Years ago, most movie stars deem TV series as an inferior medium compared to films. Most drama actors don't get the recognition they crave for unless they accept offers for film. Very rarely will there be movie stars who do dramas and series.

Nowadays, however, there has been an upshot of movie stars on TV shows. They have been trading in the glitz and glamour of films for longer roles in quality television shows.

HBO, TNT, Showtime, and several other cable channels have been getting actors like Sean Bean, Matthew McConaughey , Josh Hartnett, and Eva Green to play significant roles in their shows.

Likewise, shows like 'Game Of Thrones,' 'Penny Dreadful,' and 'True Detective' have been getting higher viewership thanks to quality production and the appearance of these stars.

Another possible reason why these A-listers are choosing to do TV shows is the longer time to develop characters. Having a story arc that lasts for several seasons gives them more exposure and helps them portray their character better as opposed to a two-hour feature film.

Browse through the gallery to see who these movie stars on TV shows are.