Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul in Breaking Bad with Giancarlo Esposito behind themImage via AMC
By
Anja Djuricic
Published 57 minutes ago
Anja Djuricic was born in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1992. Her first interest in film started very early, as she learned to speak English by watching Disney animated movies (and many, many reruns). Anja soon became inspired to learn more foreign languages to understand more movies, so she entered the Japanese language and literature Bachelor Studies at the University of Belgrade.
Anja is also one of the founders of the DJ duo Vazda Garant, specializing in underground electronic music influenced by various electronic genres.
Anja loves to do puzzles in her spare time, pet cats wherever she meets them, and play The Sims. Anja's Letterboxd four includes Memories of Murder, Parasite, Nope, and The Road to El Dorado.
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The one life lesson we can all gather from numerous real-life and fictional examples is that crime doesn't pay. Living a life of crime normally entails lying to loved ones, putting them and oneself in danger, and doing a lot of illegal activities. That's why watching crime shows is a guilty pleasure to so many people—we get to witness the lifestyle we'd never dare embark on ourselves.
The best binge-worthy shows know exactly how to make us fear and care for the protagonist at the same time, whether it's a clear-cut good guy, a really nasty bad guy, or someone in between. If you love to immerse yourself in these types of series, here are some binge-worthy crime shows that got better every season and understood the assignment.
10 'Bosch' (2014–2021)
An image of Titus Welliver as BoschImage via Prime Video
Bosch is a legend around these parts, and while, at first glance, it might seem like a standard police procedural set in LA, it's a crime mystery that slowly grows into a drama filled with great character development. Across its seven seasons, we follow Titus Welliver as the titular character, Harry Bosch, who is a tough and principled detective growing alongside his cases and career and facing off against morally ambiguous figures around him. Bosch was based on the novels of crime author Michael Connelly, who wrote 38 books, out of which 24 feature Harry Bosch as the lead.
Bosch is a serialized crime drama, following the different criminal cases and the personal life of Harry Bosch. Across seasons, the events often mirror the novels and present one big case Bosch has to work on; while he solves the cases, he works on personal issues, too, and each season contains a lesson or a motivation for the protagonist. Bosch turned from a comfort TV show to a beautiful and narratively rich slow burn with more intricate cases and a touching emotional core.
9 'Narcos' / 'Narcos: Mexico' (2015–2021)
Wagner Moura as Pablo Escobar looking sullen in Narcos.Image via Netflix
Narcos was Netflix's ace in the sleeve, because nobody expected it to grow from a somewhat pulpy retelling of the crimes of the Colombian cartel to being a heavy and grounded saga about their most notorious crime lord, Pablo Escobar. The story of Escobar ends with his death (it's not a spoiler at this point), but Narcos ventures into Mexico afterward and continues by following the elaborate crime syndicates of the country, including the rise of the Guadalajara cartel.
Narcos has three seasons, and the first two follow the efforts of the DEA and the local Colombian police to capture the elusive and dangerous Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura). Meanwhile, Escobar builds an empire and spreads terror across his hometown of Medellín; the third season follows the aftermath of Escobar's death and the capture of the Cali Cartel. People were skeptical about Season 3, knowing Escobar was done, but it turned out to be one of the best crime show seasons on Netflix at the time. Narcos: Mexico ventures to Mexico, where Félix Gallardo (Diego Luna), a local police officer turned drug kingpin in Guadalajara, is pursued by his competition and the DEA agent Kiki Camarena (Michael Peña). Every season beats the previous one as it shows the inevitable fall of a turbulent rise to prominence; you'll love every second.
8 'The Shield' (2002–2008)
Michael Chiklis as Vic wearing sunglasses and holding a gun beside a dusty vehicle on The Shield.Image via FX
One of the first of many TV antiheroes was Vic Mackey, the protagonist of The Shield. Did you know, though, that Vic and his crew were inspired by some real-life personalities? The Shield was inspired by the Rampart police corruption scandal from the late 1990s; the show's Strike Team members were based on some of the real police officers involved, with even its name first being advertised as Rampart. The Shield rewards you for going through Season 1, which is, in many people's opinion, rough but promising. From there, it's basically a masterpiece.
