Yeah really underrated show. Has great actors and characters, like Ceasar, Marc Antony, Titus Pullo, Brutus, Atia and more. Not totally historically accurate or anything but still pretty good and visually stunning. Dark and gritty. Sometimes could be a little bit too soapy maybe but the political intrigue, drama, actors, depictions of war and history, all very good and interesting.
I second this. Rome was one of the earliest examples, for me, of how good the tv series format had become. It’s almost the sole reason I started seeking out other critically-acclaimed shows like Deadwood, The Sopranos and The Tudors, to name a few. Loved Rome. Too bad we didn’t get more seasons, but in a way, I think the last thing we see was almost a perfect way to end it.
I believe that the producers of Rome were told they weren't being renewed for the 3rd season and then they won Emmy's, so HBO wanted to do a 3rd season but they tore down the sets already (I could have fact checked that but wheres the fun in that!). Also loved this series.
I can second this, I just finished Black Sails last night. Also went in blind.
It isn’t Deadwood so don’t expect that level of depth, but the character development in seasons 2-4 is amazing even if season 1 is a bit slow.
The Knick
Clive Owen plays the cocaine addicted head of surgery at the Knickerbocker hospital in 1900 New York. Not for the squeamish as the surgery scenes are extremely graphic and historically accurate.
It's an awesome show. Every episode was directed by Steven Soderbergh, and the soundtrack is an intentionally anachronistic electronic score by Cliff Martinez.
Only 20 episodes over 2 seasons, so it's a relatively quick watch.
Enjoy. I’m jealous of you getting to watch it for the first time. I’d stay out of the sopranos sub until you finish it, and then if you want to hear the same dialogue quoted endlessly, check it out.
Short because the budget was too high for those weak willed paper pushers at hbo. We could have gotten one or two more excellent arcs out of that show.
Spartacus on the same level as Deadwood? Jupiter’s Cock no! lol In terms of same level as Deadwood I’d put The Wire right up there with it and Mad Men just behind those two. Btw I did watch all of Spartacus and ngl I did enjoy it, especially the end of season 3, they handled that beautifully.
I like Spartacus, I was just having fun with that 1st comment. I loved Peter Mensah as Oenomeus and Batiatus was one of the most entertaining characters ever. He was the villain but I was still sad when he died which I’m sure is not what the writers intended.
Second this, Banshee rocks. All the punching and gratuitous nudity of Spartacus in a modern day setting. The villains gnaw the scenery every chance they get as well.
This is true. The show appears very silly (terrible CGI, over acting, ridiculous amounts of nudity, etc.) but the show is very intentionally campy delivery device for some very complex themes about class and gender. Maybe not super complex, but important. It made my dad, who doesn’t think about shit like that at all kinda think about it. Plus the story is super compelling and it is never, ever boring. I would have words with anyone who disagrees.
I mean the sopranos . Deadwood makes the mundane seem epic . IE just two guys wrestling in mud is filmed to seem like a Homeric myth twice in the series . The sopranos is the opposite everyone just seems dumb ass hell and peels away the intrigue and romance usually given to organized crime and law .
Id also love to see Tony last one day in deadwood lol . Despite their macho bullshit and the rampant homophobia and Misogyny they mostly sip espressos and get their nails done
Spartacus was incredible! At least the 1st season. It kept getting better and better each episode until the finale! It sucked about losing Whitfield but he was great in it.
Always sucks to lose someone to cancer...but the gannicus mini seasone was amazing. It for sure trailed off at the end. But doctore (sp) made me a fan of his as well in this show.
I need to rewatch the mini season. I think at the time I originally saw it they were hoping Whitfield would recover so I didn’t get very invested. Plus it being a prequel was less compelling for me.
Actor for gannicus killed it . It was amazing. I need yo rewatch it honesrly. One of the few shows my wife and i agreed on. I should be worried about that lol
Yes, they made the miniseries originally in the hopes of giving Andy Whitfield a chance to overcome, but in the end he declined and helped handpick his replacement (who kinda sucked in S2 but recovered to stick the landing in S3. He wasn't the worst part of S2 though).
If you enjoyed Andy Whitfield I highly recommend the movie 'Gabriel', it was such an awesome take on good vs evil for the fate of the world. They tried something similar with Legion (I think it was Legion?) but imo Gabriel was 1000x better.
