20 TV Shows to Watch If You’re an Aries

Aries energy loves momentum and bold moves, so this watchlist brings together series that jump straight into the action and keep the story driving forward. You will find espionage, historical epics, crime sagas, military thrillers, and anime that put determined characters at the center of high stakes plots.

Each pick includes straightforward details on what the show covers and who made it happen, from creators and showrunners to lead actors and key production facts. Skim for your favorite settings and story types, then queue up the titles that match your mood right now.

’24’ (2001–2010)

’24’ follows Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer through real time days that track national security crises across Los Angeles and Washington. The series uses split screens and ticking clocks while Bauer races to stop threats involving assassinations, bioweapons, cyberattacks, and political conspiracies.
The show stars Kiefer Sutherland with Mary Lynn Rajskub, Dennis Haysbert, Elisha Cuthbert, and Carlos Bernard. It was created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran and aired on Fox with multiple showrunners guiding different seasons and a production team that coordinated large scale stunts and location work.

‘Alias’ (2001–2006)

‘Alias’ centers on Sydney Bristow, a graduate student recruited by a covert unit who learns she is working for a criminal network while posing as a double agent for the CIA. The plot moves through undercover missions, encrypted artifacts, and shifting loyalties inside global spy organizations.
The series was created by J J Abrams and stars Jennifer Garner with Victor Garber, Michael Vartan, Ron Rifkin, and Bradley Cooper. It aired on ABC and featured an ensemble of writers and directors who developed serialized arcs that combined field operations with the personal life of the lead character.

‘Spartacus’ (2010–2013)

‘Spartacus’ dramatizes the life of the Thracian gladiator who becomes the leader of a slave uprising against the Roman Republic. The story covers training in the ludus, arena battles, and the organization of a rebel force that challenges Roman legions.
The series was created by Steven S DeKnight for Starz and stars Andy Whitfield in the first season and Liam McIntyre in later seasons with Lucy Lawless, Manu Bennett, and John Hannah. It includes the prequel ‘Spartacus: Gods of the Arena’ and uses stylized combat, set design, and a large supporting cast drawn from historical figures.

‘Vikings’ (2013–2020)

‘Vikings’ follows the legendary figure Ragnar Lothbrok and his family through raids, exploration, and power struggles across Scandinavia and the British Isles. The plot spans voyages to new lands, battles with Anglo Saxon kingdoms, and the rise of the next generation of leaders.
The series was created by Michael Hirst and stars Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, Clive Standen, Alexander Ludwig, and Gustaf Skarsgård. It filmed largely in Ireland, aired on History, and used a production approach that emphasized ships, weaponry, and locations to depict Norse culture and medieval politics.

‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)

‘Game of Thrones’ adapts the early books of ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ and follows rival houses fighting for control of the Iron Throne while a supernatural threat gathers in the far north. The story weaves court intrigue, alliances, and warfare across multiple regions.
The series was created for television by David Benioff and D B Weiss and stars Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, and Nikolaj Coster Waldau. It aired on HBO, filmed across several countries, and coordinated a large ensemble with recurring directors and departments handling visual effects and large scale battles.

‘Marvel’s Daredevil’ (2015–2018)

‘Daredevil’ follows Matt Murdock, a blind attorney who fights crime at night in Hell’s Kitchen using heightened senses and combat training. The plot explores cases at the law firm, rival crime families, and conflicts with powerful adversaries who control the neighborhood.
Developed by Drew Goddard and led by showrunners Steven S DeKnight, Doug Petrie, and Marco Ramirez, the series stars Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, and Vincent D’Onofrio. It premiered on Netflix as part of the Marvel television slate and features tightly choreographed hallway and stairway sequences created by a dedicated stunt team.

‘Peaky Blinders’ (2013–2022)

‘Peaky Blinders’ follows the Shelby family as they grow a Birmingham gambling and protection business in the years after the First World War. The plot tracks negotiations with gangs, clashes with the police, and political entanglements that expand the group’s reach.
Created by Steven Knight, the series stars Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, and Tom Hardy. It aired on BBC in the United Kingdom and streamed internationally, using period production design, costuming, and recurring directors to build a consistent look across six seasons.

