Action shows today are leaps and bounds ahead of where they were many years ago. The technology, the artistry, and the ability to bring bigger threats into storylines are what make these shows excel. While people can still appreciate Western TV series like The Rifleman or Combat!, the action can seem a bit tame compared to shows nowadays. Plus, action stars are generally bigger and more imposing than ever before.
Whether it’s a spy thriller, a police drama, a military-focused series, or even just a show focused on MMA, there are plenty of action series to choose from. But there’s a specific type of show that audiences are often craving: one with nonstop action that keeps pushing the boundaries. Audiences have adrenaline flowing throughout each episode as the characters dive deeper into complicated stories.
Here are 10 fast-paced TV shows that will give you that action-packed punch from start to finish.
10
‘Bodyguard’ (2018)
Bodyguard is a political thriller created by Jed Mercurio that ran for six episodes in 2018. The series stars Richard Madden as David Budd, a Scottish police sergeant and a war veteran who is in charge of Julia Montague’s security detail. Montague, Britain’s Home Secretary, is played by Keeley Hawes. Budd doesn’t agree with Montague’s political stances, making it hard for him to put aside differences to do his job.
The series starts with an electrifying scene on a train where Budd has to try and thwart a suicide bomber’s plot. It doesn’t slow down any time after that, as there are terrorist plots that run throughout the series, which Budd and MI-5 must try and stop before they fully hatch. Madden won a Golden Globe for his role, and the series was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmy Awards. Madden is currently set to star in a new series created by Mercurio called Trinity.
9
‘Banshee’ (2013 – 2016)
Banshee
- Release Date
-
2013 – 2015
- Showrunner
-
Jonathan Tropper
- Directors
-
Jonathan Tropper
Assuming the identity of a recently deceased man, Antony Starr stars in Banshee, an action series on Cinemax that ran for four seasons. Starr plays a criminal released from prison after 15 years who goes looking for his former accomplice and lover, as she got away with diamonds from the job that got him sent away. He takes the identity of the Sheriff of Banshee, Pennsylvania, knowing that’s where his accomplice is currently living, and has to balance performing sheriff duties and wanting to continue to be set in his criminal ways.
Starr, Ivana Miličević, Ben Cross, Ulrich Thomsen, Frankie Faison, and Hoon Lee all star in the series, which features Starr and Miličević running from Cross’s mob boss, set on recovering the diamonds. Multiple crime lords and underground entities are battling it out for supremacy in the series, all while a criminal is trying to keep the peace in the town. It’s a severely underrated series with tons of action and suspense.
8
‘The Boys’ (2019 – Present)
Antony Starr seems to fit in well with action roles as he is one of the main stars of The Boys. The Boys takes place in a world where superheroes and supervillains are well-known and will battle for supremacy among everyday folk. The Seven, a group of superheroes supposedly meant to protect the world, are led by Homelander (played by Starr.) Homelander is incredibly egotistical and only wants what’s best for him, despite pretending to care about the world. The Boys are an opposing group, led by Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), and they’re vehemently against the evil and decadent supes.
Jack Quaid, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Laz Alonso, and more star in the series, which has completed four seasons thus far with a final season on the way. Based on the adult comic book series, the gory and violent action that takes place in each episode is for a certain sector of action fans. There are gross-out scenes, absurd storylines, and moments unlike anything ever seen before on TV.
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7
‘The Punisher’ (2017 – 2019)
The Punisher
- Release Date
-
2017 – 2018
- Network
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Disney Channel
- Showrunner
-
John Romita Sr.
- Directors
-
Mark Goldblatt, Lexi Alexander
- Writers
-
Gerry Conway
Frank Castle has been brought to life on screen multiple times, but never in a way like in the 2017 – 2019 run of The Punisher. Starring Jon Bernthal as Castle, it shows his descent into vigilantism and the brutal methods he uses against his victims. There’s nothing sunny about The Punisher as he is out for vengeance and to protect those who can’t protect themselves.
The show is incredibly violent and filled with brute force and tactical missions. But it also shows Frank’s human side, as he is torn apart by grief and mourning. Having first appeared in the TV series Daredevil, Bernthal’s character earned his own series, which ran for three seasons. Shockingly, it was canceled in 2019. But fans were able to rejoice when he reappeared in Daredevil: Born Again, and there will be a standalone Marvel Special Presentation about The Punisher.
6
‘The Terminal List’ (2022 – Present)
Another offering from Prime Video, The Terminal List had its debut season in 2022. Starring Chris Pratt, the series follows James Reece, a Navy SEAL who leads a mission in Syria that goes sideways. He starts experiencing headaches and memory loss, and can’t seem to place all that happened during the mission. As things continue not to make sense when he arrives home, he stops at nothing to figure out how things went so wrong and who could be behind it.
From the pilot episode, the show jumps out with the action and never stops. There are action sequences multiple times an episode, as well as plenty of episodes of government officials talking in hushed tones, really setting up the balance of a political thriller. The show is incredibly grim, arguably the grimmest thing Pratt has ever been in. Season 2 and a prequel series starring Taylor Kitsch are set to be released soon.
