12 Best TV Shows Like Mobland

After years of being mostly “Star Trek” spin-offs and Taylor Sheridan shows, Paramount+ is broadening its palette in 2025 with “MobLand,” a dark crime drama of the highest order. While it might look like your typical run-of-the-mill crime drama at first glance, it is truly anything but ordinary, owed largely to the talent both in front of and behind the camera. That includes big screen superstars like Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren, and Pierce Brosnan headlining the cast, while crime drama creators Ronan Bennett (“Top Boy”) and Guy Ritchie (“Lock, Stock, And Two smoking Barrels”) team up on the series’ production. It also doesn’t hurt that the series is highly acclaimed for its gripping drama, telling of a tenuous relationship between the rival Harrigan and Stevenson crime families, with outsider Harry Da Souza (Hardy) caught up in their feud.

With a second season of the series looking increasingly likely, all we can do is wait and see where the story goes from where its nine-episode run left off. But just because it might be a while before “MobLand” returns, that doesn’t mean you need to wait for more gripping tales from the wrong side of the law. We’ve curated a lineup of the 12 best series like “MobLand” to watch next.

Released by HBO in 2010, “Boardwalk Empire” trades the modern setting in “MobLand” for the 1920s, arguably what one might consider the Golden Age of organized crime. Amid the chaos of the Prohibition era, the nation’s unflinching desire for illegal liquor practically birthed the modern-day mafia, as money flowed like the booze it’s bootleggers peddled. But it isn’t Al Capone’s Chicago stomping grounds where the series is set, but instead the burgeoning shores of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Rising to the top of the criminal underworld’s food chain is Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi), a crooked Garden State politician enticed into moonlighting as a mob boss in the booming beachside burg.

Loosely based on true events, “Boardwalk Empire” features notable appearances from infamous crime lords like Bugsy Siegel (Michael Zegen), Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza), and even Al Capone (Stephen Graham). Though the series received acclaim for its stellar story to its lustrous costume and set design, it’s the starring cast that makes it shine, with Michael Shannon, Kelly McDonald, and Michael K. Williams adding to the show’s impressive pedigree.  

Though distinct from “MobLand” in both era and setting, the series goes toe to toe if you’re looking for seedy criminal dealings, gritty violence, and the complicated politics of the world’s worst. Receiving a slew of awards, the series will also give you a lot to chew on, with five seasons of some of the best period crime drama on the small screen.

Though often overshadowed by other competing series like “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black,” the 2012 show “Lilyhammer” has a claim to the title of the first Netflix original. The series stars “Sopranos” alum Steven Van Zandt, portraying American gangster Frank Tagliano, who’s forced to relocate to Norway after striking a deal with witness protection, only to return to his old ways after trying to leave it all behind.

Part gangster drama, part fish out of water madcap comedy, “Lilyhammer” may just be the most unique and underrated in our lineup. Beyond their shared European settings, like “MobLand,” “Lilyhammer” sets out to blend the gritty and decidedly humorless reality of organized crime with plenty of comedy that winds up delving into the absurd, all thanks to its lead actor. Zandt’s portrayal of Tagliano is so similar to his mannerisms on “The Sopranos” that some fans have posited they share an unexpected connection, which makes the unlikely scenario of a New York mobster trying to turn a new leaf in rural Norway all the more fun to watch. Plus, with just 24 episodes to its credit, there isn’t too much investment required to check out this forgotten gem of Netflix programming.

Look past its part in the still-evolving Matt Reeves “The Batman” universe, and you’ll find a lot in common between “The Penguin” and “Mobland.” Devoid of superhero antics and focusing almost entirely on the darker underworld of Gotham City, the series is led by Colin Farrell — no stranger to gangster stories himself — who gets the role of a lifetime as the iconic Batman villain who is ensconced in a mob war after the events of “The Batman” left the city in ruins.

Seeking to fill the power vacuum left by the death of criminal kingpin Carmine Falcone (played by Mark Strong in flashbacks), “The Penguin” sees mid-level mafia man Oswald “Oz” Cobb scheming his way to the top. Working the streets for Falcone’s daughter Sofia (Cristin Milioti), Cobb recruits a young street punk named Victor (Rhenzy Feliz) in a plot to steal the throne and become the leader of Gotham’s most infamous criminal empire. But to get there he’ll have to fill alleys full of bodies and betray the very person who gave him a chance when nobody else would.

A darker kind of rags-to-riches story, “The Penguin” is a tense foray into crime fiction that helps it stand out from other superhero fare. Much of the credit for its success can be hung on Farrell, who is both sinister and somehow likeable as the slimy Oz. He gives the kind of grim, understated performance that earns movie stars Oscar nominations, and there’s serious talk that he could snag an Emmy in 2025.

Possibly the closest in terms of tone to “MobLand” is BBC’s legendary period crime drama “Peaky Blinders.” Beginning its extraordinary run in 2011, the series brought the history of an infamous British street gang to audiences with an impressive cast that included former “Batman” villains Cillian Murphy and future “MobLand” star Tom Hardy. It told the fictionalized story of the real-life Peaky Blinders, who terrorized the streets of Birmingham, England in the early 20th century. 

