Copyright Screen Rant
The Sopranos is one of the best TV shows of all time, and, unsurprisingly, some TV shows have tried to replace it, but didn’t really succeed. Created by David Chase, The Sopranos is a crime drama TV show that aired on HBO from 1999 to 2007. The Sopranos starred James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, the boss of the DiMeo crime family. The Sopranos follows Tony’s struggles in his job, with his family, and with himself, as he begins to go to therapy due to constant anxiety attacks. The Sopranos is one of the very rare cases of a perfect TV show where each season got better and better, and it further made TV history with its unforgettable, albeit somewhat controversial, finale. The Sopranos is widely regarded as one of the most influential TV shows of all time, inspiring many other shows since then. While many clearly learned from The Sopranos, others felt like they tried to take its place, and though that didn’t happen, they succeeded in their own ways. The Americans Six Seasons The Americans is a period spy drama series created by Joe Weisberg. The Americans aired on FX from 2013 to 2018, and it took its audience back to the Cold War. The Americans follows American couple Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell), who are actually two Soviet KGB intelligence officers. The Americans sees their struggles to raise their American-born children while maintaining their cover, especially as their neighbor, Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich), is an FBI agent. The Americans follows the tension between Philip and Elizabeth, both as a couple and as spies, more so as things begin to complicate in the latter part of their lives. In addition to both being crime dramas, The Americans is often seen as a show that tried to replace The Sopranos thanks to its themes of family, a double lifestyle, psychological depth, and the family’s secrets. The Americans didn’t take The Sopranos’ place, but it’s often named among the best TV dramas of all time. Deadwood Three Seasons Deadwood is a Western TV series created by David Milch. Deadwood aired on HBO from 2004 to 2006, and it’s set in the late 1870s in Deadwood, South Dakota. Deadwood follows the ruthless owner of The Gem Saloon, Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), and principled lawman Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant), who has just arrived in town. Deadwood follows both historical and fictional figures, whose paths intersect as they all try to do their best in the conditions of the time. Deadwood is now regarded as one of the best Western TV shows of all time, and though it has a completely different time setting than The Sopranos, it has been compared to it. Deadwood, like The Sopranos, has complex and morally ambiguous characters, and addresses themes of power and leadership. Deadwood’s impact was such that it got a movie that aired on HBO in 2019. The Shield Seven Seasons The Shield is a crime drama TV show created by Shawn Ryan, which aired on FX from 2002 to 2008. Set in Los Angeles, The Shield focuses on an experimental division of the LAPD set up in a district plagued by gangs, drug trafficking, and various other crimes. Of course, the team’s mission is to reduce crime and maintain peace. Leading the division is the Strike Team, formed by Detectives Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), Shane Vendrell (Walton Goggins), Curtis Lemansky (Kenny Johnson), and Ronnie Gardocki (David Rees Snell). The team uses criminal methods to get information, stage arrests, and more, and though they succeed, their methods raise suspicions with the division’s head. The Shield is seen as a show that tried to replace The Sopranos thanks to it being a crime drama (though with more action than The Sopranos), its morally ambiguous main characters, and for having a main character that falls into anti-hero territory. The Wire Five Seasons The Wire is a crime drama TV show created by David Simon, and it’s yet another great show that aired on HBO, this one between 2002 and 2008. Set in Baltimore, Maryland, The Wire focuses on the drug trade in town and how this connects with city politics, police enforcement, the media, the school system, and more. Although it didn’t get the recognition it deserved and didn’t reach a wide audience during its initial release, The Wire has gained a cult following as years have passed, and it’s now regarded as one of the best TV shows of all time. As such, The Wire is often compared to The Sopranos, with many debating which one is the reigning HBO crime drama. Like The Sopranos, The Wire explores corruption (from a different perspective, though), its characters are morally ambiguous, and it explores the death of the American dream. The Wire didn’t take The Sopranos’ place, instead making a place of its own. Boardwalk Empire Five Seasons Boardwalk Empire is a period crime drama created by Terence Winter and based on Nelson Johnson’s 2002 non-fiction book Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City. Boardwalk Empire also aired on HBO from 2010 to 2014, and it takes the audience to Atlantic City during the Prohibition era of the 1920s and 1930s. Boardwalk Empire follows Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (Steve Buscemi), the corrupt treasurer of Atlantic County and the most powerful political figure. Nucky builds an illegal empire by orchestrating bootlegging operations, and the show follows his struggles to maintain control as he faces rival gangsters, federal scrutiny, and more. Boardwalk Empire and The Sopranos both cover organized crime figures, though in very different time settings, places, and contexts. While The Sopranos explored the decline of the mob, Boardwalk Empire saw its rise, and there are some interesting parallels between Nucky and Tony. Breaking Bad Five Seasons One of the most acclaimed TV shows of all time has also been compared to The Sopranos: Breaking Bad. Created by Vince Gilligan, Breaking Bad aired on AMC from 2008 to 2013, and it introduced the world to one of the best TV anti-heroes of all time: Walter White (Bryan Cranston). Walter White is a high school chemistry teacher in Albuquerque, New Mexico. When White is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, he begins to make meth to secure his family's financial future. With the help of his former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), White rises in the drug business. Of course, this brings problems for White with his family, the DEA, and drug cartels. The protagonists of Breaking Bad and The Sopranos are heavily involved in crime organizations, with their shows exploring their moral descent and struggles as family men and crime lords. Like other TV shows on this list, Breaking Bad didn’t dethrone The Sopranos, but created its own seat at the top. Succession Four Seasons Another big HBO hit that has been compared to The Sopranos is Succession, which aired from 2018 to 2023. Created by Jesse Armstrong, Succession is a satirical black comedy drama TV show that follows the Roy family, owners of Waystar RoyCo, a global media and entertainment conglomerate. Leading the family is Logan Roy (Brian Cox), with his children Connor (Alan Ruck), Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Shiv (Sarah Snook) fighting for control of the company when Logan’s health begins to decline. Succession is one of the best TV shows of the 2020s, as well as one of the best of all time.
