Beer, Blood & Brilliant Streaming Choices
Have you finished streaming Oktoberland? Wondering what to watch next? Well, fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle of having to try and find something similar with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing. To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have. Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with. So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Oktoberland: Beer & Blood.
Peaky Blinders
Similarities – Gangs & 1900’s
Raw, dramatic and surprisingly realistic, if you’re looking for an accurate depiction of 1920’s England, look no further than Peaky Blinders. Revolving around a family determined to make its way to the top of the criminal underworld, Peaky Blinders revels in its grimy, dark depiction of Birmingham. There’s plenty of twist and turns along the way too and this drama spreads across 5+ seasons so there’s lots to watch. You can read our thoughts on Peaky Blinders in our full season reviews here!
Suburra: Blood On Rome
Similarities – Feuding Families
Set in 2008, the story begins with a simple turf war in a sleepy seaside city. With the Mayor retiring and his successor left up for dispute, three separate gangs seize the opportunity to capitalize on the ensuing confusion. As the separate families begin preparing for the inevitable fights ahead, three key characters, Aureliano, Spadino and Gabriele, band together to blackmail a priest. Gripping, action-packed and full of gang warfare, this Italian series is a must-watch for crime enthusiasts. You can read our thoughts on Suburra in our full season review here!
Gomorrah
Similarities – Crime & Gangs
Much like Suburra, Gomorrah is an Italian crime drama revolving around the Mafia in Naples. Running for four seasons, Gomorrah has a lot of bang for its buck. However, this is backed up by some amazing storytelling and tense action set pieces. More so than some of the others on this list, here you really get a feel and vibe for organized crime. This expands out to 4+ seasons to make for some incredibly gripping drama.
Freud
Similarities – Interesting Main Character & Germany
Freud begins as a bleak dive into the human psyche, with some grounded ideas around hypnosis and experimental procedures. However , this quickly dissolves and adds numerous supernatural elements, satanic cult-rituals and plenty of bloodshed along the way. This is certainly going to be one of the more polarizing entries on this list, especially given the series devolves into a completely different sort of show late on, but there’s just enough here to recommend it to fans of Oktoberland. You can read our thoughts on Freud in our full season reviews here!
Gangs of London
Similarities – Fighting Over Territory
Gangs Of London is a thoroughly enjoyable crime epic and one that does a great job blending graphic violence and big action set pieces with an interesting story surrounding a power struggle in London. The story itself begins with a man named Finn Wallace, the crime boss overseeing affairs in London, shot dead by two nobodies. With no-one at the top, a wrestle for power ensues between rival gangs. While the plot does lose its way during the second half and a couple of the characters don’t get a great send-off, there’s enough to like about this one to make it well worth a watch, flaws and all. You can read our thoughts on Gangs Of London in our full season review here!
The Alienist
Similarities – Period Drama & Tone
Gritty melodrama The Alienist is a stylishly produced detective series set in the late 19th Century. Boasting impressive cinematography, realistic costume design and a host of well written characters, The Alienist is essentially a blend of police procedural and psychological thriller. With a second season that surpasses the quality of the first, this 2-season thriller serves up a gritty depiction of period drama and shares a surprising amount of tonal similarities with Oktoberland. You can read our thoughts on The Alienist in our full season review here!
Babylon Berlin
Similarities – Germany & Period Drama
Set upon the gorgeous backdrop of 1920’s Berlin, Babylon Berlin is a slickly presented, incredible recreation of a city on the verge of radical change. Boasting some stunning cinematography and an engrossing script, this crime thriller is a joy to watch. Once the plot unravels, Babylon Berlin is great entertainment and arguably one of the finest productions to come out of Germany. You can read our thoughts on Babylon Berlin in our full season review here!
Charite
Similarities – Slice of life & Germany
Six part miniseries Charité is an interesting and oftentimes fascinating glimpse into the world of revolutionary medicinal research at the end of the 19th Century. With romance and religious drama entwined with the main plot line, Charité’s loosely based true story explores societal pressure facing nurses. It also looks into the divide between men and women as well as the attitude toward healthcare in this crucial time in history. Well written and tonally on-point, this period drama is well worth a watch. You can read our thoughts on Charite in our full season review here!
Boardwalk Empire
Similarities – Gangs & Period Drama
Excellent acting and a lavish production combine to make Boardwalk Empire a very strong choice for period drama lovers. The story essentially revolves around an Atlantic City politician who plays both sides of the law by conspiring with gangsters. Set during the Prohibition era, this moody, gritty drama perfectly captures the 1920’s time period. With five seasons to get through and lots of twists and turns along the way, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better depiction of mobsters than this gem of a show.
Taboo
Similarities – Main Character & Period Drama
You can’t really go wrong with a Tom Hardy period piece and that much is especially true here with Taboo. Fresh from his excellent performance in Peaky Blinders, this 1800’s series revolves around adventurer James Keziah Delaney. He returns to London during the war to rebuild his Father’s shipping empire. With both the government and a bitter rival vowing for that same lucrative slice of pie, what ensues is a surprising, twisty-turny thriller that’s well worth checking out. So there we have it, our 10 TV show picks to keep you busy when you finish streaming Oktoberland. What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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