Sunday nights have gone full beast mode. The Roy family has finally made their long-awaited return to television in the third season of HBO’s satirical drama, Succession, and they do not disappoint. Logan Roy is back (Brian Cox) and nastier than ever as he rules the world’s fifth-largest media conglomerate with an iron fist, while his children fight for scraps of power. A particularly nasty brood of backstabbers, the Roys have become America’s favorite family to hate.
Succession is the latest descendant that hails from a long line of dysfunctional, wealthy television families, dating all the way back to hit series like Dallas and Dynasty. As the Roys continue to rage on every Sunday night, there are countless other family-centric television series that are more than capable of filling the Succession void during the weekdays. Inviting viewers into lavish homes filled with nightmares and feuds, these households give the Roys a run for their money as they highlight the worst of greed when privilege is handed down to the wrong people.
Arrested Development (2003-2006, 2013-2019)
Where to Stream: Netflix
A series of unfortunate events lands the criminal leaning Bluth family into some hot water. Formally a wealthy, high society living bunch, Arrested Development begins when George Sr. Bluth, family patriarch and CEO of the Bluth Company, gets arrested for fraudulent spending and abusing company money. This kick-starts a life of debauchery and crime for the entire Bluth gang, as everyone completely fails to adjust to their newfound situation. Hilarious escapades ensue, involving failed magic tricks, chicken impersonations, and copious amounts of vodka.
When Arrested Development debuted in 2003, it ran for three perfect seasons on Fox before getting unjustly cancelled. It’s since gained a cult following, and the series was rebooted as a Netflix original in 2013 with the entire original cast intact. Starring Jason Bateman, Will Arnette, Michael Cera, Tony Hale, David Cross, Portia De Rossi, Alia Shawkat, Jeffrey Tambor, and Jessica Walters, every single actor is comedic dynamite. Times may always be tough for the Bluth family, but hey, there’s always money in the banana stand.
Empire (2015-2020)
Where to Stream: Hulu
The unforgiving world of the music industry makes the various media scandals and power struggles in Succession look like child’s play. A soap opera of epic proportions, Empire boasts a stellar cast filled with iconic performances of divas and artists fighting to be number one. Following Lucious Lyons (Terrence Howard), head of the all-powerful Empire Records, he receives fatal news regarding his health in the series premiere and is forced to look towards the future and decide which one of his three sons should take over the business. Bryshere Y. Gray, Trai Byers, and Jussie Smollet co-star as Lucious’s competitive children, and they fight dirty to win over their father’s approval and respect.
But it’s Taraji P. Henson’s performance as Cookie, Lyon’s ex-wife and mother to his children, that steals the show. Armed with effortless grace and iconic one-liners, she’s a fearless businesswoman who will not be trifled with. The series becomes a full-fledged family affair as Cookie goes head-to-head with Lucious for control over the company, and it makes for some unforgettable television. Running for six, scandalous seasons on Fox, Empire contains corrupt musicians, killer tracks, and of course, murderous deeds.
Bloodline (2015-2017)
Where to Stream: Netflix
The Netflix original series Bloodline is packed to the brim with a stellar cast, featuring Kyle Chandler, Linda Cardellini, Ben Mendelsohn, Norbert Leo Butz, Sissy Spacek, and Sam Shepard as the troubled Rayburns. A dark and gritty crime series set against the hot sweltering heat of Florida; Bloodline follows a family’s unraveling due to long-kept secrets. The series begins when Sally (Spacek) and Robert (Shepard) Rayburn celebrate the 40-year anniversary of their successful, beach-side run hotel business with a massive family gathering. There to ruin the fun is the eldest son and black sheep of the brood, Danny (Mendelsohn). Returning home after years away, it’s clear he has other ill-intentions that include avenging the many wrongs his family inflicted upon him in the past.
