The demand for new and exciting TV shows has grown in recent years. Streaming services have risen to the challenge, producing a slew of compact and easily binge-able TV shows. These shows, known as miniseries, limited series, event series, and even anthologies, consist of a handful of episodes that allow the viewer to watch an entire season in a short timeframe. Longer than a movie, but shorter than a typical season, terms like miniseries and limited series can be used interchangeably, though technically the former is shorter.
The concept of a miniseries first hit the scenes back in the 1970s and 1980s but tapered off once cable began to air its own TV shows. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s that the miniseries came back with a vengeance. In the 2010s, the Academy began to refer to a show whose length was over two hours as a limited series. This number has been extended by some networks to four hours. Though not limited to this, other rules, such as the non-continuity of characters, still apply. While by no means a precursor, these short, sweet, and eventful shows have grown in popularity over the last few years thanks in part to the rise of streaming platforms that allow users to watch these newly cultivated classics wherever, whenever they’d like. Let’s take a look at some of the best TV miniseries you can binge at any time.
Updated on Feb. 3rd, 2024, by Soniya Hinduja: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
25 Olive Kitteridge (2014)
A delicate but brilliant psychological drama, Olive Kitteridge is based on Elizabeth Strout’s 2008 novel of the same name. It stars Frances McDormand in the titular role of a retired schoolteacher living her unassuming life with her kind-hearted husband, Henry, and troubled son, Christopher. Segmented into episodes centered around Olive’s life and those around her, the series chronicles 25 years of her dealing with depression and jealousy as she tries to hold her marriage together.
Some of McDormand’s Best Work
Lauded for its phenomenal direction and writing, Olive Kitteridge is an emotive tale about an individual’s quiet strength and the guts it takes to keep going. The slow-burn energy and intimate characterization, paired with the wintery setting of New England make all four short stories piece together into a soft and powerful work of art. McDormand strips bare in her towering performance, which is filled with nuance. Although grim, the miniseries leaves you overwhelmed and hopeful.
24 Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022)
Fairly likable for its premise and characters, Fleishman Is in Trouble is a limited series that faithfully adapts Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s 2019 novel of the same name. In the series, Jesse Eisenberg plays Dr. Toby Fleishman, a recently divorced man who is navigating the modern world of dating. With his ex-wife having disappeared without a trace, he is not only left with caring for his two kids, but also time to reflect on their marriage.
An Intriguing Premise and Likable Characters
To have Brodesser-Akner as a creator of the show really helps it become empathetic and thought-provoking. He taps into gender dynamics in relationships (which are fortunately evolving) with humor and novelty. Apart from Eisenberg, the limited series also stars Claire Danes, Josh Rodner, Adam Brody, and Lizzy Caplan. The series also examines marriage in an interesting light. Relatable to some, and shocking to others, Fleishman Is in Trouble is ultimately well worth watching.
23 Tiny Beautiful Things (2023)
Tiny Beautiful Things
- Release Date
- April 7, 2023
- Creator
- Liz Tigelaar
- Seasons
- 1
Adapted from a collection of essays written anonymously (at the time) by Cheryl Strayed in her advice column titled “Dear Sugar,” this limited series follows Clare Kinkade, a young woman whose life is falling apart. With her writing career in ruins, she has no choice but to accept an unpaid job as a columnist. Reluctant at first, she doles out empathy and tough wisdom to strangers while reminiscing about some pivotal moments of her own life – like the passing of her mother.
Heartbreaking and Heartwarming at the Same Time
Tiny Beautiful Things is a poignant miniseries about healing from loss and finding beauty and peace in ordinary struggles. Kathryn Hahn portrays Clare with the kind of warmth and weariness one gains when they’re older and they’ve listened to enough life stories to be able to learn and grow through them. Consisting of eight episodes and a stellar ensemble of secondary characters, the series is almost like a mosaic of life’s messiest moments and how they become reminders of hope and strength.
22 Roots (1977)
Roots
- Release Date
- May 30, 2016
- Main Genre
- History
Having received a whopping 37 Primetime Emmy nominations and winning nine out of them, Roots is among the few landmark successes of the ‘70s. The epic miniseries is based on Alex Haley’s novel. It follows Kunte Kinte, a Mandinka warrior who grew up in the small village of Gambia, was abducted and sold into slavery, and eventually fought for freedom in America. Pieced together quite expertly, it unravels the history of the slave trade and the families that were torn apart during the time.
