Gangsters and organized crime continue to be a favorite among movie and television fans thanks to iconic series such as The Sopranos and Peaky Blinders. Whether it’s a gang of loyal vigilante bikers like in Sons of Anarchy or the rise and fall of notorious drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar from Narcos, the gangster genre has evolved and expanded into various new territories with both fictional and historical tales of real-life mobsters that seem to have something for every television fan.
When it comes to television series, most audiences have a certain taste. Even though some may like traditional mafia shows over a rare niche of organized crime, some series are simply a must-see for anyone who claims to be a serious fan of the genre. With lesser-known shows such as Magic City and Gomorrah to memorable gems like Boardwalk Empire and Godfather of Harlem, these are the 13 best television shows about gangsters, ranked.
‘Law & Order: Organized Crime’ (2021- )
Created by Dick Wolf, Ilene Chaiken, and Matt Olmstead
Christopher Meloni reprises his iconic role as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler in the spin-off series, Law & Order: Organized Crime, who is now working for the organized crime unit where he encounters an array of gangsters and mafiosos. After suffering a devastating loss, Stabler returns to the job but, after being away for a decade, he soon learns that things have drastically changed in the Big Apple as well as the justice system, forcing him to adjust while coping with his personal issues.
Even though the series focuses on the police’s perspective, Law & Order: Organized Crime introduces a variety of gangsters who manage to keep things interesting and unpredictable. The series crosses over with Meloni’s former show, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, which makes it a unique spin-off out of the Law & Order franchise with endless possibilities of perps and suspects.
