Published Mar 2, 2026, 7:00 PM EST
Shealyn Scott is a Senior Writer at Screen Rant. She has been writing for the site since 2024, focused on network, reality, streaming, and classic television.
A creative writer, journalist, and lover of the written word in all its forms, Shealyn enjoys deconstructing scenes from her favorite shows, using context clues and historical precedent to predict major plot points (which, due to her successful track record, has sparked rumors of clairvoyancy).
As an award-winning student journalist, Shealyn spent her college years advocating for the humanities while studying English Literature. Her love of storytelling propelled her to expand her degree with minors in Writing and History, believing life to be a mere collection of stories that can be framed in as many ways as a movie scene.
As a Senior member of the TV Team, Shealyn treats the series she covers like books, analyzing every line, camera angle, and lighting choice. Thankfully, her personal mission statement lines up perfectly with Screen Rant: every creative work deserves just as much thought from the viewer as it received from its creator.
Without question, MobLand is an instant classic, but there are plenty of crime dramas to turn to while awaiting its sophomore season. Upon its 2025 release, MobLand became one of Paramount+'s most successful series, thanks largely to Tom Hardy's incredible performance as Harry Da Souza, professional fixer for one of London's most prolific crime dynasties: the fearsome Harrigan family.
As tensions rise between the Harrigans and the competing Stevenson clan, Harry finds himself struggling to keep the peace and prevent a full-blown turf war. Yet, his employers have agendas of their own that threaten Harry and the Harrigan team at large. MobLand season 2 will only build on its intriguing foundation, but these alternatives are perfect for the meantime.
Mr Inbetween
2018-2021
Based on Scott Ryan's 2005 film The Magician, Mr Inbetween follows the wiles of Raymond "Ray" Shoesmith (Ryan), a renowned hitman working out of Sydney, Australia. By day, Ray is a devoted father who struggles with being his brother's sole caretaker. By night, however, Ray becomes The Magician, carrying out hits ordered by criminal masterminds and compartmentalizing his own issues.
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Mr Inbetween is one of the best Aussie crime dramas ever made, but it's doubly impressive when you remember it was created, written, and led by Scott Ryan. The action sequences are frequent but always expertly handled, and there's real emotional depth to Ray and his strained relationships that cuts through the drama nicely.
Love/Hate
2010-2014
When it comes to underrated European crime dramas, few deserve as much reflection as Love/Hate. The Irish serial centered on the dark underbelly of Dublin, first heralded by kingpin John Boy (Aidan Gillen) and his four subordinates. As the show progressed, however, the focus shifted to the psychological impact of gang violence and organized criminal activity.
Love/Hate is already lauded as a cult classic in Ireland, but the drama— for the most part— holds up nearly 16 years after its initial release. The ensemble cast delivers unforgettable performances, the cinematography consistently keeps the viewer on their toes, and the disturbing storylines all serve to underscore the brutality of Dublin's organized crime.
Peaky Blinders
2013-2022
Image via NetflixNetflix's Peaky Blinders is so acclaimed, it practically needs no introduction. Starring Cillian Murphy as godfather Thomas "Tommy" Shelby, the historical drama follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders gang throughout the early 20th century, stretching to the 1930s. Across Peaky Blinders' six seasons, Tommy oscillates between protagonist and antagonist, never quite finding his moral compass.
The period piece wisely makes use of anachronisms— like using Radiohead for iconic needle drops— but nothing truly takes the viewer out of the wildly immersive world of post-World War I Birmingham, England. Peaky Blinders' star-studded cast only bolsters its stellar writing, making it a one-of-a-kind crime drama that won't be forgotten any time soon.
Boardwalk Empire
2010-2014
Similarly, Boardwalk Empire is set in the Prohibition era of the 1920s. Steve Buscemi gets the rare opportunity to flaunt his dramatic acting chops as Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, the most powerful man in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Aside from leveraging his position as Atlantic County Treasurer for more political acumen, Nucky delves deep into the market of bootlegged liquor.
