Entertainment
8 Game-Changing War Shows That Redefined the Genre
The war genre has made a huge impact on the big and small screen. It’s arguably the most revered genre in history ever since the dawn of filmmaking itself. Its influence has extended far and wide, spanning multiple decades and continually evolving with the times. From dominating cinemas to raking in high viewer scores on broadcast television, this shaped our modern entertainment world and will never lose its grip on audiences.
Today, we have entire lists dedicated to the greatest war masterpieces in cinema, and there is simply too much to choose from. And when it comes to television, it’s not like we’re starved of quality entertainment. For decades now, war has been prevalent on TV, from highly acclaimed miniseries to long-running hit shows. Some of them will never be forgotten nor ignored for what they’ve achieved. The following are notable war shows that have had long-lasting impacts on the media. They’re incredibly revered masterworks that capture the raw, visceral experience of watching a war unfold on the small screen. Some are even considered some of the greatest television shows in broadcast history. Here they are now.
1
‘Combat!’ (1962–1967)
Airing on the ABC network from 1962 to 1967, Combat! is a dark, gritty war drama capturing the perspectives and struggles of American Army soldiers in the Second World War. Elevated by the talents of its remarkable scriptwriters, capable directors, and boosted by a famous cast, including Rick Jason and Vic Morrow, it follows the lives of a U.S. army squad in their brutal fight against Germany in the European assault after the success of D-Day. Engaging in countless battles and struggling to maintain their wits and humanity, these men fight alongside each other during the most horrific fighting of this infamous chapter of the war.
Combat! was one of the first drama shows to depict WWII in a realistic fashion, with all its non-glamorous, hard truths included. It doesn’t sugarcoat what this war was truly about and how it deeply affected the brave men who fought in it. There are shocking deaths, intense fighting scenes, and there’s no traditional hero characters like the ones often shown in early WWII films in the cinema. It brings the brutal, desperate struggle for survival that the average foot soldier had to go through during this time period, and it’s still the type of excellent storytelling that’s inspired countless other shows in the years since. It’s a tremendous classic war series that truly pushed for more realism and emotion when depicting these iconic conflicts from history.
2
‘Shaka Zulu’ (1986)
Shaka Zulu is a truly grand and epic miniseries that premiered on the South African Broadcasting Corporation in 1986. An awe-inspiring tale with lavish production values, a significantly high budget, and award-worthy cinematography, this is strikingly beautiful and, despite being regionally made, it looks to have the look and feel of a high-quality Hollywood production. As its title shows, it tells about the rise of the famous Zulu ruler, King Shaka (Henry Cele), from his early days building his small clan into a powerful empire to his eventual assassination in 1829.
It’s a large-scale historical epic that drew worldwide acclaim for its gorgeous look and compelling story. This pushed boundaries, showing that televised war stories can be just as captivating, unique, and visually spectacular as those from cinema. It showed that enough care and effort can make a war story shine bright on the small screen. Despite not being as recognized today as some other war shows mentioned on this list, Shaka Zulu is a must-watch that continues to look timeless and truly inspiring.
3
‘The Pacific’ (2010)
Next is The Pacific, the riveting HBO miniseries that depicts one of the most vicious sides of WWII ever shown on TV. Telling the unique perspectives of three main soldiers, mostly featuring the story of Eugene Sledge (Joseph Mazzello), it shows the absolute chaos and horrors of the war in the Pacific Theater, following these men from the tense jungle fighting on Guadalcanal to the rain-soaked desperate struggle for survival on Okinawa.
This sister series of one of the most compelling war dramas ever released by the HBO network was seen as another masterwork when it came out in 2010, though slightly not as memorable as its predecessors, which will be mentioned further down this list. It’s still a visually splendid, expertly acted, and sharply directed war series that gets better and better with each new rewatch. The Pacific inspired other war shows to reach its level of spectacular production values and complex storytelling. And today, it’s still seen as one of the best WWII shows of all time.
4
‘Generation Kill’ (2008)
2008’s Generation Kill is another pulse-pounding and emotionally charged HBO miniseries. Based on the 2004 book of the same name by author Evan Wright, it recounts his time working as an embedded reporter for the Marine Corps’s 1st Reconnaissance Battalion during the early stages of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. Through several conflicts and constant patrols, the story tells the unique perspectives of the men of this unit and how the war has taken its toll on them.
