Succession: 9 shows to watch after Season 4 ends, from Industry to MotherFatherSon to Bad Sugar

Whatever it was you appreciated most about Succession, here are a few ideas as to what you should watch next
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Succession is drawing to a dramatic close. In just a few days we’ll know which of the Roy siblings (if any) will find themselves leading whatever remains of Waystar Royco, and the story of America’s richest – and most dysfunctional – family will have come to an end.

Of course, much like whenever the Roys themselves spot a power vacuum, you’ll no doubt be looking for a new show to replace Succession each week. Maybe you’ll want another family drama full of fraught power struggles, or perhaps something built around an intense lead performance. You could be looking for another dark comedy, or maybe something more in touch with Succession’s soap opera side.

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Whatever it was you appreciated most about Succession, here are seven suggestions for what you might want to watch next when the series ends for good.

Industry (2020 onwards)

Myha’la Herrold as Harper Stern and Ken Leung as Eric Tao, confronting one another in a busy office (Credit: Simon Ridgeway/BBC/Bad Wolf/HBO)Myha’la Herrold as Harper Stern and Ken Leung as Eric Tao, confronting one another in a busy office (Credit: Simon Ridgeway/BBC/Bad Wolf/HBO)
Myha’la Herrold as Harper Stern and Ken Leung as Eric Tao, confronting one another in a busy office (Credit: Simon Ridgeway/BBC/Bad Wolf/HBO)

What’s it about? A group of recent graduates compete for a permanent position at Pierpoint investment bank. Myha'la Herrold (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Marisa Abela (Cobra), David Jonsson (Rye Lane), and Harry Lawtey (You & Me) star. 

Why might I like it? There’s a lot of stylistic similarities, most obviously in the dense financial jargon, but Industry feels most like Succession for its razor-sharp lead performances – Myha'la Herrold’s Harper Stern vs Ken Leung’s Eric Tao are up there with some of Succession’s most memorable confrontations – but also in terms of its sheer moment to moment intensity. More than any of the others here, Industry feels like it might emerge to be Succession’s successor over the next few years. 

Where can I watch it? You can watch Industry on BBC iPlayer, where both series are currently available as part of a boxset. The third series is currently in production. 

MotherFatherSon (2019)

Richard Gere as Max Finch and Billy Howle as Caden Finch in MotherFatherSon (Credit: BBC Two)Richard Gere as Max Finch and Billy Howle as Caden Finch in MotherFatherSon (Credit: BBC Two)
Richard Gere as Max Finch and Billy Howle as Caden Finch in MotherFatherSon (Credit: BBC Two)
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What’s it about? A powerful media mogul and his ex-wife clash after their son suffers a public breakdown, threatening to expose dark family secrets and destabilise their influence over British politics. Richard Gere (Kojak), Helen McCrory (Peaky Blinders), and Billy Howle (The Serpent) star, with Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley) and Ciarán Hinds (Belfast) in key supporting roles. 

Why might I like it? MotherFatherSon is one of the more overtly similar shows to Succession listed here, with its story of a powerful-yet-dysfunctional family moving through spheres of media and politics. It was also written by Tom Rob Smith, who was behind The Assassination of Gianni Versace (the best of the three anthology instalments of American Crime Story). 

Where can I watch it? MotherFatherSon is currently available to purchase via Amazon Prime Video, but it does resurface on iPlayer from time to time.  

Riches (2022)

Adeyinka Akinrinade as Alesha, Nneka Okoye as Wanda, Ola Orebiyi as Gus, Sarah Niles as Claudia, Deborah Ayorinde as Nina, and Emmanuel Imani as Simon in Riches (Credit: Greenacre for ITVX)Adeyinka Akinrinade as Alesha, Nneka Okoye as Wanda, Ola Orebiyi as Gus, Sarah Niles as Claudia, Deborah Ayorinde as Nina, and Emmanuel Imani as Simon in Riches (Credit: Greenacre for ITVX)
Adeyinka Akinrinade as Alesha, Nneka Okoye as Wanda, Ola Orebiyi as Gus, Sarah Niles as Claudia, Deborah Ayorinde as Nina, and Emmanuel Imani as Simon in Riches (Credit: Greenacre for ITVX)

What’s it about? Stephen Richards (Hugh Quarshie) is one of the most successful Black businessmen in the UK – but after a sudden heart attack, the fate of his empire is called into question as his children from his first and second marriage fight for control of the company.  

