Big-budget blockbuster movieshave long been known for their capacity to deliver intenseactionsequences without being boring or going over the top. From dizzying stunts to impressive special effects, they’ve been raising the bar for big screen spectacles for decades now. However, some television shows have quietly been reaching the same heights by being just as impressive. Though varied in genre, scope, and narrative structure, these TV shows demonstrate that the limitations of budget and runtime do not hinder ambitions.
Creating these shows demands meticulous planning, technical mastery, and sharp creative direction. And some impeccable television producers have managed to wringevery last drop of suspense, drama, and actionout of them, to ultimately turn every moment into “did they really just do that?” Rather than compromise on action due to a larger narrative arc, these innovative showrunners have challenged themselves to get more clever with their camera work and orchestrate the chaos better. What may seem like a simple brawl or a car crash on paper is transformed into a breathtaking sequence that leaves the audience in a state of awe.
That said, the TV shows on this list take the most intricate characters and twisted storylines, and blend them with crisp, nail-biting action that creates the kind of high-stakes scenarios that leave you on the edge of your seat. To excel at this takes incredible talent and dedication. Here are the 20 best TV shows that are absolutely full of incredible action sequences.
20Spartacus (2010 – 2013)
Set in ancient Rome, this series follows the Thracian soldier Spartacus, who is sold into slavery but rises to lead a rebellion against those who oppressed him — the Roman army. Now reborn as a gladiator, he teams up with fellow gladiators and slaves and wages a bloody uprising to seek revenge and freedom, as well as reunite with his wife Sura, who has also been forced into slavery.
What Makes It Great
Imagine Zack Snyder’s300, but with even more swords and sandals — that’sSpartacusfor you. Despite being based on an actual historical figure, the show does not pay much attention to the facts of his life. Instead, it focuses on putting to screen the most gripping fight scenes inRoman gladiatorial arenassince the filmGladiator. Andy Whitfield plays the titular character and shines in every gut-wrenching battle. Perhaps the most graphic action series on this list,Spartacusis a brutal and highly engaging action show.
Stream Spartacus on Starz
19Warrior (2019 – Present)
Highly cinematic and visual,Warrioris an action TV series that takes you to the late 1800s, during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown. The main character is a martial arts prodigy named Ah Sahm, who emigrated from China to San Francisco to look for his sister. But instead, he becomes a hatchet man for one of Chinatown’s Tong organizations. His true strength and impressive martial arts skills are what make him stand out.
Warrioris a triumph when it comes to storytelling and action. Knowing the show is based on a concept directly originated bythe greatest martial arts fighter of all time, it is only natural that the action is not only graceful and fluid, but just as calculating and vicious. Meanwhile, the rich period detail of old San Francisco really makes for a game-changing backdrop, elevating Andrew Koji and Joe Taslim’s hand-to-hand combat to the next level.
Stream Warrior on Max
18Battlestar Galactica (2004 – 2009)
Battlestar Galactica
Syfy’s 2004 reboot saved this franchise and turnedBattlestar Galacticainto one of the best science fiction TV shows out there. It follows the crew of the aging battlestar shipGalactica, which leads a ragtag fleet of people who survive a surprise nuclear attack by sentient humanoid robots known as the Cylons. They must run and hide from the Cylons while searching for a mythical planet known as Earth, believing it is their rightful home.
Related:10 Underrated Sci–Fi TV Shows Worth Checking Out
This show redefined the genre and breathed new life into space opera, because the only thing better than dramatic action is dramatic action that takes place in space. The unique 3D maneuvering of the fighter ships makes this show especially signature in style and tone, across epic battles.
Told across a tense multi-season narrative arc, where the Cylons infiltrate humanity at every turn and threaten to turn their entire civilization extinct, the show is basically a cat-and-mouse game filled with betrayal and paranoia. And space battles. Stunning, explosive, gold standard space battles, to be precise.
Buy Battlestar Galactica on Apple TV
17The Mandalorian (2019 – Present)
The Mandalorian
This spectacular space western created by Jon Favreau is set in theStar Warsuniverse after the fall of the Empire. It centers around the titular character, a lone bounty hunter making his way through the outer reaches of the lawless galaxy. As part of his journey, he’s supposed to retrieve the Force-sensitive child Grogu for the Imperial remnant forces, but instead vows to protect him and reunite him with his kind.
As the first live-action series produced in theStar Warsfranchise,The Mandalorianhad a lot riding on it. While the series is told with heart, Favreau also crafts each planet-hopping chapter with cinematic flair. From sand-swept Western settings to fiery shootouts, from speeder chases toSamurai-themed fights, the gorgeous cinematography brings a lived-in texture to every simple story. It also really helps that Pedro Pascal leads this action-packed series, and adds much-needed character to the hero who is always hidden behind his iconic helmet.
Stream The Mandalorian on Disney+
16The Punisher (2017 – 2019)
The Punisher
Right after his introduction in the Netflix seriesDaredevil, Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, got his own standalone TV show. As one of the most formidable Marvel comic characters, one who is everything — the judge, jury, and executioner — it is only fair that his story would be utterly breathtaking.The Punisherfollows the antihero as he wages a one-man war on the criminal underworld of New York City.