At the center of “Peaky Blinders” is Chief Inspector Major Chester Campbell (Sam Neill), who is tasked with putting a stop to the gangland violence on the streets of Birmingham amid the economic and social upheaval of the era. His biggest target is Tommy Shelby (Murphy), a veteran of World War I who has returned home to find the city in chaos, and sets out to take advantage of the turmoil by assembling his own gang, the Peaky Blinders.

Taking place across decades, the show’s six seasons show Shelby and his cohorts rising to become a powerful crime family. During their reign, the Peaky Blinders face off against the police, their rivals in the New York Mafia, and even the Nazi Party as World War II looms. Easily the most beloved on this list, the series should probably be your first watch after “MobLand,” especially with a movie sequel on the way.

Despite only running for a single season, and never being as beloved as the likes of “Peaky Blinders” or “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Black Donnellys” might be just as good. Centering on four brothers who get drawn into the Irish mob in New York City, the series is in some ways an American version of “MobLand.” It’s also loosely inspired by a real gang of the same name that operated out of Canada and are responsible for one of the bloodiest massacres in the nation’s history.

In “The Black Donnellys,” we meet four Irish-American brothers who are at a crossroads in life. As the series begins, one of them is in deep trouble with the mob, and elder brother Tommy (Jonathan Tucker) ultimately comes up with a plan to save his brother, leading to a gang war with the Italian mafia.

Devoid of huge stars when it first aired in 2007 (unless you count “Star Trek” favorite Kate Mulgrew), several cast members have since become widely known names, including Olivia Wilde (“Tron: Legacy”), Kirk Acevedo (“Fringe”), and Tucker, who went on to star in TV hits like “Westworld” and “Snowfall.” Despite receiving a lackluster critical reception, the series boasts an incredible, movie-like first installment, and is far better than reviews suggest.

If you want something like “MobLand” with a little more action, your best bet to be dazzled is “Gangs of London,” which airs on AMC+ in the US and on Sky in its native UK. Surprisingly, it’s not inspired by real life or based on a book, but instead adapted from a video game of the same name, part of the larger “Getaway” franchise. With a broad ensemble led in Season 1 by “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” alum Colm Meaney, the series delves into the darker underbelly of England’s biggest metropolis as criminal organizations vie for power, meting out bloody violence to settle scores.

The series begins with the shocking murder of mob boss Finn Wallace (Meaney), which sparks a bitter gang war between rival factions in and around London as every aspiring kingpin wants to fill his bloodied shoes. This includes Finn’s son Sean (Joe Cole), and parallel stories weave back and forth between the younger Wallace’s fight to preserve his family’s legacy and his bitter struggle growing up under the thumb of his tyrannical, gangster father. But Sean’s ascent is no sure thing, as rival criminal syndicates like the Dumani Family, the Pakistani cartel, and the Albanian mafia all want a piece of the Wallace pie.

Thanks to series co-creator Gareth Evans — the man behind “The Raid” — “Gangs of London” boasts plenty of balls-to-the-wall action, a perfect complement to the series’ emphasis on the violent realities of organized crime in London. 

“MobLand” is led by a pair of Hollywood heavyweight stars in Tom Hardy and Pierce Brosnan, but the superstar talent isn’t limited to in front of the camera, as director Guy Ritchie is also an executive producer and helmed the first two installments. Known for his in-your-face crime dramas at the movies, “MobLand” isn’t his first foray into television; That honor falls to the short-lived 2000 series “Lock, Stock…” a small-screen spin-off of his 1998 big-screen breakout, “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.”

“Lock, Stock…” ditches the movie’s main characters in favor of new ones: a group of four criminal miscreants: Moon (Daniel Caltagirone), Jamie (Del Synnott), Bacon (Scott Maslen) and Lee (Shaun Parkes). They are regularly opposed by local London crime boss known as Miami Vice (Ralph Brown). The brothers do whatever they can to make a quid and that usually means something illegal. Unfortunately, being a bunch of bumbling boozers, they typically wind up way over their heads in British comic fashion.

Though the series is very different in style and tone than “MobLand,” it comes from the mind of Guy Ritchie, which makes it a good companion piece. It may be tough to watch for some given its rather liberal use of rhyming slang, “Lock, Stock…” is a fun foray into a lighter side of crime fiction, akin to the works of Elmore Leonard.

Like “MobLand,” BBC’s “Taboo” is set in London and stars the ever-eclectic Tom Hardy (did you know he has a rap career?). Turning back the clock 200 years and swapping organized crime for the corruption and violence of the early international trade industry, “Taboo” sees Hardy playing James Delaney, a man who spent years overseas in Africa working for the East India Trading Company, only to return to London to find it a wildly different place. His father has passed under mysterious circumstances, leaving him to carry on the family name and figure out just what exactly happened while he was gone. In the larger picture, England’s role in the ongoing war of 1812 against the United States allows “Taboo” to explore themes of Imperialism, power, and plenty of the shady dealings that typically accompany the two.