Pitch Perfect From Performances to Production Design
Despite dating back 45 years, Roots packs an emotional wallop and strong reflection like no other. Seeing newcomer LeVar Burton as the African youngster is nothing short of a revelation; his character overcoming cruelties with a dignity that stirs your soul. Moreover, the production and the cinematography that brings 18th-century Africa and America alive is absolutely brilliant. That said, Roots not only showcases the horrors of slavery to a generation that never lived it but also changes how that history is seen.
21 Lonesome Dove (1989)
Winner of several accolades, Lonesome Dove is a four-part miniseries that follows two former Texas Rangers, Gus and Woodrow, as they let their thirst for yet another adventure take over and drive a cattle herd from Texas to Montana in the post-Civil War era. As a Western adventure, the series features elements from their journey – like encounters with bandits, reflections on the past, and tests of their frontier skills – that are simply iconic.
Quintessential Western Viewing
Directed by Simon Wincer, Lonesome Done is known for its rich storytelling and marvelous shots of the Texas deserts. Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones play their roles of the weathered and wisecracking cowboys with perfection, using their surroundings to full dramatic advantage and telling a tale that is as refreshing as it is unforgettable. Apart from touching on themes of loss and legacy, the miniseries also captures the Old West in a way that is romantic and legendary.
20 I Am The Night (2019)
I Am The Night is a gripping TV miniseries that chronicles the true events that led Fauna Hodel to discover the truth about her mother’s murder and the identity of her father. Fauna lived quite comfortably as a teenager, never caring to unravel the mysteries of her past. But one day, when she makes a strange discovery, she is compelled to follow the thread back to her identity as the granddaughter of George Hodel, the man accused of being The Black Dahlia killer. Accompanying her is a ruined reporter who cannot seem to let go of the case.
A Thrilling Mystery
Directed by Patty Jenkins, this miniseries adapts much of the events mentioned in Fauna Hodel’s memoir. Otherwise, the creators take some liberty in making the mystery more immersive and dousing it in social commentary. India Eisley plays the teenage daughter seeking sinister answers with impressive grit. Chris Pine is also a great anchor as the down-on-his-luck investigator. Overall, the series is artfully created.
19 Beef (2023)
Beef
- Release Date
- April 6, 2023
- Cast
- Ione Skye , Joseph Lee , Patti Yasutake , Young Mazino , Andrew Santino
Sometimes, all you need is a small, harmless misstep to unleash all that unresolved anger you have been harboring for years on end. Beef takes that universal feeling and creates a darkly comedic story out of it. Centered around Danny Cho and Amy Lau, two distinctly exhausted strangers living in society, the miniseries follows how one road rash incident changes their lives forever.
Hilarious and Shocking
The two main characters of Beef may reside on the two vast ends of the economic and social spectrum, but they both carry the same amount of anger, resentment, dissatisfaction, and loneliness within them. For a show to channel all those emotions and still stay humorous is no easy feat. But Beef pulls it off, thanks to the incredible performances from Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. As second-generation immigrants trying to find happiness in modern-day America, they honor and represent an entire community.
18 This Is Going to Hurt (2022)
Based on his memoir of the same name, Adam Kay creates this highly emotional miniseries, This Is Going to Hurt. Set in the labor ward of an inter-city hospital in London, the show follows junior doctor Adam as he struggles through 97-hour weeks and witnesses the grim horrors play out at National Health Service’s severely understaffed and under-funded ob-gyn department. Meanwhile, his personal life begins to fall apart.
Successfully Walking the Line Between Comedy and Drama
Ben Whishaw delivers a raw and unflinching lead performance in this insightful miniseries. Medical dramas often add a touch of theatrics to soothe the actual and devastating events that take place in a hospital. This Is Going to Hurt refuses to take this path and instead forces the viewers to confront the trauma and hard work hidden between the statistics of it all. What is more affecting is that Adam addresses the audience in the first person throughout the series.
17 Normal People (2020)
Based on Sally Rooney’s best-selling novel, Normal People portrays the tender yet complex relationship between its two greatly troubled characters, Marianne and Connell. Having known each other from secondary school and growing up in a small town in Ireland, the two are aware of each other’s roots. At school, he’s well-liked and popular, while she’s lonely and intimidating. But when they start hanging out one afternoon, an indelible connection grows between them. Which is also what supports their friendship as adults.
