hasn’t been as extensively covered as its later counterpart.
While has birthed iconic dramas like HBO’s Band of Brothers, World War One has been slightly neglected by mainstream telly.
That’s not to say that WW1 doesn’t have some glorious hidden gems, however. From sitcoms to romances, the Great War spans heartbreak, violence and trench warfare.
All of that has made some great miniseries and longer-running shows over the years.
We take a look at the very best – ranked based on IMDb ratings.
8. The Crimson Field – 7.8 stars
The Crimson Field was sadly cancelled after one series (Image: BBC)
2014 drama The Crimson Field aired for six episodes on One, and follows the lives of medics and patients in a WW1 field hospital.
Starring Rupert Graves, Suranne Jones and Kevin Doyle, the show was sadly cancelled after one series – but it has an impressive rating of 7.8 on IMDb, with four more series planned out by boss Sarah Phelps.
7. Anzacs – 8.0 stars
Detailing a side of the war rarely seen by British history buffs, 1985’s Anzacs follows a group of Australian soldiers who served in the ANZACs – the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
The programme follows the soldiers as they fight at Gallipoli in 1915, before heading to the Western Front. Its official bio says the six-part drama documents the “hardships, camaraderie and casualties of war”.
6. Reilly: Ace of Spies – 8.2 stars
Sidney Reilly was a master spy (Image: Getty)
With an 8.2 rating on IMDb, Reilly: Ace of Spies pitches itself as a dramatisation of the missions and adventures of the “greatest spy in British history”.
Released in 1983, it’s made up of 12 episodes and is based on the real-life story of Sidney Reilly, a Russian-born secret agent employed by Scotland Yard.
His story after the war is a tragic one – he disappeared in the mid-1920s in Soviet , before being executed by firing squad in 1925. Rumours abounded, however, that the death was just Russian propaganda and that Reilly had actually survived.
5. Testament of Youth – 8.4 stars
Testament of Youth was released in 1979 (Image: BBC)
Released in 1979, Testament of Youth aired for five episodes. The television drama is based on Vera Brittain’s memoir, and stars Cheryl Campbell as the eponymous character.
Vera abandons her studies at Oxford University to become a volunteer nurse in the First World War, but her world is left to fall to pieces around her as the young men in her circle are all caught up in the conflict.
4. There Will Be People – 8.6 stars
Available to rent on Prime Video, There Will Be People is a miniseries released in 2020, following World War One and the Bolshevik Revolution, before the emergence of the Soviet regime.
Filmed in its native Ukrainian, the series is made up of 12 episodes, with the official Amazon bio reading: “Each of the characters faced the changes in their own way through their concept of truth. However, all of them shared fundamental desire to live, love and find their own place.”
3. Great War Diaries – 8.8 stars
Airing in 2014, Great War Diaries gives a unique take on the war across eight episodes. It reconstructs letters and diaries from soldiers and civilians affected by the conflict to investigate how “individuals from different backgrounds experience the personal tragedies, emotions and human experience of World War I.”
The international documentary series is a mix of reenactments, archive footage and animation.
2. Blackadder Goes Forth – 8.8 stars
Blackadder didn’t cinch the top spot (Image: Getty)
The fourth series of classic sitcom Blackadder, released in 1989, throws Captain Edmund Blackadder and Private Baldrick into the trenches of WW1, dealing with court martials, grim living conditions and the banalities of war.
Despite its status as a comedy – and following three hilarious series – the programme has its fair share of heartbreaking and poignant moments, plus an ending you won’t forget in a hurry.
It stars Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.
1. The Great War – 8.9 stars
Released in 1964, TV miniseries The Great War has been lauded as “one of the greatest achievements of television”.
It’s comprised of 26 episodes in total, and uses “extensive archive material” from WW1, combining sound effects with classical 1910s music to bring the conflict to life.