The 1970s were an important decade in world history, which saw major events such as the resignation of President Richard Nixon, the end of the Vietnam War, and the Iran hostage crisis. Given how radical the social, political, and moral makeup of the world changed over the course of this decade, it’s not surprising that it has been the source of inspiration for many exciting modern television shows.
There have been many great television shows that chronicle important celebrities, cultural shifts, famous events, and social movements of the 1970s, helping to bridge a gap between fiction and history. While not all of these shows are necessarily historically accurate, or even based directly on true stories, they may aid in informing younger viewers what the decade was really like. Here are the ten best modern television shows about the 1970s, ranked.
10 ‘Halston’ (2021)
Created by Sharr White
Halston is based on the incredible true story of Roy Halston Frowick, a highly influential fashion designer who transformed the culture surrounding Madison Avenue in the 1970s. Bringing to screen a man who was literally “larger than life” would certainly have been a challenge for almost any actor, but Ewan McGregor delivers one of the best performances of his career in the titular role.
Halston does not shy away from the dark side of its true story, and is unafraid to examine the conflicts that brewed between Halston and his staffers. Nonetheless, it’s such a wickedly entertaining piece of escapism into the lavishes of the decade that it’s hard not to become lost in the unique world that Halston creates. The series is certainly more emotionally complex and appreciative of its LGBTQ characters than most of the other shows that Ryan Murphy has been creatively involved in.
Halston
- Release Date
- May 14, 2021
- Creator
- Sharr White
- Seasons
- 1
- Number of Episodes
- 5
- Streaming Service(s)
- Netflix
- Directors
- Daniel Minahan
9 ‘White House Plumbers’ (2023)
Created by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck
Hollywood has often been interested in the Watergate scandal, but White House Plumbers takes a darkly comedic look at one of the strangest controversies in the history of American politics. Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux star as two governmental employees that are tasked with breaking into the Democratic National Convention in order to help President Nixon’s chances in the upcoming election.
White House Plumbers seem to enjoy poking fun at just how absurd the real case was, and satirizing the larger-than-life personalities that dominated this era in electoral politics. While the recreations of iconic locations in Washington D.C. are just as impressive as any of the high quality shows that HBO has produced, White House Plumbers succeeds by drawing a parallel between its historical events and the chaos of today’s political landscape. Suffice to say, there is very little that has actually changed.
8 ‘The Offer’ (2022)
Created by Michael Tolkin
The Offer is catnip for movie fans, as it serves as an in-depth examination of the making of The Godfather. Although Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece is cited as one of the greatest films of all-time by many pundits, its production came at an unusual time when Paramount Pictures was in serious financial trouble. The Offer explores how the producer Alan Ruddy (Miles Teller) dealt with the studio head Bob Evans (Matthew Goode) and Coppola (Dan Fogelman) in order to turn the behind-the-scenes chaos into an all-time classic.
The Offer is filled with Easter Eggs for fans of 1970s cinema, and does a great job at examining just how challenging it can be to wrangle various personalities on set. A scene-stealing supporting performance from Giovanni Ribisi as a real gangster adds a level of intensity to the series that makes it more compelling.
The Offer
- Release Date
- April 28, 2022
- Creator
- Leslie Greif, Michael Tolkin
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Seasons
- 1
7 ‘Narcos’ (2015-2017)
Created by Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro
Narcos was one of the first big budget original productions by Netflix, and proved that the series was capable of delivering “blockbuster television” events that rivaled the films that were often in theaters. Set during the Columbian drug crisis, Narcos examines how Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) rose to become the most powerful kingpin in all of South America, and eventually attained political office. While Moura gives an amazing performance that turns Escobar into a far more tragic character than viewers may have expected, the breakout performance by Pedro Pascal provided television with one of its greatest heroes.
Narcos was able to condense very complex political and economic issues into digestible episodes that were quickly paced, shockingly violent, and very entertaining. While the first three seasons were a masterpiece in their own right, the spinoff series Narcos: Mexico may have been even better.
Narcos
- Release Date
- August 28, 2015
- Creator
- Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro
- Cast
- Pedro Pascal , Matias Padin , Damian Alcazar , Alberto Ammann , Michael Stahl-David
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Seasons
- 3
- Studio
- Netflix
Watch on Netflix
6 ‘Trust’ (2018)
Created by Simon Beaufoy
Trustis based on the unbelievable true story of the Getty family kidnapping, which also inspired the 2017 Ridley Scott thriller All the Money in the World. With the acclaimed filmmaker Danny Boyle behind some of the initial episodes, Trust examines how John Paul Getty (Donald Sutherland), one of the richest men in the world, dealt with the kidnapping of his grandson (Harris Dickinson). While the cast includes subversive performances from Hilary Swank and Anna Chancellor, the show’s real scene-stealer is Brendan Fraser as a wacky secret agent who helps Getty find his missing heir.
Trust is a dark, nasty satire of the excess of wealth that isn’t afraid to get blackly comic in some instances. As with any of Boyle’s projects, it features an eclectic soundtrack of iconic songs from the era, including several great Pink Floyd needle drops.
