3 Crime Dramas That Outshine Breaking Bad

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Breaking Bad is widely considered one of the best TV shows of all time, and certainly one of the best crime dramas. However, the crime genre is filled with fantastic series, and the only shows that arguably surpass Breaking Bad are also within that same genre.

After concluding in 2013, Breaking Bad quickly became recognized as one of the greatest TV shows of all time. The premise – a struggling teacher who transforms into a drug lord – was brilliantly conceived, and combined with its talented actors and crew, the show was set up for lasting success and praise.

It’s no surprise that Breaking Bad is a successful and well-regarded crime drama. This genre is consistently popular with viewers and television creators alike. Many showrunners seem to aim for their best work within the crime drama space, resulting in series that are now even surpassing Breaking Bad in quality.

The Shield (2002-2008)

Despite being a truly great show, The Shield is often overlooked. This might be because it was one of the first high-quality dramas to air on FX, meaning many people missed it. Alternatively, it could be that it debuted around the same time as The Sopranos, and audiences were already satisfied with complex, morally ambiguous characters.

I honestly think The Shield is one of the best shows ever, even though it didn’t get the attention it deserved when it first came out. Critics and fans now totally recognize how amazing it is. It stars Michael Chiklis as Vic Mackey, a detective who leads a really unique unit within the LAPD, working in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

He might be the most dangerous person in the area, using his influence to control it. He claims to keep the peace, but really he steals from criminals, forces people to give him information, and rules his territory like a lord from the past. The story is gripping, dark, and surprisingly fun, especially how everything wraps up.

The Wire

Few shows capture American life as realistically as David Simon’s The Wire. As a former police reporter, Simon gained intimate knowledge of how policing, crime, and politics truly work, and how those systems impact everything around them.

Each season of The Wire focuses on a different aspect of Baltimore, Maryland. The show critically examines topics like the drug trade, the shipping industry, schools, politics, and the media, presenting both the positive and negative sides and unflinchingly portraying the harsh realities of a flawed system.

《The Wire》feels never-ending because the issues it portrays in Baltimore seem destined to repeat themselves, just with different people involved. While 《Breaking Bad》offers a relatively conclusive ending, the problems in 《The Wire》are ongoing and will likely continue as long as people try to exploit the system.

The Sopranos (1999-2007)

For me, David Chase’s The Sopranos is the best TV show of all time. It’s a hugely popular series, but for those unfamiliar, it follows the Soprano crime family in New Jersey, and centers around Tony (played by James Gandolfini), a complex character who is both ruthless and charismatic.

The Sopranos offers a compelling look inside the lives of contemporary mafia members, exploring how they earn money, rationalize their choices to themselves and their families, and ultimately how a life of crime can destroy everything around them.

Unlike Breaking Bad, and arguably making it a stronger show, The Sopranos doesn’t try to make you sympathize with Tony and his family or explain their actions. They simply are who they are. While Breaking Bad focuses on Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) dramatic transformation into an anti-hero, The Sopranos offers a wider perspective, demonstrating that evil can sometimes exist without needing justification.

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2025-11-05 23:30