19 Excellent TV Mini-Series We Can't Justify Having Forgotten About

Before streaming took over, miniseries were the kind of TV event people actually planned around. Big casts, tight storytelling, and one-and-done runs made them feel special, even when they were easy to miss later.

That is exactly what happened to a lot of them. As viewing habits changed and newer limited series crowded the spotlight, plenty of memorable miniseries slipped out of the conversation, even though they still hold up.

Here are 19 excellent TV mini-series that deserve another look.

Stephen King’s Storm of the Century

Stephen King's first attempt at original small-screen programming, which starred Colm Feore in a nefarious demonic role, remains a difficult-to-find (legally) cult favorite and one of the author's favorite produced works.

Prod.DB / Greengrass / Rainfall / USA / Alamy

Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune

Following the popularity of the first Dune miniseries on the Sci-Fi Channel, the network created this surprisingly excellent follow-up that featured a standout performance from a young James McAvoy.

Touchstone Television / Blixa Film Produktion / Courtesy Everett Collection

Hatfields & McCoys

This dramatic true-life western miniseries, starring Bill Paxton and Kevin Costner, centers on two neighboring families caught up in a blood feud.

Sony Pictures Television / Alamy

Tin Man

This provocative modern retelling of The Wizard of Oz, which featured an all-star cast including Zooey Deschanel, Alan Cumming, and Richard Dreyfuss, was a critical and financial triumph upon its initial airing but has since been forgotten by time outside of its rare syndication.

Sci-Fi Channel / Courtesy: Everett Collection

In Cold Blood

Eric Roberts and Anthony Edwards stand out in this 1996 adaptation of Truman Capote's classic murder novel, directed by Jonathan Kaplan.

Pacific Motion Pictures / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Coma

In 2012, Tony and Ridley Scott collaborated with author Robin Cook to resurrect his tense and meticulous sci-fi novel, which had previously been adapted for the big screen by Michael Crichton, the man behind Westworld and Jurassic Park.

A&E / Courtesy Everett Collection

Arabian Nights

This entertaining and flamboyant 2000 ABC mini-series was enhanced by a scene-stealing dual performance by John Leguizamo, despite some of the casting decisions being somewhat unfortunate in retrospect.

ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

Into the West

This outstanding six-part ensemble miniseries, produced by Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks, examines how the growth of the American Frontier throughout the 1800s affects various generations of men and women as they engage in conflict.

TNT / Courtesy Everett Collection

It’s like Kaley Cuoco’s tense moment with the Charmed star who overlooked her on set.

Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story

This 2001 miniseries, directed by Brian Henson, presents a more humanitarian portrayal of the traditional fairy tale with the vibrant and highly innovative work that Jim Henson's Creature Workshop is known for.

Hallmark Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection

Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King

The horrific anthology by Stephen King received a star-studded adaptation that effectively revived his popularity.

TNT / Erik Heinila / Album / Alamy

The Company

Michael Keaton stars in this three-part series about the CIA’s operations during the Cold War.

TNT / Jan Thijs / Album / Alamy

The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town

This funny and sarcastic murder mystery was the iconic comedy group's first on-screen work in 13 years. It marked a format change for the Kids in the Hall, but it also demonstrated their continued creative prowess.

IFC Films / Courtesy Everett Collection

Thief

Thief, anchored by an Emmy-winning performance by Andre Braugher, introduced a complex and suspenseful drama to the miniseries format, effectively creating the "limited event series" model that would dispel the stigma of short-form television dramas on premium cable over ten years later.

FX Networks / Courtesy Everett Collection

Salem's Lot

This miniseries, a more sinister and contemporary adaptation of the well-known Stephen King story, starred Rob Lowe, Donald Sutherland, Rutger Hauer, Samantha Mathis, and James Cromwell. However, it has regrettably lost popularity as audiences drift further away from cable distribution.

TNT / Courtesy Everett Collection

Red Riding

Red Riding is a truly captivating (and, at times, heartbreaking) story about police corruption during the Yorkshire Ripper murders, featuring a stacked cast that includes character acting greats like Sean Bean, Peter Mullan, and Mark Addy, as well as future stars like Andrew Garfield, Rebecca Hall, and Robert Sheehan. Red Riding was eventually released in the U.S. as an independent film trilogy.

IFC Films / Courtesy Everett Collection

Generation Kill

Despite being praised for its authenticity and ruthless honesty, HBO's devastating Generation Kill miniseries about the 2003 invasion of Iraq has eventually been eclipsed by the network's more lauded (and popular) military projects, Band of Brothers and The Pacific.

HBO / Paul Schiraldi / Album / Alamy

Broken Trail

Walter Hill's two-part western about cowboys who rescue several women from a slave trader was not only a return to form for the tough action director but also further evidence of Robert Duvall's sixth sense when it comes to beloved miniseries set in the Wild West. It was an early example of what would later be regarded as "prestige television."

AMC / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Stephen King's Rose Red

The outstanding and terrifying miniseries by Craig R. Baxley about a group of supernaturally gifted test subjects who choose to reside in a notoriously fatal manor may be the best Stephen King adaptation ever.

ABC / Courtesy Everett Collection

Steven Spielberg Presents: Taken

Taken, a major television event for its time, not only contributed to the early success of Dakota Fanning as a superstar but also offered gripping dramatic material for an alien abduction series that had previously been consigned to low-budget schlock and "believe-it-or-not" docuseries.

DreamWorks Television / Courtesy Everett Collection

The miniseries ruled as the king of television's short-form appointment viewing before the era of multiple streaming platforms and limited event series.

However, many miniseries have been lost in the sands of time due to changes in how people consume material and how television is presented. It's about time we give them the praise they deserve, right?

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