The Best TV Series Exploring War and Conflict

The sitcom “M*A*S*H,” about unconventional but dedicated U.S. Army surgeons operating on the wounded near the front during the Korean War, ran for 11 seasons, longer than actual combat in Korea. The anti-war series, which won 14 Emmy awards, was unsparing in showing realistic scenes of doctors operating on wounded soldiers. M*A*S*H” also broke barriers by addressing issues such as PTSD and homosexuality. The show’s finale aired 40 years ago this month and was watched by 77% of the television-viewing audience, the largest percentage ever to see a single TV show up to that time.

Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys played Soviet spies masquerading as owners of a travel agency and parents raising a suburban Virginia family. The drama takes place during the 1980s with flashbacks to the spies’ lives in the Soviet Union. Besides the risks involved in their high-stakes missions, there is tension between the spies, one of whom begins to doubt his commitment to the cause. They also must keep their true identities secret from their children. Creator Joseph Weisberg drew upon his experiences in the CIA to develop the show, which won four Emmys during its six-season run.

This animated Star Wars series portrays what happened between the events of “Episode II – Attack of the Clones” (2002) and “Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” (2005) in the franchise’s universe. All seven seasons of the show are now available for streaming on Disney Plus.

“Generation Kill,” which aired in 2008 for seven episodes, won three Emmy Awards. The series tells the story of the first 40 days of the war in Iraq through the eyes of an elite team of Marines as they grapple with inadequate supplies and poor communication. Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård (“Big Little Lies”) plays a Marine sergeant, and the role boosted his career.

“Vikings” tells of the exploits of Ragnar Lodbrok, a well-known Norse hero, who becomes famous as an ambitious Viking raider in England and is eventually crowned a Scandinavian king. Later seasons follow the stories of his sons and their adventures in England, Scandinavia, present-day Russia, and North America.