this post was submitted on 27 Jun 2026
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I haven't been watching much in terms of actual shows for a good while, then while listening to a podcast a host casually mentioned they had rewatched Chernobyl, how it still holds up, that there's a reason it got as much acclaim as it did, etc. So I thought I'd give it a go and wow, loved it (still one episode left to watch).

Had me thinking, what else have I missed out on? What are some "absolute cinema" TV shows that still hold up and and are considered must watch?

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[–] theherk@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (4 children)
  • Mobland
  • The Expanse
  • Firefly
  • A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
  • Mr. Inbetween
  • Adolescence
  • The Newsroom
  • The West Wing
  • Common Side Effects
  • Silo
  • Shrinking
  • Norsemen
  • Succession
  • The Pitt
  • Foundation
  • Sneaky Pete

Mobland

A gritty crime drama set in modern-day London, following Harry Da Souza, a street-smart fixer for the powerful Harrigan crime family led by Conrad and Maeve Harrigan. When a fateful night out goes wrong for the sons of two warring crime families, Harry must navigate a escalating turf war that threatens to topple empires and lives.

The Expanse

Set hundreds of years in the future, humanity has colonized the solar system across three rival powers: Earth, Mars, and the Belt. When a conspiracy linking missing ships, alien protomolecule technology, and political machinations begins to unravel, the crew of the rogue ship Rocinante finds themselves at the center of a conflict that could determine the fate of the entire solar system and beyond.

Firefly

A space western set in the aftermath of a galactic civil war, following the renegade crew of the Serenity, a Firefly-class transport ship. Captain Malcolm Reynolds leads his eclectic band of misfits as they take on smuggling jobs and odd work across the frontier fringes of a solar system ruled by the oppressive Alliance, struggling to maintain their freedom and independence.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

A Game of Thrones prequel set a century before the events of the flagship series, during a rare era of peace under Targaryen rule. It follows the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall, a kindhearted but unseasoned hedge knight, and his clever young squire, Egg, who harbors a secret royal identity, as they wander Westeros encountering great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits.

Mr. Inbetween

A darkly comedic Australian crime drama following Ray Shoesmith, a hitman and family man who juggles his violent profession with the demands of fatherhood, friendships, and a new romance. Ray's efforts to be a good father, brother, and partner are constantly complicated by the realities of his lethal line of work, creating a compelling tension between his personal and professional lives.

Adolescence

A psychological crime drama centered on a 13-year-old schoolboy, Jamie Miller, who is arrested after the murder of a girl at his school. Each episode, shot in a single continuous take, explores the fallout from different perspectives: his family, the detective in charge, and a therapist, as everyone grapples with what really happened and the invisible forces that shaped a young life.

The Newsroom

An idealistic drama set behind the scenes of a cable news broadcast, following anchor Will McAvoy and his executive producer Mackenzie McHale as they attempt to reinvent television journalism with integrity and substance. Created by Aaron Sorkin, the series tackles real-world events through the lens of a newsroom striving to prioritize truth over ratings in an era of sensationalism.

The West Wing

Aaron Sorkin's acclaimed political drama following the inner workings of the White House during the fictional administration of Democratic President Josiah Bartlet. The series chronicles the daily challenges, policy battles, and personal dramas of the president and his dedicated senior staff as they navigate governance, re-election campaigns, and the weight of national and global crises.

Common Side Effects

An adult animated conspiracy thriller following two former high school lab partners, Marshall and Frances, who discover a rare mushroom capable of healing virtually any disease. Their find puts them in the crosshairs of Big Pharma, the DEA, and powerful international businessmen determined to suppress the cure, in a gripping tale where the sides keep shifting.

Silo

A dystopian drama set in a massive underground silo where thousands of survivors live in a stratified society, believing the outside world is toxic and uninhabitable. When engineer Juliette Nichols uncovers unsettling secrets about the silo's true history and its leadership, she becomes entangled in a dangerous conspiracy that challenges everything the residents have been told about their existence.

Shrinking

A heartfelt comedy-drama following Jimmy Laird, a grieving therapist who begins breaking the rules and telling his clients exactly what he thinks after the death of his wife. His unconventional, ethically questionable approach to therapy ripples through the lives of his patients, colleagues, and his teenage daughter, as everyone navigates loss, healing, and personal growth.

