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The 5 Best Shows That Still Hold Up Today
Credit: @Freepik
Have you ever been in that situation where you scroll through Netflix or any other streaming platform and find nothing to watch? Then, maybe it’s time to pop back a classic tv show you’ve missed or that you don’t remember that well.
Today, we offer you to discover five shows that have stood the test of time thanks to their writing, cinematography, and more. So, keep reading to discover our selection.
Table of Contents
5 Timeless Shows To Binge If You’ve Missed Them
Credit: @AMC
1. Breaking Bad – The Best Character Development
When we first saw Malcolm in The Middle’s father Al, played by Bryan Cranston, as a meth cooker, many of us pushed back. Over ten years later and after Vince Gilligan had the chance to explore Albuquerque with Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad is one of the best shows ever committed to the small screen. It made Bryan Cranston, Vince Gilligan, Dean Norris, Bob Odenkirk, and more into superstars, and also the show which helped put AMC on the map with The Walking Dead.
Walter White is a school chemistry teacher, the archetype of the guy everyone can step over from his wife to his students. He even has to work two jobs to make ends meet, but everything changes when he’s diagnosed with incurable cancer. With nothing to lose, Walter decides to start cooking meth to leave something to his family. The show had a hard time gathering viewers for the two first seasons and was almost cancelled, but it’s now held as one of the best shows ever made and for good reasons. Everything from the acting, and cinematography to the writing and moral implications is pitch perfect, for a show you can binge over and over without ever getting tired of it.
Credit: @HBO
2. The Sopranos – The Most Realistic Mob Drama
HBO is reputed for the quality of its series, and The Sopranos largely contributed to the series. If you’ve already watched it, Paulie (RIP Tony Sirico), Tony, Silvio, Christopher, and all the others feel like they’re part of your family. If you’ve never watched it, though, you’re in luck because there is a remastered version, which is magnificent. It encapsulates the dying mob at the end of the 90s, but also American society. Still, it manages to stay timeless thanks to the writing depicting universal situations any family is confronted with at some point.
The Story follows Tony Soprano and his two families: his wife and kids, and the New Jersey mob. It starts off a comedic, almost comical, premise, but it quickly becomes gripping as you learn to know all the characters and their unique quirks. The show is overall very serious, depicting murder and extortion with dire consequences, but it tries to stay realistic and doesn’t forget to pepper humor here and there. Also: Gabagool!
Credit: @HBO
3. Band of Brothers – The Best True Story
Band of Brothers is a show you must watch if you’ve enjoyed Saving Private Ryan. It’s produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks and takes you back to WWII with the same visual quality. Based on the true story of the Easy Company as written by Stephen E Ambrose, a war historian specialized in the conflict, Band of Brothers offers a recognizable cast and bombastic action without straying away from the true story as told by the veterans like the Major Winters portrayed by Damian Lewis (Homeland).
The story starts in boot camp before the company joins the Overlord operation and arrives on D-Day. We then follow the soldiers through trials and tribulations as they make their way towards Germany. So, if you’re looking for an epic tale of dedicated men sharing a unique bond during trying times, Band of Brothers is unforgettable.
Credit: @HBO
4. True Detective – The Best Anthology Series
True Detective has a tumultuous history. The first season was an immediate hit thanks to the performances of Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. However, the show fumbled with a second season most people hated, but that we personally enjoyed and consider far better than the bore fest that was season 3.
Each season can be watched independently, but we’d recommend starting with the first one to see the evolution in scope and ambition. That’s because the second season is a masterpiece, with Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn at the top of their game in a crime story that will not leave you unscathed. True Detective is dark and never shies away from showing us people dealing with power and losing their humanity in the process. So, if you’ve never seen it, give a chance to the second season and let us know what you think about it.
Credit: @HBO
5. Game of Thrones – The Best Heroic Fantasy Show
Georges R.R. Martin wasn’t as known as he is today, before the adaptation of his books. He initially wrote them after being inspired by the work of Tolkien, but he thought it lacked realism in the depiction of medieval society. So, he wrote his version, drawing parallels with real royal dynasties and adding touches of heroic fantasy here and there to make it more fun.
The show is exactly that. It deals with political issues of the times, the schemes to rise to power, the war, and the plots to kill Kings and Queens. Westeros is a vast world filled with dangers, but they’re not the ones you expect, and they often come from the most unlikely threat. HBO and the show runners crafted a show so good, it managed to gather over 68 million viewers by the fifth season. The eight season is the black sheep, rushing many aspects of the series, but it’s still worth watching in its entirety for the visuals.
