Power started out as a crime thriller dealing with the struggles of Ghost, a ruthless drug dealer who also wishes to pursue a legitimate business like starting a club. The overwhelming success of the six-season run has now spawned various spinoffs, with the second season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan having started in August.
A prequel story on the rise of Kanan (50 Cent's character in Power) amid the drug business of the 1990s, the show delves into themes of crime, social inequality and an empathetic underdog story. Such recurring sentiments would propel fans towards several more drug-centric dramas that humanize their protagonists more instead of just glamorizing their exploits.
Better Call Saul (2015–22)
Stream On Netflix
Saul Goodman was one of the best characters of Breaking Bad for several fans to the point that the lawyer got his very own spin-off. Garnering positive reviews from both critics and dedicated fans of the original show, the legal thriller deals with an ex-con who acquires a new identity as a small-time attorney who gets embroiled in all sorts of criminal and personal journeys.
For the character transitions that it shows and the way it eventually connects with Breaking Bad makes Better Call Saul a benchmark for TV prequels especially in the crime genre. Hence, without a doubt, fans of a prequel like Raising Kanan must watch a show like this which some even considered as a gold standard of modern television.
Snowfall (2017–present)
Stream on Hulu
As the city of Los Angeles gets embroiled in a massive crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980s, a family decides to cash in on the crisis. It is well-established in history now that corrupt authority figures played a huge role in peddling the drugs especially in black-dominated neighborhoods. The narrative incorporates this angle as a CIA operative also joins in the crime family's business.
For all the emotional drama it shows in a drug-addicted decade, Snowfall serves as a worthy prequel to Raising Kanan which itself deals with the after-effects of the drug epidemic in the 1990s.
Dopesick (2021)
Stream On Hulu
Dopesick is a quintessential miniseries when it comes to understanding the opioid epidemic and how it was furthered by big pharmaceutical companies in America. The 2020 Hulu original TV show also covers the adverse negative impact these so-called 'legal drugs' can have on the general population.
In Raising Kanan, we see a young and hopeless teenager make his money and find his identity in the world of illegal drugs. But ultimately, he is a part of a morally and financially corrupt system that includes drugs pushed by companies like Dopesick's Purdue Pharma. In this sense, the Michael Keaton-starrer makes for an increasingly relevant watch.
Top Boy (2011–present)
Set in the housing estates of East London, Top Boy blends socio-political drama, crime thriller antics, and some deadpan sarcasm to tell the tale of a 20-year-old drug dealer who wishes to be the "top boy" of his neighborhood. Another parallel story deals with a gifted teenager from the same region who must grow up on his own terms as he comes from a troubled household.
In more ways than one, Top Boy's protagonists are reminiscent of the everyday hustle of a character like Kanan. Audiences get a glimpse of the dangers that plague them along with an occasional hint of hope as they ultimately try to pursue a normal life.
Godfather Of Harlem (2019–present)
Stream On Hulu
How To Sell Drugs Online (Fast) (2019–present)
Stream On Netflix
BMF (2021–present)
Stream On Starz
BMF aka Black Mafia Family is the tale of two brothers as they rise from nothing to start an elaborate drug and money-laundering organization that spans across several territories in America. Apart from covering the BMF’s rise to power (a real-life collective on whose history the show is loosely inspired by), the show also covers the social and financial crisis in the streets of Detroit in the 1980s.
Much like Raising Kanan and the other shows in the Power franchise, BMF highlights the essence of what it calls “thug capitalism” as a means to get closer to the American Dream. Another reason for fans of Raising Kanan to check it out is that 50 Cent also serves as executive producer.