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10 Best HBO Shows Based on True Stories, Ranked
Collider has published a ranked list of what it considers the ten best HBO series based on true stories, celebrating the network's reputation for prestige television and narrative ambition. The article argues that, while some of these dramas take liberties with the facts, all ten demonstrate HBO's skill at drawing gripping drama from real events, spanning true crime, warfare, politics and even Ancient Rome.
The two lowest-ranked entries are detailed in the available text. At number ten is The Staircase (2022), an eight-part crime drama starring Colin Firth as author Michael Peterson, tried for the murder of his wife Kathleen (Toni Collette), which is praised for its performances and its reflection on how documentary-makers shape a story. At number nine is Landscapers (2021), a true-crime miniseries with a streak of macabre black comedy, led by David Thewlis and Olivia Colman as Christopher and Susan Edwards, a couple facing the fallout of murdering Susan's parents years earlier.
In short
- Collider ranks HBO's ten best shows based on true stories.
- The Staircase (2022) with Colin Firth ranks tenth.
- Landscapers (2021) with Colman and Thewlis ranks ninth.
Explained simply
HBO has produced many television dramas based on real-life events and is widely known for commissioning such series. The network's output in this area includes true crime cases, historical stories and political dramas, often featuring acclaimed performances.
Publications regularly rank and review HBO's collection of dramas based on true events. Such ranked lists highlight shows that have had significant impact and help viewers navigate the network's extensive output of programmes based on real stories.
Whilst these dramas often take creative liberties with the facts to create better storytelling, they remain grounded in actual events that viewers can research for themselves. This combination of real-world inspiration and dramatic storytelling is a major part of HBO's television output.