Summary
- Fans of Gangs of London seeking violent, intriguing crime dramas have McMafia, Top Boy, and Taboo for similar thrills and complex characters.
- While eagerly anticipating the next season, viewers can explore dark, gritty shows like Des, Collateral, and London Spy for gripping crime stories.
- The crime genre is filled with fascinating characters and compelling plots, with shows like Giri/Haji, The Stranger, and Peaky Blinders offering intense storytelling.
With extreme violence, criminal intrigue, and a unique look at the world of gangsters, there are a lot of fans looking for other series like Gangs of London. Starting in 2020 and created by Gareth Evans and Matt Flannery, Gangs of London has grown in popularity, with the series showing the present-day struggles between rival gangs in London. In addition to receiving high viewing figures, the show has also received much critical acclaim. While it set itself apart in the genre, Gangs of London delivers the thrills and storylines that fans of crime dramas will enjoy.
Following an explosive second season of the show, fans are left waiting a long while for Gangs of London season 3 to take shape. However, in the meantime, there are some great options to check out that capture a similar vibe. These shows contain the gritty violence and the brutal struggle for power all told through the complex characters who the audience can be invested in even as they watch them do horrible things. It is the same kind of thrills that has made Gangs of London so popular.
The Best TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked
The best TV shows of all time will be debated forever, but there are clear contenders. These are the very best TV shows of all time, ranked.
14 McMafia (2018-)
The Son Of A Gangster Is Reluctantly Pulled Into The Family Business
Going back to Michael Corleone in The Godfather, there has been a theme in gangster stories about the hope for someone in the family to escape this way of life. Gangs of London season 1 focuses on Sean Wallace attempting to take over his father’s business but gradually realizing he isn’t cut out for it, which is the opposite idea explored in McMafia.
The centers on Alex Godman, the son of a famous Russian crime family, who was sent to grow up in England and tries to avoid his family’s history. Although Alex tries to stay away from the corruption and build a life with his partner, of course, he’s pulled into the chaos. Though only one season, the show delivered an intense and thrilling crime story with a sympathetic character at the center with James Norton delivering a strong performance.
13 Top Boy (2011-)
Street-Level Criminals Fight For Power
Top Boy delves into the lives of people living in the housing estates in east London in a gritty tense crime thriller. The series focuses on two characters, one a drug dealer who is trying to make it to the top and another struggling to survive and be independent after his mother’s breakdown. The series balances dramatic gang violence with social commentary and moments of humor that make for an underrated series that more people should seek out.
While Gangs of London largely focuses on those at the top of the criminal empire, it also explores the street-level aspects that are seen in Top Boy. It is interesting to get a more in-depth look at this world and the characters that make it up. It shows, that despite a smaller operation, the stakes are still high and the world is an even more dangerous one.
12 Taboo (2017)
A Man Returns Home To Claim His Legacy
Tom Hardy is a riveting presence on screen and he’s the best reason to check out the period crime drama Taboo. Taboo follows adventurer James Delaney (Hardy) as he returns home to England in the 1800s to claim his family inheritance in their shipping business, but he finds that nothing is what it seems and his enemies are ready to try to steal Delaney’s power in the industry.
Although the series isn’t about gangs in particular, Taboo is still similar to Gangs of London. It is another series that explores the dangerous struggle for power between two sides with the sense of family legacy at stake. Hardy makes for a great unpredictable force, taking the fight to extreme measures in order to gain the upper hand. He is an eccentric protagonist elevated by his committed performance.
11 Des (2020)
A Look At An Infamous Serial Killer
Gangs of London shocked a lot of viewers with the extreme levels of violence. It is a reminder of the kind of dark stories that can be told in this age of television where crime dramas are so popular. Such is the case with Des which although the violence is not necessarily on screen, remains dark and haunting. Des focuses on Dennis Nilsen (David Tennant) who admits to killing several people in Scotland in the 1980s.
