There’s something kind of endearing and homey about continuously watching the same characters week in and week out. Fans of long-lasting network shows can confirm this can be comforting, even though the shows could be about murder, crime, death, and so on. I’m referring to, of course, the likes of Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, and Grey’s Anatomy, to name a few.
However, sometimes less is actually more, and not every great show needs to have a decade’s worth of seasons to keep people talking about it. Some shows tell their story, and whether they walk away on purpose or get canceled, knowing we have no choice but to say goodbye makes it much easier to return to later on. Whether it’s a prestige drama, beloved anime, or canceled sci-fi, these are the greatest shows with fewer than 40 episodes.
1
‘Firefly’ (2002)
Firefly is one of the most beloved canceled shows of all time, and fans of the series often mention it as the greatest space Western that never moved past its first season. Truly, Firefly is a brilliant show, and it does have all the qualities that people love, bringing both familiarity and new territory into the mix. Firefly was created by Joss Whedon, stars Nathan Fillion and is where sci-fi, comedy, and Western genres are blended into one perfect mix.
Firefly follows a crew of people traveling across space in their “Firefly-class” spaceship, Serenity. Their captain is Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), and as the episodes flow, we learn more about each of the characters, becoming more connected to them. It’s a beautiful and interesting blend of gritty, frontier-style storytelling and a heartwarming found-family story. Although Firefly was short-lived, it was never forgotten, and diehard fans often talk about it as something that they both recommend and often miss. Achieving this kind of immortality after only 14 episodes is pretty rare, which means Firefly is a very special show indeed.
2
‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)
Technically, The Queen’s Gambit is a miniseries, but it can be spiritually listed as one of the greatest shows under 40 episodes because of its cultural impact. The story wraps up in seven episodes and talks about a chess prodigy, following her from early childhood to when she wins an international tournament. It’s visually gorgeous; the costumes and the set design are transporting and immersive, while Anya Taylor-Joy is stunning in one of her best roles. The Queen’s Gambit motivated people around the world to take up chess.
The Queen’s Gambit follows Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) as she grows up in an orphanage and has an uncanny talent for chess. Growing up, her chess talent turns from a hobby into a passion, but she starts battling alcohol and drug addiction. Beth is motivated to be a winner, but she doesn’t address her problems appropriately; when we see her character development, and when she does begin to realize the effects everything has on her, we see a story about resilience, growth, and self-actualization. Of course, there are also impressive chess moments, which will make you watch all seven episodes within a day or two; it’s addictive and truly masterful television.
3
‘Peaky Blinders’ (2013–2022)
We could argue that Peaky Blinders is, from time to time, a show that’s more about visual identity and swagger rather than storytelling. However, the life and rise of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) is a classical Shakespearean tragedy turned into a crime show, and the story is beautifully told, if not difficult sometimes; it’s a story about greed, blind motivation, determination, and ambition. Although Peaky Blinders has more than five seasons, it comes in at just 36 episodes. Creator Steven Knight has written a feature film and there’s word of it continuing; for now, it ends perfectly at 36 intense and stunning episodes.
Peaky Blinders was based on a real-life gang from Birmingham, England, and they were called that because they wore rimmed caps with razors in them, which they’d use to attack foes. However, the story of Tommy Shelby is fictional and takes on the lore of the Peaky Blinders, developing it into a story about a character whose ambitions go beyond Birmingham. Tommy is an archetypal antihero, but he’s one we can’t help but cheer for, which could also be because of Cillian Murphy, who plays him. Peaky Blinders is a very interesting, stylish, and captivating series that you can finish watching pretty quickly.
4
‘Freaks and Geeks’ (1999–2000)
Freaks and Geeks is the ultimate high school show. Although modern teens and tweens may not fully relate to it because of its very distinct time-capsule feel, there’s something endearing about it because all high school stories are more or less the same—you have the popular kids, you have the geeks, and you have the freaks, aka those who don’t fall in either category and just want to get through high school. Freaks and Geeks is iconic and important also because it launched the careers of some of the most famous comedic actors of today, including Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini, and so on.
Freaks and Geeks is set in a high school in Michigan and follows an ensemble of characters, led by Lindsey (Linda Cardellini) and her younger brother, Sam (John Francis Daly). Lindsey joins the so-called “freaks,” while Sam inevitably becomes one of the “geeks.” The show nails a sort of teenage awkwardness and those early realizations of what you want out of life after high school; it also has a killer soundtrack, great jokes, and endearing characters. Although Freaks and Geeks ended too soon, in a way, this was good for it because it managed to reach cult status regardless and become a blueprint for many people’s coming of age.
5
‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)
Is it really a list if there’s no Mindhunter on it? Not in my book. Mindhunter is the greatest serial killer show you’ll ever see (sorry, Ryan Murphy!), and you’ll be even more impressed when you realize it was based on real events and people. Mindhunter shows how two FBI detectives became the first agents to profile serial killers based on conversations they had with them. John E. Douglas is one of the authors of the book Mindhunter and the agent who was the inspiration for Jonathan Groff‘s character and protagonist, Holden Ford. In the book and the show, the agents interview Charles Manson, Ed Kemper, and the Son of Sam, among others.
