Continued...the bottom 5 of 10 Mini-Series You Must See Before You Die

Ready for the bottom 5 on my list of "10 Mini-Series That You Must See Before You Die." I've taken a breather from Blogspot and hope that it will allow me to finish up my listing today. 

Here are my remaining picks for top-ten mini-series of all-time. Did one of your favorites make my list? Check out the videos to learn more about some of these great mini-series.

6. The Jewel and the Crown - 1984

I never had any desire to go to India although my wife spent three months there just before we were married. However, after seeing this great BBC mini-series, I put India as one of the places I would truly want to visit, and this was long before Slumdog Millionaire captured the attention of moviegoers with a renewed interest in India.

The passionate, turbulent and controversial love affair between a British-raised Indian man and an Englishwoman during the waning years of the British Raj is portrayed in this Masterpiece Theatre miniseries based on Paul Scott's novel

The Raj Quartet. Spanning 14 episodes shot in exotic locales in India and England, this exquisite human epic received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series and a Golden Globe for Best Miniseries.

7. John Adams - 2008
If you want to get a history lesson on what real leadership looks like and what made our country great, watch this mini-series, based on the book by historian, David McCullough.

John Adams is a sprawling HBO miniseries event that depicts the extraordinary life and times of one of Americas least understood, and most underestimated, founding fathers: the second President of the United States, John Adams. Starring Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Cinderella Man, HBOs American Spendor) in the title role and Laura Linney (You Can Count on Me, Kinsey) as Adams devoted wife Abigail, John Adams chronicles the extraordinary life journey of one of the primary shapers of our independence and government, whose legacy has often been eclipsed by more flamboyant contemporaries like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin. Set against the backdrop of a nations stormy birth, this sweeping miniseries is a moving love story, a gripping narrative, and a fascinating study of human nature. Above all, at a time when the nation is increasingly polarized politically, this story celebrates the shared values of liberty and freedom upon which this country was built.

 

8. North and South -1985

Based on the first book in John Jakes’ American Civil War trilogy, this "ABC Novel for Television" boasted an all-star cast tells the story of the turbulent events and emotions that ignited the Civil War. In the tradition of Gone With The Wind, this glorious epic focuses on the lives of two families who are geographically and ideologically placed on opposite sides of the war - The North and The South. The saga follows the families through their changing fortunes at home and the harsh realities of the battlefields until the South surrenders and the families are reunited in friendship. In the final installment, the story of the two families continues through Post-Civil War Reconstruction into pioneer Indian territories.

9. The Pacific - 2009

This is the sequel to "Band of Brothers" which covered WWII in Europe. This epic 10-part mini-series delivers a realistic portrait of WWII's Pacific Theatre as seen thru the eyes of three U.S. Marines - Robert Leckie, John Basilone and Eugene Sledge. This is a must-see series because once again, it gives you a better understanding and appreciation for the sacrifice that was made for all of us by our military during WWII. Once again, no matter how bad you day or year has been, it's nothing in comparison to what these men went through for the cause of freedom and liberty here in America.

The extraordinary experiences of these men and their fellow Marines take them from the first clash with the Japanese in the haunted jungles of Guadalcanal, through the impenetrable rain firests of Cape Gloucester, across the blasted coral strongholds of Peleliu, up the black sand terraces of Iwo Jima, through the killing fields of Okinawa, to the triumphant, yet uneasy, return home after V-J Day. 

You'll be immersed in combat through the intimate perspective of this diverse, relatable group of men pushed to the limit in battle both physically and psychologically against a relentless enemy unlike any encountered before.

Generation Kill - 2008

I was interested in seeing this nitty, gritty mini-series about the 2003 invasion into Iraq because one of my sons was also in that initial assault on Iraq. For Renee and I, this was a nail-biting, painful time as we went almost 3 mos. without any word from our son, Josh. As Renee says, it was a time where we found ourselves in the fetal position of trust (in the Lord). We didn't feel like going out in public and answering questions for which we had no answers. So, that is what prompted me and Renee to watch this excellent HBO series. 

If you have virgin ears which can't handle realistic military language with prolific use of the four-letter word, then forget this series. But if you pass it up, what a pity. It's very realistic and for me personally, the language is part of the realism as well.

Generation Kill focuses on a platoon of young but highly trained Marines leading the charge of American forces during the 2003 invasion of Iraq in this gritty, Emmy-nominated HBO miniseries that highlights the challenges soldiers face on the front lines. Alexander Skarsgård, James Ransone, Stark Sands and Jon HuertasRolling Stone scribe Evan Wright.