To say that “Band of Brothers” is well respected in critical circles is a massive understatement. The New York Times recently ranked the series as the 28th best TV show of the 21st century, and many critics argued that it deserved to be ranked more highly.

“Band of Brothers” is back in the public eye after turning 25 years old this fall. The show has even inspired a documentary, and having it bouncing around my head this week gave me the final push needed to embark on a rewatch. It was my favorite stream of the week, and it still holds my personal title for the best World War II series I’ve ever watched.

“Band of Brothers” follows a company of American paratroopers through the invasion of Europe in the Second World War. It tells their story as they coalesce into a unit in training, jump into France during the Normandy landings, and survive through the Battle of the Bulge and other major campaigns until the war’s end.

Everything about “Band of Brothers” is the highest standard of what a war-based TV series should be. That starts with scripts that simultaneously explain everything that’s going on to non-history buffs without making them feel as if it’s spoon-feeding them facts out of a textbook. The writers do an excellent job of distilling sprawling military operations into seconds-long speeches that give the viewer an exact scope of what’s at stake for the characters.

That was one of my biggest criticisms of “Masters of the Air,” which debuted on Apple TV in 2024. The show had a lot of promise, and certainly conveyed the horrors of the air war over Europe, but it was so unartfully written at times that I never felt myself immersed in the story.

“Band of Brothers” achieves that effect effortlessly, and the writing of the show is only a part of the reason why. The set designs, props, and costumes are a huge part of the reason “Band of Brothers” is an enduring success after 25 years. Everything feels painstakingly researched and detailed, from the equipment the soldiers carry to the European settings they’re placed in.

Then there’s the cast. Damian Lewis completely embodies the leader of the cast as Major Richard Winters, but he’s far from the only standout. The ensemble is too large to call out everyone who deserves recognition by name, but eagle-eyed viewers who are watching for the first time will recognize the likes of Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy, James McAvoy, and even Simon Pegg. Everyone who gets screen time in Band of Brothers” does an admirable job of keeping the audience in the story, with the possible exception of Jimmy Fallon.

Add it all together, and you’ve got the best World War II series ever made, for my money and for that of many other critics. Stream “Band of Brothers” to celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary with a subscription to HBO Max, which starts at $11 per month for an ad-supported plan.

Band of Brothers

September 9, 2001

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.