HBOis no stranger to helming outstanding and heavily lauded content, having established itself as a top platform for both compelling shows and films. Over its nearly 50 years as a leading premium network, the channel has introduced the masses to a slew of award-winning television programs that feature exceptional performances by its talented actors, directors and writers. Some of the most revered and lauded projects have called HBO home, and the network has an innate gift at knowing just what insightful stories, concepts, and subject matter will make the most impact on audiences across the world.
The 2000s were a time in the entertainment industry in which many of Hollywood’s most respected stars headlined HBO programs, with many eagerly signing on to appear in riveting miniseries. Helen Mirren was superb in her role as the Queen of England and Ireland inElizabeth I,while Paul Giamatti stole the show with his commanding performance of the titular U.S. President and Founding Father inJohn Adams.Fromgripping and compelling war epicsto chilling profiles of tyrant rulers and leaders, the platform is not afraid to tackle any subject, no matter how heavy. Regardless of what mood you’re in, HBO is sure to have a program that’s perfect for you. These are some ofthe best HBO miniseriesof the 2000s.
8Generation Kill
The seven-part 2008 war drama miniseriesGeneration Killis based on the Evan Wright novel of the same name, chronicling the writer’s firsthand accounts and experiences as an embedded reporter during the 2003 invasion of Iraq as he traveled with and shadowed the U.S. Marine Corps’ 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. It was adapted by David Simon and Ed Burns, who created what many considerthe best TV show ever made,The Wire.
The gripping program features an extensive and impressive cast of 28 talented performers, among them being Alexander Skarsgård, Lee Tergesen, and Jon Huertas, and depicts the efforts of the skilled and highly-trained Marines as they navigate the perilous streets of Baghdad while combating language barriers and insufficient supplies.Generation Killpremiered to rave reviews from audiences and critics alike, winning three Primetime Emmy Awards and garnering praise for its commanding performances and brutally honest representation of the first stage of the Iraq War.
7From the Earth to the Moon
A fascinating dramatization of the groundbreaking Apollo program that resulted in the first humans landing on the moon in 1969, the 1998 HBO docudrama miniseriesFrom the Earth to the Moonis largely based on the Andrew Chaikin’s novel that accurately depicts the true tale of Apollo and the events surrounding it. Narrated by the great Tom Hanks (who had previously starred in Ron Howard’sApollo 13),the breathtaking miniseries delves into the circumstances surrounding the groundbreaking Apollo expeditions and also includes a reenactment of George Méliès’ 1902 French pictureA Trip to the Moon.The miniseries went on to win multiple prestigious accolades including three Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe for Best Miniseries or Television Film, and was lauded by critics for its special effects and accurate depiction of the Apollo mission.
Related:The Best Tom Hanks Movies, Ranked
6Empire Falls
With an outstanding A-list cast including renowned performers like Ed Harris, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Helen Hunt, the 2005 romantic drama seriesEmpire Fallstakes place in the rundown titular Maine town and focuses on its colorful residents, specifically the middle-aged restaurant manager Miles Roby (Harris) who deals with his selfish ex-wife, loving daughter and stubborn parents.
The program also features the talent of legendarysilver screen star Paul Newman, who appeared as the bull-headed and defiant father of Miles; the actor went on to win an Emmy for his performance, which was also his final onscreen role.Empire Fallsis based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Richard Russo, with the Emmy-nominated screenplay also being written by the author.
5House of Saddam
Depicting the history and events surrounding the rise and fall of tyrant Saddam Hussein, the 2008 docudramaHouse of Saddamdelves into the ruler’s personal life and family while also focusing on his relationship with his most trusted advisers. Yigal Naor delivers a powerful performance as Hussein in the series, which went on to garner critical acclaim for its chilling profile of the oppressive leader and sharp screenplay; the drama would go on to be nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards, winning one.
House of Saddamis a brutal and honest look at how Hussein rose to power and his subsequent collapse, having received praise from many critics such asThe Times, which wrote: “It was soap…it was reality, it was cheeky and it was terrifying. Saddam’s reign was one of such excess and terror, it was hard to see where reality ended and fiction began.”
4Angels in America
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning Tony Kushner play of the same name, the 2003 miniseriesAngels in Americaexplores the lives of six diverse yet connected New Yorkers who experience the AIDS crisis in 1985, providing insight into the various social, political and religious issues surrounding the situation. Starring Hollywood greats like Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Emma Thompson, and awonderful Jeffrey Wright performance, the show centers on Prior Walter, a gay man battling AIDS and a deep depression who is visited by an angel claiming he will one day become a prophet.
Executive producer Cary Brokaw spent ten years attempting to bring the stage production to the small screen, finally gaining a $60 million budget with HBO.Angels in Americawent on to break the record previously held byRootsfor themost Emmys awarded to a miniseriesin a single year, having received 21 nominations and winning 11.
3Elizabeth I
Thebrilliant Helen Mirrenheadlines the 2005 British-American historical drama seriesElizabeth I,in which the actress portrays the Queen of England and Ireland and depicts the final 24 years of her almost 45-year reign. The fascinating show shines a light on both the ruler’s private and public life, chronicling her relationships with both the Earl of Leicester and later Earl of Essex, portrayed by Jeremy Irons and Hugh Dancy respectively.
Related:Best Actresses Who Played Queen Elizabeth I, Ranked
Many fine performers had previously taken on the role of Elizabeth, most notably Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench and Glenda Jackson, but Mirren knew the approach she wanted to take,telling Variety:“I did feel in coming to her that there was an area of Elizabeth that hadn’t been explored in a realistic sense: the emotional life. Glenda Jackson’s Elizabeth was superb on the political level, but it didn’t concentrate on her personal and emotional life, the way she combined the personal and the political.”Elizabeth Iwent on to win numerous accolades, including a Peabody, Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes.
2Band of Brothers
Widely regarded as a benchmark forWorld War II programs, the 2001 war drama miniseriesBand of Brothersis based on historian Stephen E. Ambrose’s book of the same name and chronicles the history of the Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division as they carry out their European missions like V-J Day and Operation Overlord during World War II. Featuring real life officers and soldiers who valiantly fought during the global war, the show is adapted from Ambrose’s recorded interviews with Easy Company veterans and touts a large and impressive cast including Michael Cudlitz, Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender.Band of Brotherswas developed and produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Erik Jendresen, and at the time the drama was themost expensive TV miniseriesever made, with a budget of $125 million with an additional $15 million for the promotional campaign.
1John Adams
Paul Giamatti acted his heart outin a tour-de-force performance as the eponymous president in the 2008 historical drama miniseriesJohn Adams,which focuses on the diplomat and leader’s political endeavors and his monumental role in the establishment of the United States. Adapted from the David McCullough biography, the program depicts the life of Adams and the significant events that shaped the country’s first 50 years, such as the Boston Massacre, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, and Adams’ journey to Europe during the Revolutionary War.
John Adamsholds the record for most Emmy wins by a program in a single year, beatingAngels in Americawith 13 awards. The series was lauded by critics for its authenticity, dynamite performances and depiction of the nation’s history;Time Magazinewrote in their review, “The miniseries’ best move in demythologizing the founding of America is John Adams himself. Giamatti makes him an intelligent but pugilistic workaday politician.”