The show follows his arrest and trial and the terrifying demeanor of Nilsen. Although Des is about a singular serial killer and based on real-life events, it’s still similar to Gangs of London for its intricate and engaging storytelling and power moves between the police, lawyers, and a biographer who attempt to prove Nilsen’s guilt and the intriguing behavior of Nilsen.
10 Collateral (2018)
A Murder Leaves In A Collection Of Possible Suspects
Starring John Simm, Doctor Who‘s Billie Piper, and Carey Mulligan, Collateral is one of the most underrated British crime thrillers of the past decade. The series starts with the murder of a pizza delivery boy and quickly develops to show a complex web of characters, each appearing to be connected to the event. Mulligan plays the inspector who has come to the community looking for answers.
It is a perfect series for those murder mystery fans, consisting of only four episodes that make for an easy yet intense binging experience. However, despite the small-town murder mystery approach, it follows Gangs of London by looking at a wide variety of characters with their own secrets and agendas all looking to ensure they come out of this ordeal unscathed. Mulligan is a solid lead but the ensemble aspect brings the story together.
9 London Spy (2015)
A Man Whose Wife Is Killed Agrees To Become A Spy
While the criminal aspect of Gangs of London is thrilling, one of the best parts of the show is the undercover agents working to bring the operation down from the inside. Spy stories in movies and television always offer a gripping experience as seen in London Spy. Starring Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent, Charlotte Rampling, and Mark Gatiss, London Spy is a five-part series with an intelligent and thrilling plot.
London Spy follows Ben Whishaw’s Danny as he unravels the mystery surrounding the death of his lover, unwittingly throwing himself into the world of espionage in the process. Much like Elliot Carter as the undercover agent in Gangs of London, Dan finds himself in a world of danger with threats at every turn, yet committed to getting to the bottom of it all at any cost.
8 Giri/Haji (2019)
A Japanese Detective Comes To London In Search Of His Brother
While there are plenty of British crime dramas that capture the same style and feel of Gangs of London, there are also some excellent international options in the genre that should not be overlooked. Giri/Haji is a British/Japanese crime drama that follows a Japanese detective who is sent to London to search for his brother, who had been previously assumed to be dead.
The series was a critical success in the UK, with the series holding 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. It was praised for its exciting and intelligent plot with fantastic performances from the cast. Like Gangs of London, it is a dark and gritty crime story with the central theme of the importance and duty of family. It adds an emotional element to it that grounds the story and makes it an even more compelling drama.
7 Strangers (AKA White Dragon) (2018)
A Man Travels To Hong Kong For Answers About His Wife’s Death
Strangers, originally titled White Dragon, follows a British professor as he travels to Hong Kong after his wife is killed in a car accident. However, his wife’s death is far from a straightforward affair and the professor begins to uncover a complex web of lies and secrets from his wife’s life, all of which have huge implications for both the professor and Hong Kong as a whole.
Much like how London is central to Gangs of London, Strangers utilizes the underbelly of the city of Hong Kong to great effect in the crime story. Both shows explore how simple murders can grow into something bigger that threatens to consume the entire city. It makes for a gripping rabbit hole to go down with Strangers also offering a fish-out-of-water and cultural shock element that adds an interesting flavor to it all.
6 The Stranger (2020)
A Man Uncovers A Conspiracy While Searching For His Wife
Along with a similar title as Strangers, The Stranger is another crime drama about a distraught husband who is looking for answers. Based on the novel by thriller author Harlan Coben, The Stranger follows a husband who is approached by a stranger who tells him a secret about his wife. Shortly after, the man’s wife disappears, sending him on a quest to discover the truth behind the stranger which opens up a web of conspiracies.
Starring Richard Armitage, Hannah John-Kamen, and Anthony Head, the series is one of the most interesting Netflix crime originals of the past few years and is worthy of a watch for fans of British crime shows. It features the same layered and complex story of hidden motives and determined police officers that fuels a lot of the propulsive elements of Gangs of London.
