Peter Krause's 5 Best TV Shows, According To IMDb

Peter Krause has, in the words of Reddit user HitmanSK007, "one of the greatest television careers ever." The actor's work on television began in 1990 with the comedy anthology "Carol & Company," playing a variety of characters in skits. His career only grew from there, with appearances on "Seinfeld" and "Ellen," before landing a recurring role as Kevin Manning on the CBS comedy "Cybill."

Krause has some amazing projects on his resume, leading shows like ABC's drama "Dirty Sexy Money" and the popular procedural "9-1-1." He's dabbled in most genres, from comedy and dramas to supernatural and more family-centric series, and he's continuously been on the small screen since 1995. 

With such a career, it can be hard to decide which of his shows to start watching first. Krause has been part of some real gems, and based on IMDb ratings, his best projects feature a procedural, a supernatural miniseries, and some strong comedies. Whether you're in the mood for sports broadcasting or a generational family story, Krause's best series offer a bit of everything.

"9-1-1" is an ABC series following first responders. The team consists of firefighters, 911 operators, paramedics, and police officers. Peter Krause is Bobby Nash, a captain with the Los Angeles Fire Department and husband to Los Angeles Police Department detective Athena Grant (Angela Bassett). Each episode features the team helping with different emergencies, trying to balance their work and personal lives.

Bobby has been through quite a bit on "9-1-1," including on-the-job accidents and personal journeys. He is a core portion of the show for the first eight seasons, but his luck ran out, and Bobby exited the series during the eighth season. For some fans, this was a disappointment, not just because they love the character, but because they like the actor playing him as well. "Bobby was the first character I really cared about in the show," Reddit user jholden23 commented. "I became a pretty big Peter Krause fan through seeing him on this show and watched his other work as well."

"9-1-1" has a 7.9 on IMDb, with a comparable 72% from audiences and 86% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The series is the first in what became a larger franchise for the network, including "9-1-1: Nashville" and the canceled "9-1-1: Lone Star."

Peter Krause is Joe Miller, a detective in Pittsburgh who finds a strange motel room in "The Lost Room." The room in question is home to objects with supernatural powers. The items themselves are nothing special, but what they can do is something else entirely. Why does Joe care about the room? His daughter Anna (Elle Fanning) is literally lost inside it somewhere, and he needs to save her.

"The Lost Room" consists of three 90-minute episodes that cover Joe's efforts to find Anna, but audiences wish there were more. "I understand it's a miniseries but there's so much for them to build off of," Reddit user elitheducky wrote. While wanting more content, fans enjoy that there was still a bit of mystery left and that it didn't over-explain its premise.

With an 8.1 on IMDb, "The Lost Room" stands out as one of Krause's best shows. It's gone on to have an interesting cultural impact. Other series, like "Warehouse 13," have tried to execute similar premises with supernatural objects, but audiences argue they haven't done as great a job as "The Lost Room." It also may have even inspired two creepypastas, or internet horror stories, though that's only speculation.

The life of three generations is on display in "Parenthood." The Bravermans are a mixed bunch, with four siblings each building a different life for themselves. Peter Krause's Adam is the oldest and has the most nuclear-like family, with a wife and three children. Over the course of six seasons, audiences can watch the interactions between the siblings, how their careers change, and the lives of their kids. 

As a family comedy, fans argue that it doesn't have a bad episode. "This show is quality all the way through," Reddit user BlackGold09 wrote when recommending "Parenthood" to a fellow Redditor. With over 100 episodes, that may sound impossible, but it's because, in the words of Reddit user It_is_not_me, the series "doesn't ever jump the shark."

"Parenthood" boasts an 8.3 on IMDb, earning strong scores on Rotten Tomatoes as well, with an 88% from critics and a 94% from audiences. Fans enjoy Krause's acting in the series, with one Reddit user writing that "the way he played Adam in 'Parenthood' was quite simply amazing." Many also cite originally seeing the actor in the show, and then following him to his next projects.

"Sports Night" is a two-season sitcom about a sports news show. Think "The Morning Show" but with more humor and solely about sports coverage. Peter Krause is one of the anchors, Casey McCall, who is a new divorcee. He isn't new to sports journalism, having previously worked with his co-anchor, Dan Rydell (Josh Charles), on a similar project. Audiences watch as they deal with possible network changes and financial troubles, in addition to personal woes.

Part of the fun of "Sports Night" is how quick the dialogue is and how truly zippy it can be. It's fast-paced, sure, but what they're actually saying sticks out to fans. "Hands down the best dialogue I've ever heard in a TV show," Reddit user NomDePlume007 shared. The characters often spoke while walking to another spot, called the "walk and talk," which helped with the delivery.

The comedy has an 8.3 on IMDb, with its Rotten Tomatoes scores reaching a touch higher. It scored 90% for critics and 93% for audiences. 

Peter Krause stars as Nate Fisher, the oldest Fisher child, as he takes over the family funeral home with his brother in "Six Feet Under." Designed as a family drama, it follows the transition within the business while also including discussions on death. Though not a procedural, each episode is centered around a different death as the family helps with funeral arrangements. Between helping others and working through their own lives, there are plenty of heartbreaking moments in "Six Feet Under."

The HBO series puts Krause in the spotlight. It wasn't his first time in a leading role on television, but it was a significantly different project from what people knew him for at the time. Nate is a divisive character for the audience, with many questioning the decisions he makes, especially because it's clear he doesn't want to take over the family business. "Nate was just another human trying to be perfect but always made that one mistake," Reddit user MajesticAd5047 wrote to describe the character.

"Six Feet Under" is Krause's highest-ranked show on IMDb, with an 8.7. This is mirrored in Rotten Tomatoes ratings, with an 81% from critics and a 96% from audiences. The project received three Emmy nominations for outstanding drama series, winning two casting awards and one directing award. Krause was Emmy-nominated for best actor in a drama series three times for his work in the show.