What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedDon't Be Bad
Claudio Caligari · Film · 2015
If you loved Don't Be Bad, start with Breaking Bad (Vince Gilligan, 2008) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Don't Be Bad across media.
If Don't Be Bad hooked you, it is the raw exploration of moral decay and the desperate search for identity within criminal subcultures.
Books on the same thread
Gomorrah
Roberto Saviano · Book · 2007
Explores: Mafia, Corruption, Crime.
Like the characters in Don't Be Bad, the subjects here navigate systemic corruption and the brutal reality of Italian crime, offering a deeper look at the environments that breed lawlessness.
COOL MACHINE
Colson Whitehead · Book
Explores: systemic corruption, urban decay, social mobility.
Just as Don't Be Bad captures the tension of young men chasing success, this story examines the intersection of urban decay and the pursuit of status within a criminal underworld.
City on Fire
Don Winslow · Book
Explores: loyalty and betrayal, intergenerational conflict, criminal empire.
Fans of the loyalty and betrayal depicted in Don't Be Bad will recognize those same volatile dynamics in this saga of families fighting for control of their criminal empire.
Billy Bathgate
E.L. Doctorow · Book · 2010
Explores: Coming of age in the criminal underworld, Loss of innocence, Mentorship and apprenticeship.
Much like the protagonists of Don't Be Bad, Billy finds himself caught in a coming-of-age journey where the criminal underworld forces a painful and permanent loss of innocence.
Series on the same thread
Breaking Bad
Vince Gilligan · Series · 2008
Shares a thread with Don't Be Bad: Moral Decay.
The trajectory of moral decay found in Don't Be Bad is mirrored perfectly here as a man abandons his former self in favor of a dangerous and illicit path.
Gomorrah
Roberto Saviano · Series · 2014
Explores: organized crime, power struggles, betrayal.
This gritty look at the Camorra provides the same unflinching examination of loyalty and betrayal that defines the central friendship and tragic choices in the film Don't Be Bad.
Narcos
Chris Brancato · Series · 2015
Explores: War on Drugs, Rise and Fall, Corruption.
If you were drawn to the drug-fueled drama of Don't Be Bad, this chronicle of the rise and fall of cartels explores the same destructive power dynamics and corruption.
No One Will Miss Us
Series · 2024
Explores: Illegal Business, High School Life, Friendship.
Returning to the 1990s, this story captures a similar loss of innocence as young people navigate illegal business and friendship, echoing the themes present in Don't Be Bad.
Podcasts on the same thread
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: moral ambiguity, social justice, human behavior.
This podcast explores the same moral ambiguity found in Don't Be Bad, grounding its narrative in the complex human behavior of those who operate outside the law.
Crime in Sports
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: athlete misconduct, legal absurdity, scandalous behavior.
While significantly lighter in tone, this show connects to the spirit of Don't Be Bad by examining how scandalous behavior and legal failure define the paths individuals choose.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Don't Be Bad set in a specific time period?
Yes, Don't Be Bad is set in the 1990s. The narrative takes place in the outskirts of Rome and Ostia, focusing on the lives of two young men seeking success amidst a culture defined by nightclubs, luxury cars, and synthetic drug use.
What is the primary setting of Don't Be Bad?
The story of Don't Be Bad unfolds in the outskirts of Rome and the coastal town of Ostia. This environment serves as the backdrop for the characters' pursuit of success through a lifestyle centered on money, nightlife, and drug involvement.
Does Don't Be Bad focus on a specific social environment?
Don't Be Bad focuses on a world where easy money and luxury are central. The film portrays the lives of two men in their early twenties navigating a dangerous environment characterized by cocaine, synthetic drugs, and late-night club culture in the outskirts of Rome.
What are the central themes explored in Don't Be Bad?
Don't Be Bad explores the pursuit of success among two men in their early twenties. The film highlights the consequences of living in a world dominated by cocaine, synthetic drugs, luxury cars, and nightlife within the specific setting of Rome and Ostia during the 1990s.