Jon Bernthal is marvelous as the tortured main character, driven to extreme acts of vengeance by the sort of pain that fractures his soul.The Punisherseparates itself from the other mentions on this list through realistic, bloody, and mature combat, where Frank pushes his opponent towards death in the most ferocious ways. Whether it is the gun-play or the strategic assaults, we see Frank outwitting and outfighting entire gangs almost effortlessly. Simply put,The Punisheris a man out for revenge with no end goal, and it’s hard to tell sometimes if he’s a good guy, or not.
Stream The Punisher on Disney+
1524 (2001 – 2010)
A political action thriller that places a huge emphasis on action and thrills,24stars Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer, an agent working for Los Angeles’s Counter Terrorist Unit. The show depicts events that occur in real time, with each episode lasting an hour and each season taking place over the course of one full day, following Jack and his unit as they prevent terrorist plots and protect the people.
Fitting an immense amount of action and adventure intoa limited period of timeis no easy feat, but24manages to deliver edge-of-your-seat thrills minute by agonizing minute. The series reinvented real-time television drama with its gripping use of time to illustrate the tension of each season’s plot. Whether diffusing bombs or indulging in race-against-time chases, the action is shot and edited with a kind of intensity that is remarkable.
Stream 24 on Hulu
14Vikings (2013 – 2020)
Thisseven-season long seriescreated and written by Michael Hirst follows the exploits of Ragnar Lothbrok, a legendary Norse farmer-turned-hero, who may be leading a comfortable life with his crew, family and descendants, but becomes a successful warrior and rises to power within his clan to eventually be feared and revered by all. Aided by his fellow warriors, Ragnar embarks on multiple conquests and raids across medieval Scandinavia and Europe in order to expand his rule.
What Makes it Great
Epic in every way,Vikingsbrings the dark, brutal world of the Norse raiders to life with its natural and authentic depiction of a tale found only in ancient texts. Travis Fimmel is magnetic as Ragnar, a powerful man leading his crew on daring exploits. The large-scale, realistic battles portray the chaos of clashing swords and heart-pounding action with such immediacy that you feel like you’re right there, amid the violence. That said,Vikingsis also one of television’s most richly developed shows, with a devoted following.
Stream Vikings on Prime Video
13Invincible (2021 – Present)
Invincible
Based on the comic book character by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson, a seventeen-year-old who leads a seemingly average life save for the fact that he lives behind the shadow of his superhero father, Omni-Man. Mark goes on to develop superhuman abilities, but he must also learn that his father’s legacy isn’t as glitzy and glamorous as he’s been led to believe.
The first of the two animated action series mentioned in this list,Invinciblerevolves around seventeen-year-old Mark Grayson, who is almost just like any normal teenage boy. The only thing that makes him stand out is that his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet, Omni-Man. The off-side of being Omni-Man’s son is that Mark has a lot of expectations to meet when he develops his own powers, and discovers the brutal and difficult reality of what it means to be a hero.
Related:16 Best Animated Shows For Adults
Based on the acclaimed comic by Robert Kirkman,Invincibleis an adult-animated superhero series that proves that even cartoon action can get visceral, bloody and jaw-dropping — if it weren’t animated, it would be one of the most brutal shows on this list. And even then, it is hard to watch sometimes.
A distinctly Western-influenced anime,Invinciblebrings both fluidity and weight to encounters faced by its characters. Because they’re already so powerful, their outings are compelling, counterbalanced, and intense. The series manages to balance grim adult themes with a kind of wholesomeness that almost recalls the feeling of shows likeTeen Titans.
Stream Invincible on Prime Video
12Rome (2005 – 2007)
Set in the 1st century BC,Romeis a historical fiction television series focusing on the lives of ordinary people during therise of the Roman Empire. The story is told from the perspective of two soldiers: Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, whose lives become intertwined with significant historical figures during a time when the Roman Republic was transitioning into the Roman Empire.
Winner of four Emmy Awards and seven Primetime Emmys,Romewas initially pitched as a miniseries, but HBO saw potential in the story and greenlit the idea for a longer series. For the two seasons that it aired, the show won great praise for its attention to detail and accuracy depicting Roman culture and script. Yet it was the gritty, hedonistic glory of the city that became a character itself and told the tale of tough heroes caught in the waves of change. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but itwasbuilt over the thousands of people its armies slayed.
Stream Rome on Max
11Cobra Kai (2018 – 2023)
Thirty four years after events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso.
Blending elements of martial arts and comedy,Cobra Kaiarrives as a distant sequel to theKarate Kidfilm series. It continues the rivalry between Johnny Lawrence and Daniel La Russo, now adults, with one a down-and-out alcoholic and the other a successful businessman. Johnny decides to reopen the Cobra Kai karate dojo in order to help his neighbor’s kid struggling with bullies, and ends up rekindling his old feud with Daniel. In a way, the series explores the idea of redemption and what it really means to be the villain and the hero.
One of the more self-aware shows on this list,Cobra Kaimaintains the same tone as its predecessor and delivers a sublime combination of martial arts action and coming-of-age drama. William Zabka and Ralph Macchio are superb reprising their roles from the old films as now-older rivals, and every time they share a frame, the scene sparks with intensity and, often, humor. The sparring scenes are especially arresting, and the incredible choreography is one of the highlights of the show.