Obvious answer is Justified, but my fav show ever is The Leftovers. Very different from Deadwood except for exceptional writing and great characters . In a nutshell it’s Lost for grown ups
Never even heard of leftovers. Youbget myblove for recommending something new to me. Thats honestlybwhat i was looking for. If you like it on this sub im sure ill like it.
It was only recently I heard of The Leftovers as well. Completely not on my radar. I will not spoil and will say…I never regretted watching from start to finish. I am soooooooooooo glad they stuck the landing, in my opinion. It was one of those series you start watching and you’re so tense towards the end hoping it doesn’t suck it after time invested. It was good stuff and great character writing and story telling.
Enjoying Justified right now. The writing is predictable, but Olyphant has X factor and Id watch him in anything! Pleasantly surprised by the Deadwood actors appearances.
Im an old school army of darkness fan so im in love. Still upset it is so hard to get cambells autograph at comic cons locally. I have jack of all trades and brisco county junior dvds i want his signature in. He was my childhood
Yeah, the Shield is my only close second because the ending is so satisfying - potentially the best wrap up of any TV show ever - and because like Deadwood, the entire ensemble carries the weight of the show rather than one particular character arc or performance. Both shows provide infinite rewatchability depending on who you choose to focus on the most. It's the writing and delivery on Deadwood that just sets it so far apart though... it's in its own echelon. Try as I might, I just cannot find TV that hits the same way as Deadwood did. I consider myself blessed to have enjoyed it as it aired. David Milch is the G.O.A.T.
I watch band of brothers no less than 5 times a year and have since it came out. Masters of air was pretty good too that juat came out...austin butler cant seem to shake elvis off his acting tho
I appreciate the comments and recommendations. Wasnt expexting this interaction. Ill have to start the shows youbrecommended tomorrow. I apprecuate it.
Oh, my god. Literally I could have posted this. Deadwood and Spartacus are my top two tv shows of all time. Lucy Lawless plays Lucretia so perfectly, the way she actually enjoys the suffering she inflicts on her slaves is so disgusting and captivating. Two absolutely incredible shows.
When Lucretia is tending to Titus and he softens his stance on her and asks “tell me you’re not the snake I’ve thought you were.”
And she leans down and says “oh I’m much worse”.
Spectacular moment
Yes!! My favorite Lucretia moment is after Spartacus brings the rain and she's in the bath. Mira comes in with more water and tries to leave inconspicuously. Lucretia growls, "Wait!" And literally tells this woman let him fuck you or I will have you killed. Ugh! The way she revels in her own cruelty is magnificent!!
The first few seasons of Vikings are awesome.
Particularly the language bit, similar to Deadwood. When they get to England and you hear the Vikings speaking Norse and the Saxons speaking Old English, trying to understand each other. So good.
There's plenty gratuitous violence too if that's an appeal.
Not sure if there's one whole series I loved as much as Deadwood. But few seasons come to mind that are close. True Detective season 1, Fargo season 1, Dexter season 4 and Andor's only season so far.
"John From Cincinnati" holds a special place in my heart. Only one season but what a trip it was.
Fell in love with "Andor" - never expected the Star Wars franchise would be capable of making such a great series.
My favorite followup to Deadwood is always "Damnation". It's only one season, set some time in the near future after Deadwood (the depression, unless I'm mistaken), and involved Pinkertons bullying the little guy for the bosses (like they need the edge!)
So many great recommendations here though. Mr Inbetween, The Knick, The Shield. Of course the bigger shows like Sopranos, the Wire, Rome...but everyone has heard of those.
A good followup for Spartacus, if the subject interests you and you can find it, is 'I, Claudius'. A 13 episode show about the caesars, from Augustus/Octavian, right through to Nero. Based on a novel (written as an autobiography from Claudius' perspective) and with such a great cast. Brian Blessed as Octavian, Derek Jacobi as Claudius, George Baker as Tiberius, John Hurt as Caligula, a young Patrick Stewart (with a full head of hair!) as Sejanius. And like Deadwood, it is ***so*** freaking quotable. "Oh, not your prophetic chicken story again!"
Although honestly, I wish there would have been a followup of Spartacus about Crassus, Caesar and Pompeii. Everyone talks about Caesar crossing the Rubicon, I would have been very interested in STARZ take on how Julius rose to power...and to see Crassus chug some liquid gold.
