I haven’t been watching much in terms of actual shows for a good while, then while listening to a podcast a host casually mentioned they had rewatched Chernobyl, how it still holds up, that there’s a reason it got as much acclaim as it did, etc. So I thought I’d give it a go and wow, loved it (still one episode left to watch).
Had me thinking, what else have I missed out on? What are some “absolute cinema” TV shows that still hold up and and are considered must watch?
The Sandbaggers
Aired on ITV1 Yorkshire Television in the UK in 1978 to 1980. It’s a spy show but it’s realistic. Incredibly realistic. The “Sandbaggers” are the elite group of “Special Operations” officers who go behind enemy lines, perform assassinations, etc. but you almost never see that happen. 90% of the show takes place in drab offices, and the show is more about office politics than spycraft. But, that’s what makes it really compelling.
If you watch a clip of the show, you can see in general what it’s like. Apparently the whole show is on YouTube these days.
For those who liked Chernobyl, I recommend The Days about the Fukushima disaster. It’s not as dramatic and cinematic, but still fascinating to watch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Days_(Japanese_TV_series)
If you want a soothing TV show about Japanese culture and traditions, I recommend The Makanai, about a young geisha training house. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Makanai%3A_Cooking_for_the_Maiko_House
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984)
Of all the versions of the Sherlock Homes story I’ve seen, this series is the best. Jeremy Brett is an amazing Holmes. It feels like the books are being brought to life.
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Throwing in my recommendations and limiting it to sleeper shows that don’t get recommended much. (The expanse, silo, foundation, arcane, severance etc already get lots of love). They aren’t all must watch but worth checking out, particularly the first 3
Mr Inbetween - Aussie show about a hit man that plays out like an incredible slice of life.
Sense8 - sci fi based show about based around 8 people who find themselves linked. It’s weird, LGBTQ friendly & forward and has some explicit scenes.
The goes wrong show - BBC theatre piece. Amateur theatre company attempt plays. Each actor has their own quirks, faults and confidence issues. Chaos ensures, the show must go on.
------ other decent stuff in case 3 top tier isn’t enough
Almost human - cancelled early formula show of he’s a cop but his partner’s an X (in this case android). Had humans vibes and good chemistry
3 body problem - sci fi adaptation from prominent Chinese author
Community - some people seem to have missed it
You’re the worst - a show about terrible people
Matroesjkas is a Flemish Belgian show about trafficking women. It’s a super gripping show around a criminal gang and a group of victims. It has very thick Flemish dialects that help to sell it, I hope you can find it subtitled.
2 seasons, 10 episodes each. 2004
Orphan Black: it’s hard to say much without spoiling it, but it’s one of the best series I’ve ever seen, and Tatiana Maslany’s acting is incredible. It’s
Battlestar Galactica, which others have mentioned already.
Stargate SG-1: my favorite show of all time. It’s the sort of scifi that makes you hopeful about the future of humanity. You don’t absolutely have to watch the movie first (it’s not as good as the series IMO, though worth watching) but it lends to more understanding of who some of the characters are.
I’ll throw a couple of old, fun ones in I doubt anyone mentioned.
Dead Like Me
Pushing Daisies
Peep show will always have a special place in my heart 🫶
The Wire
I am currently making my way down IMBD’s list of the top 250 TV shows (by user ratings). They also have a similar list for the best movies.
My personal shout-out goes to Black Mirror.
Battlestar Galactica
Sopranos.
A complex look at the mafia. Main characters die. Tightly written. Very few filler episodes. Best final episode ever.
Pic Unrelated
