Top 10 Ensemble Live-Action TV Drama Casts

When “Orange Is the New Black” started out, it was essentially the story of Piper Chapman. As the seasons have gone on, however, Piper has become just a small fraction of what’s truly an ensemble piece. From Uzo Uduba’s Suzanne, to Kate Mulgrew’s Red, to Laverne Cox’s Sophia, there are too many breakout characters on this Netflix original series to count. It’s further encouraging to see a hit series with a cast primarily consisting of women that come from various ethnic, religious, sexual, and even gender backgrounds.

This UK drama is one of the best shows you’ll ever see about teenagers coming of age. Part of that’s because “Skins” isn’t afraid to touch base on controversial subjects teenagers face every day. What really makes the series so special, however, is its complex, diverse, and identifiable characters. Even more unique, “Skins” never exhausts any of its characters, as every couple of seasons focus on a new batch of teens. This demonstrates that change may come with each passing generation, but certain issues will always remain the same.

“Six Feet Under” is about many things, such as living life to the fullest and coping with the inevitability of death. At the center of all these themes, though, is an overarching moral enforcing the importance of family. The Fisher family and their closest loved ones don’t always get along. When tragedy strikes, however, this dysfunctional clan unites to console each other and overcome grief. Many of us can see our own families in Nate, Ruth, David, and Claire. They may drive each other crazy, but they’re strongest when together.

“Misfits” is yet another drama that doesn’t focus on one group of individuals throughout its entire run. There are virtually no characters that appear in every season. For each person that exits, however, we are introduced to a new intriguing character with a cool new supernatural ability. While the original generation of misfits is still considered the best among fans, this British series always keeps things fresh with different people and dynamics. Considering how many TV characters wear out their welcome after awhile, other shows could learn from “Misfits.”

This game-changing series found just the right balance in juggling a massive ensemble comprised of over a dozen main characters. Each person stranded on the enigmatic island is a mystery, making it fascinating to learn where he or she came from and where he or she will ultimately end up. With each revelation, we find that these incredibly different strangers have more in common than initially expected. Even if everyone wasn’t satisfied with how “Lost” wrapped things up, we’re all glad that we got to know Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, and the rest.

When people think of sci-fi shows, certain stereotypical archetypes usually come to mind. “Battlestar Galactica” struck a chord with a wide range of audiences, though, because of its surprisingly multi-layered, relatable, and human characters. Despite their setting, real-world parallels can undeniably be found in politicians like President Laura Roslin and military leaders like Admiral William Adama. The best science fiction shows are the ones that have something to say about the human condition. “Battlestar Galactica” marvelously accomplished this with people that felt all too real.

“Downton Abbey” practically has two casts for the price of one. Half of the show centers on the aristocratic Crawley family while the other half shines the spotlight on their servants. Despite their opposite classes, however, all of these people have one thing in common: they’re all learning to deal with changing times brought on by war, tragedy, and the challenging of social norms. The audience observes these changes not only from the perspectives of contrasting classes, but contrasting genders as well, amounting to a series that speaks to everyone.

Like “Downton Abbey,” “Mad Men” is also largely about a changing world. It’s a world where women can be prominent in the work place, men can be emotionally vulnerable, and the idea of a traditional family feels harder to attain. We see this changing world through the eyes of strong women like Peggy Olson, lost men like Don Draper, and every character’s complicated home life. Although many think of the 1960s as a more innocent time, all of these people exemplify how the supposed good old days were always a false advertisement.

While many crime dramas have big casts, most of them only observe law enforcement from one point of view. Over five seasons, though, “The Wire” explores the drug scene from the perspectives of criminals, blue-collar workers, government, schools, and media in addition to the police. Addressing the issue from every conceivable angle, we see that law enforcement isn’t as cut and dry as police procedurals typically make it out to be. We can find ourselves sympathizing with drug dealers and questioning the extremes detectives will go to in seeking justice.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
“Heroes” (2006-10)
“Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-)
“The Good Wife” (2009-)
“Shameless” (2011-)
“The West Wing” (1999-2006)

The world of “Game of Thrones” is so vast that a movie franchise could never cover all the characters. This made HBO the perfect venue to bring George R. R. Martin’s novels to life, introducing mainstream audiences to unforgettable people like Tyrion, Daenerys, and Arya. While we look forward to every new episode, we also dread each passing episode. This is because any of the characters we’ve come to love could die at any time. Since there are numerous characters we love to hate, though, maybe that’s not so bad.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite drama TV cast? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.