The Godfather remains one of the most respected movies in the history of movies, layered with complexity and with themes that have long occupied the medium. As fascinating as the movie is, however, the saga of how it came into being is just as fascinating, as the new series The Offer demonstrates. Indeed, the series is but the latest in a long line of series that aim to provide insight into the machinations of Hollywood, showbusiness, and the media. For those who enjoy this element of The Offer, then, there are many other similar series.
Feud (2017-present) - Not Available For Streaming
As the title suggests, Feud is about the long-lasting, and reportedly very bitter, feud between Hollywood greats Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Like The Offer, it paints a not-always-flattering portrait of the movie business, as the two actresses' mutual antagonism is egged on by those in charge of the studio.
However, there’s no denying that the series’ most enduring appeal stems from the dynamic performances given by both Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange, who capably bring these two important actresses to magnificent life.
Hollywood (2020) - Streaming On Netflix
Ryan Murphy has been responsible for many great movies and TV series, and he has taken an especial interest in the history of Hollywood. In this series, he blends fact and fiction in order to paint an alternate history of the post-war movie industry, one in which people of color and LGBT+ people were able to attain the success and prominence they were denied in life. Its historical elements will appeal to fans of The Offer, while the fantasy will remind viewers of a world that might have been.
Fosse/Verdon (2019) - Streaming On Hulu
There have been few showbiz couples more dynamic, and explosive, than Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. While Fosse was a choreographer, Verdon was a renowned dancer, and their personal and professional relationship brought out both the best and the worst in them both. Like all behind-the-scenes series, Fosse/Verdon allows the viewer to see both sides of their personalities, and it is grounded by the strong performances of both Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams, both of whom endow their characters with richness, complexity, and depth.
Minx (2022) - Streaming On HBO Max
Part of what makes The Offer such a compelling series is that it leans heavily into the aesthetics and culture of the early 1970s. The 1970s are also the setting for Minx, which has quickly established itself as one of the best series to air on the HBO Max streaming service. Focusing the character Joyce Prigger and her attempts to start a magazine focused on women’s interests and issues, it also addresses many bigger issues, including the ethics of porngoraphy, the power of the female gaze, and feminism.
The Dropout (2022) - Streaming On Hulu
Hulu has produced many great series, and one of the best recent offerings is The Dropout. Though it doesn’t focus on Hollywood like The Offer, it is nevertheless a behind-the-scenes examination of one of the most notorious fraudsters of the 21st century, Elizabeth Holmes. Amanda Seyfried turns in a powerful performance as Holmes, allowing viewers to see beyond the surface to the contradictory, and strangely charismatic, individual, the person who was able to swindle numerous prominent business people and politicians into investing in her.
The Other Two (2019-present) - Streaming On HBO Max
The Offer, like many other series focusing on the behind-the-scenes magic of movie-making, largely acts to demystify the whole process. A similar dynamic is at work in The Other Two, the successful comedy series which focuses largely on the siblings and mother of an overnight teen music star.
Though it is a very funny show, it also has its more somber moments, and it particularly focuses on the high price that fame can take, even (perhaps especially) on those who seem to want it the most.
Pam & Tommy (2022) - Streaming On Hulu
While The Offer takes a look at one of the most famous and influential movies in the history of the cinema, Pam & Tommy examines one of the most infamous sex tapes. In particular, the series shows the toxic influence that fame-hungry American culture and the nascent internet had on the way that people related to celebrities.
Though it is at times salacious, the series never loses sight of the fact that this enormous scandal had a very real impact on the lives of real people, who found their careers turned upside down by its release.
Succession (2018-present) - Streaming On HBO Max
Succession is, rightly, regarded as one of the best HBO drama series. Though it focuses on the various members of the Roy family as they struggle to gain control of a media empire, it also very much about the powerful influence media has on the American public. And, as is the case with a show like The Offer, it is also about the way that powerful and dynamic personalities can shape (or reshape) the fate of a media company.
Mad Men (2007-2015) - Streaming On Prime Video
One of the chief pleasures of a series like The Offer is that it immerses the viewer in a previous historical period of Hollywood. Likewise, one of the most appealing things about the series Mad Men is its attention to period detail, in particular in the 1960s. Focusing as it does on the behavior of the men responsible for many of the period’s most important and influential ad campaigns, it is also regarded as one of the best drama series of the past two decades.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017-present) - Streaming On Prime Video
Over the past several years, Amazon Prime has shown time and again that they know how to create compelling series. One of the best is The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which focuses on the career of the title character, who becomes a successful career as a standup comedian in the aftermath of World War II. Like The Offer and other similar shows, it not only provides a behind-the-scenes look at an aspect of the entertainment industry while also providing historical detail.