The 40 most popular 2000s war & politics TV shows, ranked. Click any show for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.


The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer
2005
country: United States
The command center for breaking news, politics and extraordinary reports from around the world. Patterned after the concept of the White House Situation Room, CNN's lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer hosts newsmakers and experts to discuss and analyze the stories that are driving today's news.


Democracy Now!
2001
country: United States
A United States daily progressive, nonprofit, independently syndicated program of news, analysis, and opinion.


Band of Brothers
2001
country: United States
Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as their journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men from paratrooper training in Georgia through the end of the war. As an elite rifle company parachuting into Normandy early on D-Day morning, participants in the Battle of the Bulge, and witness to the horrors of war, the men of Easy knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear - and became the stuff of legend. Based on Stephen E. Ambrose's acclaimed book of the same name.


Valley of the Wolves: Ambush
2007
country: Turkey
A continuation series of Osman Sinav's The Wolves Of The Valley. This produce focuses on politics, National Security and Regional Middle East problems. The Wolves of The Valley: Ambush serie also attracts attention by two film; The Wolves of The Valley: Iraq and The Wolves of The Valley: Palestine.


Queen of Jhansi
2009
country: India
Ek Veer Stree Ki Kahaani... Jhansi Ki Rani is an Indian historical drama based on the life of Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi, one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The series was directed by Jitendra Srivastava and written by Rajesh Saksham, Ila Dutta Bedi, Malavika Asthana and Mairaj Zaidi. It premiered on 18 August 2009 on Zee TV with Ulka Gupta playing Queen Lakshmi Bai. On 8 June 2010 the story moved on several years and Kratika Sengar portrayed the Queen from there on. The show's last episode went to air on 19 June 2011.


Foyle's War
2002
country: United Kingdom
As WW2 rages around the world, DCS Foyle fights his own war on the home-front as he investigates crimes on the south coast of England. Foyle's War opens in southern England in the year 1940. Later series sees the retired detective working as an MI5 agent operating in the aftermath of the war.


Valley of the Wolves
2003
country: Turkey
One of Turkey's most iconic and influential dramas, Valley of the Wolves follows Polat Alemdar, an undercover agent who infiltrates Istanbul's most dangerous crime organisation after years of preparation. Combining organised crime, covert operations and sharp political commentary, the series fearlessly tackles Turkey's shadowy relationship between the state, the mafia and power — and became a cultural phenomenon that spawned multiple films and spin-offs.


Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
2002
country: Japan
Cosmic Era 71. Mankind has developed into two subspecies: Naturals, who reside on Earth, and Coordinators, genetically enhanced humans capable of withstanding the rigors of space who inhabit orbital colonies known as PLANTs. The story revolves around a young Coordinator named Kira Yamato, who becomes involved in the war between the two races after a neutral space colony secretly developing mobile suits for the Earth Alliance is attacked by the PLANTs' military force, ZAFT.


Sengoku BASARA: Samurai Kings
2009
country: Japan
During the Sengoku period, there are many factions constantly at war. One of these is led by a one-eyed man named Date Masamune and another by the imposing Takeda Shingen. The latter has a fiercely loyal subordinate named Sanada Yukimura who goes head to head against Date Masamune multiple times, but the battles between them tend to get interrupted. One such battle occurs when both men try to go after another leader named Imagawa, and they’re forced to break off their heated duel when Imagawa attempts to flee the scene with his body doubles. Yukimura and Masamune go after separate Imagawas, but all of the doubles are killed by a third party, and when their paths cross again, they are in front of the menacing Oda Nobunaga and his army. It was Nobunaga’s subordinates that killed those body doubles, and Nobunaga himself proceeds to kill the real Imagawa with a shotgun blast to the head.


Remember Darling
2006
country: Turkey
A love story at the end of 1950's in Turkey, Istanbul. In the political era of Turkey in that years, two young people from opposite families fall in love. Their families don't allow them to marry. They face lots of obstacles for years.


The Qin Empire
2009
country: China
The rise of the Qin state in the Warring States period during the reign of Duke Xiao of Qin.


Generation Kill
2008
country: United States
The first 40 days of the war in Iraq as seen through the eyes of an elite group of U.S. Marines who spearheaded the invasion along with an embedded Rolling Stone reporter. A vivid account of the soldiers and of the forces that guided them in an often-improvised initiative.


