It's not TV. It's HBO. Since its founding in 1972, Home Box Office, otherwise known as HBO, has established itself as "The" premium cable in America and around the world. Spearheading hour-long dramas, comedies, and miniseries -- which it began doing back in the 1980s –– the content and quality of its programming is what has lead many to credit HBO for television's transformation into an entity capable of rivaling the cinematics as witnessed in a movie theatre.

Here are five shows that affirm HBO's place upon the Zenith of televisual achievement, and further the case that TV isn't TV. It's... It's something else:

5. "Veep"

There's been a lot of satire and humour to be had around. Especially concerning the current administration thats in charge of the most powerful office in the Western World. Airing back in April 2012 however, Amando Ianucci's "Veep" was mocking America's federal institutions and the people running them before Melissa McCarthy and Alec Baldwin.

Powered by sharp, witty writing and a jaw-dropping performance by Julie Louis-Dreyfus containing mouthfuls of laughter, the Northwestern Alumnus powered the show to seven Golden Globe nominations, five of which went to Louis-Dreyfus herself. With the seventh and final season set to air in 2018, audiences will undoubtedly be left thinking how much they prefer Selina Meyer over the orange-faced, small-handed buffoon as their commander-in-chief.

4. "Boardwalk Empire"

Produced by Martin Scorcese and created by Terence Winter, one of the writers responsible for propelling "The Sopranos" to the height of televisual endeavour, "Boardwalk Empire" immediately struck a chord with audiences with its dark, gritty storytelling, whilst shrouding itself beneath the dreamlike, nostalgic aura that forever immortalizes the 1920's.

Boasting a complex ensemble of characters that are every bit as endearing as they are criminal, Terence Winter's visually entrapping masterpiece powered by near-flawless acting on the count of Steven Buscemi will have you popping champagne as you relive the chemically induced hysteria of Jazz Age.

3. "The Wire"

A show that caught the attention of views through its novelistic approach to storytelling as had never been seen on television before, "The Wire" is best remembered for its incisive examination of society and politics, and how they are the product of broken institutions -- be it the school system or the justice department. While boasting an ensemble cast as broad as the web of themes it explores, the series only has two Emmys to its name. Nevertheless, pundits and critics alike regard as one of the greets television series of all time.

2. "Game of Thrones"

If there ever was such thing as "The Lord of the Rings" made for television, HBO sure found it when they made the choice to adapt George R.R. Martin's book series "A Song of Ice and Fire" into what many currently know as "Game of Thrones" or "GOT". An epic fantasy drama inspired by medieval Europe, "Game of Thrones" boasts a level of writing, visuals, and scope that has not been seen on television since the beginning of its run in 2011.

With frequent trips to award ceremonies that have resulted in a crowded cabinet of Emmys and Golden Globes, "GOT" continues to soar to new heights, setting an all-time high for viewership of 12 million for the finale of its most recent season. With the final season set to next summer, HBO has already planned multiple spinoff series to take place. So not to worry thrones fans, you won't have to leave Westeros any time soon.

1. "The Sopranos"

Envisioned and created by David Chase, "The Sopranos" was originally planned as a movie to launch Chase's film career. Looking back now, it's doubtful the now immortalized televisual auteur has any regrets. Praised for its realistic depiction of the American Mafia and exploration of dense themes such as masculinity, sexuality, and mental disorders, "The Sopranos" is credited for pioneering the transformation of serial television into an art form on par with novels, plays, and feature films.

This series is also responsible for spawning two TV shows that have proved to be monumental in recent memory, with former staff writers Terence Winter and Matthew Weiner going on to create "Boardwalk Empire" and "Mad Men."