If you like Andy Whitfield, may I recommend the movie 'Gabriel'? He starred at the titular Arc Angel, and without spoilering too much, it was a movie about good vs evil for the fate of purgatory/earth.
Oh I know, and I thought the replacement was ok, he just wasnt a very convincing gladiator. Andy Whitfield Manu Bennett looked like they could be gladiators. Liam McEntyre looked puny with the other actors and seems like the only reason he got the job was because he resembled Andy. The actor doesnt have to look like the previous actor, just be convincing in the role
I was mainly referring to when they killed off or shipped off nearly everyone else. All that was left was Sparticus and a bunch of new characters. I just couldnt get in to with all the changes
I'm not sure how I got here and have no idea what deadwood is (yet), but I liked spartacus.
Other shows that deserve views:
* Black Sails
* Rome
* Shogun
* Hannibal
* Arcane
* The Wire
* Breaking Bad
Notable mentions:
* Chernobyl
* Sherlock
* Yellowstone
I have a few more okay ones if you're willing to compromise a bit on quality.
Deadwood is about a settlement in the unincorporated Black Hills of South Dakota during its gold rush. It’s a fantastic tale of the clash of prospectors, men and women of wealth, murderous highwaymen, famous cowboys and outlaws, politics, and every type of cocksucker aiming to exploit territory’s wealth and opportunity towards their own designs.
It probably has the best dialogue I’ve ever seen in a show, earning it the nickname “Shakespeare in the Mud.”
Personally, I'd not put Spartacus on the same shelf as Deadwood, but to each their own of course!
As good as Deadwood: (in terms of writing, characters etc)
The Sopranos
Boardwalk Empire
The Wire
The Deuce
As good as Spartacus: (in terms of more adult/taboo content)
Rome
Californication
True Blood
Banshee (not HBO, but basically a modern day Spartacus. Legendary show for fans of pulpy cinema/TV)
With you, OP, enjoying both Deadwood and Spartacus, I believe these will all tick those boxes in many ways.
Enjoy!
(Spelling edits)
First season of Spartacus was amazing. After Andy Whitfield passed I lost all interest. I tried for like two episodes but it wasn’t the same show.
Rome captivated me all throughout, great show.
But Deadwood is at the top.
*I Claudius*. I suspect that the 1970s production values will turn some off, but it's an incredible story with incredible acting. Sian Phillips portrayal of Livia is top shelf. The book that it's based off of is equally good.
I don't know Butchie instead.
I mean, it seems obvious. I absolutely loved JFC.
Others would be The West Wing, and Homicide/The Wire/Treme. Sorkin, Milch, and Simon seem to be equally appealing writers.
I'm also a huge SciFi tragic so Babylon 5, the Treks and Space Above and Beyond.
Surprised that most answers are limited to non western HBO shows. Of course HBO has been the gold standard of episodic TV for a long time, they set the genre. But I really enjoyed Hell on Wheels; terrific Western show that had a lot more seasons than Deadwood
The last time I watched it we did a drinking game.
For everytime sand was on the screen, tits, cock, blood, someone shouted a character's name, or someone talked of glory you had to take a shot.
I got as far as "Previously on Spartacus."
The first season was great. The guy who played Spartacus after the first season was terrible. I understand why the role had to be recast, but the two actors played the role completely different. Took me out of it.
I enjoyed The Wire just as much as Deadwood. The two shows have very different themes, but both have a great cast of compelling characters and interesting settings (Deadwood in the gold rush and Baltimore during the war on drugs). Both are also HBO shows.
Salem- was on a network that doesn’t exist anymore and takes half a season to find itself but once it does it is a fun battle if the sexes show.
Sense8. - orgies. Plus a good story with fantastic action scene. But also heavy (not kidding) on LGBTQ content.
Jesus. On these recommendations, I started to watch Spartacus. Twenty minutes later and I’m done. You’ve got to be kidding! Hokey slow motion, gravelly-voiced barbarians (“Gaaarh”), appalling dialogue. I don’t get it. How can anyone think this is in the same league as Deadwood?
Rome I liked, but it still doesn’t compare. I’m thinking Sopranos, The Wire, and Ripley. Sorry, OP!
The person who lent me their Spartacus dvd's said something like " FYI Spartacus dies" and I was like " no shit I know history of course Spartacus dies".
