The 1970s was a pinnacle point for television series as many new networks emerged and moved away from the traditional family sitcom and embraced a broader range of stories that resonated more with modern audiences. While there were many series that marked this crucial time in television content, miniseries also became a popular format of storytelling that expanded the possibilities of the small-screen.
The decade introduced an array of new stories and themes with hit miniseries such as Roots, King, and Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, that set the standard and formula of limited television series. From the historical drama, The Awakening Land, starring Elizabeth Montgomery and Hal Holbrook, to the television version of From Here to Eternity, starring Natalie Wood and William Devane, these are the ten best miniseries of the 1970s ranked!
10
‘The Awakening Land’ (1978)
Created by James Lee Barrett and Liam O’Brien
The Awakening Land is a 1978 miniseries based on Conrad Richter‘s series of novels and stars Elizabeth Montgomery as a pioneer heroine, Sayward Luckett. The three-part series follows Luckett and her family as they move from Pennsylvania after the American Revolutionary War to start over in the unsettled area of the Ohio Valley. After her mother dies and her father abandons her and her family, Luckett is left to raise her sisters and fend for themselves in the unpredictable wilderness and uncharted territory, but manage to gradually build a new home and life for themselves.
The Awakening Land was a monumental success, earning immense praise from viewers and critics, who commended Montgomery for her riveting performance as well as the overall production as a sensational miniseries. The series went on to earn several Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for Montgomery, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series for Hal Holbrook, and Outstanding Cinematography.
The Awakening Land
- Release Date
-
1978 – 1977
- Network
-
NBC
-
Derin Altay
Ascha Luckett
-
Elizabeth Montgomery
Sayward Luckett Wheeler
-
Hal Holbrook
Portius Wheeler – The Solitary
-
9
‘Captains and the Kings’ (1976)
Created by Elinor Karpf and Stephen Krapf
Captains and the Kings stars Richard Jordan as an ambitious Irishman, Joseph Armagh, who immigrates to the United States as a teenager with his family, only for his parents to die shortly after their arrival, leaving Armagh to care for his younger siblings. As Armgah struggles to provide for himself and his family, his investments in the rise of the oil industry eventually pay off and make him one of the wealthiest men in the country, elevating his family to notable social status and political power.
The eight-part miniseries, Captains and the Kings, is an adaptation of Taylor Cadwell‘s 1972 novel and was a part of NBC’s Best Sellers anthology series. The miniseries also features a cast consisting of major stars, including Patty Duke, Jane Seymour, Robert Vaughn, Henry Fonda, and Charles Durning. Captains and the Kings was a major success, earning various award nominations and wins. Both Duke and Seymour received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series, with Duke winning the award. Jordan also won the Golden Globe Award for his performance.
Captains and the Kings
- Release Date
-
1976 – 1975
- Network
-
NBC
Cast
-
-
-
-
John Houseman
Judge Newell Chisholm
8
‘Eleanor and Franklin’ (1976)
Created by James Costigan
Eleanor and Franklin is a two-part biographical miniseries that takes an intimate look into the lives and relationship of the former President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Edward Herrmann), and his wife and former First Lady, Eleanor, played by Jane Alexander. After the death of her husband, Eleanor reflects on their life together, reminiscing about their early days as husband and wife and raising a family together to more strenuous obstacles such as marital problems and Franklin’s rise to political power that put their relationship to the test.
Eleanor and Franklin is a fascinating miniseries based on the biography of the same name written by Joseph P. Lash, who was Eleanor’s personal secretary and close confidant. The series depicts a detailed portrait of the couple’s personal and professional lives, essentially conveying a humanizing perspective on the husband and wife’s relationship. The following year, a sequel, Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years, was released and went on to win eleven Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Television Movie.