‘Homeland’ (2011–2020)

‘Homeland’ focuses on CIA officer Carrie Mathison as she investigates threats linked to overseas operations and domestic security. The story begins with the return of a captured Marine and develops into missions that involve surveillance, diplomacy, and counterintelligence.
Developed by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa from the Israeli series ‘Prisoners of War’ by Gideon Raff, the show stars Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, and Damian Lewis. It aired on Showtime and shot in multiple countries with consulting producers and advisers providing real world procedural details.

‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ (2018–2023)

‘Jack Ryan’ introduces the analyst from Tom Clancy’s novels as he tracks suspicious financial patterns that lead to field assignments across Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. Each season builds a contained operation with investigation threads that converge in on the ground action.
Developed by Carlton Cuse and Graham Roland, the series stars John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, Abbie Cornish, and Michael Kelly. It streamed on Prime Video and used location filming, multilingual casts, and a mix of practical and digital effects to stage chase sequences and tactical set pieces.

‘The Last Kingdom’ (2015–2022)

‘The Last Kingdom’ adapts Bernard Cornwell’s ‘The Saxon Stories’ and follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg as he navigates shifting loyalties between Danes and Saxons in early medieval England. The plot includes battles for fortified towns, court strategy with King Alfred, and family ties tested by war.
Created for television by Stephen Butchard, the series stars Alexander Dreymon, David Dawson, Eliza Butterworth, and Ian Hart. It began as a co production with the BBC and later moved to Netflix, using historical consultants, armorers, and horseback units to stage shield wall combat.

‘Banshee’ (2013–2016)

‘Banshee’ follows an ex convict who assumes the identity of a small town sheriff while pursuing unfinished business with a powerful crime boss. The story blends heists, undercover work, and local politics inside a Pennsylvania community with Amish and Native American characters.
Created by Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler with executive producer Alan Ball, the series stars Antony Starr, Ivana Milicevic, Ulrich Thomsen, and Hoon Lee. It aired on Cinemax and became known for intense fight choreography, practical effects, and a production approach that emphasized close quarters action.

‘Strike Back’ (2010–2020)

‘Strike Back’ follows Section 20, a multinational special operations unit that undertakes deniable missions across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. The narrative structure features season long manhunts and episodes that pair infiltration with extraction.
Inspired by the novel by Chris Ryan, the television series stars Richard Armitage early on and later centers on the duo played by Philip Winchester and Sullivan Stapleton with supporting casts rotating by season. It aired on Sky and Cinemax and used a stunt heavy production that trained actors with former military advisers.

‘Narcos’ (2015–2017)

‘Narcos’ charts the rise and fall of the Medellín cartel and the efforts of Colombian and United States agencies to dismantle its operations. The show mixes dramatized scenes with period details to portray investigations, alliances, and turf conflicts.
Created by Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro, the series stars Wagner Moura as Pablo Escobar with Boyd Holbrook and Pedro Pascal as DEA agents. It filmed in Colombia and used bilingual dialogue with a large ensemble playing politicians, officers, and family members tied to the cartel.

‘Narcos: Mexico’ (2018–2021)

‘Narcos: Mexico’ shifts focus to the formation of the Guadalajara cartel and the consolidation of trafficking routes under regional leaders. The plot follows intelligence gathering, undercover work, and the consequences of major operations.
From creators Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro, the series stars Diego Luna, Michael Peña, Scoot McNairy, and Tenoch Huerta. It filmed largely in Mexico and used new characters and timelines while maintaining the investigative structure introduced in ‘Narcos’.

‘Black Sails’ (2014–2017)

‘Black Sails’ serves as a prequel to ‘Treasure Island’ and follows Captain Flint and crews who operate from New Providence in the early eighteenth century. The story covers rival captains, merchant raids, and negotiations with colonial powers that aim to control the Caribbean.
Created by Jonathan E Steinberg and Robert Levine with executive producer Michael Bay, the series stars Toby Stephens, Hannah New, Luke Arnold, and Tom Hopper. It aired on Starz and used full scale ship sets, water tanks, and location work in South Africa to stage naval battles and island fortifications.

‘Prison Break’ (2005–2017)

‘Prison Break’ begins with a structural engineer who enters a maximum security facility to help his brother escape after a wrongful conviction. The plot moves through breakout planning, coded tattoos, and later seasons that extend into conspiracies and international storylines.
Created by Paul Scheuring, the series stars Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Sarah Wayne Callies, and Robert Knepper. It aired on Fox and returned for a limited revival that reunited the core cast, with production teams designing prison sets and practical effects for escape sequences.