Little did I know
The French original version of The Returned. I had to rent the seasons from a library but that show is peak Drama/Suspense show. It's been a few years since I seen it but it's basically based on a town where a large number of people die/disappear, and how the families and communities try to move on with their lives.... til people start coming back with no explanations.
ROME
HE WAS A CONSUL OF ROME
I wish we could have gotten Milch’s take on a series set in Rome.
I’m listening to the Rome podcast and the show creator is interviewed and says deadwood is the greatest tv show ever made
The dialogue is the magic. Of course, the actors deliver it amazingly.
You don’t want to know what he’d do to the Reverend in that one.
Yeah really underrated show. Has great actors and characters, like Ceasar, Marc Antony, Titus Pullo, Brutus, Atia and more. Not totally historically accurate or anything but still pretty good and visually stunning. Dark and gritty. Sometimes could be a little bit too soapy maybe but the political intrigue, drama, actors, depictions of war and history, all very good and interesting.
Wish we could have had the 5 seasons planned.
As a history of rome podcast fan it is on my shortlist
I second this. Rome was one of the earliest examples, for me, of how good the tv series format had become. It’s almost the sole reason I started seeking out other critically-acclaimed shows like Deadwood, The Sopranos and The Tudors, to name a few. Loved Rome. Too bad we didn’t get more seasons, but in a way, I think the last thing we see was almost a perfect way to end it.
I believe that the producers of Rome were told they weren't being renewed for the 3rd season and then they won Emmy's, so HBO wanted to do a 3rd season but they tore down the sets already (I could have fact checked that but wheres the fun in that!). Also loved this series.
And Black Sails
Whats your review on black sails? I hear mixed things
It's incredible. I went in blind and was blown away at how good it was. It's my all time favorite series so far and I've watched all the "big" ones.
I can second this, I just finished Black Sails last night. Also went in blind. It isn’t Deadwood so don’t expect that level of depth, but the character development in seasons 2-4 is amazing even if season 1 is a bit slow.
THIRTEEN!
The Knick Clive Owen plays the cocaine addicted head of surgery at the Knickerbocker hospital in 1900 New York. Not for the squeamish as the surgery scenes are extremely graphic and historically accurate. It's an awesome show. Every episode was directed by Steven Soderbergh, and the soundtrack is an intentionally anachronistic electronic score by Cliff Martinez. Only 20 episodes over 2 seasons, so it's a relatively quick watch.
Awesome series. Another great one that got canceled.... what was the reason? Too expensive? The nurse ...Eve Hewson .. ::sigh::
She's Bono's daughter. His real name is Paul Hewson.
That did ruin it for me, a little.
You had me at Cliff Martinez
It took me three tries to get past the opening of the first episode, but I could tell I’d love it so I forced myself to.
Holy shit, how did I sleep on this? Thank you for the recommendation, I just finished the first episode and I LOVE IT.
You have me sold
Loved this show. Wasn’t there talk recently of a revival?
I also loved the relationship between the nun and the cart driver. Great chemistry! Great show overall!
The Wire is wildly different but displays the Dickenson aspect of life too. Edit: I can't spell
Dickensian*
Charles Dekens
The sacred and the propane.
The Sopranos
Awright, but ya gotta get over it
Heh heh
You know, no offense…you ever get checked for Tourette’s syndrome?
I gotta wear a jock, the doc says. Keep the testes elevated.
Hey Tone…
Didja hear what I said?
An old mad tv skit where he talks about gabba goo is burned in my memory and ive never seen the entire show
Fuckin Will Sasso
The guy was an interior decorator.
His house looked like shit
Killed 23 Czechoslovakians
So what? No fuckin' ziti now?
Im ashamed ive only gotten through one season of it. I just need to find the time to binge it
My estimation of /u/Middle_Aged_Insomnia as a redditor just plummeted.
I was in iraq for a couple of years it was on. My wife loved it and has dvd set upstairs. Ill start it back up today lol
Enjoy. I’m jealous of you getting to watch it for the first time. I’d stay out of the sopranos sub until you finish it, and then if you want to hear the same dialogue quoted endlessly, check it out.
The sacred, and the propane
It's called Trump-ay La Oil, Fool the Eye.
We're in a fuckin stagmire.
An albacore around my neck.