Doubling down as a neo-noir mystery, the sunshine-filled series drowns in dark shades of old family scars that never healed properly. Mendelsohn is like a live-wire, and he’s reason enough to watch for his thrilling portrayal of the destructive Danny. The supporting cast is also stuffed with unforgettable performances, particularly Chandler as the town sheriff and Danny’s little brother. An excruciating slow-burn that reaches explosive boiling points across three riveting seasons, Bloodline won’t be easy to shake once the screen fades to black.
Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)
Where to Stream: Netflix
The absurdly wealthy Rose family finds themselves living in the Rosebud Motel in the middle of nowhere after the IRS takes away everything they own (except for some wigs), thanks to their business manager, who embezzled the family-owned business. John, Moira, David, and Alexis Rose must attempt to start over and learn how to work for a living in Schitt’s Creek, a tiny town they purchased years earlier as an ill-humored joke. As they arrive in town, they’re like four, floundering fish out of water as they interact with the hard-living locals, and the result is comedic gold.
Starring Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Dan Levy, and Annie Murphy, the original CBC series hit the ground running and found even more fame once it began streaming on Netflix. Since then, Schitt’s Creek has continued to steal the hearts of millions as it details the Rose family’s many failed attempts at changing their ways and becoming better people. In addition to being co-created by the Levy father and son comedy-duo, Dan Levy also wrote several of the show’s pitch-perfect episodes. Running for a total of seven seasons, its final season garnered critical acclaim and all four principal actors won Emmy Awards for their performances.
Revenge (2011-2015)
Where to Stream: Hulu
The ABC primetime soap opera, Revenge, is filled with impeccably dressed rich people doing very bad deeds. Taking place in the Hamptons, the wealthy, crime-ridden Grayson family are in for a rude awakening when their past comes calling. The revenge-seeking Emily Thorne, played by Emily VanCamp, returns to town and literally becomes a thorn in the Grayson side as she bleeds them dry of their dignity and secrets. Co-starring Madeline Stowe, Josh Bowman, Henry Czerny, and Christa B. Allen as the devious Graysons, Revenge is unforgiving in its depictions of corrupt businessmen, scheming housewives, and spoiled offspring. When the series premiered on ABC in 2011, it quickly became the network’s most-watched show since Lost, and it’s not hard to understand why. As Emily ruthlessly picks off Grayson family members one by one, she proves beyond a reasonable doubt that there’s nothing sweeter than a good old-fashioned glass of revenge served cold.
The Newsroom (2012-2014)
Where to Stream: HBO Max
Filled with workaholics delivering mile-a-minute dialogue amongst political scandals, natural disasters, and coffee, The Newsroom is a brilliant satire that examines the state of the world and the power the media holds in informing the public how to think and feel. Jeff Daniels stars in the HBO series as Will McAvoy, one of Television’s biggest news anchors. Reminiscent of Howard Beale (Peter Finch) in Network, he begins the series in crisis and is met with massive backfire after delivering an honest and unforgiving speech at a college campus that shakes the political world.
The Newsroom feels permanently relevant, and it offers chaotic behind-the-scenes footage of what goes into the daily process of reporting breaking news. Rich with power-hungry individuals always on the hunt for the next big story, the ensemble cast is charming as they effortlessly banter back and forth about the state of the world while their personal lives crumble. Alongside Daniels, the series contains an impressive slate of actors, including Olivia Munn, Emily Mortimer (Shutter Island), Allison Pill (American Horror Story), John Gallager Jr. (Westworld), Thomas Sodaki (Life in Pieces), Dev Patel, Jane Fonda, and Sam Waterson.
Animal Kingdom (2016-Present)
Where to Stream: TNT, Available to rent/buy on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play
The TNT original series Animal Kingdom gleefully exposes the ugly underbelly of crime in sunny, Southern California. Beneath all the palm trees and expensive cars lies layers of rot, as the series follows the Cody family, a ruthless crew of petty criminals with luscious locks of hair who like to surf when they’re not robbing banks. An adaptation of the 2010 film under the same name starring Jackie Weaver, Animal Kingdom is a spellbinding series that will have you rooting for crooked thieves and murderous surfers before the first episode is over.
