Breaking Bad is an American crime drama by Vince Gilligan that aired on AMC from January 20, 2008, to September 29, 2013: five seasons, 62 episodes. It is set in Albuquerque: high school chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston), after learning that he has lung cancer, starts making and selling methamphetamine with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) to provide for his family. The series won 16 Emmy Awards. We picked ten series that echo this story: a prequel from the same world, HBO classics about the mob and the police, stories about ordinary people who cross the line, and dramas about real drug lords and gangs. Each entry gives the years it ran, the channel or service, the length and a reason to watch, without spoilers. This is not a ranking: we do not invent our own ratings or viewing figures. We take English titles from English Wikipedia, and the data was checked on October 21, 2026.
Better Call Saul
Official trailer · “Better Call Saul” (2015)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Still Watching Netflix YouTube channel
Better Call Saul is a Breaking Bad spin-off from Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, mostly a prequel. It begins in the early 2000s in Albuquerque, several years before Walter White’s story: former con man Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) tries to become a lawyer, and the series shows how he gradually turns into attorney Saul Goodman. In parallel, it follows Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), a former police officer who becomes a “fixer” for drug dealers. The series aired from February 8, 2015, to August 15, 2022. Why watch: the closest relative of the original, with the same world and some familiar characters.
Ozark
Official trailer · “Ozark” (2017)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Netflix YouTube channel
Ozark is a Netflix crime drama created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams. Marty and Wendy Byrde (Jason Bateman and Laura Linney) move their family to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri to keep laundering money for a Mexican drug cartel. The first three seasons have 10 episodes each, and the final fourth season has 14. Bateman also directed some of the episodes and won the 2019 Emmy for directing, while Julia Garner won three times for Outstanding Supporting Actress. Why watch: as with Walter White, an ordinary family sinks deeper and deeper into the criminal world.
Dexter
Official trailer · “Dexter” (2006)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Dexter Official YouTube channel
Dexter is a crime series about Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a Miami police blood spatter analyst who secretly leads a double life as a vigilante, hunting down killers who have escaped punishment. The first season is based on Jeff Lindsay’s 2004 novel, and Hall won a Golden Globe for the role. The story continued in other series: since July 2025, Dexter: Resurrection has been airing, with Hall once again in the lead role. Why watch: as in Breaking Bad, events are shown through the eyes of a man who hides his second life from the people close to him.
The Sopranos
Official trailer · “The Sopranos” (1999)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the HBO UK YouTube channel
The Sopranos is David Chase’s crime drama about Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey mob boss. Because of panic attacks, he reluctantly starts seeing a psychiatrist and tries to balance his family life with his criminal one. The series aired on HBO from January 10, 1999, to June 10, 2007, won 21 Emmy Awards and 5 Golden Globes, and critics credit it with launching the “second golden age of television”. Why watch: a classic to measure later crime dramas against.
The Wire
Official trailer · “The Wire” (2002)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the HBO UK YouTube channel
The Wire is an HBO crime drama created by author and former crime reporter David Simon. The idea drew on the experience of his co-writer Ed Burns, a former homicide detective. It is set in Baltimore, and each season shows a new part of city life and its ties to the police: the drug trade, the port, city government, schools and the press. During its original run, the series did not win any major awards, but it later gained cult status. Why watch: the drug trade from both sides, the police and the street.
Narcos
Official trailer · “Narcos” (2015)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Netflix YouTube channel
Narcos is a Netflix crime drama filmed in Colombia. The first two seasons tell the story of real-life drug lord Pablo Escobar, head of the Medellín Cartel (played by Wagner Moura), and the US Drug Enforcement Administration agents hunting him. The third season is devoted to the Cali Cartel. The story was later continued in a separate series, Narcos: Mexico (2018). Why watch: a drug empire shown on the basis of real events; for more films based on true stories, see our selection of movies based on true events.
Sons of Anarchy
Official trailer · “Sons of Anarchy” (2008)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the FX Networks YouTube channel
Sons of Anarchy is Kurt Sutter’s crime drama about an outlaw motorcycle club in the fictional California town of Charming. Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) finds a manifesto written by his late father, the club’s founder, and begins to question himself, his relationships and the club. The series’ themes include brotherhood, loyalty and betrayal. The third season averaged 4.9 million viewers a week, making it FX’s highest-rated series at the time. Why watch: a family drama and a crime saga in one, with motorcycles.
