Ozark: For the Descent into Criminality
If you were fascinated by a seemingly ordinary man getting pulled deeper into a criminal underworld, 'Ozark' is your show. Financial planner Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) relocates his family to the Missouri Ozarks after a money-laundering scheme for a Mexican
drug cartel goes sideways. Much like Jimmy's journey, Marty's path is a series of escalating compromises, forcing his family to navigate a world where moral lines are constantly blurred for the sake of survival. The show excels at creating a palpable sense of dread and exploring the corrosive effect of crime on a family unit.
Succession: For the Corrosive Family Dynamics
While it swaps cartels for boardrooms, 'Succession' shares 'Saul's' DNA in its sharp writing and focus on deeply flawed characters. The series follows the power struggles among the children of a media mogul, all vying to take over the family empire. It’s a masterful, often hilarious, study of ambition, psychological manipulation, and the moral rot that comes with immense power and privilege. If you appreciated the complex, often heartbreaking relationships in 'Saul', like Jimmy’s with Chuck and Kim, the toxic dynamics of the Roy family will feel just as compelling.
Barry: For the Blend of Dark Comedy and Tragedy
Bill Hader's 'Barry' starts with a high-concept premise—a hitman decides he wants to become an actor—but quickly evolves into something much deeper. The show masterfully balances laugh-out-loud comedy with moments of shocking violence and genuine pathos. Much like 'Saul', 'Barry' explores whether a person can truly change their fundamental nature. Barry Berkman's struggle to escape his past and find a new identity mirrors Jimmy McGill’s own failed attempts to go straight, making for a series that's as tense as it is funny.
The Americans: For the Slow-Burn and Double Lives
One of the absolute best slow-burn thrillers, 'The Americans' is about two KGB spies posing as an American married couple in suburban Washington, D.C., during the Cold War. The series is a masterclass in tension, built not on constant action but on the psychological toll of living a lie. The central theme of identity—of wearing a mask that threatens to become your real face—is a perfect parallel to the Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman split. The marriage at its center provides an emotional core that will resonate with fans of the Jimmy and Kim dynamic.
Halt and Catch Fire: For the Unsung Anti-Hero's Reinvention
Often cited as one of television's most underrated dramas, 'Halt and Catch Fire' follows a group of engineers and programmers during the personal computer revolution of the 1980s. At its heart is Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace), a charismatic and manipulative salesman with a mysterious past who constantly reinvents himself. His journey of ambition, failure, and searching for the 'next big thing' will feel familiar to anyone who watched Jimmy try to build his own legacy. It's a beautifully crafted character study about chasing greatness and the personal costs that come with it.
Mr. Robot: For the Unreliable Narrator and Visual Style
If 'Saul's' inventive cinematography and psychological depth appealed to you, 'Mr. Robot' is a must-watch. The series follows Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), a cybersecurity engineer and vigilante hacker with debilitating social anxiety and depression who is recruited by an anarchist to take down a massive corporation. The show is known for its distinctive, off-kilter visual framing and for a story told through the eyes of a deeply unreliable narrator. It shares 'Saul's' talent for making you question everything you see while exploring themes of alienation and corporate power.
Severance: For the Corporate Dread and Duality
A modern sci-fi masterpiece, 'Severance' takes the idea of a work-life balance to a terrifyingly literal conclusion. Employees at the sinister Lumon Industries undergo a procedure that surgically separates their work memories from their personal lives. This creates two distinct versions of themselves: an 'innie' who only exists at the office and an 'outie' who has no idea what they do all day. The show's slow-burn mystery, sterile corporate aesthetic, and profound questions about identity make it a perfect thematic cousin to the divided world of Jimmy McGill and Saul Goodman.
