7 Shows Like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier You Must See

Marvel Studios’ ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ is a superhero drama series set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s shared continuity. It follows MCU’s long-standing and fan-favorite supporting characters of the same name teaming up on a globe-trotting adventure. Captain America’s closest friends and sidekicks, Sam Wilson/ The Falcon and Bucky Barnes/ The Winter Soldier, step into the spotlight to protect his legacy of peace and justice.

The duo’s buddy-cop dynamic and spy-thriller mission are a highlight of the series tied with loads of cool Marvel Comics references and easter eggs. If you enjoyed watching the show, we have compiled a list of similar shows that will keep you entertained until Sam and Bucky’s next MCU adventure. You can watch most of these shows like ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.

7. Cloak and Dagger (2018-2019)

‘Cloak and Dagger’ is a young adult superhero drama series created by Joe Pokaski featuring the Marvel Comics duo of the same name. It follows teenagers Tandy Bowen and Tyrone Johnson, who obtain superpowers after an explosion and learn that their powers are interlinked. They decide to use these powers to right the wrongs of the world they live in and protect each other. It may not share the same interconnectedness with the larger MCU as other properties in the franchise. Still, Marvel fans shouldn’t skip the opportunity of catching this hyper-active pair of young heroes in action.

6. Miami Vice (1984-1990)

‘Miami Vice’ is a buddy-cop television series that follows undercover Miami detectives James “Sonny” Crockett and Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs as they navigate Miami’s underworld and crimes. The show is not only revered as one of the best shows in the buddy-cop genre but as one of the greatest TV shows of all time. Over the course of the series, the storylines feature visually stylistic action sequences and the characters fighting against corruption in their department that will easily resonate with fans of ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.’ One cannot simply ignore the similarities Sam and Bucky share with Sonny and Rico, including their banter with each other.

5. Sherlock (2010-2017)

‘Sherlock’ is a BBC mystery crime-drama series created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes detective stories. In a conversation about crime-fighting duos, it would be a shame not to mention Sherlock and Dr. Watson. Even if the Baker Street Boys do not share the same high-tech gadgets and superhuman abilities as Sam and Bucky, the duo travels to various locations picking up cases that bring them into conflict with government agents, assassins, a nefarious mastermind, and corrupt politicians. Besides, lead pair Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman also appear in the MCU, which is an added bonus for fans of the franchise.

4. Arrow (2012-2020)

Developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg, ‘Arrow’ is a superhero crime drama series based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow. It follows Oliver Queen, who returns to his home of Star City after 5 years of being stranded on an island. He decides to take up the costumed identity of The Hood (later Arrow and Green Arrow) and uses the skills he learned on the island to fight crime and punish those who have failed his city. Over the course of its 8-season run, there isn’t a superhero plotline that ‘Arrow’ hasn’t delved into, including the common thread of a secret serum that grants users superhuman abilities much like the super soldier serum from the MCU. ‘Arrow’ is a must-watch for the fans of the superhero genre.

3. WandaVision (2021)

‘WandaVision’ is a Disney+ original television series created by Jac Schaeffer and also set within the MCU. Like ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,’ the show follows a pair of Avengers after the events of ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ trying to figure out their place in the world, and it would be a disservice to the seminal series to try and label it under any singular genre. It is chock-full of nuances and family-friendly (literally!) entertainment that people expect from Marvel Studios and still so much more. Like with all MCU properties, it’s all interconnected (even if it takes a few years to pay off), which means it might share more linkage to ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ than meets the eye.

2. The Defenders (2017)

Well, if you enjoyed intimately following along with the adventures of the two Marvel superheroes in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,’ you can double that fun with ‘The Defenders’, which features a quartet of Marvel superheroes, namely, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, combining their powers to protect New York (or at least their corner of it) from a cataclysmic event. If that isn’t enough to get you sold on watching this show, it is worth pointing out that the not quite brains and not quite brawns dynamic between Luke Cage and Iron Fist is particularly entertaining and reminiscent of the one Sam and Bucky share.

1. Lethal Weapon (2016-2019)

‘Lethal Weapon’ is an action crime drama television series based on the film of the same name. It follows detectives Roger Murtaugh and Martin Riggs of the LAPD robbery and homicides division who are unwillingly paired together. The show’s lead pair of detectives is a mismatched duo who constantly bicker, and if there’s a task with a high risk that no one else is particularly up for, these two will take it on gladly. Sounds familiar? We know.

‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ shares many similarities with the buddy cop show and what are Sam and Bucky if not the government’s “Lethal Weapons” in the MCU. Riggs’ mental health issues and Murtaugh’s struggles with racism are also individually shared by Bucky and Sam. The original film which ‘Lethal Weapon’ is based on is cited as an influence by the creators of ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.’