12 Best Shows Like Legends to Watch Next (2026)
Looking for tense crime dramas after Legends? Explore undercover, gritty, and character-driven picks like NCIS: Origins, Task, and The Asset today.
If you’re searching for shows like Legends, the best place to start is with series that mix crime pressure, character conflict, and a tense sense of consequence. This list leans into undercover work, organized crime, and law-and-order stories, from Legends and NCIS: Origins to Task, The Asset, and This City Is Ours. You’ll also find darker, more action-driven picks such as Dope Thief, Nemesis, and Kill Jackie, plus period-set stories like The Drop: A Snowfall Saga and Unfamiliar. Whether you want a grounded police drama or a crime story with a sharper edge, these titles give you plenty of strong options to explore next.
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01
NCIS: Origins
crime · drama
In 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, Leroy Jethro Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office, where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.
Why watch: If you like origin stories tied to crime procedure, this is a strong match. It follows Gibbs early in his NCIS career, with a gritty team setup that should appeal to viewers who want law-enforcement drama and character history.
Directed by Niels Arden Oplev, Jessica Lowrey, Hanelle M. Culpepper, Lionel Coleman, Loren YaconelliCast Austin Stowell, Kyle Schmid, Mariel Molino, Tyla Abercrumbie, Caleb FooteParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
02
The Drop: A Snowfall Saga
crime · drama · music & musical
As 1990s LA shifts from crack to rap, gang territories controlled by Bloods and Crips become ground zero for an emerging music scene in South Central.
Why watch: If you enjoy crime stories with a strong period setting and a music-industry angle, this one stands out. Its 1990s Los Angeles backdrop and focus on shifting gang territory may appeal if you want something rooted in crime and culture.
Directed by Alonso Alvarez, Ben YoungerCast Fatimah Hassan, Zaakirah Hisle, Andrew Etzel, Andre Ozim, Rico E. AndersonHuluMore details on IMDb → -
03
Bandi
crime · drama
After their mother's death, a group of orphaned siblings in Martinique struggles to get by, driving some of them toward crime as a way to stay together.
Why watch: If you prefer crime dramas centered on family pressure and survival, this may fit well. The story of orphaned siblings in Martinique gives it a personal, grounded angle that could work for viewers who like emotionally driven crime stories.
Directed by Eric Rochant, Mathilde Vallet, Jimmy Laporal-TrésorCast Djody Grimeau, Rodney Dijon, Jonathan Zaccaï, Ambre Bozza, Souane RosamontNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
04
M.I.A.
crime · drama · thriller
Etta Tiger Jonze seeks to avenge her family's murder and become the most powerful crime queenpin in South Florida.
Why watch: If you want a crime drama with revenge and ambition at the center, this is worth a look. Its thriller element and South Florida setting may appeal if you like stories about a rise to power.
Directed by Mairzee Almas, John Dahl, Alethea Jones, Ben Semanoff, Gwyneth Horder-PaytonCast Shannon Gisela, Brittany Adebumola, Dylan T Jackson, Alberto Guerra, Cary ElwesPeacock PremiumMore details on IMDb → -
05
The Asset
crime · drama · thriller
A young agent goes undercover to befriend a drug smuggler's wife. But the closer she gets to her target, the more complicated her mission becomes.
Why watch: If undercover work is what draws you in, this is a natural pick. The setup of an agent getting close to a drug smuggler's wife suggests a tense, character-focused thriller with crime drama at its core.
Directed by Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm, Kasper BarfoedCast Clara Dessau, Maria Cordsen, Afshin Firouzi, Nicolas Bro, Soheil BaviNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
06
This City Is Ours
2 BAFTA TV Award nominations
crime · drama
Michael, a longtime member of organized crime, falls in love with Diana, prompting him to reevaluate his life and contemplate a future beyond his criminal activities. His newfound love becomes both a motivation and a potential liability.
Why watch: If you like crime dramas that mix romance with organized crime, this one should hold your attention. It may appeal if you want a story about someone reconsidering life inside the criminal world.