Clearly inspired by films like the 1991 crime classic, Point Break, Animal Kingdom finds the perfect balance between exhilarating action sequences and relaxing beach vibes. Ellen Barkin portrays family matriarch, Janine “Smurf” Cody, and she’s mesmerizing as the cold-hearted boss of the Cody criminal enterprise. Things become heated when Janine’s estranged grandson, Joshua Cody (Finn Cole), moves in with the family and gets unwillingly sucked into an endless cycle of violence. Heading into its sixth and final season, the series will return sometime in 2022.
Yellowstone (2018-present)
Where to Stream: Peacock
Come to see Kevin Costner play a cowboy for the hundredth time and stay for the high-stakes drama that unfolds on the beautiful Yellowstone Ranch located in Montana. The Paramount series stars Costner as John Dutton, the weathered patriarch of the Dutton family and owner of Yellowstone, the largest ranch in America. Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes, and Wes Bentley co-star as the Dutton children, and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to help their father keep the ranch within the family.
Created and co-written by Tayler Sheridan (Hell or High Water, Wind River), Yellowstone also features Gil Birmingham (Hell or High Water), Cole Hauser (Dazed and Confused), and Kelsey Alsbie (Fargo). The series functions like a modern-day rendition of Dallas, and the Dutton clan constantly fight amongst themselves and greedy developers who try to tear Yellowstone away from them. Heading into its fourth season, the series is slated to return on Paramount, Sunday, November 7, with a two-hour premiere. A spin-off prequel, 1883, is also already in the works, starring Sam Elliott, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw.
Rectify (2013-2016)
Where to Stream: Available to rent/buy on iTunes, Amazon Prime, Google Play
If you want a southern makeover of Succession baked in the hot sun that solely focuses on murder, then the Sundance series Rectify is your answer. Running for four seasons, Rectify is a masterfully paced family drama and murder mystery rolled into one. After sitting on death row 20 years for the brutal murder of a local teenage girl, Daniel Holden (Aden Young) is released from jail due to newfound DNA evidence that vindicates his guilt. Upon returning to his hometown, he stirs up trouble as few town members are willing to accept his innocence.
Featuring the one and only J. Smith Cameron (Succession) as Daniel’s melancholic mother and Abigal Spencer (Mad Men) as his over-protective sister, Daniel quickly becomes a stranger to both his family and the fast-changing world, with iPhones, selfies, and fast-speed internet littering every street he walks down. It’s an unnerving depiction of a lost soul struggling to find newfound purpose in life, and the series can be relentlessly grim. As Rectify continues, it remains unclear if Daniel committed the murder, or if the real killer is still out there somewhere, hiding in the shadows. Don’t expect any answers.
Dynasty (2017-present)
Where to Stream: Netflix, The CW
Catfights, shady stepmothers, and brutal business takeovers are the beating pulse of The CW drama series, Dynasty. Chronicling the cutthroat world of the elite one percent, Elizabeth Gillies stars as Fallon Carrington, the absurdly wealthy daughter of Blake Carrington (Grant Show), billionaire, and CEO of Carrington Atlantic. The series spins a complicated web of lies and deceit as Carrington family members fight tooth and nail for power, several of whom chip a couple of expensive manicures along the way. Based upon the 1981 mega-smash hit television series under the same name, The CW remake acknowledges its roots with big hair, scandalous affairs, and dangerous pasts. This campy delight is here for a good time, but not a long time, so get binging and get in on the fun.
Succession season three will run for a total of nine episodes. New episodes will air on Sunday nights on HBO at 9 p.m. E.T., and will also be made available to stream on HBO Max. Which family takes the cake as the worst of the bunch? Will the Roy family always remain on top, or can another one of these conniving households steal the throne? Let us know in the comments.