In the early 2000s, television began to change, with channels like HBO focusing on attracting and keeping subscribers through high-quality shows rather than relying on advertising and reruns. This trend has become even stronger with streaming services, leading to more shows driven by creative visionaries and known for their intricate stories and impressive production values. By investing large sums in shorter series, show creators can now tackle difficult subjects like societal problems and historical events with a raw honesty previously seen mainly in independent films. Consequently, many critically praised TV shows now require viewers to be fully engaged, offering a less escapist and more demanding experience than traditional television.
Some TV shows are so powerful they’re best watched only once. Unlike comforting shows you can re-watch repeatedly, these series create a deeply unsettling or intensely stressful experience. They stick with you long after they end, and re-watching them isn’t enjoyable – it’s almost like reliving something difficult.
5) Sharp Objects
The 2018 series Sharp Objects raised the bar for psychological thrillers by turning a typical murder mystery into a deeply unsettling exploration of how trauma is passed down through families. Director Jean-Marc Vallée used a deliberately disjointed editing style to reflect the troubled mind of Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), a journalist who returns home to investigate a series of child murders. The show excels at building tension through the poisonous relationship between Camille and her controlling mother, Adora Crellin (Patricia Clarkson), creating a constant sense of dread. Though technically brilliant, Sharp Objects is a very difficult watch due to its constant focus on self-harm and abuse. The shocking reveal in the final moments of the last episode completely changes how you understand the story, but the overall bleakness of the show makes it hard for most viewers to revisit the painful experience of Wind Gap.
4) The Night Of
Created by Steven Zaillian and Richard Price, The Night Of is a dark and realistic look at the American criminal justice system, focusing on how one wrong turn can change a life forever. The series centers on Nasir Khan (Riz Ahmed), a college student who finds himself accused of murder after a night out. The first episode brilliantly captures the overwhelming fear and confusion of being caught up in a system that values speed over justice. As the story unfolds, we see Nasir’s innocence slowly eroded while he’s in Rikers Island, powerfully portrayed with the help of Freddy Knight (Michael K. Williams). With the aid of a world-weary lawyer, Jack Stone (John Turturro), the series also reveals the lasting damage caused by prison, even for those who are ultimately found innocent. The show’s incredible attention to detail and bleak depiction of New York’s legal world make it a compelling, though often difficult, watch.
3) I May Destroy You
Michaela Coel’s series, I May Destroy You, is a groundbreaking achievement in television. The show tackles the difficult topics of sexual consent and the unpredictable process of healing after trauma. Coel plays Arabella, a writer who tries to reconstruct a night she doesn’t remember after being drugged and assaulted. Instead of following typical storylines about victims, the series uses a unique, non-linear structure and dark humor to explore how personal tragedy connects with today’s social issues. By also focusing on the experiences of other characters, played by Weruche Opia and Paapa Essiedu, who have also been violated, the show offers a broad view of a society grappling with boundaries. What makes I May Destroy You so powerful is its refusal to provide simple answers or easy emotional release, culminating in a thought-provoking finale with multiple possible interpretations. Because of its demanding and emotionally challenging subject matter, it’s a show best experienced only once.
2) When They See Us
Ava DuVernay’s 2019 series, When They See Us, powerfully exposes the deep-rooted problems of systemic racism through the story of the Central Park Five – five teenagers wrongly convicted of a crime. The series follows their case over twenty-five years, from their 1989 arrest to their eventual release. What makes the series stand out is its honest portrayal of police interrogations, showing how officers manipulated the young boys into falsely confessing. Jharrel Jerome gives an especially stunning performance as Korey Wise, particularly in the final episode, which depicts the harsh realities of his time in adult prison. Watching these innocent kids lose their childhoods due to a flawed legal system is incredibly painful and stays with you long after the show ends. When They See Us is an important historical piece with incredible acting, but its depiction of injustice makes it a challenging watch.
1) Chernobyl
The 2019 miniseries Chernobyl is widely considered a television masterpiece, though it’s intensely difficult to watch more than once. Creator Craig Mazin uses the 1986 nuclear disaster to tell a frightening story about the dangers of dishonesty and how easily systems can fail. The series opens with a shocking portrayal of the initial explosion, immediately exposing viewers to the unseen, but deadly, radiation. We follow Valery Legasov (Jared Harris) and Boris Shcherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) as they desperately try to control a disaster that could have made half of Europe uninhabitable. Chernobyl is remarkably accurate in its depiction of radiation sickness and the sacrifices made by those who worked to contain the damage, creating a level of realism that feels genuinely horrifying. Ultimately, the series is a flawlessly made, deeply unsettling portrayal of a massive tragedy and its psychological impact.
What’s one highly-rated TV show you find hard to re-watch? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-01-19 21:18