Directed by Saul Dibb, John Hayes, Eshref ReybrouckCast James Nelson-Joyce, Hannah Onslow, Jack McMullen, Mike Noble, Julie GrahamAMC+More details on IMDb → -
07
Dope Thief
1 Emmy nomination Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (2025)
crime · drama
Two lifelong friends in Philadelphia pose as DEA agents to rob small-time drug dealers. It's a perfect grift—until they choose the wrong mark and become targets of a massive narcotics enterprise.
Why watch: If you enjoy schemes that go wrong and put ordinary people in danger, this fits the bill. The Philadelphia setting and the premise of friends posing as DEA agents give it a sharp crime-drama premise with built-in tension.
Directed by Marcela Said, Jonathan van Tulleken, Peter Craig, Tanya Hamilton, Ridley ScottCast Brian Tyree Henry, Wagner Moura, Marin Ireland, Amir Arison, Nesta CooperApple TV PlusMore details on IMDb → -
08
Nemesis
action · crime · drama · thriller
LA crime drama pits master thief Coltrane Wilder against detective Isaiah Stiles, challenging heist genre norms while examining what drives, sustains, and destroys people.
Why watch: If you want a crime drama with an action edge, this is a good option. The thief-versus-detective setup may appeal if you like stories that balance pursuit, conflict, and moral pressure.
Directed by Ruben Garcia, Rob Hardy, Millicent Shelton, Mario Van PeeblesCast Matthew Law, Y'lan Noel, Gabrielle Dennis, Cleopatra Coleman, Sophina BrownNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
09
The Witness
crime · drama
With their 2-year-old as the sole witness to her murder, Rachel Nickell's partner fights to protect him amid a flawed investigation.
Why watch: If you prefer crime stories with an emotional investigation at their center, this one may suit you. The premise suggests a serious, grounded drama focused on protection, loss, and a flawed case.
Directed by Alex WincklerCast Jordan Bolger, Mark Stanley, Max Fincham, Sean Gilder, Neil MaskellNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
10
Task
Won 1 Emmy Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (2026) · 6 nominations
crime · drama
In the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, an FBI agent heads a task force assembled to put an end to a string of violent robberies led by an unsuspecting family man.
Why watch: If you like task-force stories built around robberies and family complications, this is a strong choice. It should appeal to viewers who want a crime drama set in a working-class environment with an FBI angle.
Directed by Jeremiah Zagar, Salli Richardson-WhitfieldCast Mark Ruffalo, Silvia Dionicio, Emilia Jones, Fabien Frankel, Thuso MbeduMaxMore details on IMDb → -
11
Kill Jackie
action & adventure · comedy · crime · drama · mystery & thriller
Jackie Price has been living a wealthy, luxurious life for the past 20 years after escaping a dangerous past as an international cocaine dealer. But just as life begins to feel a little boring, she discovers that The Seven Demons, a group of the world’s most terrifying hitmen, have been hired to kill her.
Why watch: If you want a crime title that mixes action, comedy, and mystery, this is the wild-card pick on the list. Its story of an ex-cocaine dealer targeted by hitmen suggests fast-moving trouble with a lighter touch than the darker dramas here.
Directed by Dawn Shadforth, Damon Thomas, Sophie MullerCast Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Daniel Ings, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Christine AdamsAMC+More details on IMDb → -
12
Unfamiliar
action · crime · drama
Hidden in the middle of Berlin, ex-spies Simon and Meret run the safe house called "The Nest." When a threat they thought was eliminated catches up with them again, they suddenly have to hide from hit men, Russian agents, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), ex-lovers and a lot of people they have wronged—and try to keep their marriage intact at the same time.
Why watch: If you enjoy spy stories with crime and thriller elements, this is a smart pick. The Berlin safe-house setup and pressure from multiple sides should appeal if you like tense, adult drama with high stakes.
Directed by Lennart RuffCast Susanne Wolff, Felix Kramer, Seyneb Saleh, Laurence Rupp, Anand Batbileg ChuluunbaatarNetflixMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
These recommendations cover the full range of what makes crime drama so easy to keep watching: undercover missions, family ties, criminal power struggles, and investigators chasing dangerous cases. If Legends worked for you, this list should help you find a next watch that matches the same mood without feeling repetitive. Bookmark this page and come back when you want another suggestion, since it is updated regularly with new titles. That way, you can keep your queue full of crime and drama series that fit your taste.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these shows similar to Legends?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.