12 Great Crime Dramas Like Tulsa King Fans Should Watch Next

Prestige crime dramas may be one of the biggest genres in streaming, but they're not always easy to get right. You need a talented and charismatic lead star, a good story that offers a fresh take on the formula, and an expert writer who can craft compelling characters and intriguing weekly adventures. Thankfully, the new Paramount+ series "Tulsa King" has all of that. The new series from "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan casts big-screen icon Sylvester Stallone in the role of Dwight "The General" Manfredi, an old-school gangster just released from prison after 25 years.

Forced by his gangland bosses to relocate to the American Southwest, his new job is to build his own little empire in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But for The General, it's more than just a challenge to start from scratch, as the world he meets is very different from the one left. A series with gritty drama, an eccentric cast of characters, and clever comedy, "Tulsa King" has made it clear that Taylor Sheridan is becoming a modern-day Elmore Leonard, or perhaps a small-screen version of the Coen brothers — a brilliant writer of crime fiction that mixes violence, action, humor, and heart.

You may have discovered "Tulsa King" thanks to Stallone's indomitable presence, but if you're loving it and looking for something similar to binge, you're in luck. We've found 12 great crime dramas just like "Tulsa King" that you should queue up next.

If you want a crime drama about the mafia, the first place to start would have to be "The Sopranos." A downright iconic TV series centered on organized crime, it's also one of the most beloved and acclaimed shows of the 21st century. It's so widely watched that we hesitated even recommending it, but no list of crime dramas would be complete without it. Plus, its focus on a complicated man running a criminal enterprise makes it more like "The Tulsa King" than most.

Starring the late James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, an underboss in the New York Italian mob, the show follows Tony's activities outside the big city in nearby New Jersey. There, Tony struggles with leading not just his own crime family, but his biological one too. As a married man with children, his work as a mob boss keeps him away from his wife and two kids, and he finds difficulty in balancing his disparate lives. He gets help in the form of a therapist, but he still clashes with members of both families in his quest to be king.

A look at the life of the modern mobster, "The Sopranos" is violent and uncompromising in a way audiences weren't used to when it began airing in 1999. Full of captivating characters, riveting suspense, and six solid seasons of surprising twists and turns, it concludes with one of the most frustrating series finales ever produced. Or fantastic, depending on your point of view.

Though it may not share as many of the same story elements as "Tulsa King," the acclaimed "Yellowstone" has the same dark tone, eccentric characters, and brilliant writing. That's no coincidence, as both shows share the same creator in Taylor Sheridan. "Yellowstone" has more than a few things in common with "Tulsa King" despite their differences, such as its Western setting and its big Hollywood name in the leading role — in this case, "Dances with Wolves" star Kevin Costner.

Costner plays John Dutton, head of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch located adjacent to the National Park and situated next to the Broken Rock Indian Reservation. His family is a powerful political force in the region, with John himself serving as livestock commissioner, his adopted son Jamie the attorney general, and his daughter a ruthless corporate raider. They wield that power to keep their enemies at bay, as they're surrounded on all sides by rival ranchers, influential outside businesses, and even the federal government, all of whom want what's theirs. To get it, they'll go beyond the law, and the Duttons are forced to fight fiercely and violently to stay dominant.

In between the politics, "Yellowstone" is also the somber story of a dying way of life in America; a withering breed of ranchers and cowboys. Among today's most talked-about dramas, the series saw its first spin-off in 2021 with the period-set "1883," starring Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Sam Elliott.

"Tulsa King" is the story of a gangster who lost his past and is forced to start anew far from home. Just like The General, Teresa Mendoza of "Queen of the South" has lost her old life, fleeing a drug cartel from her native Mexico for America and starting her own criminal organization along the way. Also like The General, Teresa has lost everything and is in a new land she doesn't know, surrounded by people she can't quite trust. 

Her story begins in Sinaloa, Mexico, where she gets romantically involved with Guero, a dealer for a powerful drug cartel. When Guero is killed, Teresa becomes a target herself, so she packs up and abandons her old life with the hope of starting a new one in America. She arrives in Dallas, and while evading the pursuing gang, she goes to work for a local cartel run by one Camila Vargas. Working her way up the ranks, Teresa eventually plots a coup and takes over the entire operation, all while trying to get revenge for Guero's killing. Meanwhile, back in Mexico, her sister Brenda plots her own escape and eventually arrives with new plans.