The Shield follows an LAPD Strike Team led by the justice-driven yet corrupt Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis). Mackey and his team of detectives use illegal and violent methods of delivering and coercing justice, with Mackey calling his actions "a means to an end." Happily married and a family man, Mackey finds it hard to keep his family due to his increased dishonesty in his professional and personal life. It's a tragedy when you look at the course of action and Mackey's narrative over the seasons; he was among the first to show us that decent men can slip and fall, too, making his downfall feel equally frustrating and satisfying.
7 'Justified' (2010–2015)
Timothy Olyphant's Raylan and Walton Goggins' Boyd on the ground talking in Justified.Image via FX
Television's greatest modern cowboy (sorry, John Dutton) is undoubtedly Raylan Givens; Timothy Olyphant embodies an imperfect justice-driven man whose means of catching criminals are often unconventional, showing us nobody could do it like him. Justified is one of the greatest network TV crime shows, and it gets better the longer you watch it. Season 1 might not be the most gripping, but trust me, Season 2 is brilliant and an indication of greater things from there on out. Justified is also the second show on this list to not be able to function without the talented Walton Goggins, television's greatest character actor (he also stars in The Shield).
Justified follows Miami-based US Marshal Raylan Givens, who delivers justice against a notorious local criminal via a classic cowboy standoff. Since Givens is basically uncontrollable, he's sent back to his Kentucky hometown to be, well, somebody else's problem. The course of the series gives us insight into Givens' personal life and upbringing, as well as inevitable and often forced character growth. The more you watch, the more you're hypnotized by the charming and ruthless heroes and villains, and just great acting overall. It's not been praised this much for nothing.
6 'The Americans' (2013–2018)
Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys in The Americans Season 6, Episode 10, "START" (2018).Image via FX
It's safe to say that The Americans is one of the few shows that grew with unabashed confidence; it's a rare thing. The whole drama is a slow-burn, and it does begin with pretty grounded energy. However, the longer you stick around, the more you're dragged into its immersive atmosphere, visuals, and universe. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys fell in love while making this show, and you'll fall in love with both as you struggle to decide whether to cheer for or against them in some instances. And yet, it's a Cold War crime show.
The Americans is a crime spy thriller set in the 1980s and follows the Jennings family, centered around the parents, Philip (Rhys) and Elizabeth (Russell). Phillip and Elizabeth are actually sleeper KGB agents, and the show depicts the various degrees of their loyalty to the agency. As they're "awakened," their loyalties are tested, and they have to decide whether family prevails over agency. It's art on television, and if you like period dramas like Mad Men, The Americans is quite similar to it: emotionally crushing narratives and intense character drama.
5 'Gomorrah' (2014–2021)
Salvatore Esposito as Gennaro looking at Fortunato Cerlino as Pietro in GomorrahImage via Atlantic Sky
If you're hungry for some lesser-known shows, or at least gems in a different language, Gomorrah is for you. It's rightfully near the lower half of the list, as it's one of the greatest crime show masterpieces you'll see. However, it's pretty bloody and gritty, and fans who romanticize everything related to Italy might feel disillusioned by the grim nature of Naples and its most notorious residents. Gomorrah has five explosive seasons that just get better over time, including the performances and the directing; while it might feel like foreign territory at first (pun intended), stick with it, and you'll be rewarded very quickly.
Gomorrah was based on Roberto Saviano's exposé novel about the criminal activities of the Neapolitan mafia, which he infiltrated for this purpose. It shows the daily business dealings and dynamics of the Camorra clan, focusing on the growing rivalry between the clan's spoiled heir, Gennaro Savastano (Salvatore Esposito), and his father's close ally, Ciro Di Marzio (Marco D'Amore). The politics of a criminal organization are like an ecosystem of their own, and no show explores it better than Gomorrah.
4 'Banshee' (2013–2016)
Banshee is one of those IYKYK shows—it looks chaotic on the outside, but on the inside, it's a stunning crime thriller you won't be able to take your eyes off of. Anyone who dared to enter the territory left with a smile, knowing they had just watched a low-key masterpiece. Jonathan Tropper is an underrated creator, and Banshee isn't his only work of genius, but it might be his most prominent one. If you let it roll out and forgive its eccentricities (I find it best to lean in and embrace them), you'll see Banshee becoming better in writing, directing, editing, and acting altogether; Antony Starr holds the fort as a memorable lead, but the supporting characters are just as mesmerizing, too.
