Key Takeaways
- War-themed TV shows have gained immense popularity, especially with streaming platforms.
- Hidden gems exist among war miniseries that deserve recognition beyond mainstream hits.
- International productions often showcase unique perspectives on conflict and its effects.
- Romance and drama are often intertwined with war narratives, enhancing their emotional impact.
War-themed TV shows have become immensely popular in recent years, especially with the rise of streaming platforms and on-demand viewing. Major productions such as Band of Brothers have dominated the charts for ages, and consistently rank among the top of people’s favorite wartime TV shows. No discredit to these series—they are pretty awesome, after all. But there are so many hidden gems out there worthy of a second chance.
Many of these shows are foreign, which likely contributed to how unknown they are, but they’re still pieces of quality that effectively show the futility and brutality of conflict. Many of them include other aspects like romance or drama, which only adds to their effects. If you need a new war TV show to watch, look no further, because these are the best war TV shows that most people probably haven’t even heard of.
10
‘Shaka Zulu’ (1986)
Image via SABC TV2/TV3
Shaka Zulu is a criminally underrated war miniseries created in South Africa. Set in the Zulu Kingdom in the early 19th century, this story details King Shaka (Henry Cele) and his rise to power, along with his crusades against British colonial troops. It also details the rapid expansion of the Zulu Empire, allowing Shaka to establish himself as one of the greatest and most renowned kings in the region.
The ten-episode miniseries was popular at the time, but has since been swept away by the sands of time, to the point where many don’t even know about it anymore. This is really a shame because it details a pivotal point in South African history and is one of the few pieces of media to actually reflect this time period. If you’re into world history, this is a series that will hook you from the get-go and that will never let go.
9
‘Women at War’ (2022)
Image via Netflix
<em>Women at War </em>is a miniseries created for Netflix by French and Belgian showrunners. It is set during the First World War, and as the title implies, doesn’t follow the men in the trenches, but rather, the women far behind friendly lines. Four women from four drastically different walks of life are thrust into the conflict when the government demands all hands on deck. Though these women are prohibited from fighting on the front lines, they find their own ways to support the war effort from home.
This eight-part miniseries is a drama about the unsung heroes of conflict—those who are left behind, who are tasked with making supplies and packaging food for the brave ones on the front. It’s not that actual soldiers don’t deserve credit; it’s just that ordinary people doing their best to help aren’t getting much credit at all. This show definitely deserves points for that, which many critics agreed with. It was lauded for how it depicted feminine empowerment and the important role women played as nurses and suppliers during the conflict. However, it never made it to Netflix’s mainstream audience.
8
‘Nuremberg’ (2000)
Image via TNT
Nuremberg is a two-part miniseries produced by TNT in the United States and CTV in Canada. As the name implies, the series takes place following the end of World War II when Allied powers placed numerous Nazi officials on trial due to the horrific war crimes committed by the Third Reich, including the Holocaust. Actual historical footage of the concentration camps is used in this series, making the gravity of the trial feel so much more real despite being a dramatization.
The series stars Alec Baldwin as Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson, one of the prosecutors during the infamous trials. In fact, pretty much every single actor in this series plays a real historical figure, from judges or Allied military officials to Nazi war criminals. This isn’t just a war series—it’s also a tense courtroom drama featuring some of the worst crimes imaginable, one that absolutely demands to be seen due to just how important its content is.
7
‘China Beach’ (1988–1991)
China Beach is a bit of a hybrid series functioning as both a medical drama TV show and a historical war drama. It is set during the Vietnam War and follows an American nurse from Kansas who is sent overseas to Vietnam to assist with the swathes of wounded American soldiers in medical tents. The series not only shows what war looks like beyond bombs and bullets but also portrays horrific effects combat can have on human psyche.
China Beach actually ended up winning a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series in 1991 so it was clearly a huge success for its time. However, no one really talks about this show anymore. Most people seem to have forgotten about it which is kind of tragic due to just how good it is. If you’re a fan of war dramas or medical dramas (or both), be sure to give China Beach a try. You won’t regret it.
6
‘X Company’ (2015–2017)
Image via CBC
If there’s one thing that many war movies and TV shows overlook it’s the role that smaller nations played in World War II.. Canada particularly was known for playing a major role in both World Wars yet there are very few movies and TV shows about Canadian troops. Enter X Company, a joint project between Canadian and Hungarian showrunners which depicts soldiers being trained for special forces units at Camp X just outside Toronto Ontario.
The show ended up lasting three seasons and featured primarily Canadian talent including Hugh Dillon, lead singer of rock band The Headstones.. Critics adored this show for how it depicted an often ignored piece of history successfully portraying how crucial Canada was to overall war effort. Not that Canada deserves all credit but it certainly deserves more than cinema and television give it. In any event,This is a show that was resounding hit yet never really took off internationally.
5
’37 Days’ (2014)
Image via BBC Two
37 Days is a British TV series that occurs after assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. Prior to this nationalism and imperialism were growing immensely popular in Europe and with many major empires establishing alliances continent was pretty much powder keg ready explode at any given moment. Assassination Archduke would prove be straw that broke camel’s back first spark would set off massive chain reaction later became known First World War.
The story follows group British military officials aristocrats days following Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination in days between date his death moment World War I officially declared Europe. Three-part miniseries praised clever dialogue fantastic performances veteran cast.Though there’s no action it excels letting audience feel tension as Europe slowly inches closer one its darkest times history.
4
‘Morocco: Love in Times of War’ (2017)
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