Trust
- Release Date
- March 25, 2018
- Creator
- Simon Beaufoy
- Main Genre
- Biography
- Seasons
- 1
Watch on Hulu
5 ‘Fargo’ (2014-2024)
Created by Noah Hawley
Fargo is an anthology series that takes place in many different timelines, but its second (and arguably best) season takes place in the 1970s. The seasonal arc follows the hapless couple Ed (Jesse Plemons) and Peggy (Kirsten Dunst) as they become involved in a mafia criminal conspiracy, which attracts the attention of the state trooper Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson) and Sheriff Hank Larsson (Ted Danson).
Fargo’s second season contains all the dark humor, heart, and shocking plot twists that viewers had come to expect from the show, and even manages to tie itself back into the continuity of the previous season in an unexpectedly emotional way. Shows based on iconic movies are often doomed to fail, but Noah Hawley created a progressive and challenging narrative that proved to be worthy of sharing its name with the 1996 classic crime film by Joel and Ethan Coen.
Fargo
- Release Date
- April 15, 2014
- Main Genre
- Crime
- Seasons
- 5
- Studio
- FX
4 ‘Small Axe’ (2020)
Created by Steve McQueen
Small Axeis unlike any other modern miniseries, as it consists of five made-for-television movies directed by Steven McQueen, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind 12 Years A Slave, Hunger, and Shame. Each installment of Small Axe focuses on a different aspect of the black experience in the 1970s; “Mangrove” examines a consequential court case, “Lovers Rock” is a celebration of black joy, “Red, White, and Blue” takes a look at racism within the police force, “Education” examines reform in public schools, and “Alex Wheatle” follows the life of a singular artist.
Small Axe is immensely empathetic and politically charged, showing a diversity of experience over the course of its five installments. Regardless of what medium it is classified as, any new project by McQueen is worthy of significant attention, as he is one of the boldest artists working today.
Small Axe
- Release Date
- November 15, 2020
- Creator
- Steve McQueen
- Main Genre
- Anthology
Watch on Prime Video
3 ‘The Sympathizer’ (2023)
Created by Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar
The Sympathizer is an espionage series that aims to re-frame everything audiences thought they knew about the fall of Saigon and the last days of the Vietnam War by exploring the experiences of the Northern spies that attempted to infiltrate the United States. By using a non-linear narrative structure and changing the viewers’ perception of events with several major plot twists, The Sympathizer is a masterwork of tension that demands the utmost attention over the course of every episode.
The Sympathizer takes aim at other works of fiction about the Vietnam War, with one episode dedicated to analyzing the complex legacy of Apocalypse Now. Although there is certainly the intent to disturb the viewers by showing some incredibly graphic content, The Sympathizer is also just a great work of entertainment, thanks in no small part to Robert Downey Jr.’s Emmy-nominated role as several different characters.
The Sympathizer
- Release Date
- April 14, 2024
- Cast
- Hoa Xuande , Robert Downey Jr. , Kieu Chinh , Sandra Oh , Vy Le , Tom Dang , Phan Gia Nhat Linh , Tien Pham
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator(s)
- Park Chan-wook , Don McKellar
- Streaming Service(s)
- Max
Watch on Max
2 ‘That ‘70s Show’ (1998-2006)
Created by Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner, and Mark Brazill
There isn’t another series that examines what it was like to grow up in the 1970s like That ‘70s Show, a coming-of-age ensemble sitcom set in a small town in Wisconsin. That ‘70s Show analyzed just how frustrating it could be to be in high school and feel like life is passing by, and featured breakout performances from Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Laura Prepon, and Ashton Kutcher. It’s also a great testament to the iconic cultural moments of the 1970s, with one episode dedicated to the hype surrounding the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope.
That ‘70s Show was remarkably consistent for a network sitcom, as the first eight seasons of the show maintained a consistently high level of quality. It’s a show that remains relevant in the culture, as the recent Netflix spinoff That ‘90s Show follows a new generation of characters two decades later.
That ’70s Show
- Release Date
- August 23, 1998
- Creator
- Mark Brazill, Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner
- Seasons
- 8
1 ‘Daisy Jones and the Six’ (2023)
Developed by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Webster
Daisy Jones and the Six may not be technically based on a true story, but it’s deeply inspired by the incredible career of the band Fleetwood Mac. Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name, Daisy Jones and the Six examines the trajectory of a popular rock band as their personal and professional lives become entangled as they attain a brief period of mainstream success. Daisy Jones and the Six perfectly captures the aesthetics of the 1970s, but a clever framing device ties it back into modern times.
Daisy Jones and the Six is perfect for anyone that loves 1970s music, as the series features an extraordinary soundtrack of original songs. Stars like Sam Claflin and Riley Keough proved themselves to be both more than capable singers and extraordinarily adept dramatic actors in this heartfelt celebration of how music brings people together.
Watch on Prime Video
