Television series

SAS: Rogue Heroes

Name: SAS: Rogue Heroes
Genre: Drama, War, History
Released: 2022
Cast: Connor Swindells, Jack O'Connell, Sofia Boutella, Jacob Ifan, Corin Silva

Action
Relentless

SAS: Rogue Heroes tells the audacious true story of the British Special Air Service's formation during World War II. It's a propulsive, character-driven drama that balances tactical brilliance with deeply human chaos—charismatic misfits inventing guerrilla warfare on the fly. For anyone who loves military history mixed with genuine humour and camaraderie, without pretending war is anything but brutal.

TVMaze rating

3.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love war stories built on swagger and friction, where the bravado of a band of mismatched men matters as much as the battles, and a bit of rough-edged charisma pulls you through a long season.

Skip it if you want a tidy, restrained war drama; this one leans into noise, swagger and cheeky energy, and its hour-long episodes can feel loud and busy rather than quietly reflective.

What it asks of you: Twelve episodes of about an hour each over two seasons, so it wants a real commitment. It moves at a brisk, kinetic clip with plenty of intensity, and it stays fairly dark without ever going bleak.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

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The gold standard of WWII ensemble drama: meticulous, intimate, devastating. Follows real soldiers across the entire European campaign with unflinching emotional honesty and technical brilliance.

But Ten hours is a significant commitment, and it never lets you off emotionally. The pacing is deliberate; there's no melodrama to coast on.

The Crown2016

Same DNA as Rogue Heroes—intelligent drama about the British establishment under pressure, with sparkling dialogue, superb ensemble acting, and the thrill of seeing how real events actually unfolded.

But If you find royal politics tedious, the show won't convince you otherwise. Production values occasionally overshadow character.

Dunkirk2017

Nolan's WWII masterpiece captures the same desperate improvisation and tactical ingenuity, with visceral action and a ticking-clock intensity that never lets go.

But It's deliberately fragmented and cold. There's no warm ensemble chemistry—just survival. The sound design is punishing.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from SAS: Rogue Heroes

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Death of Stalin2017

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Armando Iannucci's brilliant political satire about power, loyalty, and the chaos of institutions in crisis. Shot in b&w, darkly funny, and structurally brilliant—it's about men improvising under pressure, exactly like Rogue Heroes, but in a completely different register.

But It's abstract, non-naturalistic, and aggressively satirical. If you want realism and action, this is the opposite. The humour is glacial and intellectual.

Masters of the Air2024

Spielberg and Hanks reunite for a 1940s aerial warfare epic with the same ambition as Band of Brothers. Follows real bomber crews; the action is stunning and the character work is thoughtful.

But Early reviews suggest it's occasionally uneven. Nine episodes means some drag. The tone swings between spectacle and intimacy.

Catch-222019

George Clooney's miniseries captures the gallows humour and institutional madness lurking beneath military life. Sharp, darkly funny, visually gorgeous, and structurally clever.

But The satirical tone won't land if you want straightforward heroism. It's deliberately oblique and never gives you easy answers.

The Longest Day1962

The definitive D-Day recreation, made with real soldiers and commanders while memories were fresh. Sprawling, technically impressive, and packed with unglamorous human detail.

But Nearly four hours, shot in black and white, with an enormous cast that makes individual arcs hard to follow. The pacing is deliberate to a fault.

MINDHUNTER2017

Fincher's meticulous drama about inventing a new discipline through improvisation and stubbornness. Same DNA as Rogue Heroes—brilliant people making it up as they go, clashing with the old guard.

But It's about interviewing criminals, not action. Very slow-burn cerebral. Fincher's perfectionism means it took two years between seasons.

Enemy at the Gates2001

Visceral Eastern Front warfare with authentic chaos and moral ambiguity. Strong ensemble cast, genuine tension, and the period detail feels lived-in rather than polished.

But The romantic subplot feels forced and drains tension. The second half sags. It's more concerned with spectacle than character development.

The Great Escape1963

Classic WWII heist where ingenuity and teamwork outmatch firepower. Steve Reeves, James Garner, Richard Attenborough—warm ensemble chemistry, genuine humour, thrilling planning sequences.

But Over three hours and unmistakably a product of 1963. The pacing flags in the middle. Feels quaint next to modern action filmmaking.

Thief1981

Both explore how unconventional men bond through shared purpose and technical mastery. Both move with a crisp efficiency that prioritises competence over sentiment. Both understand that true loyalty lives in the details.

Michael Mann's neon-soaked masterpiece about a criminal crew united by code and skill. Hypnotic visual style, minimal dialogue, Tangerine Dream score—feels completely modern. It's about camaraderie forged through precise teamwork and mutual respect.

But Sparse, mood-driven, and slow. There's barely a plot. If you need exposition and clear narrative momentum, Mann will frustrate you. The 80s aesthetic might feel dated.

The Damned United2009

Both tracks a principled outsider building something new by breaking the old rules and attracting loyal misfits. Both are about the exhilaration and cost of refusing to do things the way they've always been done.

Tom Hooper's film about Brian Clough taking over Leeds United captures rogue heroism in football: a brilliant maverick forced into an institution, clashing with entrenched power, trying to impose his vision through sheer will and charisma.

But It's essentially a sports biopic, so if football bores you, nothing saves it. Hooper's style is theatrical in ways that don't always work. The period detail occasionally overwhelms character.