No screenwriter can write a plot better and more realistic than the one that actually happened. That is why TV series based on real events are not uncommon and are often popular with viewers. We have collected a selection of the best shows in this genre for our readers.
Vikings
Narcos
Orange Is the New Black
Reign
Generation Kill
The Borgias
Peaky Blinders
One of the most successful historical TV series currently being shown is "Vikings" from the educational channel "History".
The show immerses viewers in the era of the early Middle Ages, where the Scandinavian Viking Ragnar Lothbrok and his army regularly raid Britain. The characters in the show engage in a fierce and ruthless struggle for the throne and power, so there is definitely something to watch. The show's creator, Michael Hirst, accurately portrayed the moods and life of that time, which had a positive effect on the ratings and popularity of the project.
The TV series "Narcos" from the streaming service Netflix has opened many people's eyes to the life of the infamous Pablo Escobar.
The story takes place in the 70s of the last century in Colombia, where the ordinary smuggler Pablo Escobar begins his career as a drug lord. The idea of selling cocaine in the United States comes along with the enormous profits from selling just one kilogram of drugs. Other smugglers also start engaging in this kind of business, and sunny Colombia turns into a gigantic plantation for growing coca. The belatedly responding United States government enters into a desperate war with the drug cartel, but the traffickers literally bought up half of their country and its population...
Another show from the streaming service Netflix that has become popular and has won numerous awards is "Orange Is the New Black". This prison drama with elements of humor is based on the autobiography of the same name by Piper Kerman.
The events of the series revolve around a girl who is sentenced to 15 months in a women's prison for assisting in drug trafficking. Piper's life has already changed a lot since then, and she will have to serve time for actions she committed 10 years ago. The prison will not only break her life, but also completely change her worldview. In the end, she ends up in prison with her former lover, Alex Vause, thanks to whom she ended up behind bars.
The historical drama "Reign" from The CW also makes it to our list - the events of the show are quite real.
The plot of the show by Laurie McCarthy and Stephanie Sengupta takes viewers back to the middle of the 16th century. In that era, there was a fierce struggle for the throne among the successors of kings in Scotland. The main character of the series is Queen Mary, who from childhood tried to claim the rightful throne, but was opposed by numerous court monarchs. The script is very intricate and captivating, and the show will not leave viewers indifferent.
The HBO project "Generation Kill" describes the real events that took place in the Iraq conflict with US military personnel. The plot is based on the eponymous novel by journalist Evan Wright, who was at the center of the events.
The script describes the first days of the war in Iraq in March 2003. The United States Marine Corps' First Reconnaissance Battalion begins to advance towards the capital of the Islamic state - Baghdad. Along the way, the soldiers face severe shortages of ammunition, food, and supplies. But that's not all - incompetent leadership of the troops leads to serious problems on the entire front of the advance.
The events of the series "The Borgias" will transport viewers to medieval Spain, where the noble family from Aragon was involved in religious activities for centuries.
The script revolves around Rodrigo Borgia, who, after the death of Pope Innocent VIII, takes the holy throne of the Vatican. The cardinals engage in internecine warfare, seek allies, and bribe opponents.
The final series on our list is "Peaky Blinders" from BBC Two, which was directed by Steven Knight. But the show's plot is in no way inferior to the previous participants in the ranking.
The plot takes viewers into the life of the Shelby family in the 1920s. In the English city of Birmingham, a family gang of gangsters formed, who in the early 20th century intimidated the government and commanded respect from the locals. The youth gang managed the gambling in the city at horse races, and also waged a war with the rest of the mafia, which spread throughout Britain after the First World War.
And what real events-based TV shows do you know? Write in the comments to the post!
