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Some of the best war TV shows have the power to move audiences and create a dramatic effect upon the viewers. War is a sensitive topic and effectively portraying it on TV requires immense skill. From power-packed action to the gritty and sad realities of war, war TV shows can pack a lot of punch and over the years, there have been some compelling war TV shows. Here are the 10 best war TV shows, ranked according to the scores on the IMDb website. They have both grandeur and pathos.
Band of Brothers, Rome, and other best war TV shows, ranked
10. The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Created by Justin Kurzel and Shaun Grant, this Australian war drama miniseries is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Flanagan. Starring Jacob Elordi, Odessa Young, and others, the series is about Dorrigo Evans (Elordi) and his journey across three periods. First is before his deployment to the Second World War, second is during his time as a Far East prisoner of war, and third take place several years after the war. The series is heartfelt, emotional, and poignant, with some tear-jerking scenes. The show also focuses on Dorrigo’s love affair with his Uncle’s wife Amy, during each period of his life. The show garnered critical and commercial acclaim and was appreciated for its balance of war themes with those of sentimentality and relationships. The show has only one season and has a ranking of 7.2 on IMDb. Therefore, it is one of those war TV shows that one must watch.
9. Halo
Based on the video game franchise of the same name by Bungie and 343 Industries, this military and science fiction series is developed by Kyle Killen and Steven Kane. The show stars Pablo Schreiber, Olive Gray, Shabana Azmi, and others. The show has two seasons and focuses on a 26th-century war between the United Nations Space Command and the Covenant. The Covenant is a theocratic and military alliance of several different alien races that want to destroy humanity. The protagonist of the series is Pablo Schreiber who is a Master Chief Petty Officer John-117. The show has fast-paced action, thrilling war sequences, and stunning visuals. Both seasons received positive reviews from fans and it is one of those war TV shows that are both futuristic and inventive. It has a rating of 7.3 on IMDb and is a great watch for all those who want to watch war-themed shows with a touch of science fiction.
8. SEAL Team
Starring David Boreanaz, Max Thieriot, AJ Buckley, and others, this military drama and action series is created by Benjamin Cavell. The show follows the Brave Team, which is a sub-unit of the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group. The team is a part of an elite unit of Navy SEALs. The show is packed with action, war, and deadly conspiracies. It also looks at the personal and professional lives of the people in unit as they juggle their professional duties with their family and relationships. A highlight of the show is that it focuses on the team undertaking only the most dangerous missions and travelling worldwide on short notices. The series aired for seven seasons and was loved by fans. Further, the series has former Navy SEALs as writers and many of its crew members are veterans, which makes the show even more authentic. It is one of those war TV shows that has lots of action and drama. It has a rating of 7.9 on IMDb.
7. The Tudors
Created by Michael Hirst and starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Sam Neill, and others, this British-Canadian historical fiction series is set in 16th-century England. While the show is named after the Tudor dynasty, the show focuses on the reign of King Henry VIII. While the show is historical fiction, it has plenty of war themes and therefore has a ranking of 8.1 on IMDb in the list of war TV shows. The series has four seasons and each installment looks at King Henry’s reign and the challenges he had to face. The first season begins with the effectiveness of the King’s reign and how he is tested by international conflicts and political intrigue in his own court. Other important parts in the storyline look at Anne Boleyn’s life and the many marriages of Henry VIII. The show received positive reviews from critics and viewers and it is one of those war TV shows that has the perfect tinge of history, intrigue, and war.
6. SAS Rogue Heroes
Starring Connor Swindells, Jack O’Connell, and others, this British historical drama series is created by Steven Knight and is directed by Tom Shankland and Stephen Woolfenden. The show is also known as Rogue Heroes in the United States and Australia. The series focuses on the origins of the British Army Special Air Service (SAS) during the Western Desert Campaign of World War II. The show takes inspiration from the 2016 book of the same name by Ben Macintyre and is therefore broadly accurate in its description of events. The second season of the show focused on the SAS operations in the European theatre of war. The show highlights how in 1941, a British Army Officer, David Stirling (Swindells), has the idea of creating a special commando unit that could penetrate the enemy lines. The show is gritty, action-packed and focuses fully on war. It has a rating of 8.2 on IMDb and is one of the must-watch war TV shows.
