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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?
I always feel like The Leftovers on HBO doesn’t get anywhere near enough love. The first few episodes, while still good, are admittedly a bit slow (even for a slow burn) but holy shit once it gets going it is SO damn good. 3 seasons of some of my absolute favorite “what-the-fuck-is-happening” television. The story and writing and characters are phenomenal, and the acting is even better. Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Christopher Eccleston, and Ann Dowd are just incredible, and Damon Fucking Lindelof just ties it all together
It’s a bit older, but the HBO series ROME is amazing. There are two seasons and I’ve watched both at least 11 times each. Hell, you could throw it on right now and I’d sit down to watch it.
I second the Battlestar Galactica reboot as absolutely top.
I very much enjoyed
Edit: Just remembered Psycho Pass as an absolute anime gem too!
I'll add something different to this thread and say Father Ted. It's to this day the most hilarious show I've ever seen.
It's about a priest that was assigned/exiled to a parish that houses some outcast priests on what must be the most depressing and ugly island to ever exist. It's sitcom style, but with such a dry and outrageous sense of humor it's really nothing like anything else.
Small Prophets, written and directed by Mackenzie Crook. Another show from him is Detectorists.
Frieren: Beyond Jouney's End is absolutely incredible. Even if you don't watch anime I'd still recommend this as a gateway into the medium.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I put off rewatching Avatar The Last Airbender for about 15 years fearing it wouldn't be as good as I remembered, but I just went through the series again last few weeks. Damn I love that show. So much heart. Great animation.
A lot of solid suggestions. I'll add a few nobody mentioned yet:
Clarkson's Farm
Silo
Red Dwarf
The best show I've seen in the last few years is Pantheon. It's an animated sci-fi about the implications of...
Mild spoiler for first episodes
uploading minds into computers
...and it totally blew my mind. The show's only shortcoming is that when the writers knew the show was being cancelled, they crammed multiple seasons worth of story into like two episodes. I can see why they did it, though, because the ending is pretty satisfying.
My Fiancee and I just over the last couple of weeks binged the series 12 Monkeys for the first time. Easily one of my favorite shows period, and it's a show that ended as intended.
If you've seen the movie, from other people's observations (I haven't watched it), the first season of the show vaguely follows along a similar idea, but it absolutely is not the same afterwards.
It's 4 seasons and 46 episodes so it's not a huge commitment, but the payoff is so worth it.
The show is one of the rare ones where it only gets better as it goes on, up to the very last episode. Truly underrated and overlooked.
