The main characters of The Sopranos.
The Sopranos is one of the most influential series ever made, and it remains in a league of its own to this day. Spanning 1999 to 2007, The Sopranos followed eponymous mafioso Tony Soprano and his family, as everyday domestic conflicts clashed with criminal dealings and mob ties.
Nearly 20 years after its series finale, it remains unmatched. Although many TV shows like The Sopranos have been released since 2007, no fitting successor has emerged that can blend its action and emotion as seamlessly as the HBO classic. There are plenty of exciting series about mob mentality and dysfunctional families, but The Sopranos changed television forever. While The Sopranos can't be replaced, however, certain titles have come close. Godfather of Harlem A Crime Boss Tries To Surpass The New York Mafia Godfather of Harlem has a similar premise to The Sopranos, but it approaches the Italian-American mafia from a totally different perspective. The cult classic period drama explores real events from 1960s New York, including how former kingpin Ellsworth Raymond"Bumpy" Johnson fights to reclaim the streets of Harlem after years of living under the Genovese crime family's control. The crime drama may focus on real-life figures like Malcolm X, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Vincent"The Chin" Gigante, but Godfather of Harlem takes its fair share of creative liberties to prioritize the viewing experience— including expanding Whitaker's role, which is rich in emotional complexity. Godfather of Harlem season 5 is still unconfirmed, but it certainly deserves more episodes. Boardwalk Empire A Dissection Of Political Corruption In The Prohibition Era Another enthralling crime drama inspired by true events is Boardwalk Empire, which follows Steve Buscemi's Enoch"Nucky" Thompson , who acts as the treasurer of Atlantic City during the Prohibition Era. Yet, as Nucky becomes more and more powerful, his shady connections to local mob families threaten to ruin his entire life as a public figure. Boardwalk Empire is one of HBO's best period dramas in its own right, but it's a far cry from The Sopranos. Both are fantastic series, but there's no denying the stark contrast between them and their subject matter. Whereas The Sopranos always felt somewhat rueful, Boardwalk Empire's violence and depravity is more gratuitous— which still works, albeit in different ways. Top Boy A Young Man Is Stuck In London's Gang Violence At first glance, a British crime drama like Top Boy may seem wholly removed from The Sopranos, but it ironically touches on many of the same themes. In both series, there's a sense of hopelessness and inevitability to the main characters' tragic lives of crime. For instance, the London drug rings in Top Boy function similarly to The Sopranos' mafia. Nonetheless, Top Boy is far more akin to something like The Wire than The Sopranos. While there is gang violence that majorly impacts the main plot, the central focus on drugs leaves Top Boy only marginally similar to the HBO original. Regardless, fans of The Sopranos will likely enjoy Top Boy anyway, especially for its realism, dialogue, and iconic soundtrack. Tulsa King A Disgraced Capo Builds A New Crime Syndicate In Oklahoma Tony Soprano may have been a high-powered crime lord throughout most of The Sopranos, but the hit Paramount+ original series Tulsa King is a total subversion of the typical mob drama. Dwight"The General" Manfredi was once an invaluable member of the Italian-American mafia, but he finds himself ostracized and sent to Oklahoma following a 25-year prison sentence. A spinoff to Tulsa King titled Frisco King is currently in development, set in the eponymous city in Texas. Once in the eponymous city of Tulsa, Manfredi must begin building a new crime syndicate out of the locals, ranging from a taxi driver to a dispensary owner. His ragtag group forms a surprisingly wholesome found family, but the capo's fall from grace doesn't mean he's out of the woods. In fact, his misfit mafia quickly makes some powerful enemies. Animal Kingdom The Misadventures Of A Criminal Dynasty Family is everything in The Sopranos— be it Tony's literal wife and child or the mob— but Animal Kingdom takes that idea a step further with the Cody clan, a crime family that operates out of Oceanside, California. For all the high-octane robberies and stomach-turning torture sequences, however, the true allure of Animal Kingdom lies in its intriguing ensemble cast. The best episodes of Animal Kingdom balance the action with the characters' intricate relationships, whether it's elaborating on matriarch Janine"Smurf" Cody's past or dissecting what made Andrew"Pope" Cody such a cold-blooded killer. Even still, there is a somewhat vengeful quality to Animal Kingdom that sets it apart from The Sopranos, for better or worse. MobLand A Streets-Smart Fixer Stands Between Two Competing Crime Families On the streets of London, two rival crime families battle for dominance, using any means necessary to get an edge over their competition. MobLand's morally grey protagonist, Harry Da Souza , is forced to keep the peace as best he can, but the neighboring syndicates will stop at nothing— including murder— to establish their absolute control. Related 10 Best Gangster TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked Brilliant gangster shows have become a staple of the TV