Looking for TV with the oomph of a prestige series but none of the time commitment? I don’t blame you. In the hustle and bustle of the 2020s, I don’t think my ADHD could handle sitting through six full seasons of The Sopranos. You and I need the cinematic equivalent of an appetizer that we can share, not a full sized entree too big to fit in a to-go box. Thankfully, these ten miniseries have us covered. From animated masterpieces to award winning adaptations, these are the ten best miniseries ever made. Heavy enough to satisfy your eyes, but light enough that you won’t get ocular indigestion – it’s a real thing, look it up.
Angels In America
Adapted from Tony Kusher’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, Angels In America‘s subtitle describes it best: “A Gay Fantasia On National Themes.” Set in New York City in the 1980s, the plot revolves around Louis and Prior – a gay couple whose relationship is put to the test by Prior’s recent HIV diagnosis. Unable to face his lover’s mortality, Louis runs off with a closeted Mormon law clerk working for hardline McCarthyist lawyer Roy Cohn. Yikes. Sick and bereft, Prior begins experiencing spiritual visions after a renegade angel crashes through the roof his apartment, declaring him a prophet that can stop the unraveling of the world. Equal parts whimsical and devastating, it’s perhaps the greatest adaptation of a theatrical production ever made. When you’ve got Kusher’s eight hour magnum opus as source material to work with, you’re a shoe-in for cinematic greatness.
I May Destroy You
Written, directed, and starring Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You is the story of Arabella – a rising star novelist who was sexually assaulted during a night out with friends. As Arabella attempts to piece together the hazy details of her experience, begins to uncover the harrowing truth of the attack. The series is groundbreaking due to its unflinching portrayal of sexual violence, told through the point of view of a Black queer femme. It also refuses to tie up emotional loose ends, leaving lingering wounds in its characters just as real life trauma does. There is no grand comeuppance, no act of brutal and justified revenge against the assailant, just one woman attempting to come to terms with the attack through artistic expression, dark humor, and the ultimate decision to move on.
Paranoia Agent
The one and only anime series developed by the one and only Satoshi Kon, Paranoia Agent is a surrealist portrait of human depravity. It’s the story of a shy and successful character designer in her mid-twenties who is dragged into the public eye after reporting her assault by an unusual assailant: a middle school boy on golden roller skates. Hit with a baseball bat from behind, the woman can barely remember the details of the event – stumping the local police and causing a wave of paranoia to rip through the social landscape. The sixth grade slugger “Shonen Bat” might not actually be a person at all – rather a force of nature summoned by the darkness of the human psyche. Appearing during moments of heightened heavy emotion and then disappearing without a trace, Shonen Bat seems to be more of a symptom of social unrest rather than its cause. Strange, sickening and darkly satirical, this series is one Kon’s finest creations.
Chernobyl
A four part miniseries that hits like a six season epic, Chernobyl is the story of one of the most significant disasters in human history. Named after a Ukrainian city where a nuclear reactor infamously melted down, the series follows the lives of scientists, civilians, first responders, and politicians dealing with the fallout of the event – no pun intended. It’s a harrowing portrayal of a tragedy that could have been so much worse if not for the heroism of those who responded to the catastrophe, as well as a grim exploration of the political landscape that allowed for the disaster to occur in the first place. Was the meltdown a freak accident or a fated occurrence? According to this series, it was a bit of both – and much more.
Over The Garden Wall
Over The Garden Wall is an animated modern day fairytale sure to be handed down over generations. The series follows anxious teen Wirt and his intrepid little brother Greg, who are wandering through a mysterious forest accompanied by their pet frog Jason Funderburker. As the pair stumble through primeval underbrush, they are warned by a wandering woodsman to steer clear of The Beast – an ancient evil capable of stealing souls. But things aren’t all bad in this forest, there are animals that play in marching bands! Talking horses and birds! And a certain frog with the sultry voice of a jazz singer! Featuring an all star cast including Elijah Wood and Christoper Lloyd, this series is a macabre masterpiece and coming of age dramedy rolled into one hallucinatory whole.
When They See Us
When They See Us is a dramatization of the real life story of the Exonerated Five, five minors from Harlem who were falsely accused of rape in the late 1980s. Sentenced to decades behind bars, the group were later exonerated after new evidence and reports of police misconduct were brought to light. A horrifyingly realistic portrayal of a broken justice system, the series shows how these five boys of color were railroaded into giving false confessions by a society out for blood. When They See Us is an unflinching portrait of American racism, and its effects on the most vulnerable members of society. Though ultimately a tale of triumph, the series follows the long road The Five had to walk before their names were cleared.
Band of Brothers
Arguably the greatest World War II epic ever told, Band of Brothers combines the horrors of Saving Private Ryan with the heart of fictional memoir The Things They Carried. This is the story of Easy Company, a group of men whose experience of the Second World War was anything but. Under the command of the brilliant strategist Richard Winters, the group combines superior tactics with old-fashioned grit to make out of the meat grinder that was Europe’s Western Front. Though heavy on combat, this series isn’t about the battles – it’s focused on the inner lives of the men fighting. Terror, courage, rage, grief and fleeting moments of joy swirl around in each soldiers’ heart, and Band of Brothers puts each ugly and beautiful emotion on full display. Shocking, gut-wrenching and utterly endearing, this is a series that Shakespeare’s Henry V would surely be fan of – they pulled the title from a quote of his, after all.
Midnight Mass
From the mind of horror master Mike Flanagan comes Midnight Mass, a vampire drama with a Catholic twist. On a remote island off of America’s coast, a dying community is spiritually revitalized with the coming of an energetic priest. Hailed as a modern day saint, Father Paul is able to work miracles on anyone who drinks the communion wine he blesses – though it certainly isn’t the blood of Christ. After mistaking the demonic for the divine, the well-intentioned priest brings an unholy curse upon the island – and an ancient creature with it. What begins as a chilling vampire story soon becomes one of the most profound explorations of faith and doubt ever put on screen. You may not feel called to go to church by the time the credits roll, but you’ll certainly be spiritually moved.
Adolescence
A gut-punch portrayal of a modern social crisis, Adolescence is the story of the Miller family, whose lives are turned upside down after their 13 year old son is arrested for murder. Played out over four episodes that are each one shot takes (that’s right, no cuts) the series is a cinematically jaw-dropping exploration of the making of a killer. As authorities, counselors, and his own grief-stricken parents attempt to make sense of young Jaime Miller’s senseless act, the dark symptoms of an internet-born sickness are revealed. It’s a sobering portrait of the grim social landscape that today’s teens are forced to face, one that is capable of planting homicidal hate in young minds – and bringing devastation of those that love them.
Pride And Prejudice
The ultimate period drama, the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice miniseries is arguably the definitive interpretation of Jane Austen’s classic romance novel. The timeless love between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy is given new life by the incendiary chemistry between Jennifer Ehle and a throughly crush on-able Colin Firth. It’s one of the most faithful adaptations of the novel ever put to film (aside from the shirtless pond diving scene, but who’s complaining?) and perfectly demonstrates why Austen’s story served as the blueprint for countless modern romances. Full of longing glances, high emotions, and tension so thick you’ll need a machete, Pride and Prejudice is the pinnacle of parlor room drama, and one of the greatest love stories ever told.
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