8 TV Shows Recommended By Steven Spielberg
Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV.
As one of Hollywood’s most influential filmmakers, Steven Spielberg has a career that spans from blockbuster action movies to intimate character dramas, but it’s rare he speaks up about what he’s watching as a viewer rather than a creator. With a clear appreciation for great storytelling on screen, Spielberg has long been enthusiastic about other creators and has recommended many films, but his TV tastes have been more private. As someone who’s shared that he’ll eventually look to jump into a long-form project on the small screen, what Spielberg’s watching is, of course, interesting to those who enjoy his films.
While he’s been vocal about past shows that have kept him tuned in, Spielberg has been particularly quiet about the more modern age of TV. With his most recent film, Disclosure Day, bringing in actors like Colman Domingo, who’s recently appeared in TV projects, Spielberg definitely has a grip on what’s happening in the modern age of television, but his tastes are likely somewhat different than his audience would anticipate. In the past, Spielberg has shared what he’s watching, what he enjoys, and the shocking shows that have shaped his TV taste in the more modern years of the medium.
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Although SCTV isn’t a modern series, it’s having a moment as the seasons finally make their way to streaming, and Spielberg’s connection to the show is an interesting one. SCTV, short for Second City Television, was a Canadian sketch comedy series that originally ran from 1976 to 1981. Launching the careers of some of comedy’s biggest stars like Catherine O’Hara, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Rick Moranis, and Andrea Martin, the series was often known as the Canadian Saturday Night Live, but was iconic in so many different ways. Its inventive approach to sketch comedy established its enduring reputation, with fans still enjoying it decades later.
While Spielberg has only spoken about SCTV publicly a few times, it’s been reported that he was among the show’s admirers at the time of its airing. Spielberg apparently sought out John Candy specifically after seeing him shine on the series, hopeful that he’d get the chance to meet the Canadian comedy icon. Though its influence may not be immediately clear in Spielberg’s work, SCTV’s sensibilities and dedication to the bit should resonate with those who love a Spielberg film.
7
The Practice
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Created by David E. Kelley, The Practice was reportedly one of Spielberg’s favorite shows when it was on the air, as was its spinoff series Boston Legal. The Practice follows Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott), one of the partners of the law firm Donnell, Young, Dole, and Frutt. Dealing with ethical issues and difficult cases, the show explored the personal and professional lives of the lawyers working at the firm. While the show was good at balancing the casework and the interpersonal drama of the characters, the characters themselves weren’t always good at keeping their work-life balance top of mind.
With the show choosing to emphasize issues surrounding financial pressure, ethics, and the decision-making involved in taking on a case, The Practice wasn’t always as interested in the courtroom, which made it an interesting series. Boston Legal shifted gears slightly, but Spielberg was clear in the fact that he enjoyed Kelley’s work regardless, sharing that he’d watch anything the writer touched.
The Practice
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Dylan McDermott
Bobby Donnell
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Lindsay Dole
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A.D.A. Helen Gamble
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Eugene Young
6
Deadliest Catch
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Although it’s a hit series, Deadliest Catch is a show that was surprising to know Spielberg freely admit he enjoys. The series, which follows commercial fisherman as they work in some of the most dangerous waters in the world, is the only unscripted series that Spielberg has mentioned watching publicly, and his praise for the series was surprising. Deadliest Catch is filmed in the Bering Sea, which makes it a tremendously dangerous series, and the show has famously had several cast members pass away due to the risks associated with their line of work.
Spielberg’s love of Deadliest Catch is both intriguing and a bit funny, considering the fact that he directed Jaws early in his career. With the series exploring the dangers of the commercial fishing industry, it aligns with some of Spielberg’s longtime interests, even though he described the show as a guilty pleasure. As his favorite show of the 2010s, Spielberg’s love of Deadliest Catch is a quirk his fans should surely enjoy.
Deadliest Catch
5
Southland
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Southland, which aired from 2009 through 2013, is a gritty police drama that aired predominantly on TNT, following the personal and professional lives of the LAPD’s patrol officers and detectives. Initially following Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie) as he learns the realities of working alongside an experienced training officer as a rookie himself, the series features some incredibly familiar faces. With Detective Lydia Adams (Regina King) and Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy) both involved in the series, Southland is one of the shows Spielberg has openly praised as a favorite, especially during its time on the air.