Norsemen

A Norwegian comedy series that treats the brutal Viking Age as a backdrop for dry, absurdist workplace humor. Set in the 8th century village of Norheim, it follows the daily lives, petty rivalries, and mundane frustrations of warriors, chieftains, and slaves, blending modern sensibilities with swords, raiding, and pillaging in a hilariously deadpan style.

Succession

A razor-sharp satirical drama following the ultra-wealthy Roy family, owners of a global media and entertainment conglomerate. As aging patriarch Logan Roy's health declines, his four adult children scheme, betray, and battle for control of the empire, revealing the toxic intersections of family loyalty, corporate power, and insatiable ambition.

The Pitt

A real-time medical drama following the staff of Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center's emergency department through a single grueling 15-hour shift. Each episode covers approximately one hour of the shift, immersing viewers in the nonstop pressures of emergency medicine as the team navigates staff shortages, underfunding, and personal crises while saving lives.

Foundation

An epic sci-fi saga based on Isaac Asimov's novels, set in a sprawling galactic empire on the brink of collapse. Mathematician Hari Seldon predicts the empire's fall and establishes the Foundation, a colony of scientists and engineers, to preserve human knowledge and shorten the coming dark age. The series spans generations, weaving political intrigue, religion, and destiny on a cosmic scale.

Sneaky Pete

A slick crime drama following Marius Josipović, a released convict who assumes the identity of his former cellmate, Pete Murphy, and infiltrates the estranged Murphy family in Connecticut. Posing as their long-lost grandson, Marius must maintain the charade while dodging a ruthless gangster from his past and entangling himself in the family's bail bond business and its own secrets.

[–] NostraDavid@programming.dev 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

+1 for Foundation and Expanse. If you love scifi with some space-ship battles, and some spooky mysteries (it might be the future, but that doesn't mean magic hasn't become real :3 )

edit: Ah, no mention of Farscape yet? Booo! Earth Astronaut get jettisoned into the future; he has a heroe's journey, living ships, wacky looking aliens (not current-day wacky, if that makes sense), and a very solid bad guy. Good shit. Feels a bit like Star Trek x Star Wars x Firefly, if that makes sense? Seriously, it's good.

[–] theherk@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Grabbing it now. Thanks for the recommendation.

[–] harcesz@szmer.info 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Why is this only the first comment to mention Expanse, peshang?

[–] theherk@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

Nowal bang beltalowda.

[–] NostraDavid@programming.dev 1 points 1 day ago

Also the first one to mention Foundation - a great itch-scratcher if you have an itch to scratch after The Expanse. Completely different setting though (written by Isaac Asimov - Foundation, that is), so do expect a way-different world. Still very SciFi.

If you're not convinved yet: Foundation also has Jared Harris/Anderson Dawes as an actor, so you know that shit is goooood.

[–] Corn@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 day ago

Westwing poisoned a generation of liberals brains, many of whom ended up Obama staffers thinking that politics actually works that way.

I still shutter having someone explain that Obama giving Republicans half the discretionionary budget instead of doing what the people who voted for him wanted was some kind of political masterstroke; either republicans would get on board and they'd work together to do what's best for the american people, or voters would see how nice and civil the dems were and vote for them.

[–] Summzashi@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

Firefly is probably the most overrated series ever.

[–] Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Have you heard of “Friends”?

[–] Summzashi@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

Ok the second most

[–] fireweed@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Firefly was amazing and unique and innovative when it first came out. Unfortunately its "quirky" writing style got way too popular, and now watching Firefly feels like you're stepping into the MCU. (I think a lot of their best scenes/jokes also got memed to death.) Its premature cancellation also didn't do the show any favors, and the special effects have not aged that well either. Unfortunately, I think Firefly is an example of groundbreaking works that inspired a ton of similar media, and now the original doesn't seem like it lives up the the hype because what made it good has been beaten to death by everything that came after it.

[–] NostraDavid@programming.dev 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The reason I watched it was because the captain just kicks a bad guy into his ship's engines instead of stupidly argueing.

Not the scene I'm talking about, but it's a solid reason why Firefly was so good:

Mal (the captain) Shoots

edit: found it! Good shit.