For many people, TV shows are considered to be far superior to movies for their fleshed-out characters and detailed story arcs. Top-rated shows like Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, The Wire, and a lot of other shows have been re-defined the television industry.
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However, with detailed story arcs come years of world-building which need multiple seasons, at the least. Critically acclaimed shows like The Simpsons, F.R.I.E.N.D.S., Seinfield, Modern Family ran for years, amassing hundreds of episodes in the process.
Though a lot of these shows are extremely rewarding, investing hours of your time is surely a daunting task which many of us would find futile. With the advent of Netflix and other streaming platforms, scores of shows are being released every year, further pushing your plans to watch a long-running show. Fortunately, there are a few TV shows with only one season which can be enjoyed at your own pace without worrying about missing out on future episodes. Here’s a list of the greatest binge-worthy TV shows with one season you should watch.
10. Sharp Objects
Adapted from Gone Girl‘s famed author Gillian Flynn’s debut novel, Sharp Objects stars Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Eliza Scanlen, and Henry Czerny. Playing the role of an alcoholic crime reporter, Amy Adams dazzles in the dark, grim, and intense show.
Based in the small town of Wind Gap, Missouri, the story revolves around the mysterious murders of two young girls. As the crime reporter heads back to her hometown to cover the story, grisly details of her own past come back to haunt her. An engaging show with unsettling sequences of self-harm and brutal murders, Sharp Objects is a terrific watch for fans of mystery, thriller, and crime.
9. Freaks and Geeks
Aired 20 years ago, Freaks and Geeks is one of the most beloved shows which faced the ax too soon. A teen comedy-drama, Freaks and Geeks revolve around high schooler Lindsay Weir, a gifted student who befriends a group of ‘freaks’, and her younger brother Sam with his bunch of geek friends.
With only 18 episodes, Freaks and Geeks has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The show was responsible for launching the careers of Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jason Segel, Busy Philips, John Francis Daley, Martin Starr, Samm Levine, and Linda Cardellini.
8. Constantine
Developed by David S. Goyer and Daniel Cerone, Constantine aired on NBC from October 24, 2014, to February 13, 2015. Having only 13 episodes, Constantine had become an instant fan-favorite following the story of the chain-smoking, foul-mouthed, British occult detective John Constantine.
Starring Matt Ryan, Constantine was praised by long time fans of Vertigo’s Hellblazer series. Matt Ryan’s faithful re-creation of the beloved comic book character could not save the show from getting canceled. However, he soon made his appearance in CW’s Arrowverse alongside Stephen Amell and Grant Gustin. In the recent Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, Matt Ryan returned as Constantine to share the screen with Tom Ellis’ Lucifer.
7. When They See Us
Created by Ava DuVernay, When They See Us is based on the infamous Central Park jogger case which shook the city of New York back in 1989. The mini-series follows the story of five Black male suspects who were falsely charged for the brutal rape of a woman in Central Park.
Exploring the themes of systemic racism and racial profiling, Ava DuVernay pulls no punches in portraying the heartwrenching ordeal through which the five teenagers had to go through for a crime that they didn’t commit. Deeply impactful and unsettling, When They See Us received critical acclaim upon its release.
6. Firefly
Set in the year 2517, Firefly is a futuristic Space Western Drama starring Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Morena Baccarin, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, and Ron Glass. Firefly was created by Joss Whedon which follows the lives of nine members of a renegade crew living in the spaceship Serenity.
Set against the backdrop of a galactic civil war, Firefly is a poignant and deeply impactful show on the human psyche as the renegade crew flees from the Alliance, a Sino-American fusion which has caused gross social inequality. Despite being one of the best TV shows of recent times, Firefly was canceled after 11 out of its 14 episodes had aired.
5. The Night Manager
Adapted from John le Carre’s novel, The Night Manager follows the story of a luxury hotel night manager and a former British soldier who is recruited to infiltrate the inner circle of a dangerous arms dealer.
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Boasting a stellar cast, The Night Manager stars Tom Hiddlestone, Hugh Laurie, Tom Hollander, Elizabeth Debicki, Olivia Colman, and David Harewood. The Night Manager was nominated for a staggering 36 awards.
4. The Night Of
Starring John Turturro and Riz Ahmed, The Night Of is a crime-drama television series adapted from the British series Criminal Justice. The show follows the story of Nasir Khan, a Pakistani-American college student who gets caught up in a mysterious murder.
Receiving critical acclaim, The Night Of is an enthralling and engaging show which runs at full throttle till the very end. Riz Ahmed and John Turturro dazzle throughout the show, leaving the viewers hooked throughout its run.
3. Watchmen
Alan Moore’s Watchmen has never been an easy read to digest. Zack Snyder attempted to re-create the iconic graphic novel into a feature movie back in 2009. A decade later, Damon Lindelof expanded the story in his refreshing take at the highly controversial and political comic-book story.
Starring Regina King, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Tim Nelson, and Jeremy Irons, Watchmen is set in the current era, following the events of the comic-book. As people have gotten accustomed to random squid rains, Detective Angela Abar aka Sister Night gets caught up between a white supremacist group called the Seventh Kavalry and a genius scientist trying to kidnap Doctor Manhattan. Watchmen brought back the oft-forgotten 1921 Tulsa Massacre to the limelight once again. Upon its release, Watchmen received critical acclaim and has won 26 Emmy Awards nominations, the highest for any TV show in 2019.
2. Chernobyl
Taking the world by storm, Chernobyl was one of the most discussed TV shows of 2019. Created by Craig Mazin and directed by Johan Renck, Chernobyl is based on the real-life 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
Starring Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgaard, Emily Watson, and Paul Ritter, Chernobyl is a haunting five-part series depicting the negligence, inefficiency, and the harrowing aftermath of the nuclear disaster which made the city of Chernobyl inhabitable. The show was had received 19 Emmy nominations and won The Best Mini-Series Award at the 77th Golden Globe Awards.
1. Band of Brothers
Arguably the greatest depiction of the Second World War, Band of Brothers revolutionized the televison industry upon its release back in 2001. Created by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, Band of Brothers created history for its accurate portrayal of war, suffering, and camaraderie.
Following the story of Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Division, the ten-part mini-series portrays excruciating details to immerse the audience in the battlefield. Based on true stories, Band of Brothers is a show that will leave you devastated, awe-struck, and inspired, all at once. The show’s massive ensemble cast had Michael Fassbender, Dominic Cooper, James McAvoy, Tom Hardy, Andrew Scott, Jimmy Fallon, and many other famous celebrities in cameo roles.