Eleanor and Franklin
- Release Date
-
1976 – 1975
- Network
-
ABC
Cast
-
Edward Herrmann
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Age 20-50
-
Jane Alexander
Eleanor Roosevelt, Age 18-60
-
-
William Phipps
Theodore Roosevelt
7
‘Holocaust: The Story of the Family Weiss’ (1978)
Created by Gerald Green
Holocaust: The Story of the Family Weiss, starring Meryl Streep, James Woods, and Michael Moriarty, is a historical drama TV show that follows a fictional Jewish family who are living in Berlin during the rise of the Third Reich and highlights an array of crucial historical events leading up to World War II. The story is primarily told through the perspective of various members of the Weiss family as well as non-Jewish citizens who are forced to choose between their morality and survival during one of the most horrific times in world history.
The four-part miniseries earned generally positive reviews from audiences and critics, but there was some controversy surrounding the historical accuracy and depiction of the subject matter that didn’t sit well with some, notably Holocaust survivor and political activist, Elie Wiesel, who felt the series to be untrue and offensive. Despite the mixed reception, the miniseries did prove to be influential in West Germany, sparking public debates and having an enormous impact on viewers around the world. The show went on to win several awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for Streep, and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series for Moriarty.
Holocaust
- Release Date
-
1978 – 1977
- Network
-
NBC
-
-
Erwin Steinhauer
Uncredited
-
Fritz Weaver
Dr. Josef Weiss
-
Irene Prador
Maria Kalová
6
‘Rich Man, Poor Man’ (1976)
Created by Dean Riesner
Rich Man, Poor Man is an award-winning miniseries that follows two brothers, Rudy (Peter Strauss) and Tom (Nick Nolte), who are the sons of German immigrants and each take a drastically different path in life. Spanning from 1945 to the 1960s, Rudy becomes a successful entrepreneur whose business ventures lead him to build a corporate and political empire that overshadows his poor background and upbringing. Meanwhile, his brother, Tom, is not so fortunate and resorts to boxing in an effort to make ends meet.
Rich Man, Poor Man is an adaptation of the 1969 book of the same name written by Irwin Shaw, and also stars other noteworthy names, such as Ed Asner, Kim Darby, Talia Shire, Gloria Grahame, and Van Johnson. The miniseries was a major hit and earned rave reviews from both audiences and critics, earning a slew of award nominations and winning many of its nominations, including four Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Rich Man, Poor Man was also crucial in laying the groundwork for future miniseries based on books, spawning many critically acclaimed shows, notably Roots and the original 1980 miniseries, Shogūn.
Rich Man, Poor Man
- Release Date
-
1976 – 1975
- Network
-
ABC
Cast
-
-
Dorothy McGuire
Mary Jordache
-
George Maharis
Joey Quayles
-
Gloria Grahame
Sue Prescott
5
‘Salem’s Lot’ (1979)
Created by Paul Monash
The two-part miniseries, Salem’s Lot, tells the story of a writer, Ben Mears (David Soul), who returns to his hometown in Maine where he intends to write his next book about a local house which is rumored to be haunted. When Mears arrives, he learns that the house has been purchased by a newcomer, Richard Straker (James Mason), who is planning on opening an antique shop, but as strange things begin to happen to the townspeople, Mears begins to suspect that Straker and his mysterious business partner, Kurt Barlow (Reggie Nalder) are to blame.
Salem’s Lot is a classic adaptation of Stephen King‘s 1975 horror novel of the same name and was well-received by viewers and critics, with many praising the show’s haunting atmosphere and stunning cinematography. After its original broadcasting, Salem’s Lot was released on VHS, earning a loyal cult following and having a significant influence on the vampire genre. In 2024, Salem’s Lot was remade starring Lewis Pullman, but despite a feature film upgrade and advanced special effects, the movie failed to surpass the magnitude of the original miniseries, which continues to thrill viewers today.
Salem’s Lot
- Release Date
-
November 17, 1979
- Runtime
-
200 Minutes
4
‘King’ (1978)
Created by Abby Mann
The three-part miniseries, King, is based on the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., played by Paul Winfield, who was one of history’s most prolific leaders and activists during the American Civil Rights Movement. The series gives viewers a glimpse into King’s personal and professional life, presenting the historical figure as both a monumental force and a loving family man and husband who changed the world with his inspiring words and admirable actions for equal rights and freedom.