Pars: Narkoterör
2008
country: Turkey
No overview available
Daily Politics
Daily Politics
2003
country: United Kingdom
Daily Politics is a British television show launched by the BBC in 2003 and presented by Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn. The programme takes an in-depth look at the daily goings on in Westminster and other areas across Britain and the world, and includes interviews with leading politicians and political commentators.


Mobile Suit Gundam 00
2007
country: Japan
The year is 2307 A.D. Although fossil fuels have been depleted, humanity has obtained a new source of energy to replace them, in the form of a large-scale solar power generation system based on three huge orbital elevators. However, the benefits of this system are available only to a handful of major powers and their allies. In this world of never-ending conflict, a private armed organization appears, dedicated to the elimination of war through armed force. Its name is Celestial Being, and it is in possession of "Gundam" mobile suits.


The Legend of Qin
2007
country: China
The Legend of Qin follows the Qin dynasty from when the Emperor of the Qin, King Zheng conquered the other 6 nations and unified China, to the rise of the king of Western Chu, Xiang Yu, who capture the capital city, Xianyang.


Zoraki Başkan
2009
country: Turkey
No overview available


Yes, Minister
2004
country: Turkey
A Turkish remake of the British series called "Yes, Minister" created by Jonathon Lynn and Anthony Jay.


Mission To Kill
2009
country: Japan
Continuation of the popular series of films about the assassins in Edo. This show marks the return of the jidaigeki series "Hissatsu Shigotonin," which has had several seasons between the 1970s and the 1990s. The franchise came back in 2007 with a one-shot special, but this is its first full season since 1992. Makoto Fujita returns as the protagonist Nakamura Mondo, one of the "shigotonin," a team of hired assassins.


The Big Questions
2007
country: United Kingdom
Nicky Campbell hosts a series of moral, ethical and religious debates.


Fafner
2004
country: Japan
Tatsumiyajima is the central island in the middle of a small cluster of islands, in a sleepy backwater of the Japanese isles. Not much happens there, and the island's young people go to school knowing that their lives are likely to remain peaceful and undisturbed. Or so they have been taught...but the truth is different. The fate of mankind is on the line, and Tatsumiyajima is the last line of defense against a hostile and incomprehensible enemy. At the center of it all, fighting for Humanity's continued existence, is the giant robot Fafner, the dragon that guards this final treasure of mankind.


Blassreiter
2008
country: Japan
The story is set in a fictional Germany and centers around the outbreak of bio-mechanical creatures named "Demoniacs", who rise from corpses and attack people mindlessly. All the while, a number of human-turned-Demoniacs appear. Some use their powers for good whilst others for evil. One will rise above all other Demoniacs to become the "Blassreiter".


A French Village
2009
country: France
The stories of the people of Villeneuve, a fictional subprefecture, in the Jura, in German–occupied France during the Second World War.


Napoleon
2002
country: France
A masterful soldier, tactician and statesmen, Napoleon Bonaparte's courage and love for his country sees him rise from an unpaid general consumed with ambition to the most powerful man in Europe, then his fall, and exile.


Over There
2005
country: United States
Gritty, intense, evocative and emotional, "Over There" takes you to the front lines of battle and explores the effects of war on a U.S. Army unit sent to Iraq on their first tour of duty, as well as the equally powerful effects felt at home by their families and loved ones.


Ju Mong, Prince of Legend
2006
country: South Korea
Jumong examines the life of Jumong Taewang, founder of the kingdom of Goguryeo. Few details have been found in the historical record about Jumong, so much of the series is fictionalized.


Hitler: The Rise of Evil
2003
country: Canada
This biopic profiles history's most spectacular madman, tracing his journey from humble roots to complete mastery of Germany.


Days of Honor
2008
country: Poland
Days of honor is a Polish World War II television drama series, broadcast on TVP2 since September 7, 2008.


