Following New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) as he starts secretly attending therapy sessions when he begins experiencing panic attacks courtesy of his stressful work-life balance, The Sopranosis one of the definitive highlights of television’s golden era. In fact, many would even go so far as to say it is the greatest TV show of all time, citing the incredible performances, engrossing narrative, and the coarse yet often comedic tone as its greatest strengths.
While there is plenty of fun and fascination to be had in revisiting The Sopranos for the second (or third, or fourth, or tenth) time, the fact remains that there are plenty of other exceptional series that pose as perfect matches for those who so love Tony Soprano. Ranging from some of the other great crime series to enrapturing period dramas and even to more recent streaming sensations, these 10 series are rich with all the drama, intrigue, and excellence that The Sopranos fans have grown accustomed to.
10 'The Shield' (2002-2008)
Created by Shawn Ryan
Image via Sony Pictures Television
Running concurrently alongside The Sopranos for much of its tenure, The Shieldexcels by bringing a similar level of ambiguity and intrigue to those on the other side of the law. Set in gangland L.A., it primarily follows Detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and his strike team as they employ criminal methods to conduct their work, engage in corrupt practices to prosper individually, and resort to any means necessary to keep their wrongdoings covered up.
Not at all dissimilar to Tony Soprano, Vic Mackey is one of television’s ultimate antiheroes, one whose unforgivable flaws and brutality clash with a hardened perspective on the world that makes him all the more intriguing to watch, even if he is, at times, utterly despicable. The series is defined by the bold and assertive lens it casts on police violence and the way it handles this complex central focus, making for an enthralling crime series rich with moral ambiguity.
The Shield
Release Date March 12, 2002
Seasons 7
9 'Rome' (2005-2007)
Created by John Milius, William J. MacDonald & Bruno Heller
Image via HBO
A mesmerizing marriage of historical drama and period allure, Rome is almost universally celebrated now as a classic series that was tragically cut short, with its planned five-season run having to be condensed to just two seasons due to the production’s high cost. While its core focus is on the lives of two ordinary Roman soldiers, it depicts the downfall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Empire as seen from the perspective of noted historical figures and average citizens alike.
Its enormous scale makes it an arresting series, while its commitment to historical authenticity makes for a viewing experience that is both riveting and supremely fascinating. While its entire run consists of just 22 episodes, Rome has an epic and violent allure that should appeal to lovers of The Sopranos.
Rome
Release Date August 28, 2005
Seasons 2
8 'The Americans' (2013-2018)
Created by Joe Weisberg
Image via FX Network
The slick suspense of espionage thrillers may not immediately draw comparisons to the violent complexity of crime drama, but The Americansshould appeal to many The Sopranos fans for a variety of reasons. Set in 1980s America, the series follows two KGB sleeper agents stationed in America as they conduct operations in Washington. With their façade even including their two unsuspecting children, Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Phil Jennings (Matthew Rhys) carry out their work while living next door to an FBI counterintelligence agent.
Imbued with a gripping suspense, The Americans boasts an engrossing intensity that isn’t afraid to use its unique premise to pose challenging questions of morality and righteousness. Like Tony Soprano, the Jennings’ violent lives leads them to develop contemplative views on the world and their place in it. The balance between their espionage work and their desire to build a family environment for their children—who each, at some point, have to come to terms with what their parents are—only enhances this thematic focus.
Release Date January 30, 2013
Seasons 6
7 'Succession' (2018-2023)
Created by Jesse Armstrong
Image via HBO
A sinister satire of immense wealth and power, Successionis one of the defining dramas of recent television. Logan Roy (Brian Cox) is an aging media magnate who is reluctant to hand over his monumental news empire to any of his three children, all of whom scheme against one another to win his favor. As the power struggle intensifies, the bonds between the family and their most trusted advisors bend and break as betrayal runs rife and new allegiances are forged.
Drawing comparisons to William Shakespeare’s “King Lear”, Succession is a captivating series of volatile power plays that somehow manages to unfold with both searing suspense and a striking and dark comic hilarity. Boasting fiercely intelligent writing, exceptional acting, and an immersing thematic focus on power, Succession is among the greatest series of the past decade.
Release Date June 3, 2018
Seasons 4
6 'Gomorrah' (2014-2021)
Created by Roberto Saviano
Image via HBO Max
Coming from Italy, Gomorrahis among the greatest and most underrated crime series to have aired in recent years. It follows a crime lord’s ambitious right-hand man who begins to contemplate going against tradition to seize power for himself. When his boss is arrested, Ciro De Marzio (Marco D’Amore) rises up the ranks to take control, but his ascension leads to a brutal internal feud between himself and the boss’s young son, Gennaro Savastano (Salvatore Esposito).
While the series has faced some political backlash in Italy, it has thrived internationally as one of the greatest foreign-language television shows of all time. Rich with grueling authenticity, strong performances, and a winding story of violence and power, Gomorrah boasts many of the same strengths as The Sopranos and is a splendid series for lovers of crime dramas who may not indulge in international series that often.
