A new World War II television drama that’s even better than HBO’s masterpiece Band of Brothers is officially returning for another season. Band of Brothers is, by and large, considered the single greatest war television show ever made. It’s a masterpiece, nearly perfect in every moment, from its largest and most gruesome battles to its most tragic and intimate emotions, and it’s all based on a true story.
Though Band of Brothers is considered one of the best TV shows ever made, it’s not perfect. The series has 94% approval from critics and 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, even with its stellar reputation. In fact, there’s now another WWII show that has surpassed Band of Brothers, at least in terms of critical approval. With 100% approval across two seasons on Rotten Tomatoes, Steven Knight’s SAS: Rogue Heroes is now TV’s best war show.
SAS: Rogue Heroes, like Band of Brothers before it, is based on a true story from World War II. Rogue Heroes tells the story of the formation of the British Army’s Special Air Service, which was formed by David Stirling in 1941 during the North African campaign. That, coupled with coming from Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, makes SAS: Rogue Heroes a great war show, and it’s even returning for a third season on BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom and on MGM+ worldwide.
SAS: Rogue Heroes Is Coming Back For Season 3
Luckily for fans of the historical war drama genre, SAS: Rogue Heroes is already coming back for a third season. The BBC renewed Rogue Heroes season 3 back in September 2025, months after the ending of Rogue Heroes season 2 in January 2025. While the new season doesn’t have an official release date yet, it’s possible that it could return sometime in late 2026 or early 2027, as filming began back in September 2025 and is presumably finished.
SAS: Rogue Heroes season 3 also has a fairly clear overview of its story already. As was teased at the end of season 2, the SAS and Paddy Mayne are joining Operation Overlord, better known as the Invasion of Normandy, on June 6, 1944. Season 3 will presumably pick up where season 2 left off and show the SAS parachuting into France and contributing to the liberation of Western Europe.
Steven Knight also teased bigger stakes and more consequences for Rogue Heroes season 3, saying, “Never has the war been so bloody and never have the stakes been so high. The Rogue Heroes dare to win, but at what cost to themselves and their souls?” Clearly, Rogue Heroes season 3 promises another in-depth look at the psychology of WWII’s heroes and the many horrifying challenges the SAS faced during the war.
How SAS: Rogue Heroes Compares To Band Of Brothers
Calling SAS: Rogue Heroes categorically better than Band of Brothers isn’t really possible, as the shows are quite different. Both do dramatize real soldiers from World War II, but they do so in very different ways. Band of Brothers is a largely tragic tale about the many trials and horrors soldiers faced in WWII and how it scarred them for life. It has moments of action and camaraderie, but it’s primarily somber in tone.
Rogue Heroes, on the other hand, leans much further into the action subgenre of war movies. The SAS, as a special forces unit, consists of big personalities that are more eager to get into highly dangerous and adrenaline-pumping situations. Rogue Heroes‘ primary focus is on the adventures and spectacle of the SAS. It dips its toes into Band of Brothers‘ exploration of PTSD and the horrors of war, but it also has Steven Knight’s patented slick and cool style.
In reality, Band of Brothers and SAS: Rogue Heroes are companion pieces. Band of Brothers shows the average soldier in WWII as they face manmade horrors beyond their comprehension, while Rogue Heroes highlights the extraordinary soldiers who became larger-than-life legends. Both of those groups were important and real parts of history, but neither of them would fit well into the same show. As such, SAS: Rogue Heroes is the perfect complimentary show for fans of Band of Brothers.
- Release Date
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2022 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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BBC One
- Directors
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Tom Shankland, Stephen Woolfenden
