a genuine classic, The White Shadow is currently streaming in the US on fuboTV with a 7/10 audience score that speaks for itself. 54 episodes — the right length to tell the story it is telling. Television that earns its era label is rarer than the number of shows attempting it suggests — most of what gets called prestige TV is really just expensive TV. The White Shadow is one of the genuine examples: the craft is there in the writing, the performances, and the way it handles its subject matter. Ken Howard's involvement signals the kind of production that attracts serious talent and uses it properly. Available now on streaming — no excuses left for not watching it.

A classic from before the prestige-TV era, The White Shadow follows a path that stands out in a crowded field. The White Shadow is an American drama television series that ran on the CBS network from November 27 1978, to March 16 1981. Ken Howard and Kevin Hooks lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. The series ran for 3 seasons (1978–1981), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly. The animation style is distinctive enough to be immediately recognisable, but it is the writing underneath that keeps viewers coming back season after season.

The kind of animated series that belongs on any best-TV list regardless of format. The complete run is available and worth watching in order — the character development is cumulative. The visual design is immediately distinctive, but it is the writing that explains why The White Shadow has the following it does. Adult animation that actually works for adults tends to lean hard on either comedy or drama — this one has the balance to do both without losing its footing. Viewers who responded to One Tree Hill will find the same commitment to quality here.