The thrill of the chase is barely getting started on Narcos, and while the Netflix series was renewed for a Season 2, that's a long time to wait between now and 2016. What other shows like Narcos can fans watch during the hiatus? Sometimes, the best way to get over a temporary loss is to pour yourself into something new. My taste in television tends to be transcend genre, but thinking about Narcos specifically there are several television show out there that grab you in the same way.
So, what's great about Narcos, other than Pablo Pascal's face and signature snark? It's not anything as simple as the voiceover narration, or I would recommend everything from Jane the Virgin to Pushing Daisies and Veronica Mars. If it's law enforcement that you're into, you can watch any police procedural all day. That said, the historical Netflix series is based on true events, the subject matter is thrilling, the characters are compelling, and the show is shot beautifully. There are also some killer mustaches, though I don't think any other series can live up to that glory. Using those elements, here are some shows that Narcos fans may want to check out next. Most of these are also highly binge-able, which Netflix fans will appreciate for sure.
1. Weeds
I'm sorry, I chose this show mostly because it's also about drug dealers, though it takes place mostly on different coasts. Weeds is also a satirical comedy, so don't expect to be rooting for the DEA on this show.
2. Breaking Bad
Again, so sorry, this show is also about drugs. For all the crazy stuff that he does, Walter White probably wishes he was as untouchable and unflappable as Pablo Escobar sometimes, don't you think? They actually discuss the book Killing Pablo on the show — and I'm wondering if one didn't inspire the other, to be honest. Okay, on to more diverse options.
3. The Wire
Whoops, this series also involves drug trafficking. Terribly sorry. My bad. That's the last one. It's also one of the most acclaimed series of all time, so I don't feel too torn up about it.
4. Hatfields & McCoys
Another great thing about Narcos is the way it's painting a picture of a period in history that many of us barely remember from our textbooks, if we covered it at all. Boyd Holbrook is also in this series, if you just miss his face.
5. Manhattan
Again, just like the drug wars, it's easy to read about The Manhattan Project and feel removed from what actually went down. Putting faces to names really humanizes some of the reality of this period.
6. Marco Polo
A lot of us know "Marco Polo" better as a swimming game than a historical figure, which makes this Netfix series another good fit for Narcos fans. There's also that "fish out of water" element with Marco, though he has a slightly different purpose than Murphy.
7. Masters of Sex
Yet another piece of history that you may not know about, Masters of Sex
8. Halt & Catch Fire
If you're not ready to leave the 80s and 90s, may I suggest this AMC series? The stakes are lower, but it's equally captivating.
9. Kings
Finally, this old NBC series isn't streaming anywhere currently so it's a little bit more difficult to find. It's not about drugs or American history. But if you like epic drama with just a little bit of magic realism and gorgeous cinematography to go around, you need to watch Kings. It was a modern reimagining of the King David story from the Bible, and worth looking up.
Image: Daniel Daza/Netflix
