gulp down like a shot of espresso, your streaming miniseries and anthology seasons and multi-part docuseries. But others are made to linger over like a fine glass of wine, only getting better with time. These long-running titles are the latter: programs that have been allowed to deepen in complexity, expand in character and refine their essence.
If you're looking for a series to binge not over the course of a weekend but over weeks, maybe months, these decade-spanning shows are for you. From a fan-favorite medical drama to a legendary animated series to one of the best cop shows of all time, here are three TV series that are still airing after 20-plus years, as well as where you can stream them now.
'Grey's Anatomy'
America's longest-running medical drama and ABC's longest-running scripted primetime series, "Grey's Anatomy" is still going strong after two decades and 448 episodes. Having premiered on the alphabet network back in March 2005, the hospital-set soap will kick off its 22nd season on Thursday, Oct. 9. (Episodes will also be available to stream on Hulu the day after airing.)
And though "Grey's" has gone through many permutations over the years, from a rotating cast of characters (lead Ellen Pompeo will be back for seven eps of season 22, BTW) to a big hospital name change (Seattle Grace is now Grey Sloan Memorial, FYI), it's still a reliable watch for riveting medical cases, steamy workplace hook-ups and tear-inducing montages.
And if you want to stay in the "Grey's Anatomy" universe even longer, you can add spinoff series "Private Practice" and "Station 19" to your watchlist, both of which are available on Hulu.
Stream "Grey's Anatomy" on Hulu
'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'
Spun off from the original “Law and Order” series in 1999, “Law and Order: SVU” is arguably even more beloved than the O.G., thanks in no small part to its gripping storylines, compelling twists and strong characters, led by longtime series star Mariska Hargitay as the iconic Olivia Benson.
Now in its 27th season — which kicked off on Sept. 25 and airs Thursdays on NBC, with episodes available to stream the following day on Peacock — "SVU" has aired a whopping 574 episodes of television, making it fourth for all-time episode count for a primetime scripted series behind "The Simpsons"( with 791 episodes), "Gunsmoke" (with 635) and "Lassie" (with 591).
And with new episodes churning out every week, we know there's plenty more in store for Captain Benson and her dedicated squad.
Stream "Law & Order: SVU" on Peacock
'The Simpsons'
Speaking of "The Simpsons," the Fox animated classic — which centers on Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, a working-class family in the average but dysfunctional American town of Springfield — is nearing quite a milestone: 800 episodes since it debuted all the way back on December 17, 1989.
Winning 35 Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards and even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the fictional Simpsons family over the years, the iconic cartoon returned for its 37th season beginning on September 28, with episodes airing weekly on Sundays on Fox and streaming on Disney Plus.
And there's already more in the works: the series has been renewed through season 40, which means fresh "The Simpsons" eps will be coming to your TV through the 2028-2029 broadcast season at the very least.
Stream "The Simpsons" on Disney Plus
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