Over a decade after its series finale, Boardwalk Empire is still celebrated as one of HBO's most overlooked masterpieces. Without drowning itself in exposition, the crime drama feels tethered to reality thanks to its seamless incorporation of real United States history. Furthermore, despite ending in 2014, Boardwalk Empire may be the best work of Buscemi's entire career.
The Penguin
2024
Crime dramas, by nature, are fueled by tragedy. Whether it's a period piece that reflects a dire moment in history or a contemporary story that revolves around desperation and hopelessness, there's an edge that can make the realistic plots hard to swallow. Thankfully, The Penguin sidesteps this obstacle completely by taking place in Gotham City.
The Penguin is a delightfully tense, super-powered crime drama...
In one of the best limited series of the decade, Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell) tries to replace his late kingpin boss— just as his daughter, dangerous killer Sofia Gigante (Cristin Milioti), returns to join the power struggle. Whether you love comic books or don't even know what DC stands for, The Penguin is a delightfully tense, super-powered crime drama.
Banshee
2013-2016
Shows like MobLand typically keep a harsh divide between the less-than-legal main characters and their police counterparts, but Banshee subverts that trope with a fascinating twist. After being released from prison, an unnamed thief tracks down his former lover and accomplice in an attempt to recover the diamonds that sent him to jail.
Once he makes it to the titular town, the ex-convict assumes the identity of a man named Lucas Hood— Banshee's Sheriff. As he begins his new con, however, his former boss (Ben Cross' Mr. Rabbit) begins plotting his own revenge. Beyond being one of Antony Starr's best shows, Banshee intrinsically understands how to craft a killer mystery, season after season.
Tulsa King
2022-Present
When high-profile New York mafia member Dwight "The General" Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone) completes his 25-year prison sentence, he's unexpectedly sent on assignment to Tulsa, Oklahoma. After finding his footing, Dwight begins building a new team from the ground up, navigating cross-country culture shocks and a budding relationship with a local ATF agent.
A spinoff to Tulsa King, titled NOLA King, is in development with Samuel L. Jackson attached as the lead actor.
Ahead of Tulsa King season 4, the stakes are at an all-time high for Dwight and his unconventional syndicate. Yet, what sets Tulsa King apart from its many contemporaries is its comedy. There are just as many life-threatening twists and turns, but the Paramount+ title knows when to give its audience some much-needed reprieve.
Kin
2021-2023
Perfect crime dramas are few and far between, but Kin certainly belongs in the conversation. The 2021 series focuses on Irish gangland wars, namely between two rival groups: the Kinsellas and the Cunninghams. When a sudden death rattles the Kinsella clan, the family must decide whether to seek vengeance or a truce with their terrifying opponent, Eamon Cunningham (Ciarán Hinds).
With enrapturing performances by ensemble members like Charlie Cox (Michael Kinsella) and Clare Dunne (Amanda Kinsella), Kin is a love letter to acting rather than mere run-of-the-mill action. Its record-breaking run may have stopped short after two seasons, but Kin's legacy will surely live on for years to come.
Taboo
2017
Long before he stole the show in MobLand, Tom Hardy's role in Taboo proved to be one of his best. In the historical crime drama, Hardy portrays James Keziah Delaney, who returns to London in 1814 following his father's death. For 8 enthralling episodes, Delaney thwarts assassination attempts by the United States, the East India Company, and the Crown itself.
Taboo
Release Date 2017 - 2017-00-00
Network BBC One
Showrunner Steven Knight
Directors Anders Engström
While Delaney isn't a perfect replacement for Harry Da Souza, Taboo hits on many of the same themes as MobLand, albeit in a different time period. Still, although nothing will hit exactly the same as MobLand, the best crime dramas can fill the void with something entirely new as the wait for season 2 continues.
English (US) ·