Gomorrah
Genre Crime Drama
Language Italian
Number of Seasons 5
Debut Date May 6, 2014
5 'Ozark' (2017-2022)
Created by Bill Dubuque & Mark Williams
Image via Netflix
Thriving on the coattails of the success of series like Breaking Bad, Ozarkthrives across its four-season run as one of Netflix’s best original forays into crime television. It follows Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman), an ordinary financial advisor, as he is forced to uproot his family and relocate to the Lake of the Ozarks region of Missouri when he finds himself indebted to the Mexican Cartel. The Byrde family are forced to find their feet quickly to meet the demands of the cartel while clashing with local criminals as well.
Whatever it lacks in regard to searing realism and authenticity, it more than makes up with its sheer entertainment factor and palpable suspense. The Byrde family dynamic alone is entrancing, with Marty's pragmatic and low-key approach often clashing with his wife's—Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney)—ambitious aspirations tied to her background in public relations and politics. Rich with drama, violence, and a litany of engrossing characters, Ozark excels as a pulse-raising crime series from its very first moments.
Transpiring amid the Prohibition era with a grounded basis on real-life events, Boardwalk Empiremarries the enticing intrigue of historical drama with the gritty suspense of crime drama. It focuses on “Nucky” Thompson (Steve Buscemi), an Atlantic City political figure who conspires with notorious gangsters, government agents, and rival politicians to propel his career and his fortunes. His dealings and his immense success see the federal government take a special interest in his operations.
As evidenced by the fact that the pilot episode was directed by Martin Scorsese, Boardwalk Empire was released at a time when television entertainment was beginning to truly establish itself as a medium with the prestige and prowess to rival film. In addition to its brilliant cast and smart writing, the series also thrives with its decadent visual style and its fascinating incorporation of historical figures.
The series that immediately picked up the mantle placed by The Sopranos upon its conclusion in 2007, Breaking Badboasts a concentrated vibrancy as it focuses on Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) descent into crime. A high school science teacher living with regret, Walter decides to begin cooking methamphetamine as a means to provide for his family when he is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Teaming up with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), the duo cross paths with a variety of criminal personalities while making millions of dollars.
There are many who regard Breaking Bad to be the single greatest television series of all time, and it is easy to see why. Its story is rife with suspense, its characters are all deeply flawed yet completely engaging, and its subtle inflection of comedic nous beautifully complements its dramatic plot. Coupled with the spin-off series Better Call Saul, the Breaking Bad franchise at large is among the best ever put to the small screen.
Release Date January 20, 2008
CastBryan Cranston , Aaron Paul , Dean Norris , Betsy Brandt , Anna Gunn , RJ Mitte , Bob Odenkirk , Jonathan Banks , Giancarlo Esposito , Steven Michael Quezada , Charles Baker , Christopher Cousins , Matt Jones , Michael Shamus Wiles , Lavell Crawford , Jesse Plemons , Ray Campbell , Tina Parker , Carmen Serano , Emily Rios , Krysten Ritter , Laura Fraser , Jeremiah Bitsui , Mark Margolis , Ian Posada , David House , David Costabile , michael bowen , Kevin Rankin , Aaron Hill , Harry Groener , Patrick Sane , Daniel Moncada , Luis Moncada , Marius Stan , Bill Burr , Todd Terry , Jessica Hecht , Tait Fletcher , Rodney Rush , Kaija Roze Bales , Matt Metzler , John de Lancie , Tom Kiesche , Jere Burns , Maurice Compte , Morse Bicknell , Nigel Gibbs , Tess Harper , Raymond Cruz , Max Arciniega , Cesar Garcia , Jesus Jr. , Michael Bofshever , Julie Dretzin , Mike Seal , Christopher Dempsey , Javier Grajeda , Mike Batayeh , Chris Freihofer , Louis Ferreira , Gonzalo Menendez , Jason Douglas , Adam Godley
There are few characters who resemble Tony Soprano quite as closely as Mad Men’s Don Draper (Jon Hamm). Whereas Soprano is a ruthless mob boss, Draper is an advertising man in 1960s New York. While a charismatic figure revered for his genius in both marketing and negotiation, Don Draper lives an enigmatic life steeped in secrecy and self-indulgence as he aimlessly drifts through family experiences, extra-marital affairs, and work milestones in pursuit of some elusive form of lasting satisfaction.
While the two leading men have a lot in common, Mad Men proves to be far more than just a one-man show, following an ensemble of characters in the advertising industry as it examines how societal norms changed and evolved throughout the 1960s. As an aspect of its impeccable writing, Mad Men brilliantly interweaves historical events with the fictional characters to portray what the changing times meant to many different people. Complemented by the exceptional acting by all involved, Mad Men is another defining highlight of television’s golden era.
If The Sopranos is not the greatest crime series in television history, then that mantle simply has to go to The Wire. Created by Baltimore crime reporter David Simon, the series is a scintillating examination of the city’s drug trade and police efforts to combat it, exploring morality, corruption, and strategy on both sides of the law with the ever-expanding lens with which it analyzes the city’s crime scape.
Fiercely intelligent and brutally realistic, the series pulls no punches as it depicts issues such as police brutality and the predatory nature of the drug trade while also examining the political manipulation that masks and shelters such urgent issues. Astonishing in scope and utterly impeccable in the quality with which it is presented, The Wire thrives not only as a masterful work of large-scale crime drama, but as a piercing portrait of some of society’s greatest systemic faults laid bare.
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