The main problem with TV series is that if it is love at first sight, then it will last for a long time. What a blessing that not all of them are designed for dozens of seasons, and watching many will take no more than one day.
For those who are not ready to commit themselves to a long-term relationship with some “Game of Thrones”, we have selected the best mini-series that will not bore you. Historical, comedy, detective and fantasy – there is a choice for every taste. Because little doesn’t mean bad. Little means intriguing and unique.
The best mini-series of recent years
In the flesh (2013-2014)
Four years have passed since an unknown epidemic took hold of humanity. But now scientists have found a way to return people who have turned into zombies back to normal life. Among the lucky ones is Kieren Walker’s boy. He returns to live in his hometown. Where not only hostility awaits him, but also his own inner demons.
Parade’s End (2012)
The events of the film take place at the end of the so-called “Edwardian era,” when Edward VII sat on the British throne. English aristocrat Christopher Tietjens decides to marry a woman named Sylvia, who is successful in the “higher strata” of society and actively participates in social life. At that moment, he could not even imagine how this marriage would turn out for him.
Soon they have a child, which, as it turns out, may not be his. However, despite his wife’s infidelity, Christopher decides to be faithful to his wife for the rest of his life. But after some time, fate brings him together with a young girl, Valentina Wannop, who is a prominent representative of the suffragette movement.
Olive Kitteridge (2014)
The plot centers on Olivia Kitteridge, a math teacher from the provincial town of Crosby. She is strict, does not give in to herself or others, which often affects her husband and son. At first glance, the series may seem like a banal story about an old bitch, but it is not so. The series shows life – unique, real, not fictional, and this makes it doubly interesting.
The Lost Room (2006)
Two detectives – Miller and Destefano – were investigating a murder case in a pawn shop. During the investigation, Miller finds a certain key to the room, which is located in the motel on 66th. Miller learns that the key is not simple – it can open almost any door. After you open the door with the key, no matter where it is, you find yourself in a certain room that is outside of space and time. The room itself is also not simple; you can exit it to anywhere in the world.
It happens that Miller’s daughter Anna locked herself in a room without a key and disappeared. The detective takes measures to search, and along the way he learns that, in addition to the key, almost every object in the room has some kind of special power.
Mildred Pierce (2011)
Mildred Pierce had everything in her life: a handsome husband, a beloved daughter and a cozy home. But over time, ordinary family everyday life turned into a living hell: her husband became a tyrant who gave her no rest and constantly beat her. In complete despair and hopelessness, she decides to leave him in order to save herself.
Top of the Lake (2013 and 2017)
The action of the crime thriller takes place in a small remote town located in the picturesque expanses of New Zealand. Tui Mitchum is still a very young girl, who just turned twelve this year. However, despite her age, she is already five months pregnant and does not want to name the father of her child.
At some point, for inexplicable reasons, the girl decides to kill herself by going into the icy water of a local lake. Fortunately, she is saved by people passing nearby, and the investigation of this strange case is entrusted to detective Robin Griffin, who has just returned to her hometown to support her mother, who is dying of cancer.
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (2016-2017)
The plot centers on the private detective Gently, as well as his assistant Todd. These two have many adventures, as well as risky challenges. Gently and Todd take on the investigation of strange incidents, mysterious cases, it seems that they are constantly in pursuit of discovering the most terrible secret.
They will meet dangerous people. The detective and his assistant manage to move forward in their investigation, but it seems that the two of them clearly lack common sense and the logic in their actions is sometimes absent.
War and Peace (2016)
This mini-series is based on the novel of the same name by Leo Tolstoy, which has long been included in the list of the most filmed. Due to great competition, the new British production could have gone unnoticed if it had not immediately attracted the attention of viewers and critics. The latter, by the way, dubbed it perhaps the best television version of the classic work, which, we must admit, does not happen very often.
The Sinner (2017)
The plot takes us to one of the beaches of a large city. A murder was committed here. The criminal appears before us in the image of a fragile, defenseless woman raising children. It would seem that she is not
capable of committing such a terrible act. However, the fact remains. Investigators are most concerned about the motives, which remain mysterious.
Bref (2011-2012)
Although this French comedy series has more than a hundred episodes for two seasons, it was not included in the selection by chance. The thing is that each episode lasts no more than two minutes. Short but very capacious stories, told in the first person, touch on almost all topics that concern modern people. A very dynamic, witty and vital series is definitely worth your time.