Short, Complete and Highly Rated: 5 Mini-Series Worth Watching
Each one tells a full story in just a few episodes.
Sometimes, you just want to turn on a series and know it’ll be over soon — no ten seasons or finales stretched across years. In this list: 5 mini-series with high IMDb ratings that are already finished.
Each one is a complete story, with a beginning, an ending, and a clear resolution. You can watch them over a couple of evenings — and get a strong emotional impact without the exhaustion of a binge.
Houdini (2014, 2 episodes)
Rating: 7.3
The story of the great illusionist, turned into a visually rich biographical drama. It has everything: tricks, personal tragedy, and a battle against the system. The image of Houdini becomes a symbol of freedom, pain, and the pursuit of the impossible.
Patrick Melrose (2018, 5 episodes)
Rating: 8.0
Benedict Cumberbatch in one of his best roles. A drama about a man trying all his life to deal with a past filled with violence and loneliness. Dark humour, pain, and brilliant acting — in every episode.
The Lost Room (2006, 3 episodes)
Rating: 8.1
A sci-fi thriller with a detective mystery that became a cult favourite. It all revolves around a strange motel room and artifacts with unexplained powers. Its greatest strength — conciseness and an original idea. Brevity here isn’t a flaw, it’s a style.
The Night Of (2016, 8 episodes)
Rating: 8.4
A psychological thriller from HBO: a young man gets caught up in a murder case he may not have committed. The story unfolds slowly, but the tension builds with every episode. A great choice if you enjoy stories in the vein of True Detective.
Chernobyl (2019, 5 episodes)
Rating: 9.3
The highest-rated series on the list — and possibly one of the most terrifyingly realistic. HBO and Sky depicted not just the nuclear disaster but the collapse of an entire system: of lies, fear, and bureaucracy. The acting, attention to detail, and almost physical tension make Chernobyl a series that’s impossible to forget.
