TV miniseries can cover a wide array of topics, from horror to drama, to romance, and even to war. War miniseries are definitely not super common, as war is generally more of a movie thing due to the demanding production value that the genre entails, but that’s not to say that many war miniseries haven’t come to exist in the age of television. From various countries, networks, and streaming platforms, these miniseries tell a whole lot of stories, ranging from Medieval conflicts to modern warfare.
Many of these series have generated a lot of buzz, and have drawn a lot of critical attention due to their outstanding quality, sweeping dramatic flair, or entertainment value, delivering their messages in gradual, bite-sized formats that don’t overstay their welcome nor exit too soon.These are the best war miniseries ever made, which any fans of the war movie genre should definitely check out.
10’Generation War' (2013)
Directed by Philipp Kadelbach
Generation War, known asOur Mothers, Our Fathersin its native Germany, is a three-part miniseries set during the Second World War. The series has been the topic of a lot of hot debate, as it follows the perspective of the Nazis, and has a lot of major historical inaccuracies laden within. However, it is also undoubtedly well-made and technically impressive, though its hiccups are pretty major.
Some criticized it for its inability or unwillingness to show the Nazis true motive of purging the world of anyone they deemed unworthy, while others praised it for its harrowing drama and fantastic action. One thing is for sure: this is not a show that is for everyone. Butfor the right audience, who don’t mind delving into some hot-button issues and a fresh stain on the history of Germany, it’s pretty enjoyable.
Watch on Amazon Prime
9’All the Light We Cannot See' (2023)
Developed by Steven Knight
All the Light We Cannot Seewas positively annihilated by critics, earning scathing reviews and harsh criticisms. But most audiences were a lot nicer to it, earning a divisive score of 27% for critics, but81% for audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, which might be one of the biggest differences in scores in television. To be fair, this miniseries, based on the novel byAnthony Doerrwas not without its fair share of questionable choices or rough moments.
The four-part story is set in occupied France during World War II, where a blind French woman living in the shadow of the Third Reich whose life intersects with a Wehrmacht soldier who was forcibly conscripted into the military. It may not be the most technically amazing miniseries ever, with some major changes from its source material, and its inability to capture the real emotional depth of the book, butmany audiences still found it entertaining, although far from the best thing out there.
All The Light We Cannot See
8’Birdsong' (2012)
Directed by Phillip Martin
Set during the First World War,Birdsongmay be short at a mere two episodes, but this miniseries was viewed by millions in its home country of the United Kingdom, and presents a very emotional story in spite of its meager runtime. Theshow stars Eddie RedmayneandClémence Poésyas Stephen and Isabelle, respectively. Stephen is a British soldier overseas in France fighting in the Great War, while Isabelle is a French woman living in the countryside who becomes the subject of a love affair with Stephen.
Portraying forbidden love and nightmarish trench conditions in equal measure,Birdsongmay not be as famous as some of the other miniseries, but it is emotionally moving, all the same. This one is definitely more of a drama than an action flick though, so be prepared for something different.Fans of the show commended it for how beautifully it captured the essence of the war and of love, and for the heartfelt performances of its principal cast.
7’Catch-22' (2019)
Developed by Luke Davies and David Michôd
Catch-22is a satirical dark comedy set during World War II and is once again based on a novel, this time byJoseph Heller. There was a 1970 film adaptation of the book, which is a very good film, so hopes weren’t very high for the miniseries. Yet the show is just as good as the movie, sporting a whole new cast and updated filming techniques, making it feel a lot more polished and poignant. Story-wise it’s about a United States Air Force bombardier who is frustrated with the amount of dangerous missions he is being sent on, so tries to weasel his way out of the military through a series of legal loopholes.
There are some heavy hitters in this show, includingGeorge ClooneyandHugh Laurieamong others, with much of the action centering on the Mediterranean Theatre of the war.Catch-22was nominated for two Golden Globes and two Emmys, yet amazingly, didn’t win any of them.Regardless, a nomination is more than enough to speak to its quality, which is matched by its high critical scores and rave reviews.
6’Masters of the Air' (2024)
Created by John Orloff and John Shiban
Masters of the Airserves as a companion piece to the classic miniseriesBand of Brothers, taking audiences high above occupied Europe during World War II, where a British bombing squadron conducts a series of raids against key locations to the Allied war effort. With a new cast of younger, rising actors likeAustin ButlerandBarry Keoghan,Masters of the Airis a welcome return to the small screen for theBand of Brothersuniverse, and is proof that it hasn’t lost its charm, even all these years later.