5. Vikings
Created by Michael Hirst and starring Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, and others, this war and historical drama series is inspired by the saga of Ragnar Lodbrok. Ragnar (Fimmel) is a Viking who is one of the best-known legendary Norse heroes and also known as the scourge of Anglo-Saxon England and West Francia. The show focuses on the journey of Ragnar who is a farmer from the Kattegat and becomes famous by raiding England. He eventually becomes a Scandinavian King and gets immense support from his family and fellow warriors. The subsequent seasons also focus on the adventures and journeys of his sons in England, the Mediterranean, and North America. The series is therefore heavily inspired by the tales of the Norseman of early medieval Scandinavia. The show takes a lot of its inspiration from old sagas and other historical sources. It has a rating of 8.5 and is one of those unique war TV shows that covers the brutal and mysterious adventures of a distant world.
4. M*A*S*H
One of the most iconic war TV shows, this war comedy series aired from 1972 to 1983 and is a pop culture staple. Developed by Larry Gelbart and based on Richard Hooker’s 1968 novel, the show is also a spin-off of the 1970 movie of the same name. Starring Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, and others, the series follows a team of doctors and support staff that are stationed at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) in Uijeongbu, South Korea, during the Korean War. Alda plays the role of surgeon Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce and Rogers essays the role of “Trapper” John McIntyre. While the show has touches of humor, there are also some episodes that highlight the tragic side of war. The series is one of the most influential war TV shows of all time and its final episode was one of the most watched television broadcasts in the United States. With a rating of 8.5 on IMDb, the series has aged well and still holds up.
3. Shōgun
Based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell, this war and historical drama series is created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks. Starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, and others, the show has one season and is still one of the most critically acclaimed and loved war TV shows. The highlight of the show is that most of the production has a Japanese cast and majority of the dialogue is in Japanese. The show focuses on John Blackthorne (Jarvis), who is an ambitious English sailor and ends up shipwrecked in Japan. On the other hand, the story also looks at Lord Toranaga (Sanada), who is a powerful feudal lord and has many political rivals. Interestingly, the character of Blackthorne is based on the English navigator William Adams, who became a samurai under Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was a feudal lord. The series has been noted for its visuals, acting, direction, and faithfulness to the source material It won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama series and won in 18 categories. The show has an impressive rating of 8.6 on IMDb and is one of the must-watch war TV shows.
2. Rome
Created by John Milius, William J. MacDonald, and Bruni Heller, this American and British historical drama series has two seasons and has been praised both critically and by the viewers. The show is set in the 1st century BC and looks at Ancient Rome’s transition from Republic to Empire. While the show has a huge ensemble cast with actors like Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, and others, the show’s protagonists are the two soldiers Lucius Vorenus (McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Stevenson), whose lives intertwine with important historical events. Many of the characters in the story are based on real historical figures and there are important themes of war, redemption, and political intrigue. The show is noted for its accuracy and the use of both Roman and Egyptian language. It was also honored with multiple awards. While the second season of the show received some mixed reviews, it is a cult classic and has a rating of 8.7 on IMDb. It is one of the must-watch war TV shows.
1. Band of Brothers
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With a rating of 9.4 on IMDb, this war drama miniseries is one of the best war TV shows till date. Created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the show is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Stephen E. Ambrose. The show was critically acclaimed and well-loved by viewers. It therefore won the Emmy and the Golden Globe awards for Best Miniseries. The show dramatizes the history of the “Easy” Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. The show follows through the Easy Company’s paratrooper training and ultimately shows its participation in the Western Front of World War II. Many of the characters are based on members of the Easy Company and each episode begins with excerpts from interviews with some of the survivors. The series takes some literary license for dramatic effect but is based on the research in Ambrose’s book. It is one of the must-watch war TV shows from the early aughts that is both gritty and raw.
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