TV shows about war are often judged based on how accurately they depict battle, and the best examples have earned praise from military historians and other experts. Although TV shows don’t usually have as many big battles as movies do, there are still some ambitious shows which can deliver exciting battles on the small screen. Even fantasy shows like Game of Thrones have developed their reputations for epic combat. There may be fantastical elements at play, but the battle tactics and equipment still have to stand up to scrutiny.
With shows like Shogun, House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power each drawing huge fan bases with their combat scenes, battles are more common on TV than ever before. TV shows didn’t always have the budget for large-scale conflict, but this has become much less of a problem in recent years. Historical epics and war dramas could soon be more popular than ever before on TV, so it’s worth looking back at the greatest and most accurate TV battles of all time to see how high the bar is for the new generation.
Although Game of Thrones is a fantasy show with dragons and other mythical creatures, it tries to portray battles in the style of medieval warfare. This allows experts to draw parallels between combat in Game of Thrones and real chapters from history. The battle tactics, armor and weaponry can also be assessed in terms of how appropriate they would be for certain situations. The show’s fantastical elements can confuse things a little, but Game of Thrones still delivers some of the biggest battles on TV, often with brutal, grimy realism.
The Battle of the Bastards is Game of Thrones’ most famous battle scene. Because the show was so popular, it was the only representation of medieval warfare that many fans would have seen. Fortunately, the Battle of the Bastards ticked a lot of boxes with its depiction of the harsh conditions in medieval battle. (via Vulture) Stripping away the fantasy elements, the Battle of the Bastards presents a fascinating conflict, and each side’s tactics are very intelligent. One other aspect the battle shows well is how crushes could occur as shield walls closed in around soldiers.
Black Sails has become a sneaky streaming hit in recent months, so it has amassed a whole new fan base seven years after it ended. Black Sails features several real-life pirates from the era, including Blackbeard and Anne Bonny, so it mixes some truth into its largely fictional story. There are a lot of conflicting reports about piracy from the 18th century, especially since Britain spread so much disinformation to discourage and discredit pirates, so any show about this time period will struggle to claim true authenticity.
Despite the obvious challenges with depicting the era, Black Sails frequently garners praise from historians for the elements of the show which can be verified. The naval battle scenes are some of the most ambitious ever seen on TV, but they are also accurate in terms of the tactics that are used on screen. The final stand-off with the British at the end of season 3 shows a good understanding of the cannons on the ships. (via Insider) Instead of showing reckless fighting at close range, Black Sails shows ships acting more defensively, trying to take down their opponents from a greater distance.
Vikings is another show that has gained an even larger following since it ended, and its depiction of Viking warfare is a key factor in its enduring popularity. The Siege of Paris took place in the year 885 A.D. It provides the setting for some of the most memorable combat scenes in Vikings, but there is genuine historical fact to back up a lot of what happens on screen. The Viking warriors really did wear black face paint, and they used the element of surprise to their advantage, when other cultures preferred more organized forms of warfare.
It’s important to note that Vikings didn’t rely on written language as much as most modern culture, so oral stories of their raids are more prone to alterations. However, there is a lot that can be confidently ascertained about the Viking Siege of Paris, from the weaponry to the tactics, and Vikings gets a lot of this spot on. Vikings is only partially historically accurate, since most of its characters are fictional and the show had to make some assumptions about the era. However, the use of rafts, ladders and axes is all authentic.
The Pacific was produced by the same team behind Band of Brothers, so expectations were high for its battle scenes. The show couldn’t quite outdo Band of Brothers in some ways, but some of its battle scenes were just as breathtaking. The Battle of Peleliu is as powerful as any other World War II battle ever seen on TV, but it doesn’t trade in any of its credibility to achieve this. The Battle of Peleliu was one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific Theater, and it has since become known as one the most futile, in terms of what it actually achieved.