Despite initial poor ratings and minor controversy, King is an insightful and powerful miniseries about one of the greatest figures in American history and features stellar performances by Winfield, Cicely Tyson, Ossie Davis, and Roscoe Lee Brown. The series also featured several real-life Civil Rights activists in minor roles as well as King’s sister, Christine King Farris, his niece, Alveda King, and his four children. King earned a total of nine Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series for Winfield, and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for Tyson. It ended up winning for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series.
King
- Release Date
-
1978 – 1977
- Network
-
NBC
Cast
-
Cicely Tyson
Coretta Scott King
-
Cliff DeYoung
Robert F. Kennedy
-
Howard Rollins
Andrew Young
-
Lincoln Kilpatrick
Waring
3
‘From Here to Eternity’ (1979)
Created by Harold Gast, Don McGuire, and Daniel Taradash
From Here to Eternity is a three-part miniseries that follows the lives of several members of the United States Army infantry company that is stationed in Hawaii in 1941. As each of the men is faced with their own set of challenges and harsh consequences, they soon find themselves in the midst of the devastating bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces, changing all of their lives forever.
Based on James Jones‘ 1951 novel, From Here to Eternity is a remake of the 1953 classic movie starring Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, and Frank Sinatra, and features an all-star cast including Andy Griffith, Kim Basinger, Peter Boyle, The Sopranos‘ star, Joe Pantoliano, and Natalie Wood whose performance won her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama. The miniseries was a success that led to a weekly soap opera of the same name with some of the stars reprising their roles, but the original 1953 feature film version reigns today as one of the best and perfectly edited war movies as well as the best adaptation of Jones’ infamous novel.
From Here to Eternity
- Release Date
-
1979 – 1978
- Network
-
NBC
Cast
-
Andrew Robinson
Sgt. Maylon Stark
-
Andy Griffith
Gen. Barney Slater
-
Natalie Wood
Karen Holmes
-
2
‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ (1979)
Created by Arthur Hopcraft
The BBC miniseries, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, stars Alec Guinness as a former deputy to the head of the British Secret Intelligence Service, George Smiley. When a failed mission results in the death of an agent, the head of the agency known as Control (Alexander Knox) believes there is a mole among the ranks, but while no one else believes him, he and Smiley are terminated. As the new leadership team takes over, a missing agent reemerges in England, confirming Control’s theory, and since Control can’t trust anyone currently in the agency, he calls on Smiley to track down and identify the mole.
Tinker Tailor Solider Spy is a profound spy drama based on the 1974 book of the same name written by John le Carré and features a marvelous performance by Guinness. The miniseries was a major success and earned overall praise from critics, with the majority of them commending the quality of the production, noting each episode to be intricately fascinating and brilliantly executed. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy received various award nominations, including a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Limited Series and four British Academy Television Award nominations, and ended up winning for Best Actor for Guinness’ astounding performance.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
- Release Date
-
1979 – 1978
- Network
-
BBC Two
-
Alec Guinness
George Smiley
-
Michael Jayston
Peter Guillam
-
Anthony Bate
Oliver Lacon
-
1
‘Roots’ (1977)
Created by Alex Haley
Roots is an iconic miniseries based on Alex Haley‘s 1976 novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family, which follows Kunta Kinte (John Amos), a young man from West Africa who was kidnapped from his home as a boy and sold into slavery. Upon arriving in the United States, Kinte is bought by a plantation owner, John Reynolds (John Greene), and soon finds himself in a fight for his life, enduring brutal torture and immense loss while also experiencing historical events such as the American Civil War and the aftermath within the country.
Roots is an eight-part series that stands to be one if not the greatest miniseries of the 1970s and features a cast of talent including James Earl Jones, Maya Angelou, Scatman Crothers, Lloyd Bridges, and Leslie Uggams. The series marked a major milestone in television history with its final episode, becoming the third highest-rated finale episode of any kind of television series as well as the second-most watched final episode in American television history. Roots won the Golden Globe for Best Series – Drama and out of its impressive and deserving thirty-seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations, the show won nine of its nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, and Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series for Quincy Jones and Gerald Fried.
Roots
- Release Date
-
1977 – 1976
- Network
-
ABC