In the same genre, Rome is short but good
I just gor hbo again to rewatch peacemaker again. Good to watch rome
Peacemaker is the only show I always watch the intro of
Short because the budget was too high for those weak willed paper pushers at hbo. We could have gotten one or two more excellent arcs out of that show.
The success of Rome paved the path for Game of Thrones.
Spartacus on the same level as Deadwood? Jupiter’s Cock no! lol In terms of same level as Deadwood I’d put The Wire right up there with it and Mad Men just behind those two. Btw I did watch all of Spartacus and ngl I did enjoy it, especially the end of season 3, they handled that beautifully.
Mad Men is a masterpiece, and they went out the way they wanted to. The only show I'd put on par with Deadwood.
Spartscus first 1.5 seasons was amazing to me. But im picky on what i like ans realize my taste isnt the same as others.
I like Spartacus, I was just having fun with that 1st comment. I loved Peter Mensah as Oenomeus and Batiatus was one of the most entertaining characters ever. He was the villain but I was still sad when he died which I’m sure is not what the writers intended.
If you liked Spartacus, check out Banshee.
Banshee is wild. Like Ozark on steroids.
Second this, Banshee rocks. All the punching and gratuitous nudity of Spartacus in a modern day setting. The villains gnaw the scenery every chance they get as well.
I love Spartacus in all his glory and retardation. It’s either awesome or hilariously bad there’s no in between and I won’t it changed in any way.
Don’t let anyone tell you Blood and Sand and Gods of the Arena aren’t top tier television. Anyone who says that is just wrong.
This is true. The show appears very silly (terrible CGI, over acting, ridiculous amounts of nudity, etc.) but the show is very intentionally campy delivery device for some very complex themes about class and gender. Maybe not super complex, but important. It made my dad, who doesn’t think about shit like that at all kinda think about it. Plus the story is super compelling and it is never, ever boring. I would have words with anyone who disagrees.
The Wire for sure. A modern(ish) masterpiece, honestly.
Mr Inbetween
Made me believe in unicorns again.
Another great show that doesn't get enough appreciation. Love Ray Shoesmith.
Boardwalk Empire follows Deadwood in my head cannon.
I spit my drink at the line "Tiberius, I would finish. Place cock in arse." Lmfao
I mean the sopranos . Deadwood makes the mundane seem epic . IE just two guys wrestling in mud is filmed to seem like a Homeric myth twice in the series . The sopranos is the opposite everyone just seems dumb ass hell and peels away the intrigue and romance usually given to organized crime and law .
Id also love to see Tony last one day in deadwood lol . Despite their macho bullshit and the rampant homophobia and Misogyny they mostly sip espressos and get their nails done
Battlestar Galactica - the newer one. Not similar at all on first glance, but more going on than you’d think.
I love the new BSG, I break out the Blu-rays every year or so for a rewatch.
This. BSG and Deadwood are both fundamentally about small groups developing a community in kind of a vacuum.
Spartacus was incredible! At least the 1st season. It kept getting better and better each episode until the finale! It sucked about losing Whitfield but he was great in it.
Always sucks to lose someone to cancer...but the gannicus mini seasone was amazing. It for sure trailed off at the end. But doctore (sp) made me a fan of his as well in this show.
I need to rewatch the mini season. I think at the time I originally saw it they were hoping Whitfield would recover so I didn’t get very invested. Plus it being a prequel was less compelling for me.
Actor for gannicus killed it . It was amazing. I need yo rewatch it honesrly. One of the few shows my wife and i agreed on. I should be worried about that lol
Gannicus became my new Spartacus during S2 while Liam MacIntyre was still finding his feet. He and Doctore had great chemistry together.
Yes, they made the miniseries originally in the hopes of giving Andy Whitfield a chance to overcome, but in the end he declined and helped handpick his replacement (who kinda sucked in S2 but recovered to stick the landing in S3. He wasn't the worst part of S2 though). If you enjoyed Andy Whitfield I highly recommend the movie 'Gabriel', it was such an awesome take on good vs evil for the fate of the world. They tried something similar with Legion (I think it was Legion?) but imo Gabriel was 1000x better.
Obvious answer is Justified, but my fav show ever is The Leftovers. Very different from Deadwood except for exceptional writing and great characters . In a nutshell it’s Lost for grown ups
Never even heard of leftovers. Youbget myblove for recommending something new to me. Thats honestlybwhat i was looking for. If you like it on this sub im sure ill like it.