Banshee follows an ex-convict (Starr) arriving in Banshee, Pennsylvania, after serving 15 years on behalf of his boss. Banshee also gets a new sheriff on the same day, Lucas Hood, but Hood is killed in a bar fight, and the convict decides to assume his identity and hide from his boss there. However, Banshee is full of controversial and violent characters, and his troubles are far from over. Fights are beautifully choreographed, the action sequences become more imaginative over time, and you're immersed in Banshee chaos faster than you know it.
3 'The Sopranos' (1999–2007)
Edie Falco and James Gandolfini in The Sopranos looking at each otherImage via HBO
It's impossible to talk about the evolution of crime television without mentioning The Sopranos, although some people find its latter seasons more difficult to watch. Whether you're in the "perfect from start to finish" or the "it could be better" group, I personally think the show gets better because of its depiction of events from a fairly realistic POV. Everyone declines, and for good reason—they're the most obvious examples of why a life of crime simply does not pay. Whether it dissects crime versus justice, family versus business, or morals versus greed, The Sopranos takes us through the motions of it all, often without ever holding our hand.
The Sopranos follows the crime boss, Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), who begins experiencing panic attacks. This drives him to start visiting a psychiatrist, Jennifer Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), and as the news of his therapy spreads, many are driven to question his leadership. As a man balancing personal and professional life, we watch Tony spiral, and his story takes existential and darkly comical turns. Gandolfini is the star, but the ensemble surrounding him is just as good; The Sopranos creates memorable and difficult characters that stay with us long after the show ends. It's a defining show of its era.
2 'Better Call Saul' (2015–2022)
Bob Odenkirk as Saul frowning in a suit in Better Call Saul.Image via AMC
Better Call Saul is a spin-off of the highly beloved crime show Breaking Bad and follows the crooked lawyer Saul Goodman, who is an episodic character in Breaking Bad. When it premiered, it was hard to imagine it living up to its source material, but by the end, many fans believed it to be just as good, if not better than Breaking Bad, in almost every way. A (not-so) fun fact is that Better Call Saul is the most Emmy-nominated series to never win an Emmy.
Better Call Saul is a prequel to Breaking Bad and follows Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), a former con artist who tries to reinvent himself as a public defender under the name Saul Goodman. The show follows his transformation from a somewhat eccentric lawyer to someone with criminal ties, shadowing his moral decline. Saul is an antihero you choose to root for, though he makes us realize over time that some people just make wrong choices; this story of identity, consequences, and moral dilemmas is one of the best told of all time. Better Call Saul will drag you in so well you'll forget it was ever a spin-off or a prequel.
1 'Breaking Bad' (2008–2013)
Bryan Cranston as Walter White pointing a gun in the Breaking Bad pilot.Image via AMC
The gold standard of crime television is Breaking Bad, and nearly a decade after it ended, only a few shows have come close to it (Better Call Saul being the closest). The show develops consistently and gradually and is a prime example of how scrappy beginnings can grow in quality and turn into masterful runs. The tone, the tension, and the confidence in the storytelling and plot twists are miraculous to behold; we got to see Vince Gilligan also grow from someone with an idea to the one with the vision.
Breaking Bad is an epic crime story about a chemistry teacher, Walter White (Bryan Cranston), who gets a cancer diagnosis and decides to do something drastic to keep his family afloat—make and sell meth. He joins forces with his former student, now drug dealer, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), and they create the purest and most valuable product on the market. This garners the attention of various crime organizations, but also Walter's brother-in-law, DEA agent Hank Schrader (Dean Norris). Walter's incredible transformation from a meek teacher to a confident, egotistical crime lord is methodical and emotionally weighty. It's not just a rise but a depiction of how life becomes intense when a person feels like they have nothing to lose anymore. Breaking Bad successfully mirrors life's hardest lessons while turning into the greatest crime thriller/neo-Western ever made.
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Release Date
2008 - 2013-00-00
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Vince Gilligan, Michelle Maclaren
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Better Call Saul
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