When television sets first became popular, in the 1950s, many feared that the new medium would spell the death of the film industry. After all, who would want to go to a movie theater when they could watch numerous stories without leaving the comfort of their homes? Personally, I would.
Thankfully, TV did not kill the movie theater. Sure, a lot has changed since then, but movies are still very much a thing. And, artistic-wise, the coexistence of television and cinema can often mean a lot of wondrous things for both media. Many talents that were revealed on TV later made their mark on the world of films, and vice-versa. But there are perhaps few things as interesting as when a film director takes a break from the big screen to craft a project for a smaller one, with a list that includes names likeDavid Lynch,Steven Soderbergh, and theWachowskis, all continuing to bring their ideas to life not in the movie theater, but onTV. With that, here are the 12 greatest TV shows ever made by film’s more prominent directors.
12Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
Created by Mark Frost and David Lynch
Perhaps the most beloved work on this list, the classic murder mysteryTwin Peakswas created byMark Frostand none other than Hollywood’s favorite eccentric, David Lynch. The man behindMulholland DriveandThe Elephant Manhad just come out of directing his 1990 movieWild at Heartwhen he created, wrote, and directed this TV gem for ABC.
With a delicate balance between comedy and drama,Twin Peakstells the story of FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle McLachlan) as he investigates the murder of prom queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) in the weird, picturesque town of Twin Peaks. The show gained a cult following after its release, leading to the production of a spin-off movie devoted to the last days of Laura Palmer.Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Mecame out in 1992, with Lynch at the helm. In 2017, the series also gained a third season on Showtime, titledTwin Peaks - The Return.
Twin Peaks
11The Young Pope (2016)
Created by Paolo Sorrentino
How many shows can claim to have premiered at the Venice International Film Festival? In 2016,Paolo Sorrentino’s (The Great Beauty)The Young Popebecame the first television series to make its debut at the festival’s 73rd edition, with its first two episodes shown to critics and audiences out of competition.
With a blend of comedy and melodrama,The Young PopestarsJude Lawas Cardinal Lenny Belardo, who was elected the first American Pope in history after the leading contenders for the position fail to garner enough support. Originally created as a limited series with ten episodes - all of which were directed by Sorrentino -,The Young Popereceived a sequel in 2019. Also created and directed by Sorrentino,The New PopehasJohn Malkovichvoted leader of the Catholic Church after Law’s Pius XIII falls into a coma.
The Young Pope
10Babylon Berlin (2017- )
Created by Tom Tykwer, Achim von Borries, and Henk Handloegten
Babylon Berlinis the first of two German series to appear on this list, and the first of two to have Berlin in its title. Best known for movies such asRun, Lola, RunandPerfume: The Story of a Murderer, German filmmakerTom TykwercreatedBabylon BerlinalongsideAchim von BorriesandHenk Handloegten.
Based on theGereon Rathseries of novels byVolker Kutscher, the series follows a young detective (Rath, played byVolker Bruch) as he investigates various crimes in the Berlin of the late 1920s. Extremely thrilling and captivating, the show also paints an intricate portrait of thelast days of the Weimar Republic. Tykwer is also credited with writing and directing many of the episodes.
Babylon Berlin
9Sense8 (2015-2018)
Created by The Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski
Back when Netflix was still known as the home to numerous prestige shows, directorsLillyandLana Wachowskiwere given the green light to make one of the most ambitious science fiction projects of the past decade. AlongsideJ. Michael Straczynski, the sisters behind the cultural juggernaut that isThe Matrixfranchise, createdSense8, a wild sci-fi drama about eight people scattered across the world that share an intimate psychic connection, and those that seek to destroy them.
With a high production value and an international cast, the show was sadly canceled after only two seasons, but it still has a large cult following. In 2018, the series received a two-hour-long special that served as its finale. The special was directed by Lana. She and her sister are also credited as writers and directors in various episodes of the original series.
8The Knick (2014-2015)
Created Jack Amiel and Michael Begler
No story told by Steven Soderbergh is merely a story - it’s an exploration of an entire social structure. InTraffic, Soderbergh shone a light on the drug trade from the perspective of users, dealers, and law enforcers. InContagion, he offered us a realistic portrait of a pandemic from perspectives ranging from an WHO personnel trying to fight it, to the snake oil merchants profiting out of the tragedies of others.