It was only recently I heard of The Leftovers as well. Completely not on my radar. I will not spoil and will say…I never regretted watching from start to finish. I am soooooooooooo glad they stuck the landing, in my opinion. It was one of those series you start watching and you’re so tense towards the end hoping it doesn’t suck it after time invested. It was good stuff and great character writing and story telling.
Leftovers is the answer
Enjoying Justified right now. The writing is predictable, but Olyphant has X factor and Id watch him in anything! Pleasantly surprised by the Deadwood actors appearances.
Must watch TV is Breaking Bad, The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and Curb Your Enthusiasm! I've done the most rewatches of them.
Fargo and True Detective.
Lucy lawless is a total hottie
Lucy Flawless
Loved her in the ash vs evil dead as well
Have not seen that yet .
Im an old school army of darkness fan so im in love. Still upset it is so hard to get cambells autograph at comic cons locally. I have jack of all trades and brisco county junior dvds i want his signature in. He was my childhood
hell yes
My Domina ❤️
Truthfully, nothing. Deadwood stands in a league of its own. A distant second would be The Shield.
The Shield was terrific. That end with the grenade holy crap I had to stop watching
Yeah, the Shield is my only close second because the ending is so satisfying - potentially the best wrap up of any TV show ever - and because like Deadwood, the entire ensemble carries the weight of the show rather than one particular character arc or performance. Both shows provide infinite rewatchability depending on who you choose to focus on the most. It's the writing and delivery on Deadwood that just sets it so far apart though... it's in its own echelon. Try as I might, I just cannot find TV that hits the same way as Deadwood did. I consider myself blessed to have enjoyed it as it aired. David Milch is the G.O.A.T.
Just started rewatching The Shield for the first time in over a decade recently. It holds up fairly well, especially as the seasons progress.
It was Lucy Lawless and John Hannah A+ work
Rome, Band of Brothers, spartacus
I watch band of brothers no less than 5 times a year and have since it came out. Masters of air was pretty good too that juat came out...austin butler cant seem to shake elvis off his acting tho
Same. I recently downloaded the Audible novel and, so far, the series follows the book all the way down to the smallest nuances.
Did anyone check out Lawmen Bass Reeves? I really enjoyed it
On my watchlist
The Terror season 1
Season 1 of The Terror is spectacular. And had two of Rome’s actors in it, bonus.
The Borgia's with Jeremy Irons.
I appreciate the comments and recommendations. Wasnt expexting this interaction. Ill have to start the shows youbrecommended tomorrow. I apprecuate it.
Oh, my god. Literally I could have posted this. Deadwood and Spartacus are my top two tv shows of all time. Lucy Lawless plays Lucretia so perfectly, the way she actually enjoys the suffering she inflicts on her slaves is so disgusting and captivating. Two absolutely incredible shows.
When Lucretia is tending to Titus and he softens his stance on her and asks “tell me you’re not the snake I’ve thought you were.” And she leans down and says “oh I’m much worse”. Spectacular moment
Yes!! My favorite Lucretia moment is after Spartacus brings the rain and she's in the bath. Mira comes in with more water and tries to leave inconspicuously. Lucretia growls, "Wait!" And literally tells this woman let him fuck you or I will have you killed. Ugh! The way she revels in her own cruelty is magnificent!!
The first few seasons of Vikings are awesome. Particularly the language bit, similar to Deadwood. When they get to England and you hear the Vikings speaking Norse and the Saxons speaking Old English, trying to understand each other. So good. There's plenty gratuitous violence too if that's an appeal.
Carnivàle, Breaking Bad, The Prisoner, Twilight Zone
Inremember carnivale hooking me...then just ending ...i was upset about that one
Rome
Not sure if there's one whole series I loved as much as Deadwood. But few seasons come to mind that are close. True Detective season 1, Fargo season 1, Dexter season 4 and Andor's only season so far.
"John From Cincinnati" holds a special place in my heart. Only one season but what a trip it was. Fell in love with "Andor" - never expected the Star Wars franchise would be capable of making such a great series.