5 River (2015)
A Troubled Detective Battles Grief And Guilt While Solving Cases
While there are a lot of shows dealing with intense and complicated detectives, River is one of the most compelling and unique detective shows of recent years. Starring Stellan Skarsgård, the series follows the titular River as he tries to overcome the guilt of his former partner’s death while also trying to solve a complex case. He is haunted by visions of his partner, making him an unpredictable and troubled protagonist to follow.
The series is both visually stunning and strongly performed by the cast, making it a must-see for any fans of the detective genre. Skarsgård gives a complex and gripping performance, showing the trauma of the character while also infusing him with a relatable sense of humor. It is something that Gangs of London also does very well, creating tough and capable characters within a dangerous world while also making them vulnerable and human.
4 Peaky Blinders (2013-)
The Leader Of An Irish Gang Seeks Power Over His Enemies
Before stepping into the lead role in Gangs of London season 1, Joe Cole played a supporting role in another crime drama. Peaky Blinders follows the actions of the Shelby gang who operate in Birmingham in the immediate aftermath of the devastating First World War. Cillian Murphy leads the show as Tommy Shelby, a ruthless and dark gangster who strives to set up a more legitimate future for his family even as he is continuously pulled back into this violent world.
Tommy Shelby makes for a fascinating protagonist to follow through the series with Murphy delivering a powerhouse performance in the role. Peaky Blinders is a reminder that the backstabbing, mistrust, and murder of the modern-set Gangs of London was still very present in the world of organized crime a century ago. It is an intense and captivating series with a strong following that has led to the planned Peaky Blinders movie.
3 Line Of Duty (2012-)
A Police Unit Investigating Police Corruption
While police procedural shows have been around for years and can sometimes be criticized for being too one-note, Line of Duty makes for a unique and bold approach. Line of Duty is a British procedural detective show that follows Steve Arnott who, after refusing to cover up corruption, is put in charge of a unit that attempts to uncover corruption in the police force, leading to some of the most tense and compelling plot points many series of the genre wouldn’t explore.
This is the most popular BBC Two series of all time, with the series drawing in over 4 million viewers, receiving several awards, and even being included in many lists of the best BBC Two shows of all time. Gangs of London shows the influence organized crime can have even within the police force and Line of Duty shows Arnott and his team gradually uncovering how the mob has become intertwined with the police department.
2 Luther (2010-2019)
Idris Elba Plays A Detective Willing To Operate Outside The Law
Though it was initially unclear what his role in the larger story was Elliot Carter has emerged as the most exciting character in Gangs of London. He is a heroic protagonist but also a cop who has shown a willingness to go to great lengths to solve the case as he sees fit. It is a character reminiscent of Idris Elba’s titular detective in the excellent crime drama Luther.
Luther is one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful British crime shows of the past few decades. Elba’s John Luther is a rash but brilliant detective who solves grisly London murders while also trying to fix his personal life. The popularity of the series delivered five seasons to fans followed up by the Netflix movie Luther: Fallen Sun which made for one of the biggest hits on the streaming platform.
1 Marcella (2016-2021)
A Female Detective Solves Crimes Amid Her Own Troubled Life
While detective stories have been popular on television for decades, recent years have shown a resurgence in the genre but with more of a focus on the complicated and flawed protagonists who solve crimes amid their own troubles that they cannot solve. Starring Anna Friel as the titular character, Marcella follows a brilliant detective as she tries to balance her difficult personal life and fragile mental state with her stressful life as a detective investigating a murder case in London.
The show came from Swedish writer Hans Rosenfeldt, creator of the similarly dark crime series The Bridge and aired for three seasons, to much acclaim. In a similar manner to Luther as well as Carter from Gangs of London, the series follows a gritty, intelligent, and flawed detective whose personal troubles are matched by her endless determination to see the job done.