Southland doesn’t rely on case-of-the-week storytelling, instead emphasizing the psychological demands of police work and the complicated relationships that the job brings with it. The consequences of the violence that comes with policing are a major piece of Southland, and Spielberg seemed particularly impressed with the show’s depiction of its world when he recommended it early in its run. Spielberg, who worked with producer John Wells long before Southland, praised him specifically for the show’s grit.
Southland
4
Mad Men
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A period piece set in 1960s New York, Mad Men was a groundbreaking hit that aired on AMC from 2007-2014. Starring Jon Hamm as Don Draper, the creative director of Stirling Cooper advertising agency, the series explored the world of the 60s ad man through Draper’s constantly twisting story. As much a character study as it is a period piece, Mad Men followed the professional successes and the personal struggles that Don faced throughout the decade, leading to a fascinating shift in the industry. Also staring Elisabeth Moss, John Slattery, and Christina Hendricks, the series was a massive success.
Mad Men is one of the shows that was both acclaimed generally and has received a ton of praise for Spielberg, who was an early adopter of the show. Sharing that he enjoyed the well-written series, Spielberg said he’d always watched Mad Men in the early 2010s, and clearly found himself enjoying the series as it continued on.
3
Freaks and Geeks
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Though it’s a series that Spielberg tangentially had a hand in making happen, Freaks and Geeks is one of the few shows that he’s publicly endorsed. The coming-of-age series is a period piece set in the early 1980s, following the lives of two siblings who are navigating the pressures of high school in wildly different ways. For Sam Weir (John Francis Daley) and his unpopular group of friends, the geeks of the series, adolescence is intense and awkward. For Lindsay Weir (Linda Cardellini), former overachiever with a new set of friends, the aptly-named freaks, social rebellion is tough work.
Created by Paul Feig and executive produced by Judd Apatow, Freaks and Geeks only lasted for a short 18-episode run, but made a tremendous cultural impact. Spielberg, who co-founded DreamWorks Television, was a producer on the series, but it’s also mentioned in an interview with Apatow in Vanity Fair that he reached out directly to Feig and Apatow about loving the show personally.
Freaks and Geeks
2
The West Wing
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Having praised specifically a stretch of The West Wing, Spielberg’s take on the long-running NBC series is the correct one. The series, which follows the presidential run of President Josiah Barlet (Martin Sheen) and his team of advisors, speechwriters, and communications strategists, was created by Sorkin and saw him serve as the lead writer for the first four seasons of the show’s 7-season run. When Sorkin departed the series, things shifted tonally for the show, and though it ran for 3 more years, it didn’t necessarily feel the same.
Spielberg, once again citing that he was endorsing a Wells-produced show, made it clear that the Sorkin era of The West Wing were the seasons he was interested in. Sharing that Sorkin’s writing was so high quality that he feels it’s on par with legendary screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky, who won a record 3 Academy Awards for screenwriting on his own, Spielberg’s praise of The West Wing showed a different level of appreciation for the series.
The West Wing
1
Mare of Easttown
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As the most recent series on the list, Spielberg’s enjoyment of Mare of Easttown was clear from comments he made about the show in the public eye. The HBO series, a crime drama set in small-town Pennsylvania with Kate Winslet starring as the titular Mare Sheehan, is a miniseries with a distinctive tone. Bleak and intense, Mare investigates a local murder while struggling with complicated personal circumstances surrounding her family and the town she’s spent her whole life in. As the investigation unfolds, Mare has to contend with a town that may love her, but is also against her.
While Spielberg didn’t directly share much about his experience watching the series, he was upfront about the fact that he thought it was a beautifully directed story during his 2023 appearance on the SmartLess podcast. Sharing the directorial changes he would’ve made with Mare of Easttown, Spielberg also opened up about the fact that ultimately, he hopes to take on a long-form TV project like the HBO miniseries.
Mare of Easttown
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