With a plethora of streaming services out there, it’s no wonder that TV shows are as popular as ever. Some TV shows have massive budgets, and those are typically the ones that look and feel more like a movie than a show. Producers know that audiences want shows that are epic and grand in scale, but also digestible and easy to understand, even if you aren’t familiar with the franchise a show belongs to.
Lately, there have been more and more shows coming out that contain episodes that feel like a stand-alone movie. Shows like Yellowstone and Succession have used this tactic to great effect, drawing audiences in with slower plot points but stronger characters. Here are some shows where each episode could be a movie because of their strong cinematography, editing, acting, and other qualities.
10 Yellowstone
Yellowstone is a show on Paramount+ that features Kevin Costner as John Dutton, a wealthy farmer who is fighting to keep control of his family ranch. One of his sons lives off the ranch, while the other is into politics. Both are vying for his attention and his power. But Dutton’s right-hand man is Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), a gruff cowboy who does the boss’ bidding even if it means bending the law.
Yellowstone is the epitome of a show where every episode feels like a movie. The way the show is shot is very cinematic, with sweeping views of the Montana landscape and on-point music that makes every scene feel tense. Costner and Hauser’s performances drive the show and the audience never knows what to expect from each member of the conniving Dutton clan.
9 Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones aired on HBO from 2011 to 2019. The show was based on the legendary novels by George R.R. Martin and revolved around nine families fighting for the throne of an ancient, mythic world. GOT jumped around a lot, often featuring too many characters to keep track of in each episode. Nevertheless, the show always felt so ambitious that it could be a movie.
While the plot of Game of Thrones sometimes moved at a snail’s pace, each episode was meticulously thought out and filmed with every detail in mind. The battle scenes were epic, and the special effects – particularly of the dragons – were nothing short of mind-blowing. Some fans were unhappy with the eighth and final sloppy season, though. Considering there was a Starbucks cup in one Game of Thrones scene, they’re not wrong.
8 Succession
Every episode of Succession – which airs on HBO Max – feels like a taut game of cat and mouse. Logan Roy (Brian Cox) is the wealthy head of a media empire, and he rules with a take-no-prisoners attitude. He’s past retirement age but nothing is good enough for Logan, and he’s certainly not ready to hand his empire to any of his entitled children which include Connor (Alan Ruck), Siobhan (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Kendall (Jeremy Strong).
Succession is simply an excellent show filled with dramatic twists and turns. Whether it’s following Kendall’s downward spiral, Roman’s twisted dabbles in debauchery, or Connor’s anti-establishment rants, every episode feels like it could be its own movie. The cast makes Succession great, but sadly, the show is ending after its current fourth season.
7 Under the Banner of Heaven
Under the Banner of Heaven is a riveting miniseries that came out in 2022. Filmed in and around Alberta, the show is based on the novel of the same name by acclaimed author Jon Krakauer. Detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield) is tasked with solving the ritualistic murders of Brenda and Erica Lafferty in 1984. The clues send Detective Pyre down a rabbit hole, and he soon uncovers a web of lies and deceit within the Mormon faith. Under the Banner of Heaven contains some great performances.
Under the Banner of Heaven plays out like a murder mystery, using flashbacks to tell Brenda’s story and how her entrance into the Lafferty family angered some people. Every episode feels like a movie because clues are revealed slowly, keeping the viewer hooked up to the epic conclusion. There’s a casino scene near the end of the series that draws you in with its keen attention to detail and dramatic moments.
6 Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks was a short-lived but impactful show that aired for two seasons from 1990-1991. Set in the small town of Twin Peaks, WA near the Canadian border, the show focused on the FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) as he tried to solve the murder of a popular high school student.
As the series evolved, more and more supernatural elements were pulled into the plot. Twin Peaks was a town filled with eccentric characters, and Agent Cooper didn’t always know who he could trust. Twin Peaks felt like a movie because each episode unveiled clues that led to more clues, and it always left the viewer feeling unsettled at the end.
5 The Last of Us
Another series filmed in Alberta that feels like each episode could be a movie is HBO’s The Last of Us. Based on the video game of the same name, Pedro Pascal plays Joel, the survivor of a zombie apocalypse who is trying to get young girl Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to safety. Joel believes Ellie may be resistant to the zombie virus and hopes that a cure for the strain may be hidden in her DNA.
The Last of Us was produced with an epic budget and it shows. Each episode is not only grand in scale but is shot in many different locations in Alberta, including Calgary, Edmonton, Fort Macleod, Waterton Lakes National Park, and more. The show did a great job of incorporating stand-alone plot points and characters in each episode. Fans won’t have to wait long for more as season 2 of The Last of Us is filming soon.
4 Euphoria
Euphoria is another HBO show with a very cinematic feel. It’s about a group of teenagers who cope with life by living an excessive lifestyle, dabbling in drugs, and trying to deal with various problems. The show’s main character is Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a girl who lost her father to cancer and doesn’t know how to deal with her emotions or her grief.
Although the show has been criticized for being too over-the-top in its depiction of drug use, sex, and violence,both millennials and Gen-Z generations can relate to Euphoria. The show uses dark cinematic techniques to create movie-like visuals. Euphoria features top-notch cinematography and editing, making it feel like each episode could be a movie.
3 The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian recently completed its third season on Disney+. Pedro Pascal is the title character, an armored warrior from the planet Mandalore. He fights to protect Grogu, a being with special powers, from the forces of evil. In their adventures, Din Djarin and Grogu encounter threats at every turn, including killer robots, sand creatures, and hostile pirates.
With the help of his friends Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), the Mandalorian manages to protect Grogu and even attempts to restore his civilization’s society back home on Mandalore. Each episode features the duo in a different setting, with new characters being constantly introduced. The Star Wars universe has a long history of creating cinematic TV shows, and The Mandalorian is one of the best.
2 Mindhunter
Mindhunter is a serial TV thriller that features Jonathan Groff as FBI special agent Holden Ford. Agent Ford leads a task force that studies the minds of serial killers, with the goal of trying to gain insights that could be used to solve current cases. The show is based on real events and the first season focuses on notorious killer Edmund Kemper (played by Cameron Britton) who murdered ten people, including his own mother, back in the early 1970s.
Director David Fincher is one of the executive producers of Mindhunter, so you know it’s going to have very cinematic elements. Fincher is known for directing dark psychological thrillers like Seven, Fight Club, and Zodiac, and Mindhunter is crafted with his style in mind. With excellent dialogue and crazy twists, it’s one of the best crime shows on Netflix.
1 The Crown
The Crown is one of the most expansive and immersive TV shows about the royal family ever made. Every episode engulfs you in its universe and plays out like a movie. Claire Foy portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons before Olivia Colman took over for seasons three and four, and finally Imelda Staunton for season five. The show also features an all-star cast of supporting actors, with Helena Bonham Carter, Lesley Manville, John Lithgow, Gillian Anderson, and more appearing since its debut in 2016.
The Crown is insanely detailed, with the sets, costumes, and makeup effects standing out as highlights. Season five in particular contains some great fashion moments. Fans can look forward to the sixth and final season of The Crown, which recently wrapped up filming, to air in late 2023 or early 2024. The total budget for the show is reportedly upwards of $260 million, so it’s no wonder that every episode feels like it could be its own movie.