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Why might I like it? Again, it’s one to check out if you’re looking for something with a similar premise to Succession (as the most recently released of the shows on this list, it’s the only one that might have been pitched as “like Succession, but…” during production). Otherwise, it’s also worth a look to see the always great Sarah Niles’ performance as Stephen Richards’ second wife, as well as the rising stars playing the Richards siblings. 

Where can I watch it? In the UK, you can currently stream Riches online at ITVX, or wait for its ITV2 television broadcast this June. In the US, Riches is currently available on Amazon Prime Video. 

Yellowstone (2018 onwards)

Kevin Costner as John Dutton in Yellowstone, stood in a field next to a fence, his hands in his pockets, wearing a cowboy hat (Credit: Paramount+) Kevin Costner as John Dutton in Yellowstone, stood in a field next to a fence, his hands in his pockets, wearing a cowboy hat (Credit: Paramount+)
Kevin Costner as John Dutton in Yellowstone, stood in a field next to a fence, his hands in his pockets, wearing a cowboy hat (Credit: Paramount+)

What’s it about? A modern-day western, Yellowstone follows the Dutton family – the wealthy and influential owners of the largest ranch in Montana – as they grapple with challenges to their control both internal and external.

Why might I like it? There’s an argument to be made that Yellowstone is a bit like an alternate universe version of Succession: despite big aesthetic differences, they’re both stories about power struggles within influential families, each with roots in a soap opera tradition. Plus, despite the fact it doesn’t really dominate discussion online the same way, Yellowstone is one of the single most watched shows airing in the US – worth checking it out just to imagine the Beth Dutton tweets you could’ve been reading instead of the past few years of Shiv Roy tweets. 

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Where can I watch it? All five seasons of Yellowstone (and its various spin-offs) can be streamed on Paramount+ in the UK. The fifth season is still currently airing, with the remaining episodes delayed by disagreements between star Kevin Costner and the rest of the production.

The Dropout (2022)

Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes and Naveen Andrews as Sunny Balwani (Credit: Beth Dubber/Hulu)Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes and Naveen Andrews as Sunny Balwani (Credit: Beth Dubber/Hulu)
Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes and Naveen Andrews as Sunny Balwani (Credit: Beth Dubber/Hulu)

What’s it about? The rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes, Theranos fraudster who made billions off the back of lies and broken promises. Amanda Seyfried (Mank) and Naveen Andrews (Lost) star, and Elizabeth Merriweather (New Girl) writes.

Why might I like it? It’s the true crime version of Succession, if you like, with The Dropout exploring similar themes of capitalism and its corrosive excesses through the lens of a real event (which itself fed into and influenced Succession too). At times it feels like something that could be happening on the periphery of the show, not unlike Roman’s rocket launch (a great guest appearance from Alan Ruck only adds to this feeling, of course).

Where can I watch it? The Dropout is currently available to stream on Disney+ in the UK and on Hulu in the US.

Kings (2009)

Ian McShane as Silas in Kings, shaking hands with a military leader in front of a crowd of journalists (Credit: NBC)Ian McShane as Silas in Kings, shaking hands with a military leader in front of a crowd of journalists (Credit: NBC)
Ian McShane as Silas in Kings, shaking hands with a military leader in front of a crowd of journalists (Credit: NBC)
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What’s it about? A loose adaptation of the story of King David, translated to the modern day. Ian McShane (Deadwood), Susanna Thompson (Arrow), and Sebastian Stan (Pam & Tommy) star, with Brian Cox (Succession, obviously) and Macaulay Culkin (Succession-adjacent, technically) playing key supporting roles.

Why might I like it? Kings was cancelled after just one series, but it’s since come to be remembered as an unusually ambitious, ahead-of-its-time attempt at a prestige drama – one that, with a King struggling to maintain his authority when a new heir is anointed, might well appeal to Succession fans. 

Where can I watch it? Kings is currently only available to purchase.  

