The idea of a television miniseries was popular in the late 1970s and 1980spopularity in the late 1970s and 1980s, especially. In the 2000s, cable brought the format back to life. Miniseries are a central part of television and streaming services, regardless of the decade, we’re discussing. The top 25 are listed in chronological order.
Top 10 Miniseries you Must Watch
- Rich Man, Poor Man
Based on the late 1960s novel of the same name. The story of wealthy Rudy Jordache (Peter Strauss) and his disobedient brother Tom (Nick Nolte) is presented in Rich Man, Poor Man, which is regarded as the first successful TV miniseries. Although a sequel was made, the first one has held up fairly well.
- Roots
If we had to rank these miniseries according to how well-liked and acclaimed they are, Roots would be fighting for first place. This depiction of the renowned book by Alex Haley about the descendants of a slave named Kunta Kinte was a genuine television experience. Roots, which starred LeVar Burton and included stalwarts like Ben Vereen, Lou Gossett Jr., and Ed Asner, earned nine Emmy Awards. It also inspired a 2016 remake, a television movie, and a sequel.
- Band of Brothers
The network television miniseries started to disappear in the 1990s. However, high-end cable channels like HBO served as platforms for them to once again shine with more bombast and finesse. Especially Band of Brothers. The imaginative vision of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg enabled Stephen E. Ambrose’s book on “Easy Company,” assigned to the American 101st Airborne Division during World War II, to come to life. In addition to the Golden Globe for Best Miniseries or Television Film, it received seven Emmy Awards.
- The Pacific
Following in the hugely successful Band of Brothers’ footsteps. This time, the emphasis is on the American Marines, namely three guys, and their participation in the Pacific theatre of World War II. The Pacific won eight Emmy Awards, including the highly coveted Outstanding Miniseries award, even if it might not have the same level of lore as Band of Brothers.
- The Night Of
This may have received less attention from HBO viewers than other shows on the network. However, this criminal drama starring Riz Ahmed and John Turturro, in which Riz Ahmed’s “Naz” is a college student accused of killing a young woman in New York City, is deserving of high praise. This version mimics the first season of the well-known British television program Criminal Justice. One of the four Emmys given to the miniseries went to Ahmed for his leading role.
- The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
The first episode of the well-liked true crime series on FX focused on one of the most well-known and controversial cases in history. Cuba Gooding Jr. played O.J., and the cast also includes Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark, Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran, and Sterling K. Brown as Christopher Darden. Golden Globes were deservedly given to Paulson and the miniseries.
- Maniac
Jonah Hill and Emma Stone reunited for this Netflix psychological dark comedy miniseries more than ten years after they acted in the hilarious Superbad. Two questionable doctors bring together Hill’s Owen and Stone’s Annie during a fairly unconventional medicinal research. Although the plot is engaging enough, Hill and Stone’s work in this particular environment is what makes the experience truly remarkable.
This five-part HBO drama about the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear plant tragedy is a masterpiece. The miniseries, which is in-depth and frequently gory, recounts some of the first responders and volunteers’ unreported experiences both during and after the tragedy. The miniseries received 19 Emmy nominations and won several awards, including Outstanding Limited Series.
- I Know This Much Is True
Mark Ruffalo’s dual performance as brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey earned him the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. One has paranoid schizophrenia, while the other is attempting to manage his own difficult life. It’s challenging enough to play one sophisticated part, but two? Ruffalo managed to do it effectively and effortlessly.
On Disney+, you can watch this more recent miniseries that has drawn attention and received excellent reviews so far. The Mercury Seven were test pilots for the United States Air Force who underwent astronaut training, and their story was brilliantly depicted in The Right Stuff in 1983. The classic narrative is being repeated in this miniseries format for a new generation of viewers to appreciate and learn from.