MovieChat Forums > Mad Men (2007) Discussion > Is there really another show on the same...

Is there really another show on the same level?


So far i didnt find it. The only things that came close in my opinion were My Brilliant Friend,the first two seasons of The Crown,and The Romanoffs by the same showrunner (Matthew Weiner). Do you think there is something on the same level of Mad Men around?

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I number Mad Men among my favourite shows. I have diverse tastes, though, so some of the shows I might consider "par" with Mad Men might not be what you're looking for.

With that warning, here goes nothing.

Breaking Bad is similar in a lot of way to Mad Men, and I think has a similar level of quality.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is a totally different vibe and operates in a different way. But it's top of its game, ala Mad Men.
Firefly is one of the most intriguing sci-fi shows I've ever seen.
Russian Doll is another one. I'm not sure it's strictly "sci-fi", but it's really great.
The Last Kingdom is a high-quality period piece, just...like, the 860s not the 1960s. A lot more beheading, though...
Archer and Rick and Morty are both hysterically funny and tightly-scripted (well...sorta) animated comedies. If top-grade writing is what you're looking for, find it here.
Community takes risks with the sitcom format that pay off more than not.
Seinfeld set the sitcom bar back in the 90s.

While it's not one of my personal favourites, you might also want to try Downton Abbey. It might have some of the vibe you're looking for.

Try Godless, too. I haven't seen The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, or The Wire, but they all have high ratings. Freaks and Geeks is set in 1980, and it's teenagers, but there might be something vibey that you'll dig.

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After reading that the answer is ... no. ;-)
Seriously, maybe "The Good Wife" has a similar vibe in the legal field.
The new series "Secession" is sort of similar, but is mostly within one family.

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It comes down to what the OP meant by "on the same level". Just pure quality, I'd say there's a lot of stuff on that list.

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I interpreted it as having a certain about people stories, which is why Sopranos, or Breaking Bad don't really do it ... they are crime dramas.

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Yeah, and if it's "similar vibe", then it's a lot harder to find something of quality AND genre.

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I don't know, but why ask the question if it can be answered by any reasonably successful and popular series?

Maybe "Brothers And Sisters" or "Parenthood"?

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Come on. I dont think Mad Men is the best show ever.
My first example is Magic City.

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I think it is. And never heard of Magic City

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Comes down to your preference, but for me, while I thoroughly enjoyed Mad Men, I don't think it's head and shoulders above all other shows. There are many other shows I enjoyed equally or more so, across various genres. Arrested Development, The Office, and Seinfeld come immediately to mind in the comedy category. Breaking Bad is one of the all-time greats. Netflix gave us maybe the best superhero show ever with Daredevil. The Sopranos, The Wire, and Twin Peaks are top-notch. I personally loved The Leftovers, but that's a little abstract for some, and not as mainstream as everything I've listed beforehand.

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Mad Men is among the greats. I'd also put The Americans on that list. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys created two unforgettable characters in Elizabeth and Philip. It's as much as about personal relationships as it is about spycraft. The supporting actors (Noah Emmerich, Holly Taylor, Margo Martindale, Annet Mahendru) were all exceptional. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys great storytelling.

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Yeah The Americans was another series that came close to the Mad Men level in my opinion altough it wasnt exactly at the same level

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No, there isn't.

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Sadly i think you are right at least for now

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The Good Place is underrated af. Its probably the deepest televison show in the past few years.

It's a deeply existential drama disguised as a sitcom. It slowly and methodically answers every question someone could possibly have about dying and the possibility of an afterlife. What it means to be good etc.

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Ignore all of the other responses in this thread. You need to watch The Sopranos. Matthew Weiner was a writer on that show before making Mad Men. He was deeply inspired by his time working on that show under David Chase and you can feel its influence on Mad Men. It's pretty much just Mad Men with gangsters instead of advertising executives.

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