# I finished watching Ozark and loved it. Now what? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [July 13, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882 "2022-07-13T16:33:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/1 "2022-07-13T16:33:41Z")
The title says it all. I’m looking for another multi-season adult drama that is as rich and interesting as Ozark was. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/2 "2022-07-13T16:49:56Z")
Two strong recommendations from me. One is _Succession_, on HBO, if you haven’t already seen it. While the setting - a family-owned media conglomerate at the upper echelon of wealth and power - is far removed from Ozark’s, the characters are equally Machiavellian and the writing is tight and smart, with enough comic relief to prevent it from being too bleak. Amazing acting performances, a lot of extremely creative dialog. The show looks, visually, amazing. Lighting, camera, set design, it’s all phenomenal. It’s absolutely NOTHING like _Billions,_ just in case you were wondering about that. The characters are much deeper and more relatable. My second suggestion, and this is much closer to the vibe of _Ozark_, is the Canadian procedural drama [Cardinal.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_(TV_series)) This show flew under the radar and it doesn’t have any big names, but each season (which is literally a different season of the year) investigates a different grisly crime in a small rural Canadian town in Ontario. Kinda _Fargo_-esque, but let me warn you, it can get extremely disturbing. Several of the murders involve someone being kidnapped and tortured over a prolonged period of time, so if that’s something that shakes you up too much, steer clear of this show! You’ve been duly warned! But it’s an “adult” drama for sure, it’s heavy on characterization, atmospheric ambient settings, mood, and professionalism. Not “wiseass cops bantering and getting into sexual escapades when they’re off the job”, like most “cop shows.” It’s not really a “cop show,” more of a character study of introverted people in a sequestered environment trying to solve cryptic puzzles. I’d compare it to _True Detective_ but more understated. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/3 "2022-07-13T16:57:51Z")
_Longmire? Yellowstone?_ I couldn’t really get into _Ozark,_ little too much bang bang squish squish for my tastes so not sure what about the series worked for you but maybe one of these two could scratch the itch? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/4 "2022-07-13T17:10:34Z")
I watched _Longmire_, and liked it. I tried watching _Yellowstone_ (I live in Montana) and hated it; too much of a soap opera. My wife loves it and all of its spinoffs. I like Westerns, and I loved everything about the _Deadwood_ series. I’ve rewatched _Deadwood_ and the _Sopranos_ multiple times. It took me quite a while to get through Season One of _Ozark_, but once I did, I was hooked. By the characters mostly, and I like Jason Bateman’s work, not everybody does. The story was convoluted, which I liked, and it was adult themed. I like watching _Barry_, but it took me a season to get into that one too. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/5 "2022-07-13T17:13:42Z")
_Yellowstone_ is a bit soapy but it gets over it and the cinematography and purty horses make up for a lot in my book. Still hate Beth though and think she needs to grow the fuck up but looks like she might be heading that way lol. You’ve watched _Justified,_ right? Because if not you have SUCH a treat in store. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/6 "2022-07-13T17:16:33Z")
I enjoyed _Justified_. Tim Olyphant can do no wrong in my book. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/7 "2022-07-13T17:20:22Z")
He is a goshdarned national treasure, that one! ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/8 "2022-07-13T17:24:29Z")
I assume you’ve watched _Breaking Bad_. You mentioned _The Sopranos_; have you watched _The Wire_? Older but still holds up. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/9 "2022-07-13T17:53:04Z")
I tried watching _Breaking Bad_ but didn’t buy into the premise of the show and lost interest. I watched one season of _The Wire_ when it first came out on HBO but I’m not a big fan of police dramas. It’s worthy of another try. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/10 "2022-07-13T18:10:55Z")