An Empathetic Study of Two Characters
Directors Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald handle Rooney’s beautiful source material with care. They build an artistic intimacy between the characters and infuse it with empathy for one another. The human need to feel seen and desire a happy life is portrayed with such tenderness that it is hard not to experience the same pleasure, torment, and longing as the characters. Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal offer breakthrough performances as Marianne and Connell, cementing themselves as having some all-time great chemistry.
16 Inventing Anna (2022)
Inventing Anna
- Release Date
- February 11, 2022
- Creator
- Shonda Rhimes
- Seasons
- 1
Inventing Anna is another miniseries inspired by a true story. In the nine-episode series, we witness a journalist investigating how Anna Delvey, a wealthy German heiress turned Instagram celebrity, took the entire high society of New York by storm as one of the biggest con artists in recent history.
Wickedly Fascinating Twists
Julia Garner, who you know from Netflix’s widely adored thriller drama Ozark, plays the role of Anna, whose scams and sorcery take up the screen in grand fashion. The miniseries is directed by Shonda Rhimes, and we all know of her ability to critique society while delivering a masterful story. From the production value to the commentary on class and identity, the show has every element to fascinate you and leave you with twisted questions.
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15 Unbelievable (2019)
Unbelievable
- Release Date
- September 13, 2019
- Creator
- Susannah Grant, Michael Chabbon, Ayelet Waldman
- Seasons
- 1
Featuring Booksmart’s Kaitlyn Dever in a starkly different role, Unbelievable tells the unflinching true story of Marie Adler, a teenager who reports being raped but is so shaken up and struck by PTSD that she disowns her story. But in a little time, she manages to grab the attention of two female detectives.
Horrifying and Heartbreaking, But Well Judged
Susannah Grant is the director of this deeply empathetic yet powerful miniseries that highlights one person’s fight for justice. Merritt Wever is superb as Detective Duvall, who is so determined to find out the truth that her investigation leads to her uncovering a disturbingly similar pattern of rapes from the past. Toni Collette commands the screen as Detective Rasmussen, who joins Duvall’s mission to bring the perpetrator to justice at last.
14 Watchmen (2019)
Picking on the same narrative as the comics, Watchmen is an excellent limited series that follows a bunch of instances of racist violence in present-day Tulsa, Oklahoma. Apparently, the series showcases an alternate reality where masked vigilantes are considered tainted beings and deemed to be criminals by the government. While some of these vigilantes start a mutiny, Detective Angela Abar takes the opposite road and investigates the matter.
Grittier Superhero Fare
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons illustrated the DC Comics strip of the same name back in 1986. Creator Damon Lindelof takes a unique storytelling approach where he goes back and forth to generate intrigue among the viewers. The actors, including Regina King, Jean Smart, Jeremy Irons, and Don Johnson, play their roles with a mix of intensity and grit. Moreover, the stylized action, stunning visuals, and witty characters really make Watchmen a top-tier show.
13 Maniac (2018)
Maniac
- Release Date
- September 21, 2018
Maniac stars Emma Stone and Jonah Hill in never-seen-before roles as two troubled strangers who sign up for a mysterious pharmaceutical trial. The trial has stages, and depending on their reasons – her being lost and without ambition and him being diagnosed with schizophrenia – the experiment takes them on a trip into their inner psyches. In the three-day timeline, both Annie Landsberg and Owen Milgrim keep meeting across surreal dreamscapes in different realities imagined by an AI.
A Stylistic Triumph
The creators of this trial claim that all individuals will come out unscathed and without side effects, but is that really the truth? We don’t know about the characters, but for the viewers, the answer is a definite no. Clearly, the show’s storytelling is quite inventive. Stone and Hill are an unexpected duo, but thanks to the creators’ vision, their pairing is exquisite. Also, because it is paired with mesmerizing visuals and a delightful soundtrack, Maniac really draws you in.
12 Daisy Jones & The Six (2023)
Transporting the audience to the melodic rock n’ roll nostalgia of the 1970s, Daisy Jones & The Six adapts the 2019 novel of the same name written by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It tells the story of the meteoric rise to fame as well as the spontaneous combustion of a Fleetwood Mac-esque band. The series is told through various interviews with the band members a decade later.
Deliciously Dramatic
We get the he-said, she-said of their interesting glory days in the LA music scene, starting with Billy Dunne and the band arriving from their hometown of Pittsburgh to make it big. On the other hand, Daisy is the neglected daughter of wealthy parents, finding solace and rebellion in her creativity and love for music. When put together, their touch-and-burn chemistry sends even the best TV couples running. The series has everything you’d expect – love triangles, battling egos, evocative music, backstage thrills, and a satisfying finale.
