20 best television shows based on real stories

Because the fact is often stranger than fiction.


Films based on real stories are omnipresent - think about how many biopics be nominated for the best image Year after year at the Oscars. On the small screen, however, real life does not seem to be as frequently exploited as source equipment. (Without counting reality show Or documentation , Of course. This is a whole new subject.) However, in recent years, more and more television shows have turned to real stories for inspiration.

This is partly due to the rise of the limited series. It is easier to tell a true story if it has a final end, something that is delicate in a series in progress with several seasons, although there are large multi-season exceptions). And streaming boom has also led to many shows that tell an in -depth and dramatized version of a true story (or more). Read more to find out more about 20 of the best television programs based on real events, including history series, real crime, etc.

In relation: 18 old television shows that the whole family will love .

1
American Crime Story

Sarah Paulson and Sterling K. Brown in American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson
Fx

The anthology series American Crime Story addressed some of the most important and most important cases in the recent history of this country and has dramatized them with APLOMB. The first season, The people against O. J. Simpson . Covers The sadly famous trial And is undoubtedly the best of the three. The other seasons, which focus on the designer murder Gianni Versace and the Bill Clinton / / Monica Lewinsky scandal , are also worth it, and the three star seasons manage the difficult tip to find new angles and ideas in these news that was exhaustively covered at the time.

Available to broadcast on Hulu.

2
Bunch of brothers

still from band of brothers
Hbo

Steven Spielberg And Tom Hanks created this 2001 HBO series which dramatizes The exploits of a "easy" company During WWII. Based on Stephen E. Ambrose Book of the same name on the historical regiment, Bunch of brothers The followers of these soldiers since the beginnings of Operation Overlord (executed on D -Day when the "easy" company parachuted behind the Nazi lines) until the end of the war.

It was The most expensive mini-series Always when he came out, and he looks like it, delivering a blockbuster style war epic that was rarely seen on the small screen for this degree. The pacific , a companion series of 2010 on the other theaters of the Second World War, also deserves to be watched.

Available to broadcast on Max and Netflix.

3
Boardwalk Empire

Steve Buscemi in Boardwalk Empire
Hbo

Boardwalk Empire is sometimes unfairly neglected in the discussions on the big emissions of the "Peak TV" era, not mentioned as often as Mad Men ,, Break the bad , And Game Of Thrones . But the HBO five -season HBO drama wins its place in the Pantheon. Based on Nelson Johnson non-fiction book on crime and corruption during the era of the prohibition In Atlantic City, the series features Steve Buscemi As a "Nucky" Thompson, a character who is vaguely based on a real twisted political boss.

Available to broadcast on max.

4
Chernobyl

Jared Harris and Emily Watson in Chernobyl
Hbo

Craig Mazin , who was going to co-create The last of us For HBO, first made this 2019 mini-series on the Chernobyl disaster. Chartement stars Jared Harris as Valery Legasov , a Soviet scientist who helped supervise heroic cleaning efforts that have prevented the disaster from being even more catastrophic and attracted from the university For his attention to historical details and the way he brought this fatal tragedy to a horrible life.

Available to broadcast on max.

5
The crown

Dominic West and Elizabeth Debicki in The Crown
Netflix

It is fair to say that Netflix's dramatization on the life of Queen Elizabeth II fell a bit in recent years, but the first of the six seasons of the show are exceptional and deserve the many Emmys that the show won. Claire Foy Play the monarch during the first two seasons, Olivia Colman in the middle of the two, and Imelda Staunton in the penultimate and the last seasons. Some Other notable distribution members include Matt Smith ,, Tobias menzies , And Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip ; Vanessa Kirby , And Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret ; Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher , And Emma Corrin And Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana .

Available to broadcast on Netflix.

In relation: The most hated television characters of all time .

6
Dopesick

Michael Keaton in Dopesick
Hulu

The majority of the characters in the limited series of Hulu on the epidemic of opioids are not based on a particular historical figure. Except for members of Sackler family , of which the pharmaceutical company has created and pushed oxycontin, almost all the characters, the composite characters, of which Michael Keaton Doctor who has become a user. Although their specific stories are not real, Dopesick transmits the truth The way the drug was destructive, inspired by countless true and tragic stories.

Available to broadcast on Hulu.

7
The dropout

Amanda Seyfried in The Dropout
Hulu

The dropout , The dramatization of Hulu of The rushed rise and the fall of Elizabeth Holmes And his company Theranos was released at the same time as two other shows on the infamous famous startups: Veil (WeWork) and Super pumped (Uber). These shows have their merits, but The dropout , which features Amanda Seyfried As a woman whose Biotechnology startup was briefly the most buzzing society in the world until she knew that the product did not work and that everything was fraud, is the best of the lot.

Available to broadcast on Hulu.

8
Me, Claudius

Still from I, Claudius
BBC2

Robert Graves' Seminal novel from 1934 Me, Claudius , A historical fiction work Written in the style of the autobiography of the Roman emperor, was adapted to a mini-series for the BBC in 1976. Although some The aspects of the program of the show are obvious (This can shock you to learn that the mini televisions were not as elaborate as 50 years ago as in the streaming and HBO era), there is a television event. Derek Jacobi stars like Claudius .

Available to broadcast on Hoopla and Acorn TV.

9
Minor

Still from Mindhunter
Netflix

Fans always demand more from this Netflix series of David Fincher —A a historical psychological criminal drama exploring the origins of crime psychology. Jonathan Groff And Holt McCallany Surprise as an agents of the fbi nascent behavioral science unit, and the show follows their attempts to understand Which makes serial killers , including true such as Ed Kemper And Richard Speck tick. Captivating and disturbing in an equal measure, Minor ended after two seasons despite Fischer at some point speaking to want to do more.

