10 Best Action-Adventure Shows Like Sandokan

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The pirate adventure series Sandokan has quickly become a hit on Netflix, reaching the top 10 in the U.S. just over a month after it first aired on Italian television. It’s proven popular enough to surpass other well-known shows like Stranger Things and 11.22.63 on the streaming platform.

The series Sandokan has become popular on Netflix worldwide, proving there’s a strong interest in exciting, historical pirate adventures – especially those where heroes fight for the freedom of those who are mistreated. While Sandokan, an Italian adaptation of Emilio Salgari’s classic “Tiger of Malaya” story, is unique, it shares similarities with other adventure shows.

Sandokan’s fight against colonialism in the South China Sea echoes stories of rebels battling powerful empires, a common theme in many adventure shows. This pattern appears even in fantasy and science fiction, where similar tales of daring heroes challenging oppressive forces unfold across fictional seas and in outer space, sharing familiar plot points and ideas with Sandokan.

If you enjoyed the eight-episode adventure of Sandokan, there are lots of other exciting TV thrillers that would be a great follow-up. While not all of them are specifically about pirates, they all offer compelling stories and action that fans of the genre will love.

Mr. Sunshine

2018

I have to say, out of all the K-dramas that take place during the time Korea was under Japanese rule, Mr. Sunshine really grabbed me. It’s so easy to get into! I was especially excited to see Lee Byung-hun – you might know him as the Front Man from Squid Game – playing the lead role. He plays a former slave who comes back to Korea in the early 1900s after serving in the U.S. Marines.

Like many K-dramas, Mr. Sunshine features a central love story. Similar to the tale of Sandokan falling for a British nobleman’s daughter, the drama’s hero, played by Byung-hun, becomes romantically involved with a woman from one of Korea’s most prominent aristocratic families who is fighting for independence.

One Piece

2023–Present

The incredible success of One Piece unexpectedly made it a major cultural force in 2025. The show’s Straw Hat Pirates flag became a rallying symbol for Gen Z protesters around the world, from Morocco to Nepal, representing their desire for freedom and change. As a result, excitement for the second season of the live-action One Piece adaptation on Netflix is incredibly high.

Fans of Sandokan, who roots for his journey from a hardened cynic to a selfless hero fighting for Southeast Asian freedom, will likely love the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew in One Piece. While the show isn’t historically accurate, it more than compensates with its exciting, pirate-filled energy.

Firefly

2002

Despite lasting only one season with less than 40 episodes, Firefly is considered one of the best TV shows ever created. While it’s set in the distant future among the planets and moons of a new solar system, this sci-fi series blends space adventure with the feel of a classic Western, focusing on the lives of smugglers and pirates.

The heroes of this show often operate outside the law, but they usually fight for what’s morally right, similar to the character Sandokan. Although visually quite different, Firefly shares some stylistic similarities that viewers of the pirate adventure series will likely appreciate.

Our Flag Means Death

2022–2023

Nicola Dove / ©HBO Max / Courtesy Everett Collection

Like the classic adventure series Sandokan, this HBO show expertly blends exciting action with lighthearted humor. Though Our Flag Means Death ended after only 18 episodes three years ago, it remains a thoroughly enjoyable watch.

Rhys Darby plays Stede Bonnet in this series, a historical figure who abandoned his life as an English gentleman to become a pirate. Our Flag Means Death is based on true events and includes an encounter between Bonnet and the famous pirate Blackbeard. If you enjoyed Sandokan and its fun take on pirate adventures, you’ll likely love this show.

Shōgun

2024–Present

As a huge fan of historical adventures, I was completely blown away by Shōgun. It’s set a few hundred miles north of where Sandokan takes place, and the story – involving those incredible black ships disrupting trade routes – really makes you question who the real heroes and villains are. Honestly, I think it’s one of the best TV shows of the last few years, a true classic in the making.

While it centers more on medieval Japan and samurai culture than pirates, this show feels like it exists in the same world as Netflix’s recent action series. Interestingly, both this show and Sandokan are updated versions of popular TV shows from the late 1970s and early 1980s, and both new versions are actually better than the originals.

Against The Wind

1978

“Against the Wind” is a classic historical drama set during Australia’s colonial period. Many consider it to be even more compelling than today’s top Australian shows on streaming services like Netflix. The series tells the story of Irish settlers in New South Wales and their struggles under strict British military rule.

This series draws inspiration from the true story of the Garrett family around the beginning of the 19th century. It vividly portrays the harsh realities of British rule in the region, a time period just before the adventures of Sandokan take place.

Taboo

2017

If you have Peacock, fuboTV, or The Roku Channel (where it’s free with ads), you shouldn’t miss Tom Hardy’s Taboo. This gripping, one-season historical thriller explores the dark side of the British Empire through the eyes of a man who’s been living in Africa for years.

The show is dark and explores complex moral questions, with a realistic and raw tone unlike most others. At its heart, like the classic story of Sandokan, it offers a thoughtful look at the impact of colonialism, which is uncommon in television dramas.

Shaka Zulu

1986

This 1986 series offers a stunning portrayal of the life of Shaka Zulu and his interactions with British traders and colonizers. Despite being made in a difficult historical context – and with partial funding from the South African Apartheid government – it remains a surprisingly accurate depiction of his story.

While this 40-year-old series isn’t entirely historically accurate, it’s definitely worth watching if you enjoy visually impressive period dramas like Sandokan. Shaka Zulu offers a lot of striking imagery and detailed sets.

Black Sails

2014–2017

In the world of streaming TV, Black Sails stands out as the premier historical drama centered around pirates. It essentially tells the story of how Treasure Island’s famous characters became who they were, acting as a four-season prequel. The show takes place in the Bahamas during the golden age of Caribbean piracy and features Toby Stephens as the future Captain Flint and Luke Arnold as Long John Silver.

If you’re looking for a truly exciting pirate series, look no further than Black Sails. If you loved the pirate action in Sandokan, you’ll definitely want to check out this thrilling story of pirates controlling New Providence Island in the early 1700s.

Brigands: The Quest For Gold

2024–Present

Few historical fiction shows focus on pirates like Black Sails and Sandokan, but Netflix’s 2024 series Brigands: The Quest for Gold is a great fit for fans of those shows. If you recently finished Sandokan, this Italian drama is definitely worth checking out.

Brigands delivers just as much action and stays true to the spirit of pirate adventures as the more well-known series, Sandokan. However, unlike Sandokan, Brigands takes place off the coast of Calabria in southern Italy, and its story isn’t based on the writing of Emilio Salgari, who crafted the narrative for Sandokan.

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2026-01-29 03:31