In Cinemax’sThe Knick, Soderbergh turns the story of the first Black surgeon to work at Knickerbocker Hospital into a detailed examination of healthcare in 1900s New York City. Though the series was created byJack AmielandMichael Begler, Soderbergh was responsible for 20 of its 21 episodes. The remaining one was directed by none other thanMoonlight’sBarry Jenkins.
7Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
Created by Paul Feig
It may sound a little harsh, but it wouldn’t be a lie to claim that directorsPaul FeigandJudd Apatowpeaked artistically somewhere around the late 90s/early 2000s, when working on one of their first projects. Created by Feig, who also has writing and directing credits on the show,Freaks and Geeksis easily one of the best teen series ever made.
Through the stories of siblings Sam (John Francis Daley) and Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini), the show takes an entertaining and heartfelt look at high school dynamics from the perspective of the outcasts. Sadly, the show was canceled after just one season. Usually, the one most closely associated with the series, Apatow wasn’t involved in its inception, but acted as an executive producer and as a writer and director for numerous episodes.
Freaks and Geeks
6The Get Down (2016-2017)
Created by Baz Luhrimann and Stephen Adly Guirgis
Just three years after directing his appropriately grandioseThe Great Gatsby,Baz Luhrmanntook to television - or, rather, to streaming - to make a series about the rise of hip-hop and disco culture in 1970s New York. Created for Netflix by Luhrmann andStephen Adly Guirgis,The Get DownstarsJustice Smithas the leader of a group of teens navigating the creatively rich musical scene of 70s Bronx.
Showing that his talent for eye-catching musicals wasn’t all used up onMoulin Rouge!, Luhrmann, who is also credited as directing a number of the show’s episodes, presents us with an entertaining story full of musical numbers that will certainly stick with you for a long time. Sadly,The Get Downisyet another show that was prematurely canceled, with just one season split into two parts.
The Get Down
5Top of the Lake (2013-2017)
Created by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee
Best known for award-winning movies such asThe PianoandThe Power of the Dog, directorJane Campionhas a style that evokes tension, eroticism, and solitude. This style is put to great use in her 2013 project,Top of the Lake, created alongsideGerard Lee. Entirely written by Campion and Lee,Top of the Lakeis a slow-paced, but the intense mystery about a detective who specializes in cases of child sexual abuse.
In Season 1, Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss) is caught in the investigation of the disappearance of a pregnant 12-year-old girl in New Zealand. In Season 2, it is the death of an unidentified Asian girl that sets the plot into motion. Apart from writing, Campion also directed eight of the show’s 13 episodes.
Top of the Lake
4When They See Us (2019)
Created by Ava DuVernay
DirectorAva DuVernayis no stranger to the world of television. BeforeSelmaand13th, DuVernay had already directed an episode of theShonda RhimeshitScandal, and, afterward, she was involved in both HBO Max’sDMZand OWN’sQueen Sugar. However, her TV magnum opus is certainly Netflix’sWhen They See Us, a four-episode-long miniseries directed entirely by DuVernay.
When They See Usis a gut-wrenching retelling of the events surrounding the 1989 Central Park jogger case, in which a white woman a victim of sexual and physical assault. The series focuses on the four Black teenagers that were falsely accused and convicted of the crime. Following its release,When They See Uswas nominated for Outstanding Limited Series at the Emmys and took home the prize for Best Limited Series at the 2019 Critics Choice Awards.
When They See Us
3Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980)
Directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
To some of you, it might be a little surprising to findRainer Werner Fassbinder’s (Lili Marleen)Berlin Alexanderplatzon a list of TV shows. After all, the series is frequently shown outside of Germany as a 15-hour-long movie, split into three sessions. However, Fassbinder’s most famous film was originally a 14-part miniseries that aired on the German WDR network.
Based on the 1920 novel of the same name byAlfred Döblin,Berlin Alexanderplatzfollows a recently released man imprisoned for the murder of his girlfriend learning how to navigate the Weimar Republic in its dying days. Verbose and somewhat experimental,Berlin Alexanderplatzcan often be a hard watch, but it is definitely worth checking out this cinema and TV classic.
