It has been over a decade since Sons of Anarchy aired its final episode, but for many fans, the story of Jax Teller and SAMCRO feels as fresh as ever. The series set a high bar with its mix of brutal violence, deep family drama, and the unique codes of outlaw biker culture. If you are craving more of that same high-stakes drama, several other shows explore similar worlds of crime, brotherhood, and impossible moral choices.
The Direct Sequel: Mayans M.C.
The most straightforward follow-up to the world of Sons of Anarchy is its direct spin-off, Mayans M.C.. Set in the same universe a few years after the original series ended, the show shifts the focus to the Mayans Motorcycle Club on the California-Mexico border. The story follows Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, a prospect with a brilliant mind and a troubled past who gets drawn deep into the club’s violent affairs.
Created by Kurt Sutter, the same mind behind Sons of Anarchy, Mayans M.C. delivers the same recipe of macho drama, intense shootouts, and complex alliances. Familiar faces from the original series make appearances, helping to bridge the two worlds. The show ran for five seasons, concluding in July 2023, offering a complete story for fans to enjoy.
Gritty Family Crime Dramas
If the central theme of family—both blood and chosen—was what hooked you, these shows explore very similar dynamics in different criminal underworlds.
Animal Kingdom
This TNT series pulls viewers into the world of the Cody family, a ruthless Southern California crime clan led by its matriarch, Smurf. When her grandson Joshua comes to live with them after his mother’s death, he is thrown into a perilous world where loyalty is everything and power struggles are constant. The series explores themes of family loyalty and the high cost of living outside the law, much like Sons of Anarchy.
The Sopranos
This groundbreaking HBO series is often considered a benchmark for crime family dramas. It follows New Jersey mafia boss Tony Soprano as he tries to balance the demands of running a criminal organization with the challenges of his own family life and mental health. The show offers a deep character study of a charismatic leader operating outside the law, providing a rich and complex world for any SOA fan.
Peaky Blinders
Set in post-World War I England, this British drama centers on the Shelby crime family, led by the ambitious and cunning Tommy Shelby. The series shares with Sons of Anarchy a focus on crime narratives, violent power struggles, and the intense bonds of brotherhood. Its period setting adds a unique flavor, but the core themes of balancing personal ambition with duty to the group will feel very familiar.
High-Stakes Modern Crime Thrillers
For those who loved the tense, life-or-death decisions and the intricate plots involving law enforcement and rival gangs, these contemporary shows are essential viewing.
Ozark
This Netflix drama introduces the Byrde family, who are forced to relocate to the Ozarks to launder money for a dangerous Mexican drug cartel. The show masterfully portrays how crime tears at the fabric of a family, forcing its members to make increasingly dark choices for survival. The constant tension and moral compromises will feel very familiar to anyone who followed the Teller family’s struggles.
Narcos
This series tells the true stories of history’s most notorious drug cartels, starting with the rise of Pablo Escobar in Colombia. Narcos is intense and gritty, presenting a world where power is everything and the lines between good and evil are constantly blurred. Its focus on the mechanics of building a criminal empire and the law’s efforts to bring it down provides a similar adrenaline rush.
The Shield
Before creating Sons of Anarchy, Kurt Sutter was a writer on this acclaimed FX drama. The Shield follows the Strike Team, a corrupt unit within the Los Angeles Police Department that uses brutal and criminal methods to police their precinct. The show is a raw and dark story about characters who perform bad actions for what they believe are the right reasons, and it shares many actors with Sons of Anarchy.
Shows with a Different Backdrop, Same Spirit
These series take the core themes of Sons of Anarchy—brotherhood, loyalty, and violence—and place them in entirely unique settings.
Yellowstone
This modern Western shares many similarities with Sons of Anarchy. The Dutton family and their ranch hands operate like a gang that is hard to join and even harder to leave. Both shows have a deep obsession with codes of masculinity, family legacy, and protecting their land and business from outside threats at any cost.
Warrior
This action drama takes the gang warfare of Sons of Anarchy and sets it in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the late 1800s. Based on the writings of Bruce Lee, the show features brutal street fights between rival Chinese tongs. It explores the same core themes of brotherhood, betrayal, and family amidst thrilling and expertly choreographed action sequences.
Hell on Wheels
For fans who enjoyed the historical elements and gritty atmosphere of Sons of Anarchy, this Western is a perfect match. It follows Cullen Bohannon, a former Confederate soldier seeking revenge while working on the first transcontinental railroad just after the Civil War. The show’s world is full of crime, violence, and difficult choices, set in a harsh and unforgiving landscape.
Mr. Inbetween
This Australian crime drama features Ray Shoesmith, a hitman trying to balance his violent profession with his responsibilities as a father and partner. Ray, with his bald head, goatee, and readiness for violence, would fit right into SAMCRO. The show is a gritty and darkly humorous look at a man whose criminal life constantly threatens to destroy his domestic one.
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