A mesmerising collaboration between HBO and the BBC, the Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks-produced Band of Brothers follows the U.S. Army's Easy Company throughout World War II, taking them through training, to the famous Normandy landings, and of course, the end of the war itself. The huge ensemble cast, including the likes of Michael Fassbender, Damian Lewis, David Schwimmer, Ron Livingston, Donnie Wahlberg, Stephen Graham, Colin Hanks, Tom Hardy, Simon Pegg and James McAvoy, helped breathe life into these real-life characters, whose individual journeys throughout the war have been brought to the small screen with meticulous historical accuracy. Delivering on the potential for jaw-dropping set-pieces but also conceding the human elements at play in any war, Band of Brothers is an emotional testament to the bravery of those who fought in WWII, and if you weren't shedding tears by the time the last episode finished, you probably weren't paying enough attention. Easily living up to Spielberg's masterful Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers is an immense, incredibly ambitious successor and has formed the standard by which all other war-based TV shows are measured.
24. Blackadder
Rowan Atkinson may be best-known to many as Mr. Bean, but his finest work is surely as classic buffoon Edmund Blackadder in Richard Curtis' impeccable historical sitcom. With Tony Robinson as dim-witted sidekick Baldrick, they made for an outrageous pairing, and with each of the four series taking place in a different historical era, it's safe to say that the show was surely never boring. A hilarious comedy of errors, watching the arrogant, pompous Blackadder be constantly foiled was a sheer delight each and every time, and compelling supporting performances from the likes of Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Miranda Richardson are just the icing on the cake. Curtis also proved that the show could be emotional in the final episode of the main series run, in which Blackadder, Baldrick, George, and Darling charge over the top of their trench into almost certain death in no man's land. Though the show had always had a relatively morbid sense of humour, this dark left-turn proved to be shocking and poignant in equal measure, and cemented its status as one of the most intelligent comedy shows ever written.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
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