5
‘The Night Agent’ (2023 – )
The Night Agent
- Release Date
-
March 23, 2023
- Network
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Netflix
Cast
-
-
Hiro Kanagawa
FBI Director Willett
A massive hit for Netflix, The Night Agent features Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland, an FBI agent who must help take down a mole within the U.S. government. Sutherland works as a Night Action telephone operator at The White House and gets caught up in a conspiracy filled with secrets, deception, and treason. Sleekly shot with superbly choreographed fight sequences, the show was created by Shawn Ryan, who previously created The Shield, Timeless, The Unit, and S.W.A.T.
The show costars Luciane Buchanan, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Sarah Desjardins, Eve Harlow, Robert Patrick, Hong Chau, Amanda Warren, Keon Alexander, and more. The second season premiered in January 2025, and the third season is currently in production. It is one of the more bingeable action series to come out in recent memory, as the action flies across the screen but doesn’t require audiences to analyze every scene.
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4
‘Spartacus’ (2010 – 2013)
Spartacus
- Release Date
-
2010 – 2012
- Network
-
Starz
- Directors
-
Jesse Warn, Rick Jacobson, Michael Hurst, Mark Beesley, T.J. Scott, Brendan Maher, John Fawcett, Chris Martin-Jones, Glenn Standring, Grady Hall
Airing on Starz from 2010 to 2013, Spartacus tells the story of the Thracian gladiator who led an uprising of slaves against the Roman government. The show had four different series within it, the first being Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which stars Andy Whitfield as the titular character. Unfortunately, Whitfield died from complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma after the first series, and Liam McIntyre took over the role for the third and fourth series. The second series was a prequel series that told more about the gladiators.
For any fan of Roman history, this show is full of it as well as violent battles. The battle and fight sequences are incredibly well-done, as they make audiences feel like they are back in BC times, although there is an obvious modern-day quality to the production value that makes them feel even more epic. Created by Steven S. DeKnight, who also show ran the first season of Daredevil, a sequel series for Spartacus is on its way at Starz with DeKnight returning as writer.
3
‘Warrior’ (2019 – 2023)
Warrior
- Release Date
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2019 – 2022
- Network
-
HBO Max
- Showrunner
-
Jonathan Tropper
For martial arts fans, Warrior provided non-stop action and incredible fight choreography. Set among the backdrops of the Tong Wars in the late 19th century, the show takes place in San Francisco’s Chinatown and features Andrew Koji as Ah Sahm, a Chinese martial artist who travels there to look for his older sister. Upon arriving, Ah Sahm is sold to the Hop Wei Tong, where he is forced to be an enforcer. The series was based on an original treatment by Bruce Lee and featured his daughter, Shannon, as an executive producer.
The series was lauded for its historical detail and fight sequences, as Koji is a well-respected martial artist and actor. It costars Olivia Cheng, Jason Tobin, Dianne Doan, Kieran Bew, Hoon Lee, and Dean Jagger. Warrior focuses on racial stereotypes, political corruption, and gang activity, especially among immigrants, and was revived by Max after being canceled on Cinemax.
2
‘Reacher’ (2022 – )
Reacher
- Release Date
-
February 3, 2022
- Network
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Prime Video
- Showrunner
-
Nick Santora
One of the biggest action series currently on television, Reacher features Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher, a U.S. Military Police major who always seems to find trouble no matter where he ends up. A show built on Reacher’s immense intellect and brute strength, the series is based on different novels in the Lee Child franchise. Each season so far has been written based on one novel, as Reacher has become a bit of a drifter since leaving the military, and the show goes where he does.
Costarring Maria Sten as Frances Neagley, the series has gone through rotating casts each season. Notable bad guys and villains have included Robert Patrick, Bruce McGill, and Anthony Michael Hall. The series has tremendous fight sequences in almost every episode, as Reacher puts his abilities and stamina to the test daily to either protect friends and former colleagues or get to the bottom of a conspiracy he finds himself in. Season 4 is currently in production, and a spin-off series focused on Neagley is slated for 2026.
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1
’24’ (2001 – 2010, 2014)
24
- Release Date
-
2001 – 2009
- Showrunner
-
Robert Cochran
- Directors
-
Robert Cochran
There were other action TV series before 24. But it’s hard to remember any making as big of a cultural impact as the Fox series did. Led by Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer, each season took place over a day, with each episode depicting one hour of that day. Bauer is a member of the Counter Terrorist Unit of Los Angeles, and throughout the series, he is forced to fight different terrorist groups and thwart terrorist plots. Some of them went all the way up in the U.S. government, and the show made it feel like Jack was the only person who could stop them.
Notable costars throughout the series’ run included Dennis Haysbert, Elisha Cuthbert, Sarah Clarke, Carlos Bernard, Mary Lynn Rajskub, D.B. Woodside, Cherry Jones, Colm Feore, Regina King, and more. Created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, 24 was the epitome of the serial drama action series and star.