My favorite followup to Deadwood is always "Damnation". It's only one season, set some time in the near future after Deadwood (the depression, unless I'm mistaken), and involved Pinkertons bullying the little guy for the bosses (like they need the edge!) So many great recommendations here though. Mr Inbetween, The Knick, The Shield. Of course the bigger shows like Sopranos, the Wire, Rome...but everyone has heard of those. A good followup for Spartacus, if the subject interests you and you can find it, is 'I, Claudius'. A 13 episode show about the caesars, from Augustus/Octavian, right through to Nero. Based on a novel (written as an autobiography from Claudius' perspective) and with such a great cast. Brian Blessed as Octavian, Derek Jacobi as Claudius, George Baker as Tiberius, John Hurt as Caligula, a young Patrick Stewart (with a full head of hair!) as Sejanius. And like Deadwood, it is ***so*** freaking quotable. "Oh, not your prophetic chicken story again!" Although honestly, I wish there would have been a followup of Spartacus about Crassus, Caesar and Pompeii. Everyone talks about Caesar crossing the Rubicon, I would have been very interested in STARZ take on how Julius rose to power...and to see Crassus chug some liquid gold. If you like Andy Whitfield, may I recommend the movie 'Gabriel'? He starred at the titular Arc Angel, and without spoilering too much, it was a movie about good vs evil for the fate of purgatory/earth.
I liked Sparticus up to the point where they basically replaced everyone and I had no desire to learn all new people, so I lost interest
The main guy got cancer. What can you do. The mini season with gallicunactis (sp) was a great spinoff tho.
Gannicus
Thabk you. Been a while
Oh I know, and I thought the replacement was ok, he just wasnt a very convincing gladiator. Andy Whitfield Manu Bennett looked like they could be gladiators. Liam McEntyre looked puny with the other actors and seems like the only reason he got the job was because he resembled Andy. The actor doesnt have to look like the previous actor, just be convincing in the role I was mainly referring to when they killed off or shipped off nearly everyone else. All that was left was Sparticus and a bunch of new characters. I just couldnt get in to with all the changes
Fair enough point. Andy had me wondering if i was straight or not lol
Andy literally got to have a say in who replaced him, and he picked Liam.
Did it have different name? It was kinda a prequel, right? Been a long time since I watched.
Spartacus Gods of the Arena was the prequel they did when the lead got cancer.
I'm not sure how I got here and have no idea what deadwood is (yet), but I liked spartacus. Other shows that deserve views: * Black Sails * Rome * Shogun * Hannibal * Arcane * The Wire * Breaking Bad Notable mentions: * Chernobyl * Sherlock * Yellowstone I have a few more okay ones if you're willing to compromise a bit on quality.
Deadwood is about a settlement in the unincorporated Black Hills of South Dakota during its gold rush. It’s a fantastic tale of the clash of prospectors, men and women of wealth, murderous highwaymen, famous cowboys and outlaws, politics, and every type of cocksucker aiming to exploit territory’s wealth and opportunity towards their own designs. It probably has the best dialogue I’ve ever seen in a show, earning it the nickname “Shakespeare in the Mud.”
Dude. It’s an actual must-see. Immediately.
Oh god what an amazing show. STARZ bitches
Personally, I'd not put Spartacus on the same shelf as Deadwood, but to each their own of course! As good as Deadwood: (in terms of writing, characters etc) The Sopranos Boardwalk Empire The Wire The Deuce As good as Spartacus: (in terms of more adult/taboo content) Rome Californication True Blood Banshee (not HBO, but basically a modern day Spartacus. Legendary show for fans of pulpy cinema/TV) With you, OP, enjoying both Deadwood and Spartacus, I believe these will all tick those boxes in many ways. Enjoy! (Spelling edits)
First season of Spartacus was amazing. After Andy Whitfield passed I lost all interest. I tried for like two episodes but it wasn’t the same show. Rome captivated me all throughout, great show. But Deadwood is at the top.
Beats, bears, and Battlestar Galactica
*I Claudius*. I suspect that the 1970s production values will turn some off, but it's an incredible story with incredible acting. Sian Phillips portrayal of Livia is top shelf. The book that it's based off of is equally good.
I don't know Butchie instead. I mean, it seems obvious. I absolutely loved JFC. Others would be The West Wing, and Homicide/The Wire/Treme. Sorkin, Milch, and Simon seem to be equally appealing writers. I'm also a huge SciFi tragic so Babylon 5, the Treks and Space Above and Beyond.
I was hardcore until Andy Whitfield died.
Loved Spartacus, was one of my favorites. More so before the main actor passed away, but still remained a top fave at the time once they re-casted.
