Francis Ford Coppolais one of the most important filmmakers of all-time, as classics likeThe Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, The Conversation,Bram Stoker’s Dracula,andRumble Fishare often cited when discussingthe greatest films ever made. Although Coppola’s catalog of classics have certainly inspired multiple generations of young and aspiring filmmakers, his work has also had a significant influence on the development of modern television.
Many of the best television shows ever made have drawn from the storytelling techniques that Coppola invented throughout his career, as they still offer insight on how to make something feel cinematic; ironically, some of today’s best dramatic stories are being told on television, and“prestige television” as it exists todaywould likely not exist without what Coppola did. Here are the ten best shows to watch if you love Francis Ford Coppola movies.
10’The Sopranos' (1999-2007)
Created by David Chase
The Sopranosinstantly became a game-changing show for HBO, as it proved that the network was capable of making sustained drama programming that told a complete character arc over the course of multiple seasons. The comparisons betweenThe SopranosandThe Godfatherweren’t made just because both stories centered on powerful gangster families; they are both narratives thatshow the dark side of the American dream, and forced their viewers to empathize with characters that they know are capable of being pure evil.
The Sopranosis cited by many television pundits as being the greatest show of all-time, giving it the reputation of being “The Godfatherof television.” Ironically, both Tony (James Gandolfini) and Camela (Edie Falco) frequently speak about how much they loveThe Godfathertrilogy throughout allThe Sopranos, which had many references to gangster movie classics.
The Sopranos
Created by Vince Gilligan
Breaking Badwas a brilliant crime drama that wasabsolutely perfect from beginning to end, so it’s understandable whyVince Gilligan’s masterwork would draw so many comparisons to bothThe GodfatherandThe Godfather: Part II. However,Breaking Badwas a massive success because it told the tragic story of a man who was unable to suppress his own ambitions; this is a theme that is relevant in countless Coppola films, includingTucker: A Man And His Dream,Apocalypse Now,Tetro,and most recentlyMegalopolis.
Breaking Badis also known for its intimate acting, asBryan CranstonandAaron Paulgave intense performances that felt like they belonged in a 1970s New Hollywood film; there were few filmmakers in that decade who were quite as influential on the way that the art of screen acting was perceived on screen as Coppola was.
Breaking Bad
8’Boardwalk Empire' (2010-2014)
Created by Terence Winter
Boardwalk Empirewas a much different take on the gangster genre compared toThe Godfather, as it examined the rise of Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) and the Atlantic City mafia during the prohibition era in the early 21st century. However, Coppola is not a filmmaker who has ever been opposed to making period pieces, asTucker: The Man and His DreamandThe Cotton Clubare two of his most underrated films.
Many of the best episodes ofBoardwalk Empireare centered around the challenges of the legal process, as Nucky is frequently called into court to defend his public persona from the justice department. Coppola is also a master of the legal thriller, as his 1997 adaptation ofThe RainmakerstarringMatt DamonandJon Voight,among others, is hailed as one of the greatestJohn Grishamfilms ever made.
Boardwalk Empire
7’Peaky Blinders' (2013-2022)
Created by Steven Knight
Peaky Blindersis perhaps the closest crime fans will ever get toa modern day version ofThe Godfather, and not just because they are both about gangsters that are caught in a violent feud with local families. Both stories are essentially about family, as Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) ofThe Godfatherand Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy) ofPeaky Blindersare both driven to make deplorable decisions out of fear that they could turn into monsters like their fathers have.
BothPeaky BlindersandThe Godfatherare successful crime thrillers because they are more dependent on suspense than action.While a great action scene is always a good way to get viewers particularly interested in a story, it is often that sequences of strategizing and planning offer deeper insights into how these criminal organizations actually work to destroy one another.
Peaky Blinders
6’Ozark' (2017-2022)
Created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams
Ozarkis a series that contends with the evils of capitalism, a theme that Coppola has touched upon in classics likeThe Rainmaker, Tetro, Dram Stoker’s Dracula, and even parts ofThe Godfather: Part II. While the character of Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) and his wife Wendy (Laura Linney) are monsters who could be compared to the Corleone family inThe Godfather, it is their unflinching desire to get ahead and feel superior because of the profits involved that makes them so haunting and scary.
