15 shows to watch if you like Game of Thrones
By Sundi Rose
Breaking Bad — AMC
What it is: Breaking Bad is probably one of the most important contributions to the “peak television” canon. Starring Bryan Cranston as mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher Walter White, it’s become one of the most iconic American stories to date.
When Walter is diagnosed with lung cancer, he’s immediately worried about the financial strain it will put on his family. He is already working two jobs, and with a pregnant wife and son with special needs, it’s a struggle. To solve his financial woes, he begins manufacturing methamphetamine, partnering with his former student, Jesse. Jesse and Walter grow the business, and it quickly become more than either of them bargained for.
Why you’ll like it: Breaking Bad was among the first series, ever, to really make you root for a character that is actively doing awful things. Turning the protagonist into the villain (or vice versa) is old hat for Game of Thrones fans, but Breaking Bad was doing it a long time before the folks at HBO. Walter White may have started out as the Ned Stark of Albuquerque, but he quickly turned into the Cersei. Fans still rooted for him all along the way.
There are a lot of business machinations in the meth business, and it’s not all that different from the war-mongering and power-grabbing in the Seven Kingdoms. But also, just like Game of Thrones, there is an emphasis on the characters. We get to know what makes them do the horrible things they do, and it adds an added layer of commitment to the show.
Where to find it: All five seasons are available on Netflix.