8 Shows Like Succession

Whether you love the Roy family or just love to hate them, there’s no denying that there will soon be a giant Succession-sized hole in our collective hearts. While we’re all mentally preparing for what will come of Waystar Royco and the family behind it, we gathered some great picks to help keep us company after Succession bids us adieu.

And if you haven’t caught up with the Roys before the impending series finale premiering this Sunday, May 28, you can binge it all right now on Max.

1. The Sopranos | Max

How could we not mention the show that started it all? OK, maybe not it all, but The Sopranos was arguably the show that ushered in our current era of prestige TV, of which Succession is a part. With complex characters, complicated family dynamics, and a patriarch (James Gandolfini) at the head of it all, The Sopranos will scratch your Succession itch and then some—if you haven’t already seen it.

2. The Thick of It | Amazon Prime Video (BritBox add-on)

The Thick of It stars the then-eventual Twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi, in a very un–Doctor Who-like performance as an aggressive spin doctor in the UK government. Succession’s creator and showrunner Jesse Armstrong was a writer on the show, on which profanity flows as freely as it does on our beloved Succession (Capaldi’s character gives Logan Roy a run for his money in the swearing department). Besides the language, dark humor and constant crises in The Thick of It echo the world we’ve come to know in Succession.

3. Veep | Max

Veep centers around the Vice President of the United States—and eventual President—Selena Meyer, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Created by the same man who started The Thick of It (Armando Iannucci), Veep’s first four seasons employed an all-British writing crew (including Jesse Armstrong) who pulled back the curtain on the White House and portrayed the “Veep” and her team as opportunistic, power-hungry, and often quite incompetent. Sound like our Roys? 

4. The Americans | Hulu

Perhaps a show about two Russian KGB spies gone undercover in 1980’s American suburbia doesn’t sound too similar to the sometimes too-topical one percenters in Succession. But like Succession, what lies at the heart of The Americans is family, including a deeply complicated marriage (one that might give Tom and Shiv’s a run for its money). And like Succession, it begs the question of how much one is willing to sacrifice to gain something greater, for better or for worse.

5. Billions | SHOWTIME

If the New York, uber-rich side of Succession is more your jam, we’d recommend Billions. Another show about ridiculously wealthy people behaving badly, Billions follows a U.S. district attorney’s (Paul Giamatti) pursuit to prosecute a shady billionaire hedge fund manager (and show antihero) played by Damian Lewis. The soapy Billions certainly takes itself less seriously than Succession, but both shows are glimpses into the world of the rich and powerful that we frankly just can’t get enough of.

6. Better Call Saul | Netflix

What started out as a prequel to Breaking Bad became so much more. Better Call Saul follows the life and crimes of lawyer Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) in the years before he enters the world of Breaking Bad as Saul Goodman. Deciding which show is better can be tough, but one thing is for certain—the impeccable writing and dark comedic edge that runs through BCS will be a hit for Succession fans looking for a new show to binge.

7. Arrested Development | Netflix

Speaking of comedy—although at first glance this may seem like an odd choice, if you think about it—Succession is just the darkest timeline of Arrested Development. Both shows have a wealthy CEO patriarch, his favorite son, and totally incompetent family members who simply cannot be kind to one another (or anyone, for that matter) if they tried. Honestly, the Bluths and the Roys have more in common than either would like to think.

8. Yellowstone | Peacock

Ah yes, Yellowstone—also known as Succession with cowboys. Kevin Costner plays the gruff patriarch here, and like Logan Roy, he pulls the strings to ensure that his empire (which is a cattle ranch in this universe) never fails. Also included in both shows are adult children desperately vying for said patriarch’s approval. 

Sadly, like Succession, Yellowstone is ending this year in November—but the sadness won’t last for long, as an untitled sequel series will be following right on its heels in December. (And if you end up finishing Yellowstone, too, check out more shows like it to tide you over until December rolls around).