Coppola is well-known for including shocking moments of violence in his films, such as the assassination of Sonny Corleone (James Caan) towards the end of the firstThe Godfatherfilm. However,Ozarkbecame renowned forits ability to kill off major characters in surprising moments, leaving the viewer in suspense as to who they should feel invested in.
Watch on Netflix
5’Succession' (2018-2023)
Created by Jesse Armstrong
Successionis the modern day version ofThe Godfatherin the sense that it is a story about the fraught relationshipbetween a dysfunctional familythat is trying to determine what its legacy should be amidst a changing American landscape. Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) both wants to be someone that his father Logan (Bryan Cox) can be proud of and replace him as CEO of Waystar RoyCo; this is very similar to the dynamic between Michael and his father Vito (Marlon Brando) inThe Godfathertrilogy.
BothThe GodfatherandSuccessionask the audience to invest their emotions in seemingly unlikeable characterswho act in a way that suggests that they are entirely ignorant of the damage that they have caused to average civilians that aren’t granted the same privileges that they have earned through their wealth and status.
Succession
4’The Offer' (2022)
Created by Michael Tolkin
The Offeris essential viewing for any fans ofThe Godfather, as it brings to lifethe incredible true storyabout how the first installment in the franchise was made. During a time in which Paramount Pictures was at the peak of its powers under the tenure of Bob Evans (Matthew Goode), the ambitious producer Alan Ruddy (Miles Teller) attempted to adaptMario Puzo’s acclaimed novel, and even got involved with a real gangster (Giovanni Ribisi).
Dan Foglerhas an extended guest role inThe Offeras Coppola, showing how his drive for perfection made filmingThe Godfathera particularly challenging experience. Those who have come to respect Coppola for his contributions to cinema might be interested to see how he is characterized inThe Offer, as Fogler essentially plays him as an ambitious underdog who was fighting against a corrupt Hollywood system.
3’Mr. & Mrs. Smith' (2024-Present)
Created by Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover
Mr. & Mrs. Smithis a delightful modern examination of romance and dating, which only uses the influence of spy movies to serve as an examination of the “gig economy” for millennials. While he is often noted for his work in the crime movie genre, Coppola has proven with films likePeggy Sue Got MarriedandOne From The Heartthat he is just as interestedin making romantic films.
Mr. & Mrs. Smithis the rare romantic series in which the audience is equally invested in both characters, even if they have wildly different viewpoints and world experiences. Although it’s a show that succeeds first and foremost because of the chemistry betweenDonald GloverandMaya Erskine,Mr. & Mrs. Smithalso contains the sort of great action and criminal intrigue that fans would come to expect from a new Coppola film.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
2‘The Leftovers’ (2014-2017)
Created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta
The Leftoversis one of thegreatest existentialist shows ever made, asDamon Lindelof’s absorbing science fiction tragedy examined the way in which mankind evolved in the aftermath of a shocking supernatural event in which a portion of the world’s population disappeared overnight. Discussions about fatality, faith, purpose, and the human condition are essential toThe Leftovers, but they are also critical to the success of such beloved Coppola films asApocalypse Now, Rumble Fish,The Outsiders,andPeggy Sue Got Married.
The Leftoverswas renowned for its ability to capture familial relationships, as the fact that it was science fiction didn’t prevent the series from feeling like a realistic depiction of what it is like to live in a contested household. Coppola has shown the same ability to merge dramatic realism with genre storytelling in supernatural films likeBram Stoker’s DraculaandYouth From Youth.
The Leftovers
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1’Mr. Robot' (2015-2019)
Created by Sam Esmail
Mr. Robotisa modern day neo-noir classicthat examines the existential fears that this generation faces about being watched by hidden forces that seek to control and manipulate their actions for financial and political gain. Although this series is directly inspired by recent events, including the 2008 financial crisis and the 2016 election of President Donald Trump,Mr. Robotcaptures the same paranoia and suspense that Coppola pulled off with his masterpieceThe Conversation.
Rami Malek’s Emmy award-winning performance inMr. Robotcan be compared toGene Hackman’srole inThe Conversation,as they are both somewhat unreliable narrators who end up biting off more than they can chew when it comes to opposing the systems of power that are put in place to subdue them. BothThe ConversationandMr. Robotare unique in that they are noir stories that are nonetheless scarier than most horror movies.