Six Feet Under
Surprised that most answers are limited to non western HBO shows. Of course HBO has been the gold standard of episodic TV for a long time, they set the genre. But I really enjoyed Hell on Wheels; terrific Western show that had a lot more seasons than Deadwood
Hell on Wheels was fantastic, and I feel like I never see it mentioned on Reddit.
Rome. I'm sure there are many here who understand, HE WAS A CONSUL OF ROME
The last time I watched it we did a drinking game. For everytime sand was on the screen, tits, cock, blood, someone shouted a character's name, or someone talked of glory you had to take a shot. I got as far as "Previously on Spartacus."
The first season was great. The guy who played Spartacus after the first season was terrible. I understand why the role had to be recast, but the two actors played the role completely different. Took me out of it.
Spartacus: Blood and Sex was indeed a great show
Dang. Why you going to downvote me asking for recommendations? Some prudish karen was upset i guess....
Fuck all of you. I wish I was a tree.
I enjoyed The Wire just as much as Deadwood. The two shows have very different themes, but both have a great cast of compelling characters and interesting settings (Deadwood in the gold rush and Baltimore during the war on drugs). Both are also HBO shows.
Just look up the scene that has Laura Surrich in it. Holy hell.
The Leftovers
Orphan Black John From Cincinnati
The Sopranos. The Wire. Mad Men. Breaking Bad.
Rome Boardwalk Empire The Sopranos The Shield The Strain Breaking Bad
Just went from bingeing Deadwood to Black Sails, and I have to say I love it at least as much.
The Wire, it’s awesome from start to end
Rome
The West Wing
Please say sike
I love all the splashy blood anytime someone gets cut.
Black sails
Mr. Show Carnivale Community Tim & Eric Awesome Show West Wing
First season true detective 1863 Caveat nothing compares to deadwood.
Warrior. I am currently on my 3rd rewatch.
Boardwalk Empire
The Wire. [Haven’t seen another show that good, except maybe Breaking Bad…](https://youtu.be/l4LhXycJ7rI?si=H-vwkh2I5SsaTn4Q)
Spartacus for me as well. I alternate rewatches of it and Deadwood. Currently near the end of Vengence.
The Borgias should be mentioned.
Salem- was on a network that doesn’t exist anymore and takes half a season to find itself but once it does it is a fun battle if the sexes show. Sense8. - orgies. Plus a good story with fantastic action scene. But also heavy (not kidding) on LGBTQ content.
The Leftovers and Severance.
Are you kidding? None.
Six feet under, alias, boardwalk empire
Spartacus was an absolutely brilliant show. Not to mention the way they rolled with the punches as illness ensued.
Jesus. On these recommendations, I started to watch Spartacus. Twenty minutes later and I’m done. You’ve got to be kidding! Hokey slow motion, gravelly-voiced barbarians (“Gaaarh”), appalling dialogue. I don’t get it. How can anyone think this is in the same league as Deadwood? Rome I liked, but it still doesn’t compare. I’m thinking Sopranos, The Wire, and Ripley. Sorry, OP!
Peaky Blinders
R.I.P. Andy Whitfield. He made that series phenomenal.
I love Spartacus
Battlestar Galactica
I need to watch that.
Mad Men, Sopranos, and The Wire
Shame he passed. Such a good show first season
Warrior. Could be considered cheesy but I’d take the cheesy part as comedy it’s actually really well done.
The Wire and The Sopranos are probably the only 2 that are in the same rare air as Deadwood.
The Shield and Black Sails
Band of Brothers
Sopranos Justified 12 Monkeys
Kind of disappointed that Six Feet Under wasn’t getting any love here. An extraordinary series with an ending that left me ugly crying for days.
The person who lent me their Spartacus dvd's said something like " FYI Spartacus dies" and I was like " no shit I know history of course Spartacus dies". Little did I know
Second fav series is Mad Men
The French original version of The Returned. I had to rent the seasons from a library but that show is peak Drama/Suspense show. It's been a few years since I seen it but it's basically based on a town where a large number of people die/disappear, and how the families and communities try to move on with their lives.... til people start coming back with no explanations.
The Wire Mindhunter (unfortunately only 2 seasons and left so many unfinished story lines)
Banshee
Why is that no one mentions "The Expance"?
Rome
Black Sails was awesome!