10 Crime Drama Shows for Sons of Anarchy Fans

Fans who enjoyed some of the defining themes from SOA will be sure to love these shows.

Sons of Anarchy is one of the most influential and iconic crime drama shows to ever grace the screen. It has a huge pop culture presence, numerous memorable characters, is referenced constantly and has in some ways even defined the widespread public perception of motorcycle clubs.

However, it can be surprisingly difficult to know what to move on to next if you’re looking for something similar to watch. From the critically acclaimed Narcos to the defining classic The Sopranos, these shows all share one or more of the key themes of SOA.

Narcos

With drugs, violence and power struggles as some of its central themes, Narcos is an obvious choice for SOA fans.

Following the rise of Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar, the show centres primarily around the kingpin as well as the two agents tasked with his arrest. Led by talented actors like Pedro Pascal and Wagnar Moura and exploring one of the most fascinating criminal stories of all time, Narcos is a must-watch.

The Sopranos

The Sopranos is widely considered the greatest television series of all time and features one of the most influential character performances to ever appear on the screen- James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano.

The show heavily overlaps with SOA in its strong anti-hero themes, emphasis on family, and the drama that is created when the latter is mixed with a life of crime. Similar to Jax in SOA, fans will find themselves entranced with the character of Tony Soprano, still rooting for him even when he commits terrible deeds.

Barry

While HBO’s Barry has been very well received by critics, even winning an academy award, the show is not as well known or widely viewed like titles such as Narcos or The Sopranos. While this may be the case, the show has many similarities to SOA, especially in its style of dark humour and gun violence.

A disillusioned contract killer trying to create a new life and set of friends for himself as an actor, yet struggling to escape his criminal life, Barry is a fascinating character and yet another antihero viewers come to love. Both Barry and Jax are looking to move away from a criminal life, and both get their hands dirty in trying to do so.

Breaking Bad

Drugs, drama, dark comedy and strong characters, Breaking Bad follows chemistry teacher gone meth cook Walter White as he tries to navigate the criminal world in a bid to make enough money to care for his family after his recently diagnosed cancer eventually takes him out.

Like SOA, the show has a heavy emphasis on the balance between criminal life and family, creating some very palpable tensions as one bleeds into the other. The show is only elevated to the next level by the stellar performances of its leading cast as well as the memorable antagonists that appear throughout, such as the iconic Gus Fring.

Mindhunter

Fans who enjoyed the more twisted and violent characters and themes in SOA should certainly check out Mindhunter, a fascinating exploration of the most iconic and influential serial killers of the second half of the twentieth century.

Following the journey of a pair of FBI special agents as they begin to study murderers in an effort to develop a special criminal psychoanalysis, the show touches on fascinating topics and features some of the disturbingly convincing portrayals of serial killers, notably Cameron Britton’s performance as the unsettling Ed Kemper.

Peaky Blinders

Peaky Blinders centres around a gang of that name in post WW1 Birmingham, as they begin to expand into the more precarious world of arms dealing and more serious organized crime.

The show is similar to SOA in its focus on family-crime drama as well as featuring similar well-planned heists and betrayals. In addition, the Peaky Blinders are also at a pivotal point in their existence, similar to Jax’s decision to go clean with the club, the Birmingham gang have entered a new phase in their existence with the accidental theft of a weapons transport, leading to plenty of violence and drama.

Mr Robot

With heavy emphasis on themes like organized crime, and some strong characters, Mr Robot is a fascinating crime drama that may not be the most similar to SOA. Despite this the show still does overlap with the latter, primarily in its high stake drama.

The show focuses on Rami Malek’s character, a young, socially inept hacker, as his life begins to change drastically upon involvement with an underground hacker group. Fans who enjoyed the tension that could often be created in the more climactic episodes of SOA will find Mr Robot to be a fascinating watch.

Fargo

Concerning itself with tales of deception and complex story plots, Fargo may not at first seem like an obvious choice for fans of SOA, however, the show overlaps heavily with the latter through its dark humour and occasionally brutal violence.

Fargo follows four storylines, one for each season, and each set in a different era. Usually the seasons each have their own mysteries, murders and/or antagonists that must be dealt with, and all seasons are connected through the seemingly innocent and quiet town of Fargo.

Sherlock

SOA fans who enjoyed the more complex episodes of SOA, such as the heists, betrayals and robberies that took place throughout the show, can find similar if not recognizable themes in the award-winning crime-drama show Sherlock.

While not to the same extent as perhaps Jax in SOA, Sherlock can also be considered an anti-hero to some degree at certain points throughout the series. Focusing on mysteries and violence, and touching on drug abuse and the struggle between personal life and ‘job’, the character of Sherlock is fascinating, and the Moriarty storyline is reason enough alone to check out the show.

Daredevil

SOA was packed with gritty fight scenes, blood and criminal activity, and Daredevil is no different. Following the story of Matt Murdoch, aka Daredevil, the show generally places emphasis on just one or two major antagonists each season.

Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin is one of the shows highlights, and the struggle between the crime boss and the masked vigilante serves to create serious tension and amazing action sequences, making the series a must-watch for fans of the fights and shootouts of SOA.