10 More Intense & Charged Streaming Picks
Created by Jesse Armstrong, Succession is an HBO Original drama that has only grown from strength to strength over the years, delivering a great blend of drama, high-stakes tension and shocks aplenty.
If you’ve finished watching this one and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing.
Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Succession!
Billions
Similarities – Intense Rivalries
If you’re looking for intense rivalries that mirror some of those infamous stand-offs in Succession, look no further. Billions is a series revolving around U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades.
He sets his sights on the hedge fund king Bobby “Axe” Axelrod, culminating in a powerful battle between two New York figureheads.
While the later seasons lose sight of what made this initial rivalry so effective, the early couple of seasons do an excellent job showing the trials and tribulations of Wall Street trading.
The Sopranos
Similarities – Dysfunctional Family
The Sopranos is often regarded as the Godfather of modern TV and it’s easy to see why. This masterpiece offers some really clever writing, helping to give depth and colour to a lot of the characters in this show.
For those unaware, The Sopranos takes an innovative look at the life of fictional North Jersey mob boss, Tony Soprano. After blacking out, he reluctantly seeks a psychiatrist’s help, while keeping this a secret from the rest of the Mob.
Family stresses mix with trouble at work, as a big bullseye is painted on Tony’s back. This is HBO at its best and if you haven’t watched this already, you definitely should.
Suits
Similarities – High-Stakes Drama, Snappy Dialogue
Suits is a legal drama set in a fictional law firm deep within the heart of New York City. The series centers around talented college dropout Mike Ross, who starts working as a law associate for Harvey Specter, despite never having attended law school. The show focuses on Harvey and Mike managing to close cases while maintaining Mike’s secret.
Throughout the seasons, Suits boasts an engaging plot with plenty of clever legal maneuvering, high-stakes cases, and personal growth. Not only that, but the show excels with its snappy dialogue and well-developed characters.
Mad Men
Similarities – Social Commentary, Politics
Mad Men is a drama set during the 1960’s, at the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency on Madison Avenue. The show mainly focuses on the talented and mysterious ad executive, Don Draper.
The show is infamously known for its historical authenticity, visual style and exploration of societal and political changes in the United States during a crucial time in the country’s history.
There’s a really interesting social commentary rippling through all of this, touching on issues in the 60’s, including sexism, racism, and consumerism. That alone makes this another must-watch.
The Righteous Gemstones
Similarities – Dysfunctional Family, Witty Dialogue
While more comedic than Succession, The Righteous Gemstones excels with it comes to its strong performances, familial bond and unique storyline.
This comedy tells the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work. The show provides a wicked social commentary about greed, hypocrisy, and family drama, all whilst wrapping up its story into a delightfully moreish comedy-drama style.
The Americans
Similarities – Strong Characters, Tension
The Americans is a spy thriller set during the Cold War. It follows the lives of Elizabeth and Philip Jennings, two Soviet KGB officers posing as an American married couple living in the Washington D.C. suburbs. The series deals with espionage, political intrigue, and the characters’ struggle to keep their true identities a secret.
What’s particularly endearing here though is the way the characters are written. Richly developed with intricate personal and professional intrigue, the show’s writing is ultimately what makes this really stand out. Not only that, but there’s also a great look into the Cold War era too, soaking in high political tension.
Empire
Similarities – Fighting For Control Of Family Business
Empire is a musical drama that shares more than a few similarities to Succession. This show centers on music and entertainment company, Empire Entertainment, and the drama ensuing among the members of the founders’ family as they fight for control of the company.
Alongside lifting the veil regarding the darker side of the music industry, the series also offers high-stakes drama and plenty of emotional depth. It’s also worth pointing out too that some o the performance – especially those by Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson – are excellent.
Six Feet Under
Similarities – Strong Characters, Themes
Six Feet Under is an American drama created by Alan Ball and is an absolute banger from start to finish. The show presents an unflinching examination of life and death as seen through the eyes of the Fisher family, who run a funeral home in Los Angeles.
The show excels with its complex characters, dark humor, and its realistic portrayal of death and grief. In fact, each character is deeply developed with their own distinct personalities, flaws, and compelling arcs. This level of character development is partly what makes it such a good watch.
Yellowstone
Similarities – Family Ties, Drama
Yellowstone is a familial-centered series created by Taylor Sheridan. Its success has spawned several prequels of varying degrees of excellence.
The main series follows the Dutton family, led by patriarch John Dutton, who controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. The ranch is under constant attack by those it borders – land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first National Park. The show balances this with strong character development and excellent themes like family, loyalty and power.
Reborn Rich
Similarities – Family Issues, Drama
Some have dubbed this the Korean version of Succession…but with time travel. This 16 episode series features the ever-talented Song Joong-Ki, and is based on The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate by San Gyung. The story follows Yoon Hyun-woo, a reliable worker for Sunyang Group.
He is unfortunately murdered by Jin Do-Joon, the youngest son of the Sunyang Group. However, Yoon gets reincarnated and wakes up in the body of Jin. He uses this chance to launch his revenge plan and plot a hostile takeover of the company.
With some great character writing and plenty of twists and turns, this one’s a must-watch for fans of Succession.
So there we have it, our 10 TV show alternatives to watch when you’re finished watching Succession.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!