10 Best Shows Based on True Stories, Ranked

Sometimes, life imitates art. Other times, it’s the other way around. For instance, some of the best TV shows ever made happen to be based on true stories. From gripping miniseries about news-worthy events to consistently strong anthology series exploring several different historical figures, basing your series on real life is a surefire way to guarantee an audience.

There’s something about watching stories from the real world take place on the small screen that’s irresistibly compelling. Whatever that is, shows like The Offer, about the making of The Godfather, and Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta story, about the titular Indian stockbroker and fraudster, have proved over the years that TV shows based on true stories can be phenomenal when done right.

10

‘American Crime Story’ (2016–)

Developed by Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Brad Falchuk, et al.

Co-developed by the controversial yet iconic Ryan Murphy, American Crime Story is one of the TV legend’s best creations. The whole concept of an anthology series exploring several different true-crime tales is fascinating in itself, but the way each season is executed is what makes the series particularly fascinating.

The first season, about the O.J. Simpson murder trial, is far and away the show’s best, but the second season, about the assassination of Gianni Versace, and the third season, about the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal, are also great. It’s one of the best anthology shows of the 21st century so far, with some exceptional performances, thoroughly researched storytelling, and refreshingly different tones for each season.

American Crime Story

Release Date

February 2, 2016

Showrunner

Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Tom Rob Smith, Sarah Burgess

Writers

Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Tom Rob Smith, Sarah Burgess

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9

‘Genius’ (2017–)

Created by Kenneth Biller and Suzan-Lori Parks

Although National Geographic is mostly known for its docuseries and non-fiction programming, they’ve produced one drama show that’s so exceptional that it makes up for the lack of other NatGeo drama shows: Genius, yet another one of the best anthology series ever made. Binge-worthy and psychologically complex, it’s about as good as small-screen biographies get.

The first season explores the story of Albert Einstein, the second deals with Pablo Picasso, the third dives into the story of Aretha Franklin, and the fourth switches up the formula to juxtapose the legacies of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Although the first season is by far the best, the rest are fantastic as well. The writing is amazing, the music is memorable, and the performances are some of the best that television has seen in years.

Genius

Release Date

April 25, 2017

Directors

Anthony Hemingway, Crystle Roberson, Marta Cunningham, Director X.

Writers

Raphael Jackson Jr., Jeff Stetson, Marta Gene Camps, Sigrid Gilmer

8

‘The Offer’ (2022)

Created by Michael Tolkin

Hearing someone call The Godfather the greatest film of all time is such a common occurrence that people tend to take it for granted, but the fact of the matter is that it’s a movie with a development story as fascinating as the film itself. This story is precisely the subject of The Offer, which shows that making movies is no easy business.

For fans of The Godfather, this is obviously a must-see, but even for those who think that Francis Ford Coppola‘s magnum opus insists upon itself somewhat, The Offer is still worth checking out. The cast and performances of the miniseries are top-notch, as are the production qualities and writing. Critics weren’t its biggest fans (it currently holds a mere 57% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes), but audiences loved it, showing a certain cult appeal that can’t be refused.

The Offer

Release Date

2022 – 2021

Network

CBS

Showrunner

Michael Tolkin

Directors

Adam Arkin

7

‘The Crown’ (2016–2023)

Created by Peter Morgan

Netflix has produced some of the most expensive shows of all time, and its most costly is the Royal docuseries The Crown. The series was massively acclaimed throughout its entire run for a wide variety of reasons, and that’s hardly surprising. Although it takes some creative liberties with the actual history of Queen Elizabeth II and those around her, particularly in later seasons, it was still a fantastic adaptation of the story from beginning to end.

For people who enjoy soap operas and stories about the British Crown, this one is an obligatory watch. And yet, the show never feels like a commercial for the Royal Family, instead choosing to humanize these people in all sorts of interesting ways. The casting and performances are flawless, the writing is great, and the whole thing is surprisingly addictive.

