Narration gives a story direction; it allows the viewers to have some recognition of what is transpiring before them. This is not to say that all narration is accurate in every story - some narrators are created to mislead, but even misdirection is some type of guidance because once the audience realizes the narrator is purposefully misinforming them, they know what to believe and who not to trust.
The list of top shows and movies with great narration is always growing - this list features some more recently released TV series and movies, while still paying tribute to some older ones that helped pave the way for great on-screen narration.
The Lovely Bones (2009) - 6.7
The Lovely Bones is a book-to-screen adaptation that hit viewers in 2009 almost as hard as it hit readers when the novel by Alice Sebold came out seven years prior. The story is narrated by 14-year-old Susie Salmon, who was murdered, and she narrates the movie and her story from heaven as she watches her family try and solve her case, alongside the cops.
The narration was important in the movie because it literally guided the audience through the story as if they themselves were witnessing a murder mystery. The Lovely Bones narration feels like an out-of-body experience because it is so artistically told from Susie's point of view.
Sex And The City (1998) - 7.1
Carrie Bradshaw has influenced so many fans and viewers as she narrates the entire series every single episode. Her narration, which is a mirror reflection of her writing, is what the entire show is based around.
Sex And The City has proven that if done correctly and strategically, narration can carry a series for years - so much so that the famous TV romantic drama series is getting a revival series, all this time later. This is quite a feat, especially after a successful run of six seasons and two movies.
You (2018) - 7.7
The Netflix Original series, You, stars the protagonist Joe as a man filled with love and romance, desperate to share it with a woman. While Joe literally kills for love, it is his narration throughout the series that keeps audiences almost having faith in him, despite his actions.
When Joe talks, it feels like he's reading his personal journal at an open mic night, letting viewers in to the point that he seems vulnerable and fans start to see him as the victim and the one suffering. For two addictive seasons, fans have watched as Joe acts in the name of love and right or wrong and viewers can't wait to hang on to his every word again in the upcoming season.
The Sixth Sense (1999) - 8.1
One of Bruce Willis's most famous movies, The Sixth Sense took viewers on an emotional rollercoaster. Bruce Willis narrates the film as a doctor who tries to help the young boy Cole figure out why he is seeing dead people.
Here, the role of the narrator makes it so that the audience feels as though they can trust his point of view, just like Cole did in the movie. But unlike The Lovely Bones, it's not until the end of the movie that viewers realize Bruce Willis's character is dead and that he's actually been narrating the entire movie as a ghost all along. The twist in the film made it an even bigger hit, and it was all because of the misleading POV of the narrator.
Gone Girl (2014) - 8.1
Gillian Flynn's novel-turned-movie, Gone Girl, is another mystery thriller with a narrator. Similar to true crime shows or murder mystery documentaries that notoriously have a monotonous yet informative narrator, viewers may just be hooked by this type of mystery storytelling.
Starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl features narration by the wife (Pike) who is reciting her journal entries about her marriage and her husband, as she tries to convince the audience that she is a victim of abuse and possibly murder. A brilliantly written novel by Flynn, Gone Girl is another movie in which the narrator's job was to further perplex and entice the viewers.
Inglourious Basterds (2009) - 8.3
Inglourious Basterds is drenched in dark humor. Tarantino is not only known for this style of writing, he's also amazingly good at captivating viewers, despite his often gruesome content.
Tarantino does not frivolously use this kind of humor, though, in fact, he's very purposeful with everything and therefore very successful. Samuel L. Jackson narrating Inglourious Basterds was a smart choice because his voice is iconic and his comedic delivery provides some relief from the heavy content in the storyline, making the movie more memorable, no less because Jackson is also a staple in most Tarantino movies.
Money Heist (2017) - 8.3
The minute Money Heist starts, the audience hears the voice of the main character, Tokyo. Her narration in the series is also similar to reading a journal while viewers also get the impression she is narrating just outside of herself, as she recites the actions in the bank.
The narration doesn't carry the show but it ties it up and completes everything to make it just right. Tokyo's voice in the series is almost like a useful, sometimes comedic interruption in the story because she doesn't narrate in every episode. Instead, she pops in with a reaction or sarcastic feedback that makes fans love her, despite her temperamental behavior. Tokyo's voice also acts as an insight into the emotional state of the different robbers, who would otherwise be seen as just greedy, selfish killers.
The Handmaid's Tale (2017) - 8.4
Hulu made a smart move when they decided to take on The Handmaid's Tale - another book-to-screen adaptation that has been very successful. Margaret Atwood's novel is a powerful one and Elisabeth Moss as the lead is able to translate the message and story so strongly told by Atwood originally.
The narration is direct and intentional by Moss's character of June Osborne and it can have audiences sitting at the edges of their seat as if they were literally being told the story in person. The suspense and anxiety that builds when watching this show is what makes it one of Hulu's most popular original series.
Dexter (2006) - 8.6
When considering the series, You, Dexter may come to mind for many fans because who was the best "killer for good" before Joe? Dexter. Just like Joe, Dexter narrates the entire series and takes viewers along with him on every decision he makes and every crime he partakes in. The openness and willingness to nonchalantly admit everything is what makes Dexter such an interesting and captivating series.
Fans do not necessarily always fall in love or empathize with a character who is also a killer, but Michael C. Hall does a great job not just through his acting, but his narrating in the series, as well.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - 9.3
Andy in The Shawshank Redemption is another influential narrator who not only had fans entranced, but also had them perpetually wondering whether he and the other inmates were guilty or innocent.
An amazing story by Stephen King, Shawshank proves that a narrator can be a prominent and influential force in a story, while also giving insight into its poignancy from one character's perspective.