It’s hard to believe that Breaking Bad has been off the air for over a decade. The criminal thriller ended its five-season run on the network in 2013, and the series has racked up so many prizes that it’s ridiculous: Emmys, Golden Globes, Peabody Awards, Critics’ Choice Awards, and more. The storyline has even gone down in history as the most critically lauded show of all time, according to Guinness World Records. That isn’t something you can say about just any show! However, if you’re seeking for something similar to Breaking Bad, we have a few suggestions.
Breaking Bad already has a prequel series, Better Call Saul, and a feature-length film, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, coming out in 2019. If you’re a dedicated Breaking Bad fan looking for more, those might be nice places to start. But if you’ve already sped through those two, we’ve also compiled a list of shows that are similar to Breaking Bad. We hope you appreciate them just as much as you enjoyed Walter White (Bryan Cranston). Here are seven shows that are similar to Breaking Bad on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and other streaming services:
‘Better Call Saul’
Breaking Bad’s spinoff series, Better Call Saul, is just as critically regarded as its predecessor. Saul Goodman a.k.a. Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), the pro counsel for meth dealer Walter White, is the focus of the series. But he wasn’t always an expert — the series begins as Saul is learning his way through the judicial system. Saul is always rooting for his lower-income customers, with the help of private eye Mike Ehrmantraut, who assists him in resolving all of the sticky situations he finds himself in.
‘Fargo’
If you liked Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, you might enjoy the crime anthology series Fargo. The show is based on the legendary Coen Brothers film Fargo, and it follows little communities in the Midwest that are engulfed in crime and punishment. Each season follows a different mystery, complete with high-stakes drama, bumbling detectives, and plenty of thrills. Fargo’s most recent season featured Chris Rock in a huge mafia drama storyline in which two feuding gangs in the area were introduced.
‘Orange is the New Black’
More meaty crime dramas to sink your teeth into! Orange is the New Black was one of Netflix’s first major original programs, and it’s a must-see for Breaking Bad lovers. The story follows Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), a brilliant PR executive whose life is turned upside down when her past catches up with her. Her life is turned entirely upside down when she is condemned to a Connecticut women’s jail. She must learn to live in a prison environment while befriending fascinating new people.
After an unsuccessful, highly risky money laundering scheme goes wrong in Ozark, Jason Bateman and his family must flee with their children. Marty Byrde, a family patriarch who has been separating himself from his family in order to pull off heists, is played by him. However, his activities catch up with him, putting his entire family in jeopardy. A voyage to the Lake of Ozarks might be able to help them reunite their family and save themselves, but they’ll have to work together to get there.
‘Queen of the South’
Queen of the South is another high-conviction drama, but instead of Odenkirk’s Walter White, Alice Braga’s Teresa Mendoza takes the reins. Teresa is a major drug lord’s girlfriend. Her boyfriend is slain while she continues to hope and pray that their love would triumph over the dangers and long hours at work. She is left on her own, which she manages admirably. She does so well that she simply takes over her late boyfriend’s cartel and runs it on her own.
‘Sons of Anarchy’
The grim crime thriller Sons of Anarchy follows a motorcycle gang. The show revolves around Jax Teller, a single parent who frequently finds himself questioning his allegiance to the gang as their lawlessness becomes almost too much to handle. While the club defends and controls the region, keeping drug traffickers out of business, their activities quickly turn into a black market for weaponry. Like Breaking Bad, it sounds like a lot of undercover labor!
‘The Wire’
The Wire, like Breaking Bad, is a crime drama told from multiple perspectives. The Wire never hesitates to portray the criminals, drug lords, and journalists engaged, as well as the police, from their point of view. Baltimore was portrayed in a fresh light in the hit HBO drama, with a focus on the bureaucracy, schools, and news media. The Emmys, the Television Critics Association, and other organizations nominated David Simon’s series for a number of accolades.