Generation Kill is a frighteningly accurate and riveting depiction of this recent war in the Middle East. One can see that authenticity and attention to detail are on full display as it tries to remain mostly faithful to Wright’s book, and portrays military tactics and events in a more realistic light. There are a few that could match the level of historical detail that this has, and as such it’s become an inspiration for others to try to be as authentic as possible as well. It’s a gripping seven-part miniseries that demands attention.
5
‘Shōgun’ (2024–Present)
FX’s 2024 war drama series Shōgun is the visually marvelous second TV adaptation of a compelling 1975 novel by famed author James Clavell. Boosted by stellar production values, grand-scale sets, epic battle sequences, period-accurate costumes, and powerful performances, it tells the story of a 17th-century Japanese warlord who aims to expand his reach across the land, but comes into conflict when a shipwrecked Englishman washes up on his shores.
It shattered Emmy Award nomination records in just one debut season, becoming one of the most successful and acclaimed war shows in recent history. It’s jaw-dropping and impressive to look at, and truly, other shows going forward will take note of its massive success. Though still going and fairly recent, FX’s version of Shōgun is already hailed as a masterpiece of primetime television.
6
‘Rome’ (2005–2007)
HBO just keeps churning out some of the most fascinating war shows ever. Next is Rome, the historical drama series which aired for two seasons from 2005 to 2007. Offering a compelling look into an iconic point in human civilization history, it tells the story of ancient Rome in the late BC period during its dramatic transition from a Republic in the dying days of Julius Caesar to a powerful Empire in the time of Augustus.
Each episode is an epic blast of entertainment, featuring powerful stories that talk about these intense moments during Rome’s history. It’s backed by a talented cast, including Ciarán Hinds, Kerry Condon, Kevin McKidd, and the late Ray Stevenson, all of whom excel in bringing these memorable figures to life and making them so fascinating to watch. It’s a masterpiece from start to finish that many other war shows can only hope to reach the level of quality, and it will only get better with age.
7
‘M*A*S*H’ (1972–1983)
Truly, M*A*S*H is one of the most recognizable comedy-drama shows in television history. Its impact on pop culture and broadcasting is legendary and quite inspirational. Airing eleven seasons from 1972 to 1983, audiences laughed and cried as they followed this touching and at times utterly hilarious war series, which is full of iconic moments. Starring Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers, it follows the unique medical staff at a mobile army surgical hospital in South Korea during the Korean War.
Each one of its seasons was absolutely perfect, and entertained viewers with its remarkable storylines and likable characters. It also features plenty of moments that have become immortalized in TV history, like Lt. Col. Blake’s (McLean Stevenson) shocking demise in Season 3 to the legendary finale, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” which pulled in an impressive amount of viewership. It’s an undisputed masterpiece that TV history and the war genre would not have been the same without.
8
‘Band of Brothers’ (2001)
Was there any surprise for this last one? Of course, Band of Brothers is the most influential war show of all time. Hardly any other show can match the impact that this HBO masterpiece has had on the minds of war-lovers everywhere. It’s gripping, iconic, and undeniably perfect with each episode. Based on the best-selling novel by historian Stephen E. Ambrose, the show brings to light a story of unbelievable heroism, following the brave men of Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment from their grueling training in the states to marching into Germany during WWII.
It’s a remarkable story of courage, camaraderie, and determination in the face of so much adversity. Through ten episodes, we easily get to relate to and love these characters on their dangerous missions, and it’s truly breaking to see many of them not make it all the way to the end. Band of Brothers is widely hailed not just as the greatest war show but as one of the most compelling television shows ever created. Its production values, effects, and big budget gave way to how modern shows are created. This truly showed the potential of portraying war on the small screen, and is today an icon that even non-war fans must see.
Band of Brothers
- Release Date
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2001 – 2001
- Network
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HBO
- Directors
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David Frankel, David Nutter, Mikael Salomon, Phil Alden Robinson, Richard Loncraine, Tom Hanks
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Donnie Wahlberg
C. Carwood Lipton