Peaky Blinders
Official trailer · “Peaky Blinders” (2013)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the BBC YouTube channel
Peaky Blinders is Steven Knight’s British historical crime drama about the Shelby family and its gang in Birmingham just after the First World War. The fictional gang has a real-life prototype, a youth street gang that was active in the city from the 1880s to the 1920s. Thomas Shelby is played by Cillian Murphy. The first four seasons aired on BBC Two and the last two on BBC One, and Netflix acquired the international rights. In March 2026, the feature film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man came out, set a few years after the end of the series. Why watch: a gangster saga about a family building a criminal business in a postwar city.
Boardwalk Empire
Official trailer · “Boardwalk Empire” (2010)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the HBO UK YouTube channel
Boardwalk Empire is a historical crime drama by Terence Winter, one of the executive producers of The Sopranos. It is set in 1920s Atlantic City during Prohibition; the protagonist, Nucky Thompson, is played by Steve Buscemi, and the inspiration was a nonfiction book about the city’s real-life criminal boss Enoch L. Johnson. The pilot was directed by Martin Scorsese. The series won 20 Emmy Awards out of 57 nominations and a Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Drama. Why watch: the Prohibition era, where politics is intertwined with smuggling.
Tulsa King
Official trailer · “Tulsa King” (2022)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Paramount Plus YouTube channel
Tulsa King is a crime drama with comedic elements that Taylor Sheridan created for Paramount+. New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone) gets out of prison and is sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he starts building his own criminal organization. It is Stallone’s first lead role in a TV series. The first season premiered in November 2022, and the fourth began on October 16, 2026. Why watch: a lighter-toned option with a charismatic hero, for when you need a break after heavy dramas.
How we chose
Missing Walter White? We’ve gathered crime dramas with the same tension: characters leading double lives who cross the line step by step, the world of drug dealing, and family affairs inside a criminal business. Our picks are based on viewer reviews, critics’ scores and our own viewing experience. If you’ve just finished Breaking Bad, start with Better Call Saul: it’s the same world, with some of the same characters.
What to choose by mood
| What you want | What to pick |
|---|---|
| The same world | Better Call Saul |
| An ordinary person crosses the line | Ozark, Dexter |
| HBO classics | The Sopranos, The Wire, Boardwalk Empire |
| Drug trafficking and the police | The Wire, Narcos, Ozark |
| Gangs and the mob | Sons of Anarchy, Peaky Blinders, Tulsa King |
| Shorter to watch | Narcos (30 episodes), Peaky Blinders (36 episodes) |
If you want a struggle for power but in a fantasy setting, see our selection of series like Game of Thrones.
Tip. If you have just finished Breaking Bad, start with Better Call Saul: it is the same world, so you will recognize some of the characters. For a shorter introduction to the genre, try Narcos: three seasons of 10 episodes each.
Frequently asked questions
In what order should I watch Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul?
The easiest way is in order of release: first Breaking Bad (2008–2013), then Better Call Saul (2015–2022). The prequel also has scenes set during and after the events of the original, so without Breaking Bad you will miss some of the connections. There is also a sequel film, El Camino, released on Netflix in 2019.
Which of these series have already ended?
Better Call Saul, Ozark, The Sopranos, The Wire, Narcos, Sons of Anarchy, Peaky Blinders and Boardwalk Empire have ended. The original Dexter ended in 2013, but other series continue the story. As of October 21, 2026, Tulsa King is still airing: its fourth season began on October 16.
Are any of these series based on real events?
The closest to reality is Narcos, about Pablo Escobar and the cartels. Boardwalk Empire is inspired by a book about a real Atlantic City boss, and the gang in Peaky Blinders has a historical prototype.
Where can I watch these series?
Service catalogs change, so we do not list them. Check the page of the series you want on a service available to you.
Sources
- Breaking Bad (Wikipedia)
- Better Call Saul (Wikipedia)
- The Sopranos (Wikipedia)
- Narcos (Wikipedia)
- Ozark (TV series) (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against Wikipedia on October 21, 2026.
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