Diksha Sundriyal
5. Hogan’s Heroes (1965-1971)
Talking about the World Wars, heart-breaking stories and tear-jerking scenes come to mind. ‘Hogan’s Heroes’ attempts a different feat. It shows the soldiers from Allied forces held in camps as the prisoners of war. A Nazi officer is in charge of the camp. But, he is not the cruel maniac that’d come to one’s mind. This particular Nazi is of no use. And the prisoners take advantage of his incompetence. Led by Colonel Hogan, they use the camps as the base of operations through which they help Allied powers in gaining intelligence and rescuing prisoners of war in other camps. Funny and smart, this show is one of the best that must definitely be on your watch-list.
4. The Pacific (2010)
A sequel, more of a sister show, to the acclaimed ‘Band of Brothers’, this miniseries focuses on the actions of the US Marine Corps in the Pacific War. Three Marines are at the centre of its story who are roughly sketched on the real-life soldiers. While it couldn’t match up to the excellence of its predecessor (to none of its own fault, ‘Band of Brothers’ IS one of the best shows ever), ‘The Pacific’, still, firmly held its ground with strong content and some good performances.
3. M*A*S*H (1972-1983)
Set in the Korean War, this show follows the life of army doctors who work in the US Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. While it is commonly considered a comedy, the show had a rather intelligent approach towards the serious tones it wanted to convey. As it aired while the Vietnam War was ongoing, it had the pressure of commenting on it, but to restrain from being offensive in any way. It gained a lot of popularity, owing to its relevant content and smart commentary. It is one of the highest rated TV shows in America.
2. Combat! (1962-1967)
The one thing that often happens in the war-genre films is the glorification of soldiers. Their bravery, the determination and the resolve to get hold their lines, rescue someone, win the war is what takes centre-stage. The effects on their psyche evolve more as a secondary storyline. And this is where ‘Combat!’ differs from other such shows. Set in France during the Second World War, it focuses on the ways through which the soldiers handle the grim reality of their surroundings. Their humanity takes centre stage, and glorification of the war or the soldiers are nowhere a priority. Soldiers are humans too, sometimes extraordinary, sometimes, not so much. This show is the raw perspective, the way the soldiers see the war.
1. Band of Brothers (2001)
HBO is the home to some of the best TV shows to ever air on TV, and it is the shows like ‘Band of Brothers’ that make HBO a reliable network. Produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, this show focuses on the soldiers of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions. It is the best that you’ll ever get in the war genre. Damien Lewis was one of the central characters, and there are a lot of other familiar faces that you’ll encounter in every episode.
Starting from Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy, James McAvoy to Andrew Scott, Simon Pegg and David Schwimmer, these are some of the better-known actors who have worked in this series. But, if you are a TV maniac, you’ll find a bunch of other lesser-known actors, too, who played key characters in this spectacle. ‘Band of Brothers’ is the most-definitely must-watch show.
Read More: Old Western TV Shows
