Even though Breaking Bad ended 10 years ago, it has held up remarkably well and continues to be streamed, drawing both new viewers and longtime fans. The exploits of this antihero teacher, who turned into a drug kingpin, are still entertaining to watch. Nevertheless, there remains a desire for grittier, rich, crime-focused television programs.
This Emmy-winning drama features Bryan Cranston, who played a high school chemistry teacher. He formed an odd partnership with his former student, Aaron Paul, a dealer and cook of crystal methamphetamine, to sustain his family following his diagnosis of a terminal illness. The fans were eagerly absorbed for the entire 5 seasons of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. Nevertheless, the program is still incredibly popular, and new fans are exploring it every day.
However, audiences always seek a fresh crime drama to feel the same enthusiasm. You will be able to relive some of the tremendous brilliance of Breaking Bad with the help of excellent programs. Here are 9 similar dramas based on drug use and familial conflict with great suspense.
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1. Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
Stream on – Netflix
Many fans of Breaking Bad haven’t witnessed Better Call Saul yet. With the return of cunning attorney Saul Goodman in the title role, it was praised by critics and audiences. However, fans can witness some of the most iconic characters from Breaking Bad, like Mike Ehrmantraut, the famous Gus Fring, Tuco Salamanca, and others.
While there are certain contrasts between Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, particularly in its emphasis on law, fans soon recognize the show’s relevancy and enjoy its slower-paced storyline. The show swiftly creates its unique characters that grow to be just as significant to the whole universe as characters from Breaking Bad.
2. Fargo (2014-2024)
Stream on – Hulu
Compared to other Breaking Bad-like episodes, this series is a spinoff of the cult blockbuster film Fargo and highlights a more intense and brutal approach. The show features several geeky and frequently damaged antiheroes. However, as anticipated from a Coen Brothers production, there is still plenty of similar dark and dry comedy thrown in.
Amidst the bleak, wintry backdrops of Minnesota and North Dakota, there are several intense, distinctive crime adventures, corruptions, and cover-ups, as the name Fargo somewhat suggests. Dramatic characters like Colin Hanks and Billy Bob Thornton, in addition to Breaking Bad’s star Bob Odenkirk, brought this engaging, depressing story to life a memorable performance.
3. Prison Break (2005 – 2017)
Stream on – Hulu
Similar to Breaking Bad, Prison Break is a highly intense show with a smart plot. Wentworth Miller played the main character, Michael Scofield, who came up with a scheme to free his brother after he was falsely accused of a criminal act and given the death penalty. Michael intentionally stays in his brother’s cell so that both of them can escape from prison together. On his entire body, he has tattoos of jail maps.
When Prison Break debuted, it was an immediate hit and quickly gained popularity. Although the show has declined its popularity in subsequent seasons, due to its same storyline, its first 2 seasons are still highly recommended for fans of complex crime dramas like Breaking Bad.
4. Narcos (2015 – 2017)
Stream on – Netflix
Narcos, which is set in 1980s Colombia, centers on Pablo Escobar, a real-life narcotics lord (played by Wagner Moura). His control over the distribution of cocaine made him a billionaire. The show features Pablo’s gradual rise and eventual fall as numerous DEA agents put in great effort to track him down.
The show Narcos is a well-balanced plot with high intellectual strategy and centers around an antagonist whose reign of terror is genuine. Quite similar to Walter White, who turned out to be a villain in the final stages. The impact of a villainous figure like Pablo on the actual world, especially those they interact with closely, is depicted in the series.
5. The Wire (2002 – 2008)
Stream on – Amazon Prime, Hulu, HBO Max
The show Breaking Bad is overly fixated on drugs and ultimately highlights the main contrasts between the powerful and the weak addicts. Similar power dynamics are addressed in The Wire but in a completely different way. It emphasizes law enforcement agencies and the participants at the street level. The characters in The Wire are interesting, and the protagonists themselves are fairly engaging and have unique characteristics of their own.
While Breaking Bad is more of an individualistic fiction concerning self-worth, The Wire masterfully explores the social consequences of narcotics. Although the programs take quite different approaches, Breaking Bad’s portrayal of Albuquerque feels exactly as real as The Wire’s Baltimore.
6. The Sopranos’ (1999 – 2007)
Stream on – HBO Max
The Sopranos, which stars James Gandolfini as mob leader Tony Soprano, is another most significant TV show for every generation. The show depicts his adventures as the leader of his criminal family while he manipulates his wife and kids. The show revolves around Tony’s struggle to maintain a balance between these two lifestyles.
It’s common to refer to Breaking Bad, The Wire, and The Sopranos as the best television series. Each actor and staff member performs at the pinnacle of their craft. The Sopranos, in particular, did a fantastic job and attracted audiences into its complicated and confusing world. The outcome is a starring character who becomes famous for playing Tony Soprano, similar to the character Walter White.
7. Sons Of Anarchy ( 2008-2014)
Stream on – Hulu
In Sons of Anarchy, the protagonists’ criminal backgrounds and how this affects their daily lives are similar to Breaking Bad. Sons of Anarchy is a fantastic show for admirers of Breaking Bad. The show likewise heavily emphasizes the subject of family conflict.
The narrative of Sons of Anarchy focuses on the motorcycle gang and its connections to other motor organizations around the country. The sons are turning on and spying on one another when they aren’t engaging in open-air battles with competitors. Throughout the seasons, the tension between the main protagonist, Jax Teller, and the stepdad, Clay Morrow, deepens with implications for the entire team.
8. Ozark (2017 – 2022)
Stream on – Netflix
After a money laundering operation goes out of hand, financial expert Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) is forced to move with his family to the Missouri Ozarks. Marty, who owes a Mexican organization a significant amount of money, develops a new plan that would pay off even more as he tries hard to repay the debt, and his family also gets engaged with local criminals.
Throughout its 4 seasons, Ozark achieved praise from the public, demonstrating its significant popularity for Netflix. The series looks at how crime affects an average family and also focuses on the culprits they interact with. Few audiences and critics consider it to qualify as one of the finest television programs, similar to Breaking Bad.
9. Peaky Blinders (2013 – 2022)
Stream on – Netflix
Peaky Blinders, which is set in Birmingham in the years following World War I, centers on the famous character of Tommy Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy. He claims to be the boss of a violent street gang. The show follows Shelby and his gang members’ adventures as they fight the police and other groups.
Even if you missed Peaky Blinders, you can watch the show anytime. It will blow your mind with intense action scenes. Peaky Blinders was incredibly popular during its 6th season run. Many viewers consider its British perspective on the criminal world to be a pleasant change of tone from shows like Breaking Bad.
