Television has proven itself to be one of the most consistently popular forms of entertainment since its creation. TV shows of all genres have found massive success with critics and audiences alike, with the very best TV shows leaving their mark on pop culture or even wider society. The episodic nature of TV storytelling has allowed for many incredible stories told across a dizzying range of shows in almost every conceivable genre and subgenre. The most-watched and talked-about shows usually earn extended runs, delivering multiple seasons in order to keep the interest of audiences alive and translate it into wider success.
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However, not all incredible shows get multi-season runs. While longer runs often result in some of the best TV show character arcs, there have been many outstanding TV series that didn’t last as long as they could have. Sometimes, less is more, with many short TV shows proving themselves complete masterpieces. Having to deliver their stories in such a short span means that the following shows simply have no bad episodes.
7) Constantine (2014-2015)
Constantine is far from one of the most famous shows based on a DC character, but it’s certainly one of the most underrated. The superhero show was cancelled after a single 13-episode season, but in that time, Matt Ryan’s iteration of the titular DC character proved an excellent representation of the source material. The show’s occult detective focus was brilliant, and its quality ultimately led to Ryan appearing as Constantine in the Arrowverse, incorporating the flawless but short-lived show into its continuity.
6) Almost Human (2013-2014)
Over the years, there have been many sci-fi TV shows that deserved another season, but far fewer that can boast the quality and potential of Almost Human. The 2013 show aired for a single season of 13 episodes, and starred Karl Urban as a police detective in the year 2048 who is reluctantly partnered with an android officer. Almost Human‘s excellent worldbuilding made it an incredible watch from the very start, with its premature cancellation preserving its single season’s reputation as having no bad episodes.
5) Midnight Mass (2021)
Hailed as one of Netflix’s best horror TV shows, Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass is, simply put, outstanding television. The miniseries follows an isolated island community when they are beset by a vampiric menace connected to the arrival of their new priest. Midnight Mass makes use of Catholic imagery and ideas to enhance its horror in a gripping and suspenseful series that is absolutely flawless from beginning to end. A seven-episode thrill-ride, Midnight Mass was written to be a short, standalone series that has no weak episodes whatsoever.
4) Watchmen (2019)
2019’s Watchmen did the unthinkable: it took one of the most beloved comic book series of all time and completely reworked its story into a sequel intended to stand apart from its source material while still adapting its world. What was even more unexpected was Watchmen’s quality, as it has been hailed by many as a perfect one-season TV show. The nine-episode story is exceptional from start to finish and delivers a TV masterpiece that thoroughly deserves every bit of praise heaped upon it.
3) Firefly (2002-2003)
Though it has since been immortalized as one of the most beloved cult sci-fi TV shows in the history of the genre, Firefly‘s premature cancellation once seemed to doom it to be nothing more than an obscure hidden gem. Thankfully, this hasn’t been the case, with many fans eagerly recommending the show long after its cancellation. The 14-episode series is one of the strongest starts to a sci-fi series in TV history, with not a single bad story among the short-lived season.
2) Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
Freaks and Geeks stands out as an example of how unfair TV can be sometimes. Its ensemble cast of future stars is absolutely bursting with comedic talent, and its high-school drama premise is offset by awkward humor in a way that firmly establishes its 18-episode run as criminally short. Frustrating though its short lifespan might be, it does mean that Freaks and Geeks ended with a perfect run of episodes, making it a flawless example of how entertaining teen comedy can be when done right.
1) Band of Brothers (2001)
Often considered one of the best HBO TV shows of all time, the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers is, in all ways, prestige television. The World War II drama is based on real accounts of Easy Company, a regiment in the 101st Airborne Division, and follows them through training, D-Day, and eventually to the end of the war. It’s a hard-hitting and deeply emotional experience, with each of its 10 episodes delivering powerful drama reinforced by its historical basis. Though short, Band of Brothers is undeniably a TV masterpiece.
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