We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which TV shows with less than 40 episodes are the very best. From well-known ones to more underrated gems, here are some of their top responses:
1.
“Gravity Falls. It’s a show aimed at kids, but I’d recommend it to everyone. It’s funny, has an actually good plot, and kept me on the edge of my seat at times.”
2.
“Santa Clarita Diet. It was original and hilarious, with an awesome cast. It’s just too bad Netflix screwed us by canceling it on a cliffhanger.”
3.
Mindhunter is so good, and it should’ve won multiple awards, including an Emmy for Jonathan Groff. It gets you hooked from literally Episode 1.
4.
“Galavant. This show was just a happy, fun, fantasy musical. The humor was excellent, the cast clearly loved every minute of the show, and nearly all of them have been trying to get more seasons. They even referenced it in the last song of the show, ‘There’s not much left to tell; and hey, that’s just as well! Unless we get one more surprise renewal.'”
5.
“Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Crashing. It has only six episodes.”
6.
“The original UK Ghosts, which has 34 episodes and is a great comedy to watch.”
7.
“Anatomy of a Scandal on Netflix. A British mini-series that’s smart, intelligent, and very well-written! It’s timely, has some twists, and will keep you going until the end. I’ve seen it a couple of times and picked up things I missed the first time around. Give it a shot. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”
8.
“This Way Up with Aisling Bea and Sharon Horgan. Bea plays Áine, who is restarting her life after completing rehab. Horgan plays her sister. Two seasons of heartfelt, hilarious perfection. I would kill for a third season.”
9.
Arcane is easily one of the most beautifully crafted animated series of all time. The soundtrack is a 10/10, too.
10.
“The Patient featuring Steve Carrell had me hooked! The ending was shocking. I was floored and wish I could watch it again for the first time!”
11.
“The IT Crowd. Unmatched humor and Matt Berry? Hell yes.”
12.
“Mr Inbetween. Great dark comedy, great writing, and great direction.”
13.
October Road. I will literally watch Bryan Greenberg in anything, and this was another great (and underrated) show he starred in during the 2000s.
14.
“The Artful Dodger. The perfect mix of every genre in just 8 episodes. It’s so well-written and acted. You discover new things every time you watch it.”
15.
“Timeless. It was such a good show and I’m still sad that it didn’t last longer. I can just imagine what it cost to produce, though, so I can see why it had a short run.”
16.
“Two incredible John le Carré miniseries. First, The Little Drummer Girl. Florence Pugh falls for Alexander Skarsgård while spying for Mossad in the ’70s.”
17.
“And second, The Night Manager. Tom Hiddleston infiltrates mobster Hugh Laurie’s inner circle at the request of MI5/Olivia Colman. I can watch both on repeat!”
18.
“Hannibal. Absolutely phenomenal. Gorgeous cinematography, fantastic practical effects, and great writing. And it has Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy — what more could you want?”
19.
“Dopesick. Not only is it brilliantly written and acted (Michael Keaton and Rosario Dawson — nuff said), but it’s timely and tells an important story. The reason we have an opioid crisis is because of corporate greed, and thousands upon thousands of lives have been ruined because of it. Everyone should watch it (and get furious and then do something about it).”
20.
“Why Women Kill. Holy cow. The drama. The murder. The clever story telling. Three separate timelines in one house!”
21.
“Derry Girls. The writing, the acting, and the casting were all perfection. Off the top of my head I can’t think of another show with so many characters I didn’t just like, but I genuinely loved.”
22.
“Fleabag. Those 12 episodes changed me.”
23.
“Firefly — in the proper episode order. And you can follow it up with the movie Serenity.”
24.
“Freaks and Geeks. It lasted but a single season, but it was a rich, engrossing show featuring plenty of fine performances by young actors, many of whom later became major stars. It was set in a decade (the 1980s), which was part of my childhood, so it was especially relatable, but it could have been set in any era. A very good and special show!”
25.
And finally, “The Queen’s Gambit. Everything about that show was amazing. I think it was responsible for a measurable uptick in interest in chess.”
We can’t fit every show into one post, so which other TV shows with 40 episodes or less are so good that you think everyone should watch them? Tell us in the comments below!
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