When it comes to TV viewing, we all have our particular preferences. Some of us like a show that has only one episode; some enjoy a series that keeps returning every season, bringing new drama and adventure to each character; and others prefer a limited series run, also known as the miniseries, a show with a predetermined set of episodes that has a definitive ending.
For many, this is a perfect way to be entertained – not too short, giving us a bit more to enjoy, and not too long, refraining from dragging on with a cliffhanger and teases of seasons to come. Most miniseries nowadays are streamed online with subscriptions, so you don’t even have to watch for new releases and updates.
To determine the most iconic miniseries of all time, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on audience reception from IMDb. Miniseries were ranked based on average IMDb user rating as of March 2024. Only miniseries with at least 2,500 user reviews were considered. In the case of a tie, the series with the greater number of reviews was ranked higher. (This is a list of the most popular sports docuseries of all time.)
50. Anne of Green Gables (1985)
- IMDb user rating: 8.5/10
- IMDb user votes: 22,541
- Total episodes: 2
49. Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011)
- IMDb user rating: 8.5/10
- IMDb user votes: 144,781
- Total episodes: 6
48. Watchmen (2008)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,429
- Total episodes: 12
47. Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking (2010)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 5,531
- Total episodes: 3
46. Brideshead Revisited (1981)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 7,986
- Total episodes: 11
45. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1994)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 8,292
- Total episodes: 6
44. Mr Bates vs. The Post Office (2024)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 8,557
- Total episodes: 4
43. Long Way Round (2004)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 15,184
- Total episodes: 10
42. North & South (2004)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 34,749
- Total episodes: 4
41. The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
- IMDb user votes: 285,706
- Total episodes: 10
40. Wild Pacific (2009)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 2,508
- Total episodes: 7
39. 1 Litre of Tears (2005)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 2,851
- Total episodes: 12
38. Light & Magic (2022)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,173
- Total episodes: 6
37. Heimat: A Chronicle of Germany (1984)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,320
- Total episodes: 11
36. McCartney 3,2,1 (2021)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,512
- Total episodes: 6
35. The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed (1979)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 5,023
- Total episodes: 5
34. Adventure Time: Distant Lands (2020)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 7,636
- Total episodes: 4
33. One Strange Rock (2018)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 8,256
- Total episodes: 10
32. Greatest Events of WWII in Colour (2019)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 10,482
- Total episodes: 10
31. Scavengers Reign (2023)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 14,148
- Total episodes: 12
30. 1883 (2021)
- IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
- IMDb user votes: 113,393
- Total episodes: 10
29. The New Edition Story (2017)
- IMDb user rating: 8.8/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,251
- Total episodes: 3
28. Seventeen Moments of Spring (1973)
- IMDb user rating: 8.8/10
- IMDb user votes: 4,934
- Total episodes: 12
27. Das Boot (1985)
- IMDb user rating: 8.8/10
- IMDb user votes: 33,201
- Total episodes: 3
26. Over the Garden Wall (2014)
- IMDb user rating: 8.8/10
- IMDb user votes: 69,529
- Total episodes: 10
25. Pride and Prejudice (1995)
- IMDb user rating: 8.8/10
- IMDb user votes: 91,743
- Total episodes: 6
24. When They See Us (2019)
- Db user rating: 8.8/10
- IMDb user votes: 136,834
- Total episodes: 4
23. The Life of Birds (1998)
- IMDb user rating: 8.9/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,028
- Total episodes: 10
22. Nature’s Great Events (2009)
- IMDb user rating: 8.9/10
- IMDb user votes: 3,366
- Total episodes: 6
21. Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake (2023)
- IMDb user rating: 8.9/10
- IMDb user votes: 6,506
- Total episodes: 10
20. Africa (2013)
- IMDb user rating: 8.9/10
- IMDb user votes: 17,059
- Total episodes: 7
19. Okupas (2000)
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 2,942
- Total episodes: 11
18. Fanny and Alexander (1983)
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 4,629
- Total episodes: 5
17. Cosmos: Possible Worlds (2020)
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 7,715
- Total episodes: 13
16. Apocalypse: The Second World War (2009)
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 14,154
- Total episodes: 6
15. The Civil War (1990)
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 18,314
- Total episodes: 9
14. Human Planet (2011)
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 27,696
- Total episodes: 8
13. Frozen Planet (2011)
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 32,818
- Total episodes: 10
12. The Blue Planet (2001)
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
- IMDb user votes: 42,480
- Total episodes: 8
11. Dynasties (2018)
- IMDb user rating: 9.1/10
- IMDb user votes: 5,090
- Total episodes: 7
10. The Beatles Anthology (1995)
- IMDb user rating: 9.1/10
- IMDb user votes: 9,400
- Total episodes: 9
9. The Vietnam War (2017)
- IMDb user rating: 9.1/10
- IMDb user votes: 27,714
- Total episodes: 10
8. Baseball (1994)
- IMDb user rating: 9.2/10
- IMDb user votes: 4,697
- Total episodes: 11
7. A Dog’s Will (1999)
- IMDb user rating: 9.2/10
- IMDb user votes: 5,142
- Total episodes: 4
6. Shōgun (2024)
- IMDb user rating: 9.2/10
- IMDb user votes: 24,679
- Total episodes: 6
5. Seven Worlds One Planet (2019)
- IMDb user rating: 9.3/10
- IMDb user votes: 6,001
- Total episodes: 7
4. Cosmos (1980)
- IMDb user rating: 9.3/10
- IMDb user votes: 43,618
- Total episodes: 13
3. Blue Planet II (2017)
- IMDb user rating: 9.3/10
- IMDb user votes: 45,893
- Total episodes: 7
2. Band of Brothers (2001)
- IMDb user rating: 9.4/10
- IMDb user votes: 520,881
- Total episodes: 10
1. Planet Earth II (2016)
- IMDb user rating: 9.5/10
- IMDb user votes: 156,635
- Total episodes: 6