The Crown

Release Date

2016 – 2022

Writers

Peter Morgan

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6

‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)

Created by Joe Penhall

Yet another one of Netflix’s best shows, Mindhunter is nowadays perhaps most famous for having been canceled by the streaming giant due to not having a big enough audience to justify its ballooning budget. Nevertheless, while there are only two seasons of this true-crime masterpiece to enjoy on Netflix, this is such a nearly perfect drama that it’s fully worth getting into it today.

Addictive and highly bingeable, Mindhunter explores the sociological, psychological, and cultural context of the existence of serial killers with more complexity, nuance, and thought than perhaps any other true-crime series in history. As such, it’s one of the most essential crime shows ever made, and the fact that it’s not currently on its seventh or eighth season is one of television’s biggest tragedies.

Mindhunter

Release Date

2017 – 2019

Showrunner

Joe Penhall

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5

‘When They See Us’ (2019)

Created by Ava DuVernay

Based on the events of the 1989 Central Park jogger case, When They See Us is one of the most timely and important shows one can watch in times like these. One of the best-ever miniseries based on true stories, the show is as harrowing as necessary, humanizing these characters and their story in ways that are nothing short of admirable.

When They See Us is more than just heartbreaking: It’s crucial. The performances, writing, and direction are unbelievably powerful, and the way creator and director of all four episodes, Ava DuVernay, peels back the barbaric layers of the American justice system feels horrifyingly relevant today, still.

4

‘Narcos’ (2015–2017)

Created by Carlo Bernard

There’s something about Netflix and TV shows based on real stories; it just seems like the streaming giant has figured out the formula. One of their first-ever original shows was the true-crime drama Narcos, which primarily focuses on the narcoterrorist Pablo Escobar, and later, the rise of the infamous Cali Cartel.

There’s a lot of dramatization and slight fictionalization in Narcos, but even still, it’s undeniably a show based on true events that are as horrifying as they are enthralling. On top of the flawless production qualities and excellent writing, with a cast featuring titans of the caliber of Wagner Moura, Pedro Pascal, and Damián Alcázar, it’s one of the best-acted shows on Netflix.

Narcos

Release Date

2015 – 2016

Showrunner

Chris Brancato

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3

‘Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story’ (2020)

Directed by Hansal Mehta

India has some pretty phenomenal stories to tell, and as such, many excellent TV shows—more than a few of which are among IMDb’s highest-rated. This includes the bioseries Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, a docudrama about the rise and fall of the stockbroker who single-handedly took the Indian stock market to great heights and then crashed and burned.

There’s something timeless about stories of greed and unmeasured ambition, and when they’re based on true stories and real figures, even more so. Scam 1992 is no exception. It’s a nail-biting thriller with a powerhouse lead performance by Pratik Gandhi, with writing and directing so exceptional that the show should be watched by absolutely everyone who enjoys good television.

2

‘Band of Brothers’ (2001)

Created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg

Far and away one of the most acclaimed TV shows of all time, as well as the best miniseries of the 2000s, Band of Brothers should need no introduction. This HBO masterpiece was created and executive-produced by the legendary Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, and it’s easily one of the best war TV shows ever.

It isn’t just the star-studded cast; it isn’t just the gut-wrenchingly realistic portrayal of World War II warfare; it isn’t just the unprecedentedly high-quality production values. It might be, first and foremost, that Band of Brothers differs from most war TV shows in that its focus is on its characters, their dynamics, and their arcs. It works remarkably well, and has aged like fine wine.

1

‘Chernobyl’ (2019)

Created by Craig Mazin

Chernobyl only came out a little over half a decade ago, so it might still be too early to tell with certainty; but it might just be the greatest miniseries ever made. This HBO masterpiece is only for those with a strong stomach, but history buffs and television fans who want the most insightful and well-made depiction of the Chernobyl disaster simply ought to check it out.

There isn’t a single aspect of Chernobyl that it doesn’t excel at. The casting and performances are amazing, the writing is top-notch, the structure and pacing are genius, and the production qualities are out of this world. There are some scientific and historical inaccuracies here and there, but that can be expected from any show based on a true story. As far as that category goes, it doesn’t really get much better than this.

Chernobyl

Release Date

2019 – 2019

Network

HBO

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