Mindhunter is set during the 1970s and ’80s and follows agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) as they travel across the country to interview serial killers and create profiles based on their conversations. They would take this research and teach it to police officers and agents, making it easier to catch repeat offenders and killers in the near future. They join forces with psychiatrist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), who develops a questionnaire for them; however, Ford has ideas of his own and finds himself sometimes intriguingly connected to the serial killers, becoming fascinated with their ways of functioning and thinking. Although there’s still a bit of hope that Mindhunter will get a third season, for now, with its 19 perfect episodes, it’s one of the greatest short-form series ever made.
6
‘Cowboy Bebop’ (1998–1999)
Cowboy Bebop is no more and no less, iconic. It could be what inspired Firefly, and it’s definitely one of the most famous stories to include space cowboys and found-family. Cowboy Bebop is one of the most influential anime shows of all time, and if you’re not a big fan of anime, this one will still impress you and I would urge you to give it a chance if you can. Cowboy Bebop is perfectly paced, beautifully told, and has some of the most intricate and beautiful character storytelling in television history.
Cowboy Bebop follows bounty hunters cruising around space in a ship called The Bebop. They are Spike and Jet, and they make money by catching criminals for bounty payments. During one of their pursuits, they meet Faye, a gambler who doesn’t remember her past, a supernaturally intelligent corgi, and a teenage programming prodigy, and they become a ragtag group of travelers who catch criminals and try to figure themselves out. The best part about Cowboy Bebop is the personal development of the characters; whether you get more affected by Faye’s sad story, Spike’s faithful romance, or Jet’s inevitable venture into bounty hunting, you’ll find yourself in love with these characters very, very fast.
7
‘Chernobyl’ (2019)
Chernobyl is another miniseries, but it’s one of the greatest miniseries ever made because of not just the real story it was based on, but the way it was told as well. Visually stunning, historically accurate, transporting, and immersive, Chernobyl shows us the scale of the disaster that happened and still has an impact in modern times as both a lesson and a warning. While there are characters based on real people in the show, some are also representations or amalgamations of various people affected by the disaster, introducing higher emotional stakes by depicting their lives, too.
Chernobyl opens with the disaster of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in 1986, showing the reactions of the employees in the reactor itself. It then follows the first responders, including soldiers and firefighters, and the lead scientist, Valery Legasov (Jared Harris), who led the cleanup efforts and presented the evidence in front of a UN commission, listing all the actions and circumstances that led to the reactor’s explosion. Chernobyl depicts the impact of the explosion on the residents, too, and the devastation it inevitably caused the country. It’s a thrilling and incredible show, and yes, a miniseries, but easy to finish within five brilliant episodes.
8
‘Band of Brothers’ (2001)
Band of Brothers is a miniseries that is still talked about, like a television event that’s never been surpassed. It came from producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, adjacent to their work on Saving Private Ryan, but Band of Brothers is ten glorious hours of beautifully and hauntingly told war stories from the perspectives of real soldiers. Yes, it’s another miniseries, but one you can watch over and over again, and because of its historical relevance, a show people can learn something from.
Band of Brothers follows the parachute infantry known as the “Easy” Company during WWII. Through the perspectives of various soldiers, commanders, and captains, it depicts Easy Company’s journey from training camp to D-Day and more. While it’s set amid WWII, Band of Brothers perfectly encapsulates the emotion and the bond that remains between people when everything else falls apart. It has one of the biggest ensemble casts on TV, yet it makes sure to give us a backstory and character development for most of them. It’s the most perfect war show ever.
9
‘Fleabag’ (2016–2019)
Fleabag is one of the most important shows of the past decade. It shifted pop culture and the way we watch romantic comedies, introducing the first obvious antihero in a female lead, only known as Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). She is relatable in all her good and bad parts, with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who wrote the show and stars as the lead, tapping into the hidden parts of people—particularly women—which are imperfect and often kept hidden from the public eye. She often breaks the fourth wall and makes us laugh, cringe, and cry, because it’s unbelievable how relatable yet shocking she can sometimes be.
Fleabag follows an unnamed protagonist, known only as Fleabag, and the show depicts her life, from leaving a long-term relationship and trying to date new people to her relationships with her father, stepmother, and sister. Fleabag has only two seasons, and it’s sometimes quite emotionally devastating; the 12 episodes are enough, though it’d be fun to get more, but the ending of Season 2 is one of the most perfect, though slightly devastating, moments on television.
10
‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)
The Leftovers is one of those shows that’s become more popular retroactively, since I’m not sure people appreciated it enough when it first aired. The one episode per week paired with the bizarre and layered premise might have escaped people or gone over their heads, but upon reevaluation, many viewers agree that The Leftovers makes history as one of the greatest shows ever made. With 28 episodes, it is probably the greatest show that ran short and gave us food for thought for life. One way to explain watching it could be that you stare into the abyss and actually manage to find something beautiful.
The Leftovers is set three years after a large-scale event known as “Sudden Departure,” when 2% of the world’s population went missing without a trace. While the show follows a large ensemble in different life circumstances, it focuses on police chief Garvey (Justin Theroux), his kids and ex-wife, and widow Nora (Carrie Coon), who lost her entire family in the incident. The Leftovers is one of HBO’s greatest successes, and a show we should revisit often.
The Leftovers
- Release Date
-
2014 – 2017-00-00
- Showrunner
-
Damon Lindelof
- Writers
-
Damon Lindelof, Tom Perrotta
