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I sat down with Bryan Cranston, who played Walter White, just a few weeks ago to munch on chips and guacamole and sip Dos Hombres’ new tequila. The spirit is a passion project between Cranston and his Breaking Bad co-star, Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman. As it turns out, Breaking Bad had just been crowned the best television show of the 21st century by The New York Times, turning our afternoon into a celebratory happy hour. Fans of all ages quickly swarmed the actor for photos, proving that the five-season series, which premiered in 2008, continues to captivate new generations of viewers.
“I’m exceedingly proud of that,” Cranston later told People when asked about the accolade. If you’ve already binge-watched the series and are craving another show filled with morally complex characters, high-stakes drama, and plenty of suspense, we’ve got you covered. From Dexter to Narcos, these eight gripping series deserve a spot on your fall watchlist.
1) Better Call Saul
This list can’t exist without mentioning Breaking Bad’shighly acclaimed prequel and spin-off series, Better Call Saul. The six-season show follows attorney Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) as he tries to build his career in New Mexico. He’s a morally gray character drawn to criminal activity, with famous faces you’ll recognize from Breaking Badepisodes.
2) e net Ozark
Marty Byrde, played by Jason Bateman, moves his family from a big city to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. His two kids adjust to the new town, while Byrde is recruited to launder millions of dollars for the Mexican drug cartel over a five-year span. This dark, twisted four-season crime drama will have you clutching your seat at every turn.
3) e net Narcos
The three-season series documents the height of Colombia’s drug cartels, which are later dismantled by DEA agents. The first two seasons follow leader Pablo Escobar and the group’s violent crimes, while the third season focuses on the aftermath of the cartel after Escobar dies. With only 10 episodes per season, you’ll get through it in no time.
4) The Sopranos
This iconic crime drama centers on Italian-American mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini). The mobster goes back and forth between his criminal endeavors and his troubled family hierarchy, suffering from panic attacks that lead him to see a psychiatrist. Over six seasons and 86 episodes, it’s a psychological mind game that dives into themes of power struggle and living a double life.
5) The Wire
Idris Elba, Wendell Pierce, and Michael B. Jordan are just a few famous names who appear in The Wire. The five-season series, which originally debuted on HBO, highlights the flaws of Baltimore’s societal institutions (from the illegal drug trade to local politics). Viewers see the world through the eyes of criminals and cops throughout the series, making it an undeniably compelling watch.
6) e net El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
No, you don’t need to watch Better Call Saulbefore pressing play onEl Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. The series surprised fans by announcing a follow-up movie, which debuted in 2019 and expanded on Jesse Pinkman’s journey. The former drug cook sets out to start fresh in Alaska, but his past wrongdoings still catch up to him.
7) Snowfall
Another drug-fueled series, Snowfall, focuses on the 1980s crack cocaine outbreak in Los Angeles. The crime drama debuted in 2017 and ran through 2023, and it follows complicated characters like a CIA operative caught in the middle and a crime lord’s daughter. If you’re fascinated by the ins and outs of a large drug empire, then this is certainly the show for you.
8) Dexter
Dexter,which debuted in 2006 and ran for eight seasons, is for those who find crime thrilling. The main character, Dexter Morgan, lives a double life, working as a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami police department while secretly working as a serial killer. The character specifically targets murderers and criminals who he feels didn’t receive the justice they deserved. The series spawned several spin-offs and sequels, including Dexter: Early Cuts and Dexter: Original Sin.
9) Breaking Bad
We couldn’t finish off this list without including the show that started it all: Breaking Bad. The five-season series follows Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher, who is looking for a payout to support his family after being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. White pairs up with former student, Jessie Pinkman, to cook and distribute meth. It’s got violence, trauma, and extreme moral conflict that *almost* makes you root for the bad guys.
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