A cooperative effort between Hardy, his father and author Chips Hardy, and “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight, “Taboo” may not have the same kind of gangster setting you’d expect from a show we’re recommending after “MobLand.” But while it may not be about the mafia per se, the East India Trading Company is as good as a mob itself in the early 19th century, and provides all the same hard-hitting drama, while focusing on the relationship between a down-on-his-luck rogue and his former employer turned rival. It’s also a relatively brisk watch, as the series is comprised of just eight episodes — though in early 2025, Hardy confirmed that a second season is in the works.

Another gritty gangster drama with a superstar Hollywood name in the lead is “Godfathers of Harlem,” a 2019 Epix original. In “Godfather of Harlem,” “Star Wars: Rogue One” vet Forest Whitaker stars as real-life New York mobster Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson. Between the 1930s and the 1960s, Johnson all but ruled the streets of Harlem; But he was far more than a crime boss — he was also a hero to the people for standing up for the rights of his community..

Set in the latter days of Johnson’s life, “Godfather of Harlem” sees Johnson released from a prison stint only to find his old community now run by his former rivals in the Italian mafia. Against the backdrop of the American Civil Rights Movement, Johnson sets out to reclaim his former home while dealing with rival crime families led by the likes of Vincent Gigante (Vincent D’onofrio), Joseph Colombo (Michael Raymond-James), and Frank Costello (Paul Sorvino), while also being hounded by Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (“Breaking Bad” legend Giancarlo Esposito).

“Godfather of Harlem” is more than just a crime drama worthy of a watch after “MobLand.” It’s also a deep exploration of a turbulent time when minority communities were fighting for acceptance — and fighting for their lives — while criminals were more than just power-mad thugs.

Created by Frank Darabont, whose hand in making award-winning cinema and prestige television titles like “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Walking Dead” can’t be understated, “Mob City” was something a little different. Incorporating a cast of stars like Jon Bernthal, Neal McDonough and Milo Ventimiglia, the series drew inspiration from real-life history to chronicle the struggle between the law and the growing mob presence in post-WWII Los Angeles. That said, “Mob City” wasn’t afraid to employ plenty of artistic liberty for the sake of its stylishly noir storytelling.

Bernthal plays LAPD detective Joe Teague, a battle-hardened veteran now tasked with stopping some of the most lethal men of the day, with infamous mobsters and Las Vegas pioneers like Mickey Cohen and Bugsy Siegel playing key roles. But it’s not a black and white game of cops and robbers, as on the gritty streets of LA, everyone’s true motives are a murky shade of grey. Fittingly grim and practically oozing with period piece flare, “Mob City” is a powerful 6-episode miniseries, making it the perfect holdover for impatient “MobLand” fans waiting for more.

Another title to come from Guy Ritchie, “The Gentlemen” is, like “Lock, Stock…,” a small screen adaptation of one of his cinematic titles. The series is loosely connected to its film inspiration, which saw Matthew McConaughey as an American fish out of water in England trying to manage a drug empire until, in true Guy Ritchie fashion, hijinks ensue. Also like “Lock, Stock…” the 2024 series “The Gentlemen” doesn’t go the sequel route, instead telling a similar story in the same universe with a fresh cast of characters. Here, the cast is led by Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, with Guy Ritchie favorite Vinnie Jones (“Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels”), and everyone’s favorite sinister smirker, Giancarlo Esposito.

Set in the United Kingdom, Theo James plays Edward Horniman, a former Army officer and member of the UK’s upper crust who returns just in time to inherit the family estate. It isn’t just a spot among England’s nobility that’s bequeathed to him upon his father’s passing, however, but an entire drug empire hidden away behind all the pomp and circumstance of fine society. Like “MobLand,” as well as the rest of filmmaker Guy Ritchie’s catalog, “The Gentlemen” is a no-holds-barred blend of gangster antics, brutal violence, and sickening black humor — and one of the best crime dramas on Netflix.

While many of the shows we’ve covered have been inspired by or even directly based on a true story, they’re typically fictionalized portrayals of real events. “Making of the Mob,” however,” is something a bit different. As a docu-drama on AMC, it’s the only show on this list that will give you a true history lesson.

Running for two seasons, “Making of the Mob” switches back and forth between documentary and dramatic on-screen stories within the span of each episode. On one side, we meet experts, historians, and real-life figures discussing everything you ever wanted to know about some of the world’s most infamous mobsters. On the other, we have a cast of actors taking on the roles of real-life criminal icons, as we see the story of the mob’s origins unfold.

Season 1, subtitled “Making of the Mob: New York,” focuses on Lucky Luciano’s rise to power and the formation of the notorious Five Families. Season 2 shifts the action to Chicago, where we see the emergence of the aforementioned Capone and his war with rival gangs. We even get a glimpse of how the gambling center of the world was founded by mobsters in a little patch of Nevada desert. Though you won’t recognize any of the names in the drama portion of the series, the documentary does interview well-known figures like retired NYC detective Frank Grosso, legendary Chicago mobster Frank Calabrese, and former NYC prosecutor Rudy Giuliani.