Judge John Deed
2001
country: United Kingdom
Judge John Deed is a British legal drama television series produced by the BBC in association with One-Eyed Dog for BBC One. It was created by G.F. Newman and stars Martin Shaw as Sir John Deed, a High Court judge who tries to seek real justice in the cases before him. It also stars Jenny Seagrove as the barrister Jo Mills, frequently the object of Deed's desire. A pilot episode was broadcast on 9 January 2001, followed by the first full series on 26 November 2001. The sixth and last series concluded on 18 January 2007. The programme then went on an indefinite break after Shaw became involved in another television programme, and he and Seagrove expressed a wish for the format of the series to change before they filmed new episodes. By 2009, the series had officially been cancelled. The six series produced make it the longest-running BBC legal drama. The factual accuracy of the series is often criticised by legal professionals and journalists; many of the decisions taken by Deed are unlikely to happen in a real court. The romanticised vision of the court system created by Newman caused a judge to issue a warning to a jury not to let the series influence their view of trials—referring to an episode where Deed flouts rules when called up for jury duty. Another episode led to complaints about biased and incorrect information about the MMR vaccine, leading the BBC to ban repeats of it in its original form. All six series have been released on DVD in the UK.


The Nation
2007
country: Turkey
Successful surgeon Tarik's colleague invites him to a troubled village where local doctors deceive villagers. When Tarik's colleague flees after being exposed, Tarik must confront the aftermath alone.


Elveda Rumeli
2007
country: Turkey
No overview available


Age of Warriors
2003
country: South Korea
This is a KBS 1TV drama that aired from February 8, 2003 to August 15, 2004.


For the Sake of the Republic
2003
country: China
Towards the Republic, also known as For the Sake of the Republic and Zou Xiang Gong He, is a Chinese historical television series first broadcast on CCTV in China from April to May 2003. The series is based on events that occurred in China between the late 19th century and early 20th century that led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China. Owing to its portrayal of historical issues deemed politically sensitive by the Chinese government, the series has been subject to censorship in mainland China.


The Line
2009
country: China
No overview available


Sakarya Fırat
2009
country: Turkey
No overview available


Overman King Gainer
2002
country: Japan
Overman King Gainer is an anime TV series, created by Sunrise. Directed by longtime animator Yoshiyuki Tomino, the creator of the Gundam series, written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, and featuring character designs by Yoshihiro Nakamura, Kinu Nishimura and Ken'ichi Yoshida, the series ran from September 7, 2002 to March 22, 2003 on Japan's WOWOW network, spanning a total of 26 episodes.


Emperor of the Sea
2004
country: South Korea
Emperor of the Sea is a South Korean television drama series directed by Kang Il-soo and Kang Byung-taek and starring Choi Soo-jong, Chae Shi-ra, Song Il-gook and Soo Ae. It aired on KBS2 from November 24, 2004 to May 25, 2005 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:50 for 51 episodes. The historical drama is based on Choi In-ho's novel of the same title, which depicts the life of Jang Bogo, who rises from a lowly slave to a powerful maritime figure who dominated the East Asia seas and international trade during the Unified Silla Dynasty. The drama was received extremely well, holding the number one spot in the ratings for majority of the weeks it aired. It was also exported to eight countries earning approximately US$1.8 million in profits. The filming set in Wando County, South Jeolla Province also became a tourist attraction.


Liberty's Kids
2002
country: United States
Liberty's Kids is an animated educational historical fiction television series produced by DIC Entertainment, originally broadcast on PBS Kids from September 2, 2002 to April 4, 2003, although PBS continued to air reruns until August 2004. The show has since been syndicated by DiC to affiliates of smaller television networks such as The CW and MyNetworkTV and some independent stations so that those stations can fulfill FCC educational and informational requirements. Since September 16, 2006, the series aired on CBS's new block called KOL Secret Slumber Party on CBS, then it was aired on KEWLopolis, which taking September 12, 2009. In 2008 it ran on The History Channel. The series is currently on the Cookie Jar Toons block on This TV and CBS's Cookie Jar TV. In 2012, Qubo announced the channel will air Liberty's Kids in fall 2012. The series was based on an idea by Kevin O'Donnell and developed for television by Kevin O'Donnell, Robby London, Mike Maliani, and Andy Heyward.


Emperor Wang Gun
2000
country: South Korea
Taejo Wang Geon was a 200-episode Korean drama starring Choi Soo Jong in the title role. It became very successful, reaching very high ratings, around 60%.


Ultimate Force
2002
country: United Kingdom
This covert combat series focuses on the Red Troop, an elite group of soldiers from the British military's Special Air Service group.
The 2000s were cable television's breakthrough — HBO and its imitators proved that serialized, morally complicated drama could be the most ambitious storytelling around.
War and political series use serial length to show process: campaigns, negotiations, and institutions grinding forward. The genre works best when it's interested in systems rather than just speeches.