‘Attack on Titan’ (2013–2023)

‘Attack on Titan’ presents a walled society defending itself against giant creatures that threaten human survival. The narrative follows military recruits who uncover the origin of the Titans, the history of the walls, and conflicts that reshape their world.
Based on the manga by Hajime Isayama, the anime features direction by Tetsuro Araki in early seasons and by Yuichiro Hayashi in later episodes, with animation produced by Wit Studio and then by MAPPA. Voice casts include Yuki Kaji, Yui Ishikawa, and Marina Inoue in Japanese with English language performances recorded for international releases.

‘Kill la Kill’ (2013–2014)

‘Kill la Kill’ follows transfer student Ryuko Matoi as she searches for answers about her father’s death while battling student councils empowered by special uniforms. The story combines school arena battles, family revelations, and escalating threats that tie into the origin of the uniforms.
Created by Hiroyuki Imaishi and Kazuki Nakashima at Studio Trigger, the anime stars Ami Koshimizu and Ryoka Yuzuki in the Japanese cast with English performances led by Erica Mendez and Carrie Keranen. The production uses dynamic editing and stylized visuals with a supporting ensemble that includes characters from Honnouji Academy and the Matoi household.

‘Samurai Champloo’ (2004–2005)

‘Samurai Champloo’ pairs the wandering swordsman Jin with the unpredictable fighter Mugen and a young woman named Fuu on a journey across Edo period Japan. The plot uses episodic adventures that mix historical settings with modern cultural references.
Directed by Shinichiro Watanabe and produced by Manglobe, the anime features music by Nujabes, Fat Jon, Tsutchie, and Force of Nature. Voice actors include Kazuya Nakai, Ginpei Sakamoto, and Ayako Kawasumi in Japanese with an English cast that brought the series to international audiences.

‘Cowboy Bebop’ (1998–1999)

‘Cowboy Bebop’ follows the crew of the spaceship Bebop as they hunt bounties across the solar system while confronting past ties that complicate each mission. The story balances standalone cases with arcs about syndicates and lost relationships.
Created by Sunrise and directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, the anime features music by Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts with a cast led by Koichi Yamadera, Unsho Ishizuka, and Megumi Hayashibara in Japanese. The series built its episodes around varied genres and used detailed design work for spacecraft and planetary locales.

‘Rome’ (2005–2007)

‘Rome’ depicts the transition from Republic to Empire through the lives of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and two soldiers who witness political change from the streets and the legions. The plot covers campaigns in Gaul, civil war, and the struggle for power in the city.
Created by Bruno Heller, John Milius, and William J MacDonald, the series stars Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Ciarán Hinds, and Polly Walker. It was a co production among HBO, the BBC, and Rai, filmed at large sets in Italy with extensive costuming and props to recreate ancient Rome.

‘The Expanse’ (2015–2022)

‘The Expanse’ adapts the novels by James S A Corey and follows a missing person case that opens into a system wide conspiracy involving Earth, Mars, and the Belt. The narrative integrates political negotiation, hard science concepts, and a mysterious protomolecule.
Developed by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, the series stars Steven Strait, Dominique Tipper, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Wes Chatham. It began on Syfy and later moved to Prime Video, using detailed spaceship interiors, zero gravity sequences, and a multilingual ensemble to depict life in space.

‘Into the Badlands’ (2015–2019)

‘Into the Badlands’ presents a future society divided among barons who control resources and armies of trained fighters. The story follows a skilled clipper and a young companion as they navigate rival factions and hidden powers.
Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the series stars Daniel Wu, Emily Beecham, Aramis Knight, and Nick Frost. It aired on AMC and partnered with fight choreographers and martial arts teams to stage one on one duels and large ensemble sequences.

‘Black Lagoon’ (2006)

‘Black Lagoon’ follows a corporate employee who is abducted by a group of mercenaries and later joins their crew in the lawless city of Roanapur. The plot covers smuggling runs, rival syndicates, and missions that bring the crew into conflict with international players.
Based on the manga by Rei Hiroe, the anime was produced by Madhouse and directed by Sunao Katabuchi, with voice performances by Daisuke Namikawa and Megumi Toyoguchi in Japanese and a separate English cast. The series uses modern firearms and vehicles with detailed animation of urban settings and ports.

Share your favorite picks from this list in the comments and tell everyone which ‘TV shows’ you think fit an Aries mood.