Band of Brothers and its companion titles might be considered some of the best war shows ever made, but there are several series set during wars that shouldn’t be overlooked. Thanks to the popularity of the Band of Brothers franchise and earlier projects such as Hogan’s Heroes, there’s a notion that most war shows are set during WW2, but that’s not the case.
One of the most successful shows in history (not just the war genre), M*A*S*H, was notably set during the Korean War, helping prove why WW2 isn’t the only option for TV storytelling. That said, there are still a few WW2-based series that we highly recommend for anyone looking for war shows that may have flown under the radar when they initially released.
Generation Kill (2008)
Where To Watch: HBO Max
Though HBO’s most popular war series, Band of Brothers, centered on WW2, the network has produced other must-watch war dramas, like Generation Kill. Based on a book of the same name, Generation Kill follows a Rolling Stone journalist named Evan Wright, who served as an “embedded reporter” with a battalion of Marines during the Iraq War in 2003.
Lee Tergesen portrays Wright in Generation Kill, re-telling the personal account of the real-life figure’s experience during the invasion of Iraq over a two-month period. Generation Kill and its near-perfect accuracy were nominated for an Emmy Award following its 2008 debut. However, the series never got the attention it deserved, making it one to watch if looking for a quick binge.
Turn: Washington’s Spies (2014-2017)
Where To Watch: Prime Video, AMC+
Despite airing 40 episodes across four seasons, Turn: Washington’s Spies never emerged as one of AMC’s can’t-miss prestige titles when it was on-air. That said, it’s never too late to check out the period drama that centers on a group of spies known as the Culper Ring during the Revolutionary War. In fact, the Culper Ring is said to be America’s first-ever spy network.
Jamie Bell leads Turn: Washington’s Spies as Abraham Woodhull, one of the original members of the Culper Ring, who helped provide General George Washington with critical intel while the British remained headquartered in New York City. Ian Kahn’s George Washington appears in season 1, but he quickly becomes a vital figure throughout the rest of the series as the Culper Ring spies help shift the eventual outcome of the Revolutionary War.
We Were The Lucky Ones (2024)
Where To Watch: Hulu
After Logan Lerman played a Nazi hunter in Prime Video’s two-season alternate history drama, Hunters, the actor went on to star in Hulu’s WW2 miniseries, We Were the Lucky Ones. We Were the Lucky Ones is based on a true story and follows a Jewish family from Poland before, during, and after the war, including their separation and attempt to reunite.
Lerman portrays one of five siblings at the center of the story, alongside Joey King, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Amit Rahav, and Hadas Yaron. The show, which was executive-produced by Matt Damon, was praised for its Jewish representation and dynamic storytelling shared through several characters facing different terrors surrounding WW2 and the Holocaust.
The Narrow Road To The Deep North (2025)
Where To Watch: Prime Video
Jacob Elordi’s big 2025 release is clearly Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, but months prior, the actor also starred in the drama miniseries, The Narrow Road to the Deep North. The five-episode series centers on Dorrigo Evans during three time periods of his life as an Australian surgeon whose life is heavily impacted by WW2. Not only does the series present the horrors of war as Evans ends up in a Japanese labor camp, but there’s also a serious love affair at the center of the story.
While Ciarán Hinds plays the older version of the main character in The Narrow Road to the Deep North, it’s Elordi’s performance in the other two time periods that truly sets the series apart from other war dramas. As Elordi’s career continues to reach new heights, here’s hoping that the well-received, yet overlooked war drama doesn’t get buried within his growing filmography.
Rogue Heroes (2022-Present)
Where To Watch: MGM+
If you had to pick just one title on this list, it should be Rogue Heroes, the WW2 drama from Peaky Blinders‘ creator Steven Knight. Originally released on BBC One and available on MGM+ to US viewers, the drama initially details the origin story behind the formation of the British Army’s Special Air Service (SAS) unit during the Western Desert Campaign.
SAS founder, David Stirling (Connor Swindells), leads the unit through secret missions behind enemy lines, with other key characters played by Jack O’Connell and Alfie Allen in the debut installment. Season 2 follows the SAS operations in Europe, but that doesn’t mark the end of the series since Rogue Heroes was already renewed for season 3.
At the time of writing, Rogue Heroes‘ first two seasons have a 100% perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, giving viewers even more reason to catch up before the new season arrives. The latest war series masterpiece incorporates historical figures from WW2, but it’s certainly not your average war drama. Aside from enhanced action sequences, the show notably features classic rock and punk music from bands like The Clash, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, and Foghat.
