15 Shows Like 'Succession' to Binge-Watch Ahead of Season 4
On June 3, 2018, HBO introduced fans to the Roy family, AKA the owners of Waystar RoyCo. And now, four years and nine Emmys later, Succession is all the rage with a fourth season on the way.
HBO renewed the comedy-drama only a week after season three premiered. And though the network has yet to confirm a release date, Francesca Orsi, HBO’s Executive Vice President, promises that the next installment will dive “deeper into the Roy family’s inner sanctum with indelible wit, humanity and precision.” But until then, we’re biding our time with 15 of the best shows like Succession.
1. ‘Billions’
- Cast: Damian Lewis, Corey Stoll, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Siff, David Costabile, Condola Rashad
- Number of seasons: 6
Like Succession, this soapy Showtime drama is set in the Big Apple, and it revolves around highly successful people who want to accumulate more wealth. In this case, though, the show centers on hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod (Lewis), who goes to great lengths—even breaking the law—to get what he wants. Meanwhile, U.S. district attorney Chuck Rhoades (Giamatti) goes after Bobby in hope of bringing him to justice.
2. ‘Yellowstone’
- Cast: Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Brecken Merrill
- Number of seasons: 4
3. ‘The Undoing’
- Cast: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Noah Jupe, Donald Sutherland, Lily Rabe, Edgar Ramírez
- Number of seasons: 1
The mystery psychological thriller stars Kidman and Grant as a rich and happy couple who are living their best lives. Everything changes when a young woman is found dead, and the husband is accused of her murder. As the investigation rolls on, it becomes clear that their seemingly perfect marriage is filled with dark secrets.
4. ‘The White Lotus’
- Cast: Murray Bartlett, Connie Britton, Jennifer Coolidge, Alexandra Daddario, Fred Hechinger
- Number of seasons: 1
5. ‘The Righteous Gemstones’
- Cast: Danny McBride, John Goodman, Adam DeVine, Edi Patterson, Cassidy Freeman
- Number of seasons: 2
Meet the Gemstones, a family of celebrity televangelists who run a megachurch and live like royalty. Although they try to keep up appearances as good Christians, their private life revolves around greed and corruption as they comfortably live off church donations. Both Succession and The Righteous Gemstones examine sibling relationships and how wealth can impact family dynamics.
6. ‘Veep’
- Cast: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons
- Number of seasons: 7
7. ‘Arrested Development’
- Cast: Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, David Cross, Portia de Rossi
- Number of seasons: 5
8. ‘Bloodline’
- Cast: Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini, Norbert Leo Butz
- Number of seasons: 3
Bloodline is about the Rayburns, a trio of well-off siblings whose lives begin to unravel when their brother, the black sheep of the family, returns home to celebrate a milestone occasion. Like Succession, family is a central theme in this Netflix thriller, and it has plenty of mystery to keep you on the edge of your seat.
9. ‘The Sopranos’
- Cast: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese
- Number of seasons: 6
10. ‘Empire’
- Cast: Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Bryshere Gray, Trai Byers, Gabourey Sidibea
- Number of seasons: 6
Like Succession, Empire revolves around the head of a successful entertainment empire that’s based in New York. After hip-hop mogul Lucious Lyon (Howard) learns that he is dying from ALS, his fearless wife and three sons battle it out for control of his massive empire. This intense, soapy drama is packed with great performances, and there’s no shortage of glamorous costumes.
11. ‘Dynasty’
- Cast: Elizabeth Gillies, Nathalie Kelley, James Mackay
- Number of seasons: 4
12. ‘Mad Men’
- Cast: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones
- Number of seasons: 7
Mad Men offers some insight into the media world. Except in this case, we follow a star advertising executive as he tries to keep up with the times in ’60s New York. Understandably, the period drama earned countless accolades, including sixteen Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes.
13. ‘House of Lies’
- Cast: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell, Ben Schwartz, Josh Lawson
- Number of seasons: 5
14. ‘Enlightened’
- Cast: Laura Dern, Luke Wilson, Diane Ladd, Sarah Burns, Timm Sharp, Mike White
- Number of seasons: 2
Enlightened follows Amy Jellicoe (Dern), an executive determined to get her life back on track after suffering a breakdown at work and spending time in rehab. Unfortunately, the show only lasted for two seasons, but it's well worth the binge-watch—thanks to great writing and a nuanced protagonist you can’t help but root for.
15. ‘House of Cards’
- Cast: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly
- Number of seasons: 6
House of Cards and Succession aren’t very similar, but they do touch on a lot of the same themes (like manipulation and power). The political thriller follows the life of a morally corrupt politician named Frank Underwood (Spacey), who concocts a plan with his wife to gain more power.
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