Winning the Emmy for Outstanding Sound Design,Masters of the Airoffered a fresh spinand a new perspective on some of the most classic war stories, allowing audiences to see them with a bird’s-eye view, experiencing the tragedy and hardships that Royal Air Force members experienced above the clouds of the tumult on the ground. There are some huge inaccuracies regarding its historical aspects, butin terms of sheer entertainment value,Masters of the Airis definitely up there.
Masters of the Air
5’Generation Kill' (2008)
Directed by Simon Cellan Jones and Susanna White
Despite their similar names,Generation Killhas absolutely nothing to do withGeneration War. Instead of a World War II setting,Generation Killtakes place during the Iraq war in the early 2000s, featuring more modern soldiers in a more modern war environment. The seven-part miniseries follows a group of American soldiers during the invasion of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, accompanied by a war correspondent who documents their journey.
Generation Killreceived three Emmy nominations, one of which was the Outstanding Miniseries award, but it was unfortunately robbed of winning any of them. Even though it might not have won any Emmys, it did win several other awards from various organizations,and was a critical and commercial success, scoring nods of approval from reviewers and from audiencestuning into the highly suspenseful adventure.
Generation Kill
4’The Pillars of the Earth' (2010)
Directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
The Pillars of the Earthis a miniseriesset during a period known as The Anarchy during the Middle Ages. The Anarchy was a period of civil war in England and Normandy, which lasted approximately 15 years, from 1138 to 1153. Based upon the novel of the same name byKen Follett,The Pillars of the Earthtakes place in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, where a huge cathedral is being constructed amidst the turmoil of The Anarchy.
Though it is based on a novel, the ending of the miniseries is completely different, along with a multitude of other character changes. Yet, the new ending was received positively, even if it was a serious deviation. The series won an Emmy Award for its Sound Design, and received rave reviews from critics, withmany reviews emphasizing its production value, the performances of its veteran cast, and for how eventful it is. The show wastes no time getting to the point, and there is very little filler, meaning there is rarely a dull moment in it.
The Pillars of the Earth
3’War & Peace' (2016)
Directed by Tom Harper
War & Peaceis based on the famed novel byLeo Tolstoy, which is about the Napoleonic Wars, speficiallyNapoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Russia in the early years of the 19th Century. It’s far from the first adaptation to be made of Tolstoy’s work, but it is arguably the most famous, and the best one in recent memory. The show is actually a good fit forGame of Thronesfans, as family rivalry and royal politics are a huge part of the narrative.
Most of the miniseries on the list have been serious departures from their literary origins, but this 2016 miniseries is remarkably faithful, coming not just with accuracy and a star-studded cast, but eye candy visuals and high production value.The Telegraph ranked this miniseriesas being the fifth-best television adaptation of a book ever made, which is a title that it most certainly earns.It is by far one of the best bits of media about the Napoleonic Wars, and really ought to be talked about more, even though it’s been almost ten years since its release.
War & Peace
2’The Pacific' (2010)
Directed by Carl Franklin, David Nutter, Jeremy Podeswa, Et al.
The Pacificis another companion series toBand of Brothers, this time taking audiences to the Pacific Theatre, focusing on some of the most crucial American operations in the area. From the Battle of Guadalcanal to the landings at Peleliu Island, to Iwo Jima and Okinawa,The Pacificshows the most powerful stories of heroism in a hostile jungle environment, one that proves to be incredibly hazardous even without the bullets flying all over the place.
While it may not hold a candle to its predecessor,The Pacificstill proves to be an exciting adventure to some of the least famous parts of the world, in some of the most overlooked battles of the Second World War. The show won the Emmy for Outstanding Miniseries, and was also nominated for two Outstanding Directing awards and two Outstanding Writing awards. Critical reviews were excellent, andit has remained one of the most quintessential war miniseries ever made, but it’s not the absolute best.
The Pacific
1’Band of Brothers' (2001)
Created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg
Band of Brothersis the legendary war miniseries that started it all. Created byTom HanksandSteven Spielbergfollowing the success of their World War II blockbuster,Saving Private Ryanthree years prior,Band of Brothersaimed to bring much of the same nuance of that film to the small screen, in a journey about a platoon of American troops in some of the most pivotal moments of the Western Front during the world’s deadliest conflict.
The entireminiseries is pretty much perfectall the way through, with a strong sense of camaraderie between the men, who come to know each other from their training, to D-Day, all the way to the Battle of the Bulge.Emotional, eventful, and action-packed,Band of Brothershas become a textbook exampleof how to do a war miniseries right. One of the first of its kind (or at least, one of the first that became popular), the buzz surrounding the show has hardly died down in the nearly 25 years since its release, which is what makes this one, undoubtedly, the best war miniseries ever made.