House of the Dragon (2022 onwards)

Paddy Considine as King Viserys I Targaryen, sat at the head of the small council, a goblet on the table before him (Credit: HBO)Paddy Considine as King Viserys I Targaryen, sat at the head of the small council, a goblet on the table before him (Credit: HBO)
Paddy Considine as King Viserys I Targaryen, sat at the head of the small council, a goblet on the table before him (Credit: HBO)

What’s it about? A Game of Thrones prequel set 200 years before Jon Snow fought the White Walkers, House of the Dragon charts the power struggle and eventual civil war between different branches of the Targaryen family after the death of King I Viserys. Emma D’Arcy (Wanderlust), Olivia Cooke (Slow Horses), and Matt Smith (Doctor Who) star.

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Why might I like it? It’s a version of Westeros that feels explicitly post-Succession, smartly taking its cues from the true heir to Game of Thrones’ crown rather than the wave of fantasy imitators that arrived in its wake. (See for yourself – episode 6 contains, in what’s surely an implicit homage, a Targaryen recreating an early Roman Roy scene from Succession.)

Where can I watch it? House of the Dragon is currently available to stream on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV in the UK. A second series is currently in production.

Barry (2018 – 2022)

Bill Hader as Barry Berkman as Barry Block in Barry (Credit: HBO)Bill Hader as Barry Berkman as Barry Block in Barry (Credit: HBO)
Bill Hader as Barry Berkman as Barry Block in Barry (Credit: HBO)

What’s it about? A hitman stumbles across an amateur dramatics class, and decides to reinvent himself as an actor. Bill Hader, Sally Goldberg, and Henry Winkler star. 

Why might I like it? It’s much less overtly similar to Succession than something like, say, MotherFatherSon, but you could argue that Barry has more in common with the former than the latter does: both dark comedies, both with what you might call morally complex leads, both about cycles of trauma and violence. (Is Stephen Root’s Fuches like an incompetent Logan Roy? Debatable.) More importantly, anyway, is that Barry is just very good. 

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Where can I watch it? You can watch Barry in exactly the same place you’ve been watching Succession: on Sky Atlantic and/or NOW TV. The final episode of Barry is also set to air immediately after the final episode of Succession. 

Bad Sugar (2012)

Kayvan Novak as Simon, Peter Serafinowicz	as Rolph Cauldwell, Sharon Horgan as Lucy Cauldwell, David Bradley as Ralphfred Cauldwell, Olivia Colman as Joan Cauldwell, Julia Davis as Daphne Cauldwell, Reece Shearsmith as Greg, and Derek Riddell as Rodrigo in a promotional image for Bad Sugar (Credit: Channel 4)Kayvan Novak as Simon, Peter Serafinowicz	as Rolph Cauldwell, Sharon Horgan as Lucy Cauldwell, David Bradley as Ralphfred Cauldwell, Olivia Colman as Joan Cauldwell, Julia Davis as Daphne Cauldwell, Reece Shearsmith as Greg, and Derek Riddell as Rodrigo in a promotional image for Bad Sugar (Credit: Channel 4)
Kayvan Novak as Simon, Peter Serafinowicz as Rolph Cauldwell, Sharon Horgan as Lucy Cauldwell, David Bradley as Ralphfred Cauldwell, Olivia Colman as Joan Cauldwell, Julia Davis as Daphne Cauldwell, Reece Shearsmith as Greg, and Derek Riddell as Rodrigo in a promotional image for Bad Sugar (Credit: Channel 4)

What’s it about? A comedy about a wealthy-but-dysfunctional British mining dynasty, inspired by soaps like Dallas and Dynasty. Olivia Colman (Broadchurch), Julia Davis (Sally4Ever), and Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters) star, with a script by Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong.  

Why might I like it? It’s more of a curio than anything else (only a pilot was ever made), but given that Bad Sugar mocks the soaps that clearly inspired Succession, you’ve got to wonder if maybe the earliest inklings of what would become Succession first occurred to Jesse Armstrong during the production of Bad Sugar. 

Where can I watch it? Ben Palmer, who directed the Bad Sugar pilot, has uploaded the episode to his Vimeo page. 

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The Succession finale, ‘With Open Eyes’, airs on Sky Atlantic on Monday 29 May at 2am. You can read more of our Succession coverage here, including our review of the most recent episode ‘Church and State’.

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