5 Gritty Crime Dramas to Fill the Penguin-Shaped Hole in Your Soul

Okay, so we need to talk. Like, actually sit down and process this because I am currently unwell. Is anyone else staring at their ceiling at 3 AM wondering what they’re supposed to do with their lives now that ‘The Penguin’ is done? Just me? Cool, cool. It’s honestly rude of HBO to give us Colin Farrell looking like a distressed thumb in a suit, make us root for him (even though he’s a walking red flag factory), and then just leave us hanging. I miss the rain. I miss the gloom. I miss the specific sound of Oz Cobb waddling down a wet alleyway while plotting a murder. It’s a vibe, and now it’s gone, and I’m sad. But, because I am a benevolent content creator (and because I use television to dissociate from my actual problems), I have compiled a list. If you’re craving that gritty, power-hungry, morally gray—okay, morally pitch black—energy, here are five shows to binge while you eat ice cream and pretend you’re a mob boss.

A moody, cinematic digital illustration of a rain-slicked city street at night, noir style, with a lone silhouette of a heavy-set man in a trench coat holding an umbrella, purple and dark blue color palette, dramatic lighting.

1. The Sopranos (The OG Trauma Dump)

Look, I know what you’re thinking. “That’s a show for dads.” Yes. It is. But guess what? Your dad was right for once. If you loved watching Oz navigate the hierarchy of the Falcone family while dealing with his intense mommy issues, you strictly need to watch ‘The Sopranos’.

Tony Soprano walked so Oz Cobb could waddle. It’s funny, it’s violent, and it’s deeply, deeply depressing—which is my favorite genre. It’s basically about a guy who has panic attacks because being a criminal overlord is stressful. Relatable? Maybe not the crime part, but the anxiety? Big yes. Plus, the fashion is atrocious in the best way possible.

A retro-style painting of a 1990s New Jersey suburban living room, a large man sitting in a leather armchair, a cigar in an ashtray, muted beige and brown tones, tense atmosphere.

2. Daredevil (The Born Again Era)

Specifically the Netflix series (now on Disney+, which feels illegal, but whatever). If you liked ‘The Penguin’ because it took a comic book character and made it feel like a serious crime drama, ‘Daredevil’ is your new obsession.

We need to talk about Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin. He is arguably the only character who can rival Oz for the title of “Scary Large Man Who Speaks Eloquently Before Smashing Someone’s Head In with a Car Door.” It’s visceral, the fight choreography is insane, and Charlie Cox gets beaten up so much it actually starts to make you feel bad for him. It’s a gritty masterpiece. Also, there’s a lot of brooding in the dark, which is my personal aesthetic.

3. Peaky Blinders (Sigma Male Cringe, But Make It Art)

Okay, ignore the TikTok edits of Cillian Murphy with terrible phonk music over them. The actual show is incredible. It’s got that “rise to power” arc that we loved in *The Penguin*, but set in 1920s Birmingham, England.

It’s stylish, everyone smokes 400 cigarettes per episode, and everyone is sad. Thomas Shelby is the ultimate “I can fix him” (you cannot fix him) character. The show is about family loyalty, betrayal, and wearing really cool hats while doing terrible things. It’s gorgeous to look at, even when it’s horrifying. Just prepare yourself for the accents; you might start talking like a 1920s gangster to your barista, which is awkward. Trust me.

A group of men in 1920s suits and flat caps walking through a foggy, industrial street, cinematic lighting, smoke and sparks in the background, muted grey and copper tones.

4. Gotham (The Chaotic Evil Cousin)

If *The Penguin* is the serious, gritty, Oscar-worthy film student, *Gotham* is the theater kid who drank three Red Bulls and started screaming. It covers the same characters, but the tone is completely unhinged.

Robin Lord Taylor plays the Penguin here, and he is spectacular. He’s slimy, pathetic, vicious, and oddly lovable. The show is campy and ridiculous, but if you want to see the origin story of Oz Cobb through a lens that feels like a fever dream, this is it. It’s less “prestige drama” and more “gothic soap opera with knives.” It’s a guilty pleasure, but I have no shame left, so who cares?

5. Breaking Bad (The Descent into Madness)

I feel like I’m required by law to include this. If you enjoyed watching Oz lose his humanity bit by bit to get what he wanted, Walter White is the blueprint. It’s the ultimate “Mr. Chips to Scarface” transformation.

It’s stressful. Like, “pause the TV and walk around the room” stressful. But the writing is so tight it makes me angry. It captures that gritty, desert crime vibe perfectly. You will root for Walt, then hate him, then hate yourself for rooting for him. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that leaves you feeling empty inside. 10/10, would recommend.

$A lonely RV parked in the middle of a vast New Mexico desert landscape, sunset with deep orange and purple sky, chemical smoke rising from the top, hyper-realistic style.$

Conclusion

So, there you have it. Five shows to distract you from the crushing reality that we have to wait ages for more Batman universe content. I’m going to go stare at a wall and think about Gotham City now.

Honestly, watching these might make you feel a mix of adrenaline and existential dread, but isn’t that what being in your twenties is all about? Let me know if you watch any of these, or if you just want to cry about Colin Farrell’s prosthetics with me. I’m available. Ideally via text. Phone calls are scary.