There are iconic crime dramas and then there’s Breaking Bad. The Emmy-winning classic is widely regarded as one of the best TV shows of all time, with Bryan Cranston starring as the chemistry teacher-turned-drug kingpin Walter White and Aaron Paul playing his ill-fated underling Jesse Pinkman. Breaking Bad stands the test of time because it’s not fixated with glorifying a life of crime. Rather, it humanises the people who choose a life of violence with nail-biting plot twists.
If you miss Breaking Bad and are looking for similar shows to watch, our guide offers you many more options that you can stream, buy or rent in India.
Better Call Saul
Better Call Saul is a prequel to Breaking Bad, mostly focusing on the opportunistic lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk). You can binge watch this Netflix classic as both a darkly funny legal comedy and a heartbreaking human drama as Saul is tested to his limits in every passing episode.
Narcos
Inspired by real-life druglords like Pablo Escobar, this Netflix hit is a fact-based look into the cocaine trade in South American countries like Colombia. With convincing performances by Wagner Moura, Pedro Pascal and others, Narcos stands above the usual crime drama formula and makes for a heavily entertaining watch.
Your Honor
If you need to watch more content starring Bryan Cranston, try out this serious legal drama. Your Honor stars Cranston as an idealistic judge who must question his morals after his own son is involved in a crime.
The Sopranos
Before Breaking Bad, the all-time greatest crime show was easily The Sopranos. The HBO classic touched upon the personal and professional life of New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini). Much like Breaking Bad, The Sopranos was an unconventional take on the crime genre with audiences witnessing not just gang violence but also the human evolution of the ones involved in this violence.
Mad Men
When it comes to morally grey antiheroes on TV like Walter White, Mad Men’s Don Draper (Jon Hamm) can offer some competition. The exceptionally well-written 60s-era drama traces the journey of a New York ad firm. Hamm shines as Draper, a ruthlessly ambitious ad man with a mysterious past.
The Wire
With characters like Hank in focus, Breaking Bad also went in detail to explore law enforcement perspectives. The Wire is one such show that exposes both corrupt and moralistic police officers, taking place in the backdrop of a crumbling, drug-addicted city.
Animal Kingdom
Inspired by the Australian movie of the same name, Animal Kingdom is a story of a crime family and the loyalties that are tested within. While Walter White doesn’t wish for his family to join his business, the emotional challenges that he and his loved ones go through are similar.
Queen of the South
Queen of the South is an exciting show to watch if you like female-led crime dramas. Alice Braga stars as Teresa, a drug lord who seeks revenge from a cartel for murdering her boyfriend. Just like Breaking Bad, the show oozes with the ups and downs of the drug business along with unpredictable plot twists.
Succession
As Breaking Bad progresses, what’s interesting to note is how Walter White reaches new lows as a family man. If watching “dysfunctional families under selfish fathers” is your go-to content, then don’t look further than Succession. Brian Cox plays a mean-faced business mogul who competes with his equally greedy children.
Kaleidoscope
If you enjoyed Giancarlo Esposito’s spine-chilling performance as Breaking Bad’s Gus Fring, Kaleidoscope should be your next watch. He stars in a vastly different role as a master-thief but the way he leads his team through a journey of danger and betrayal will remind you of that Gus Fring-ruthlessness.
The list below shows you how and where you can watch all of these shows on Indian streaming services.
