It’s hard to find TV shows where every episode is incredible, as even the best shows tend to lose momentum after a few seasons. However, short TV shows are more likely to contain amazing episodes from start to end and avoid the disappointment of bad episodes. Ranging from well-planned and well-executed miniseries to TV shows cut down in their prime due to cancelations, short TV shows with consistently great episodes throughout are perfect for binge-watching.
Audiences can breeze through short and excellent TV shows with compelling plots and carefully thought-out and endlessly entertaining episodes. These masterpiece TV shows are perfect from start to finish, with no bad episodes dragging down the show. The best short TV shows offer audiences an enjoyable binge-watching experience filled with thrilling plots and hilarious moments.
10
Freaks And Geeks (1999)
The one-season wonder Freaks and Geeks is a teen coming-of-age comedy series that follows two different groups of friends, known as “freaks” and “geeks.” The show revolves around Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini), an academically gifted student who begins rebelling and spending time with the “freaks” after her grandmother’s death, and her younger brother Sam Weir (John Francis Daley) and his friends as they navigate high school as one of the geeks.
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Freaks and Geeks was canceled after one season and later became a cult classic. With only 18 episodes, Freaks and Geeks is a gripping and heartwarming teen comedy show that is perfect for binge-watching. Freaks and Geeks is an easy and breezy lighthearted watch that is guaranteed to bring a smile to the audience’s face.
9
We Are Lady Parts (2021-Present)
We Are Lady Parts is a hilarious British sitcom that follows an all-female Muslim punk rock band as they navigate life in London and work towards turning their band Lady Parts into a success. Amina (Anjana Vasan), the latest addition to the punk band balances her regular life as a PhD student with her role as the lead guitar player in Lady Parts and bonds with her fellow bandmates.
The friendship between Saira (Sarah Kameela Impey), Ayesha (Juliette Motamed), Bisma (Faith Omole), and Momtaz (Lucie Shorthouse) is the highlight of the show, and watching their growing bond with Amina is a delight to witness. With short 25-minute episodes and only 12 episodes over two seasons, We Are Lady Parts is a refreshing musical sitcom filled with incredible punk music and hilarity.
8
Mindhunter (2017-2019)
The psychological crime drama Mindhunter is based on the true-crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker. The thriller is set in the late 1970s and follows two FBI agents, Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), and psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), as they interview serial killers in hopes of understanding their psychology and using that knowledge to solve cases.
The thrilling series takes a look into the minds of serial killers and explores the FBI in its early days of criminal psychology and criminal profiling. The disturbing TV drama was canceled after season 2 and the show has 19 incredible episodes filled with high-stakes investigations into the crimes committed by serial killers.
7
Spinning Out (2020)
Spinning Out is a sports drama TV show that follows Kat Baker (Kaya Scodelario), a talented ice skater who almost retires after a serious injury, and is able to restart her career by teaming up with Justin Davis (Evan Roderick) and forming an ice skating duo. The show revolves around Kat’s struggles to balance her career, her personal life, romance, and her family while keeping her bipolar disorder under wraps.
Spinning Out is a thrilling watch, as Roderick and Scodelario’s chemistry makes Kat and Justin’s reluctant partnership turned budding romance a joy to witness. The visually stunning ice skating sequences mixed with the high-stakes drama of professional sports makes Spinning Out an entertaining watch. Unfortunately, Spinning Out was canceled after season 1 and audiences only got to enjoy ten episodes of the show.
6
Everything Sucks! (2018)
Everything Sucks! is a teen coming-of-age comedy series set in the town of Boring, Oregon, in 1996. The show follows a group of high school misfits after members of the A/V Club and Drama Club are forced to collaborate and make a movie together after A/V Club member Kate Messner (Peyton Kennedy) accidentally destroys the Drama Club’s set, causing the play to be canceled.
Luke O’Neil (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) and Kate’s friendship, Kate’s exploration of her identity and sexuality and her bond with Emaline (Sydney Sweeney), and the teenagers’ struggles with surviving high school as outcasts make for an honest, grounded, and relatable portrayal of the hardships of being a misunderstood teen. Everything Sucks! was canceled after season 1 and only has ten episodes filled with teen drama and comedic antics.
5
Paper Girls (2022)
Paper Girls is a science fiction mystery series based on the comic book series of the same name. The TV adaption follows four young girls whose lives are turned upside down after they’re caught in a conflict between time travelers. The sci-fi show follows the titular paper girls as they traverse through time and meet their future selves while working to save the world.
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Tiffany (Camryn Jones), Erin (Riley Lai Nelet), Mac (Sofia Rosinsky), and KJ (Fina Strazza)’s friendship growing as they adventure through time is the highlight of the show. The characters’ strong characterizations, unique relationship dynamics, and thrilling plot make Paper Girls a compelling mystery series that didn’t deserve to be canceled after the first season. Paper Girls is a well-paced show with zero bad episodes that makes for a thrilling and entertaining watch.
4
One Day (2024)
One Day is a beautiful and tragic romantic drama based on the novel of the same name by David Nicholls and the 2011 film adaption. The limited series follows the relationship between Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) and Dexter Mayhew (Leo Woodall). The critically acclaimed show follows the ups and downs of Emma and Dexter’s relationship over the course of 14 years in 14 episodes.
One Day allows audiences to witness the complexities and tragic nature of Emma and Dexter’s romance in an easily bingeable short limited series. Each of the 14 episodes gives valuable insight into the lives of Emma and Dexter and their loved ones and the well-planned series tells a complete and concise love story between the leads.
3
Over The Garden Wall (2014)
Over the Garden Wall is an animated miniseries with a stellar cast revolving around two half-brothers who find themselves in a mysterious forest and their journey to return home. The fantastical adventure sees the half-brothers Writ (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean) struggle to navigate the Unknown forest with the help of the Woodsman (Christopher Lloyd) and the bluebird Beatrice (Melanie Lynskey).
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The 10-episode miniseries received critical acclaim and won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program. Over the Garden Wall is a visually stunning whimsical adventure with a heartwarming and compelling journey that is a breezy watch. With a short running time and only ten episodes, Over the Garden Wall is perfect for a quick binge-watch.
2
Band Of Brothers (2001)
The war drama Band of Brothers is a critically acclaimed Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning miniseries. Band of Brothers is a dramatization of the Easy Company, a military unit in the United States Army, and its members during World War II. The miniseries depicts a dramatized depiction of World War II and events like Operation Market Garden, the Siege of Bastogne, the Allied invasion of Germany, and the end of the war.
Band of Brothers follows the Easy Company from their initial training to the end of the war over the course of the ten episodes. The historical war drama miniseries maintains its thrilling pace and high quality throughout the series, making it a masterpiece miniseries that remains electrifying and compelling from start to end.
1
Fallout (2024-Present)
Fallout is a post-apocalyptic drama series based on the video game franchise of the same name. The series is set in 2296 in a universe where there is a nuclear apocalypse in 2077 which forced survivors to take refuge in fallout bunkers. Fallout revolves around a young woman, Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell), after she leaves Vault 33 to search for her abducted father, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan).
Fallout nailed the video games’ humor and cemented its status as one of the best video game adaptions and was nominated for 17 Emmy Awards. Fallout season 1 consists of eight incredible episodes filled with action and drama that are guaranteed to keep audiences hooked and engaged with the show. The post-apocalyptic show has no bad episodes, and will hopefully continue the trend in Fallout season 2.
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