Available to broadcast on Netflix.

10
Narcos

Wagner Moura in Narcos
Netflix

Wagner Moura Stars like a pivot Pablo Escobar In the dramatization of Netflix on the rise and the fall of the Medellín cartel in Colombia and the attempts of the DEA to end the reign of the terror of the lord of the drug. Boyd Holbrook And Pedro Pascal co-star like Two real agents .

Available to broadcast on Netflix.

In relation: The most sad television of all time .

11
The offer

Still from The Offer
Paramount +

The Godfather is not a true story, but The offer , a paramount + series with Miles , dramatizes the Surprisingly wild story The way the emblematic film was made. Rushes to obtain the rights on the book, launching the drama and decline in the real mafia are only some of the things that occur behind the scenes of Francis Ford Coppola Film Landmark, all animated in the 10 episodes of the show.

Available to broadcast on Paramount +.

12
Amazing

Merritt Wever and Toni Collette in Unbelievable
Beth Dubber / Netflix

Netflix miniseries Amazing is based on the heartbreaking screening of 2015 and the jointly published article in the Marshal project " An incredible story of rape "The true story of a woman who has been accused of a crime for having made a supposedly false accusation. Kaitlyn Dever plays the woman, while Toni Collette And Merritt Wever Play the two cops who end up investigating his claims of years later, finally exempting him and translating a serial rapist in justice - although much later that they should not have been believed the first time.

Available to broadcast on Netflix.

13
Under the sky banner

Andrew Garfield in Under the Banner of Heaven
Hulu

Jon Krakauer to book The history of fundamentalist Mormon sects And a double brutal murder in 1984 which shone a new light on this darkness obtained a protagonist in the form of Andrew Garfield Jeb Pyre, a detective whose investigation into the murders is doubted of his own devout Mormone faith, in this limited series. Although the detective is fictitious, The murders were very real and horrible , And Hulu's spectacle plunges deep into the sordid history of a major religion and the problematic brilliant groups that occurred as faith has developed. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

Available to broadcast on Hulu.

14
Under the bridge

Lily Gladstone in Under the Bridge
Hulu

Riley Keough And Lily Gladstone Star of this Hulu 2024 series, which dramatizes the 1997 murder of Reena virk , a Canadian teenager, who was beaten to death in a horrible intimidation incident. The show is an adaptation of Rebecca Godfrey Book 2005 From the same name, and Godfrey is a character in the show (played by Keough). Unfortunately, The real journalist died in 2022 lung cancer, only a week after Hulu announced the series.

Available to broadcast on Hulu.

15
Unorthodox

Still from Unorthodox
Netflix

Miniseries of four episodes of Netflix Unorthodox is inspired by Deborah Feldman 2012 memory ,, Unorthodox: the scandalous rejection of my hassidic roots , documenting his life in an ultra-Orthodox community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and his escape to secular life. Mainly in Yiddish, Unorthodox The series has received a lot of renown, especially for the Israeli actress Shira Haas' Performance as Etsy, the protagonist whose history was based Feldman's real experiences .

Available to broadcast on Netflix.

In relation: The 30 episodes of the most emblematic television crossing of all time .

16
Shōgun

still from Shōgun
Fx

There have actually had two television adaptations of James Clavell 1975 novel , which tells the story of the dawn of the Japan Edo period and the Tokugawa shogunate foundation using Fictitious versions of real historical characters . The 1980 mini-series was a hit Smash, and the Hiroyuki Sanada -The directed series that have made their debut on FX on Hulu earlier this year, could be the best television program of 2024 so far.

Available to broadcast on Hulu.

17
The staircase

Still from The Staircase
Hbo

The HBO Max dramatization of the death of Kathleen Peterson and her husband's subsequent trial, author Michael Peterson , share his name with the Acclaimed documentary series This French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade made during the many years of legal proceedings. The documentary is a masterpiece, but the television show, which features Toni Collette and Colin Firth , more than justifies its existence, and both Stairs are adjusted pet parts.

Available to broadcast on max.

18
Waco

still from waco
Paramount +

Friday evening lights actor Taylor Kitsch stars like David Koresh In This 2018 mini-series About the Davidians Branch Fringe Group and Mortal seat who captivated the nation in 1993. The greatest compliment is to say for Waco is how humanized it - but does not stop to exempt it.

Available to broadcast on Paramount + and Fubo.

19
When they see us

Jharrel Jerome in When They See Us
Atsushi nishijima / Netflix

Ava Duvernay The Netflix mini-series in four games tells the story of The Central Park Five , dramatizing this famous parody of justice. The show begins in 1989 when five boys were arrested and finally wrongly sentenced to brutal rape and the murder of a jogger at Central Park, despite fragile evidence, and follow them through a decade behind bars and beyond after to have been exempt. With a number of stellar performance, in particular Jharrel Jerome , the only actor to play one of the five as a child and adult, When they see us is a really moving story.

Available to broadcast on Netflix.

20
Victory time: the rise of the Lakers dynasty

Still from Winning Time
Hbo

The HBO series on Los Angeles Lakers in the 80s was unfortunately canceled after two seasons, ending before Magic Johnson ,, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar And the rest of the team has become fully Unstoppable basketball juggernaut We all remember that they were. Despite this, the series is an entertaining look at one of the most sanctified teams of the NBA, with a casting of stars whose ranks include the ranks John C. Reilly ,, Jason Clarke ,, Jason Segel ,, Adrien Brody ,, Quincy Isaiah , and more. (One series on the other Los Angeles basketball team, Cut , arrives in Hulu this year.)

Available to broadcast on max.


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