11 When They See Us (2019)
Gripping and empathetic in its gaze, When They See Us tells the true story of the Central Park Five, a quintet of individuals who were charged with assault and rape of a jogger in Central Park back in 1989. For 25 years, the individuals held their own, claimed that they were innocent, and that they deserved to be exonerated.
A Story of Injustice and Perseverence
The series stars Emmy nominees and winners including Michael K. Williams, Blair Underwood, John Leguizamo, and Felicity Huffman in outstanding roles. In the spring of 1989, these characters were mere teenagers, and up until 2014, they carried the weight of a false accusation, living a nightmare for life, and the show does absolute justice in depicting that. Besides, it is directed by BAFTA and Emmy winner Ava DuVernay, and she brings a daringly original side of racial injustices to anchor the story.
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10 Maid (2021)
Maid is a drama about an emotionally abused mother who tries to give her daughter the best life she can. After Margaret Qualley’s character, Alex finds a job as a maid she quickly learns just how hard it is to support a small child all on her own. In addition to trying to support herself and her daughter, Alex also tries to find peace with her erratic mom, played by Qualley’s real-life mother, Andie MacDowell.
A Difficult Subject Tackled Well
Nominated for 15 awards, including Best Limited Series and Best Actress Emmy for Margaret Qualley, Maid is a heart-warming story. The dynamic between mother and daughter is raw and moving. Adapted from the novel Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land, Maid is an emotional miniseries whose total runtime is just over nine hours.
9 Midnight Mass (2021)
Midnight Mass is a mystery–fantasy–horror miniseries that centers around a mysterious island, a new priest, and religion. What could go wrong? This slow burn forces the viewer onto the edge of their seats, waiting for answers. Who is this mysterious young priest? What is so special about this island? Will anyone survive? And what came out of the box?
From the Master of Horror-Based Miniseries: Mike Flanagan
From creator Mike Flanagan, who you might know from The Haunting of Hill House as well as The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass will leave you guessing throughout. The central theme of the story itself is so chilling that the world that builds around it thrives primarily on the atmosphere. With a total runtime of seven hours and 30 minutes, Midnight Mass is the perfect weekend miniseries.
8 WandaVision (2021)
As Marvel’s first and most popular miniseries, WandaVision follows the events of the Avengers, after they’ve brought everyone back from “the snap.” In a small town in New Jersey, we see the lives of Wanda and Vision unfold with each episode featuring the beloved pair in a new decade of television.
An Impressive Marvel Outing
WandaVision is one of the highest-nominated shows on this list, winning 21 awards and being nominated for an additional 84. By using a miniseries format for the show, the storyline was able to grow at a slow, but captivating pace. The episode length varies, but the series’ total runtime is just under six hours. Plans to continue the series in a non-traditional fashion have ensued, including upcoming spinoffs that will follow two different characters from the show (Vision and Agatha respectively).
7 Mare of Easttown (2021)
Mare of Easttown is a raw crime-solving show that centers around a small-town cop, the eponymous Mare (Winslet), and the murder of a young girl. Facing pressure to find the killer, Mare must solve the murder along with the disappearance of other local girls.
A Chilling Crime Drama
This was another highly-rated show, receiving 16 wins and 68 nominations in total (including an Emmy for Best Actress in a Limited Series by Kate Winslet). Beyond being a crime drama, the series is also a great character study. The finale will leave you breathless with its shocking whodunit twist. Perfect for a day spent lounging on the couch, this seven-hour ride will keep you guessing up to the very end.
6 Chernobyl (2019)
Chernobyl is a dramatization of the nuclear disaster that took place in Russia during the height of the Cold War in 1986. This miniseries brought in quite the haul at the Emmys in 2019, taking home 10 awards that year, including one for Outstanding Limited Series.
A Harrowing and True Story
The way the miniseries gets into the details of what caused the disaster and how its aftermath affected an entire nation is quite brilliant. After its widespread acclaim, the audience demanded a more in-depth exploration of the event. Creator Craig Mazin has since confirmed that a Season 2 is not in the works. “We told a story of a place in time and we did it pretty darn well, and it’s time to start thinking about other places and other times…” Still, its one lone season is considered a masterpiece to this day.
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This story originally appeared on Movieweb