The Pacific is incredibly accurate, especially when it comes to the Battle of Peleliu. The chaos and violence are writ large across the screen, but The Pacific learned from interviews with U.S. Marines that tedium and morbidity were also a part of the combat. (via HistoryNet)
. The Pacific uses this detail as just one way to bolster its credentials, but the entire Battle of Peleliu scene is packed with real-life stories.
Rome was one of the most ambitious and most expensive TV shows ever when it first premiered in 2005, and this meant that it could bring big battles to the small screen like never before. One of the most memorable of these battles is the Siege of Alesia, which took place in modern-day France in 52 B.C. Rome completely fabricates some of its characters, and it misrepresents others, so the series can’t claim to be completely accurate, but one thing that it pays close attention to is the battle tactics of the Roman Army.
According to the historical advisor for the series, Rome aims more for authenticity than sheer accuracy, and this shows in some memorable scenes like the Battle of Alesia. (via BBC) This means that although some beats of the battle may be rearranged or exaggerated for dramatic effect, everything on screen is held to the highest standards, whether that’s the clothing of the weaponry. Rather than more extravagant displays of swordsmanship, Rome sticks to the less flashy but more realistic battle tactics of staying close together and defending as a unit.
Unlike some of the shows on this list, Generation Kill had the luxury of being able to consult people who were directly involved in the battles they aimed to portray, and this made some of the battles extremely realistic. The Battle of Nasiriyah took place just five years before it was recreated in Generation Kill, as US Marines were ambushed while pushing toward Baghdad, and the team behind the show made sure that the events were shown as accurately as possible. This has earned recognition from Marines who were involved in the conflict.
In a video for Insider, Iraq War Veteran Jay Dorleus heaped praise on Generation Kill for its attention to detail. He was able to relate many of his own experiences in Iraq to the situations in the show, including how he would use vegetation by the riverbed for cover and how certain technologies were notoriously unreliable. This shows how Generation Kill pays just as much attention to the small details as it does to the more eye-catching movements of pivotal battles. Each minute detail contributes to the overall immersion of the show.
Spartacus was always bound to face comparisons to the classic 1960 movie starring Kirk Douglas. While the movie has an epic scale and some glorious battles, it is notoriously inaccurate in some parts. The TV show is a much better representation of the facts, and it even produces more historically accurate battle scenes. The final battle against Crassus is the tense conclusion to the third and final season, and it largely plays out according to historical accounts, from the outcome to the specific battle tactics used by Spartacus’ men.
Spartacus isn’t always accurate, but the conclusion to the Third Servile War is a high point for the show. The series finale shows Spartacus leading his troops against a much larger army on the peninsula of Rhegium. He employs clever tactics to gain the upper hand, such as digging ditches to trap onrushing Roman soldiers, and building a strong shield wall to repel enemy attacks. Although Spartacus bends the truth sometimes, its most memorable moment is authentic. The upcoming Spartacus sequel series has a lot to live up to.
Band of Brothers remains the gold standard for TV shows about war, even after over two decades. The revolutionary HBO miniseries delivered pulsating Second World War action that takes historical accuracy very seriously. Of all its gripping battles, the Battle of Carentan is the most outstanding, in terms of both accuracy and impact. A lot of fighting in Europe in World War II took place in urban environments, and this was extremely perilous for troops moving in. They wouldn’t know where enemies could be hiding, and the corners and windows provided many possibilities.
In one of the best scenes in Band of Brothers, Easy Company find themselves facing an unknown number of enemy soldiers in the French town of Carentan. The scene shows other American companies fleeing as the battle begins, and it shows how Easy Company was eventually saved by backup that managed to fend off the Germans for just long enough. Overall, the Battle of Carentan scene in Band of Brothers is well-respected for the way it paints the broad strokes of the battle while also focusing on small details such as weaponry, terrain and uniforms. (via Insider)
Sources: Vulture, Insider, HistoryNet, BBC, Insider, Insider