_The Wire_ is a “slow burn” with a LOT of different moving parts and it is indeed difficult to get into. I’m not going to say this is a “flaw” in the show necessarily, but it is a fact, it _really_ takes a long time in initially establishing the characters and plot lines. I was in college when I first tried to watch it and I could only watch a few episodes of the first season before getting bored and giving up. Several years later I gave it another try and gutted out the tedious first season, and found myself totally drawn into the show. Yes, it’s a “police drama”, in a sense, but the various targets of the police are more compelling to me and their stories are fully told. In particular, the fourth season, focusing on the public school system, had me completely riveted. I have never, EVER seen such compelling performances from child actors as in that show. I don’t know where the hell they found these kids but they’re just unbelievably talented at playing children who are forced to grow up way too fast and trapped in a brutal fight for survival. The second season which focuses on the dock workers at the port is also particularly good. Great performance by James Ransone, who you may also have seen in _Generation Kill_, as a down and out blue collar worker trying and failing in various street hustles. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/11 "2022-07-13T19:52:12Z")
Give Breaking Bad another go. Trust me. Then after that go for Better Call Saul, which both complements it perfectly and also stands alone as another superb piece. Yes they are slow, but never boring. My two favourite shows of the past 10-odd years. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/12 "2022-07-13T20:37:57Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > I watched one season of _The Wire_ when it first came out on HBO but I’m not a big fan of police dramas. It’s worthy of another try. > [@Lamoral](#): > > Yes, it’s a “police drama”, in a sense, but the various targets of the police are more compelling to me and their stories are fully told. In particular, the fourth season, focusing on the public school system, had me completely riveted. As **Lamoral** says, it’s worth the effort. Season 1 is the most police drama-like of all the seasons. Season 2 dives into the loss of working class jobs and its impact throughout society, and I agree that the fourth season was the most amazing (and heartbreaking) thing I’ve ever seen on TV. And as **iamatractorboy** says, _Breaking Bad_ is worth another try. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/13 "2022-07-13T21:10:43Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Give Breaking Bad another go. Trust me. Then after that go for Better Call Saul, which both complements it perfectly and also stands alone as another superb piece. Yes they are slow, but never boring. My two favourite shows of the past 10-odd years. Seconding this. I rented season 1 of BB after it had been on for a few seasons and didn’t get what all the fuss was about at first. But I tried again, and by season 2 I was enjoying it. Halfway through season 3 I remember laughing and saying to myself “this show is genius”. BCS is also excellent. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/14 "2022-07-13T21:23:53Z")
Thanks, I will try watching both of them, but the death knell for me as far as a TV show goes is slow pacing and dialogue that doesn’t advance the plot, or when there are 5 different subplots developing at the same time. People often tell me that the first two seasons of a show are pretty slow, but in the third season, things really pick up. Trust me, I will never make it to the third season. Life is too short. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/15 "2022-07-13T22:29:21Z")
My wife and i are watching Shameless now. It’s 11 seasons (we just started #7), and it’s very good. Stars William H. Macy as a guy who could give Darlene Snell a run for her money as worst human on tv. I saw it described as: not a blue-collar comedy, but a no- collar comedy, and that sums it up. Plenty of drama and crime too, and definitely an adult show. This is one of those shows that somehow completely missed my radar for years. I had never heard of it until about a month ago, but we’re enjoying it immensely. We also loved Ozark, btw. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/16 "2022-07-14T02:04:13Z")
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll check out Shameless, assuming it comes with my Showtime subscription. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/17 "2022-07-14T03:49:52Z")
It should, as it was a Showtime show. We’re watching it on Netflix, so that’s an option too. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/18 "2022-07-14T05:59:53Z")
Do yourself a favor and drop _Shameless_ when Emmy Rossum leaves. Showtime really never has had any idea of when to drop a show, they think shark jumping is a “very special episode.” ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/19 "2022-07-14T06:54:43Z")
Have you watched _The Americans_? ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882/20 "2022-07-14T06:59:50Z")
Not exactly a drama, but right after finishing _Ozark_, I was inspired to rewatch _Arrested Development_! Besides being very funny, it has a surprisingly intricate plotline. And you get more of J.B. doing what he does best. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-finished-watching-ozark-and-loved-it-now-what/967882.md?page=2)