Movie fans often complain that they don’t watch TV series because of the long commitment. Here are some of the best TV mini-series of all time to help you get started on the path to enjoying TV entertainment.
15. The Vietnam War (2017)
The Vietnam War has left a mark on American history and Hollywood. This mini-series shows the US involvement in the armed conflict in Southeast Asia.
The ten-part, 18-hour documentary series tells the epic story of the most impactful events in American history. Peter Coyote narrates this historical event in a different light which has never been done on film before.
14. The Decalogue (1989–1990)
Many movies and TV series have included the Ten Commandments in their storyline. Decalogue is a series of ten TV drama films, each based on the Ten Commandments. It is an interesting way to learn about Christian history and teachings. We highly recommend this TV series because of its unique inspiration.
Fun fact, this masterpiece took 10 years to create. When you watch it, you’ll know that it was worth it.
13. The Act (2019)
This true crime mini-series has our minds blown. The twists and secrets in the plot are just mind-boggling.
Dee Dee Blanchard is an overprotective mother. Her daughter, Gypsy, is trying to escape the toxic relationship but will she be able to find freedom? Gypsy’s struggle for independence opens up something that no one was expecting.
12. And Then There Were None (2015)
Agatha Christie is a famous author worldwide ‘And Then There Were None’ is her magnum opus.
This mini-series is based on the best-selling novel and has in our opinion done a good job in portraying the famous thriller. The plot follows ten strangers who are invited to an isolated island by a mysterious stranger. They start to get killed one by one. The survivors realize that the killer is among them and start to turn on each other. With nowhere to escape and no one to trust, what do you do?
A story that will keep you glued to your seat.
11. Defending Jacob (2020)
A father’s love has no bounds. But when the truth comes out against your blood, what do you do?
Andy Barber, an assistant district attorney in a suburban Massachusetts county is in shock when he finds out his son is charged with murder. Andy’s paternal instincts rally to protect his 14-year-old son. His son insists he is innocent. But as shocking revelations and hard facts surface, Andy finds it hard to choose between loyalty and justice.
A gripping story that will leave you thinking about morality, justice, and life.
10. Inventing Anna (2022)
This mini-series is inspired by a New York Magazine article ‘How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People’ by Jessica Pressler. The author is also the producer of this interesting story.
An ambitious journalist investigates how Anna Delvey stole the hearts and money of New York’s party people. The Instagram-legendary German heiress awaits trial as the journalist races against time to prove the case against New York’s biggest con woman.
9. Pride and Prejudice (1995)
Pride and Prejudice is a classic novel that is popular worldwide. It has been adapted multiple times in theater, cinema, and TV. This mini-series does justice to the original novel in terms of screenplay, script, characters, and wardrobe.
Elizabeth Bennet is a strong and sensible young woman whose father is a gentleman with a modest lifestyle. Elizabeth’s mother is anxious to marry her four daughters to wealthy young gentlemen. At a local ball Elizabeth encounters a young wealthy man, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, and so begins one of the most popular romantic stories of modern classical literature.
You can say that Pride and Prejudice is the epitome of the haters-to-lovers trope.
8. Maid (2021)
This mini-series discusses big issues like poverty, homelessness, and bureaucracy. It is based on the impactful New York Times best-selling memoir of the same name.
The plot revolves around a single mother and her will to survive. The protagonist doesn’t back away from hard work and becomes a low-paid housemaid to make ends meet barely.
It is a powerful story that will keep you hooked throughout the series.
7. Dexter: New Blood (2021-2022)
Dexter is a household name among people who love the serial killer genre. The popular 8-season TV series had us unconvinced with the ending (we won’t go into details, you might get a spoiler).
This mini-series moves the story forward to give us a more clear picture of the plot. Let’s just say Dexter is not an ordinary serial killer, he is a vigilante serial killer.
6. When They See Us (2019)
When They See US is also another mini-series based on a true case.
In 1989, the lives of five teenagers are turned upside down when they are accused of assault and rape in the New York Central Park. The five accused maintained their innocence and fought for years to clear their names of the convictions.
This series spans a timeline of a quarter of a century. We get to see the development of the case from the spring of 1989 when the incident happened to 2002 when the accused were exonerated and eventually to 2014 when a settlement was reached with the city of New York.
5. Dahmer – Monster : The Jeffery Dahmer Story (2022)
Based on the life of the infamous Milwaukee Monster, a cannibal serial killer who committed horrible crimes between 1978 and 1991.
This horrific TV series goes deep into the reasons that led to Dahmer’s multiyear killing spree. He was apprehended multiple times in the series but goes free because of his clear-cut personality. The police and judges show leniency towards him which allows him to continue with his ghastly crimes.
We don’t recommend this series to the weak-hearted, but for those who enjoy psychological thrillers, this is a treat.
4. Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020)
The rise and fall of Harshad Mehta, a stockbroker who single-handedly took the stock market to great heights, is depicted.
The 1992 scam was the biggest systematic stock scam in Indian history and a prominent one in the global stock market industry. Harshad Mehta, a stock and money market broker, was the central figure in the INR 5000 crore scam that shook the Indian Stock Exchange. A financial journalist named Sucheta Dalal exposed Harshad as the man behind the 1992 stock market scam.
The rise and fall of this ‘Indian Wolf of Wall Street’ is a story worth watching this holiday season.
3. Band of Brothers (2001)
War movie fans are missing out on some elite-class cinema if they haven’t watched the Band of Brothers. The TV series follows “Easy Company”, part of the 2nd battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, assigned to the US Army’s 101st Airborne Division in WWII. The 10-episode mini-series is based on interviews, journals, and letters of soldiers of Easy Company.
Packed with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears the 10 parts of Band of Brothers will take you through the heroism and fear that these young men experienced.
2. The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
If you’re a chess player or someone who is fascinated by the concept of a prodigy, this is a great show for you.
Elizabeth Harmon, a nine-year-old orphan, finds out that she is not just like the other kids when she plays her first game of chess. The quiet, gloomy, and ordinary-looking girl transforms into a US Open Championship competitor by the time she is 16. As her mastery of chess grows so does her isolation, drug consumption, and alcohol dependence.
This TV Series’ success is evident from the fact that when it launched, sales for chess sets skyrocketed globally.
1. Chernobyl (2019)
This masterpiece is based on the real Chornobyl nuclear power station explosion in April 1986. The nuclear reactor, near Pripyat Ukraine, experienced a malfunction that caused reactor 4’s core to explode. The series follows the lead scientist working to control the disaster, a Soviet politician safeguarding the interests of the Soviet government, and a nuclear physicist investigating the cause of the nuclear disaster.
In our opinion, this is one of the greatest portrayals of a real event in fictional form.
Honorable Mentions
- The Chestnut Man (2021)
- The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
- Beef (2023)
Let us know which TV mini-series you found interesting and which you’ll be watching next.