industry over the past 25 years, and here are 10 of the very best ever made. Posts 20 By Guy Howie What makes MobLand such a fascinating show is that there are no true heroes. Harry may be the most relatable, but his allegiance is duty, not loyalty. Furthermore, power-hungry members of MobLand's Harrigan family would easily betray their own blood before letting the Stevenson clan reign supreme. Sons of Anarchy A Biker Gang Wreaks Havoc On A Californian Town Many viewers likely have a narrow view of what a mob can be, but a biker gang like the SAMCRO certainly qualifies. Originally founded by Sons of Anarchy's First 9, the motorcycle organization expands to multiple lucrative operations, including weapons trafficking, political corruption, and good old-fashioned gang violence. Plus, Jackson"Jax" Teller bears many similarities to Tony Soprano, especially considering stories of his personal life often run parallel to SAMCRO's chaotic schemes. Nevertheless, Sons of Anarchy built a legacy of its own that caters to a vastly different niche than The Sopranos, making it less of a replacement and more of an unexpected companion piece. Peaky Blinders A Critically-Acclaimed Period Piece With Endless Action When the first season of Peaky Blinders premiered, there was no telling how massive it would become, spanning six installments and a movie sequel. The period piece crime drama follows the eponymous gang during the fallout of World War I, wherein leader Tommy Shelby expands their reach across the country while protecting their Birmingham-based garrison. The focus split between the Peaky Blinders' criminal exploits and the devastating dynamics of the Shelby family instantly piqued the interest of The Sopranos fans, but Peaky Blinders snowballed into its own beast entirely with each passing season. The throughlines remain for those actively seeking similarities, but Peaky Blinders has irrefutably grown far beyond a spiritual successor to The Sopranos. Gomorrah A Real Look At Italy's Criminal Underbelly The Sopranos is a cultural touchstone for Italian-Americans in New Jersey, but Gomorrah is based in the homeland itself, focused on the Italian Camorra rather than the American mafia. At the heart of the drama is a battle between the young guns and the old guard, with the Savastano family's leader leaving a power vacuum in his place after he's arrested. Subscribe to our newsletter for Sopranos-era TV picks Want deeper recommendations and smart comparisons to follow after The Sopranos? Subscribe to the newsletter for curated show picks, thoughtful comparisons, and context that help you find the best modern dramas and hidden gems. Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. As two drastically different main characters aim to prove their worth and claim the empty throne, however, an unlikely third candidate orchestrates an overhaul from the shadows. Gomorrah is a borderline perfect crime drama and deserves much more attention, but viewers looking for something to specifically fill the void of The Sopranos will no doubt miss the New Jersey flair. Lilyhammer Steven Van Zandt's Second Most Popular Crime Drama Despite being the streaming service's first original program, Lilyhammer has become one of the most obscure Netflix dramas of all time. Regardless, countless fans of The Sopranos went into the dark comedy expecting it to be the perfect replacement for the HBO sensation, given they're connected by Steven Van Zandt. In The Sopranos, Van Zandt plays Tony's closest confidant, Silvio Dante. The actor gets a small promotion in Lilyhammer portraying Frank Tagliano, former second-in-command in the New York mafia. The familiarity proved to be a double-edged sword, unfortunately, as Lilyhammer struggled to escape The Sopranos' shadow. Of course, no show can truly live up to the original, no matter how similar. 131 9.2/10 10/10 The Sopranos 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Crime Drama Release Date 1999 - 2007 Network HBO Showrunner David Chase Directors Tim Van Patten, John Patterson, Alan Taylor, Jack Bender, Steve Buscemi, Daniel Attias, David Chase, Andy Wolk, Danny Leiner, David Nutter, James Hayman, Lee Tamahori, Lorraine Senna, Matthew Penn, Mike Figgis, Nick Gomez, Peter Bogdanovich, Phil Abraham, Rodrigo García Writers Michael Imperioli, Jason Cahill, Lawrence Konner, David Flebotte, James Manos, Jr., Salvatore Stabile, Toni Kalem, Mark Saraceni, Nick Santora 9 Images Close Cast See All
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Netflix’s 6-Part Psychological Thriller Is Quietly One Of Its Best Shows To BingeEve Hewson in Behind Her Eyes on Netflix
Read more »
7 Sci-Fi Shows We Thought Would Be the Next 'X-Files'Gillian Anderson's Scully standing with David Duchovny's Mulder in a cemetery in The X-Files
Read more »
7 Upcoming Horror Shows You Cannot MissJessica Lange and Evan Peters in American Horror Story
Read more »
Alabama teachers donate paid time off so Reeltown mom can stay with her premature baby in the NICUJordan Watts thought she was having a normal, healthy pregnancy until an anatomy scan changed everything.
Read more »
World Cup Spotlight: USA Star 'Jedi' Robinson Once Thought He Could Miss OutLingering injuries have weighed heavily on 'Jedi' Robinson's mind as the World Cup approaches.
Read more »
7 War Shows We Thought Would Be the Next 'Band of Brothers'Peter McCabe in Band of Brothers
Read more »