What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedBadlands
Terrence Malick · Film · 1974
If you loved Badlands, start with Deadwood (David Milch, 2004) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Badlands across media.
What hooked you in Badlands was the way the vast American landscape mirrors the nihilistic impulses of drifting, alienated souls.
Books on the same thread
Bloodlands
Timothy Snyder · Book
Explores: mass atrocity, state-sponsored violence, historical trauma.
If the historical weight of Badlands intrigued you, this examination of mass atrocity provides a brutal, non-fiction counterpoint to the personal violence depicted in the film's desolate setting.
On the Road
Jack Kerouac · Book · 1976
Explores: existential quest, wanderlust, nonconformity.
This novel captures the same restless wanderlust found in Badlands, focusing on the existential search for freedom that drives young people to abandon their dead-end lives for the road.
In Cold Blood
Truman Capote · Book · 2012
Shares 2 threads with Badlands: Violence, True Crime.
Just as Badlands explores the chilling reality of impulsive murder, this foundational work of literary journalism dissects the social isolation and violence erupting within the quiet American heartland.
Joyland (Hard Case Crime)
Stephen King · Book · 2013
Explores: Carnivals, First Love, Grief.
Set in a distinct era, this story mirrors the coming-of-age tension found in Badlands, grounding its mystery in the specific atmosphere of a transient, seasonal American workplace environment.
Series on the same thread
Deadwood
David Milch · Series · 2004
Explores: Lawlessness and Order, Frontier Justice, Corruption.
The harsh, unforgiving frontier environment of this series echoes the South Dakota landscapes of Badlands, highlighting how lawlessness and moral decay thrive in isolated, developing American communities.
Breaking Bad
Vince Gilligan · Series · 2008
Shares 2 threads with Badlands: Crime Drama, Neo-Noir.
Like the protagonists of Badlands, the lead here experiences a profound shift toward violence, driven by a desperate, nihilistic need to assert control over his own dying trajectory.
Fargo
Noah Hawley · Series · 2014
Shares a thread with Badlands: Neo-Noir.
This series captures the dark, ironic tone of Badlands, focusing on how ordinary people are pulled into escalating cycles of murder within the cold, vast American midwestern landscape.
MobLand
Ronan Bennett · Series · 2025
Shares a thread with Badlands: Violence.
The intense focus on loyalty and the inevitability of betrayal in this drama reflects the volatile relationship dynamics that define the central killing spree in Badlands.
Podcasts on the same thread
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
This podcast explores the same provincial isolation seen in Badlands, using dark humor to examine how specific small towns become the stage for senseless, tragic acts of violence.
The Minds of Madness - True Crime Stories
Podcast
Shares a thread with Badlands: True Crime.
If the psychological detachment of the killers in Badlands fascinated you, this series offers a deeper look into the criminal mind and the lasting impact of such violence.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Badlands based on a true story?
The provided metadata for Badlands does not specify if the film is based on true events. It describes the plot as an impressionable teenage girl and her older greaser boyfriend embarking on a killing spree in the South Dakota badlands.
What is the premise of Badlands?
Badlands follows an impressionable teenage girl from a dead-end town and her older greaser boyfriend. Together, they embark on a violent killing spree across the South Dakota badlands. The film was directed by Terrence Malick and released in 1974.
Who directed the 1974 film Badlands?
Badlands was directed by Terrence Malick. The film tells the story of a teenage girl and her older boyfriend who commit a series of murders in the South Dakota badlands.
Where does the story in Badlands take place?
The story in Badlands takes place in the South Dakota badlands. The plot follows a teenage girl and her greaser boyfriend as they travel through the region while committing a series of crimes.