Starring Alice Braga ("The Suicide Squad"), Joaquim de Almeida ("Fast Five"), and Hemky Madera ("Spider-Man: Homecoming"), among others, "Queens of the South" was adapted from a Spanish crime drama titled "La Reina del Sur." Debuting in 2016, it ran five seasons on the USA Network.

"Tulsa King" showcases a fictional New York mafia man trying to rebuild his life — and an empire — after a lengthy stretch in prison. A similar story unfolds in the 2019 Epix series "Godfather of Harlem," which stars Forrest Whittaker and is based on a real-life New York mobster named Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson. Though he'd been portrayed on film before — including in the 1997 movie "Hoodlum" — this is the first time the gangster's story has been told in a prestige TV series.

Johnson (Whittaker) ruled the streets of Harlem for years but was eventually convicted on drug charges and spent a decade behind bars. When he gets out in the early 1960s, he returns home and receives a serious culture shock, as his once thriving neighborhood has lost its luster and is now run by the Italian mafia. Determined to take back what's his and return his home streets to their former glory, Johnson sparks a gang war with the Genovese crime family, allying himself with militant civil rights leader Malcolm X (Nigel Thatch) in the process. 

The star-studded cast led by Whittaker and Giancarlo Esposito also features appearances from big names like Vincent D'Onofrio, Chazz Palminteri, Whoopi Goldberg, Method Man, and Paul Sorvino. Lauded by critics for its depth and complexity, "Godfather of Harlem" explores a fascinating part of New York mob history with thoughtfulness and nuance.

Well known as the spin-off to the award-winning "Breaking Bad," one might worry that "Better Call Saul" would require a primer before viewing. Well, worry not, because series creator Vince Gilligan managed to craft a compelling series that's part sequel, part prequel, part spin-off, and which can be enjoyed without ever having seen its parent series. Though the focus of the show isn't on a ruthless gangster, but instead on an eccentric lawyer, "Better Call Saul" perfectly captures the same sense of violent, gritty fun as "Tulsa King."

Debuting in 2016, "Better Call Saul" follows Bob Odenkirk as shady legal smart-aleck Jimmy McGill, an unscrupulous attorney and sympathetic everyman struggling to ply his trade at the start of the series. Unable to get his career off the ground, he's constantly being set back by his egomaniacal and more successful brother Chuck (Michael McKean). Eventually, though, Jimmy's activities begin to move outside the law as he works with a notorious drug ring and various criminal figures. Over the course of the show's impeccable seven-season run, unlucky and beleaguered Jimmy becomes the slimy, slippery attorney to the criminal underworld known as Saul Goodman.

One of the biggest critical hits of the decade, "Better Call Saul" is full of grizzly stories, earnest drama, and wickedly delicious dark comedy. Never afraid to go to extreme places, it turns the despicable Saul Goodman into a lovable anti-hero, much like The General in "Tulsa King."

In "Tulsa King," Dwight Manfredi moves out to Oklahoma as a one-man mafia, at least to start. If you like Dwight's bullheadedness, his determination, and his ability to intimidate on the strength of his singular will alone, check out the Showtime series "Ray Donavan." Led by Liev Schreiber, the crime drama follows the adventures of the eponymous Ray, a fixer and one-man enforcer who protects the lifestyles of the rich and famous. 

From his home in Los Angeles, Donovan becomes one of the most powerful underworld figures in a city full of powerful people. From celebrity actors and star athletes to tycoons and politicians, Donovan's job is to help those whose illegal activities need a little covering up. Through blackmail, extortion, murder, and mayhem, Donovan bribes, schemes, and muscles his way to making sure his clients stay squeaky clean. But while he may not have a crime family by his side, Donovan still has a family that causes problems for him. This comes mostly in the form of his father Mickey (Jon Voight), who's released from prison and whose own criminal activity threatens to drag Ray down with him.

Of every main character on this list, Ray might be the most like Manfredi in "Tulsa King," a towering physical presence whose reputation alone intimidates his enemies. Though the show isn't as high on the humor scale, it's still an engaging and gripping drama that shouldn't be missed.