If you loved
The Departed
Martin Scorsese · Film · 2006
What hooked you in The Departed was the way moral boundaries blur when characters live constantly between opposing worlds.
Start with the source
The source
Infernal Affairs
Alan Mak Siu-Fai · Film · 2002
Books on the same thread
Alex Cross
James Patterson · Book · 1993
Like the internal rot within the police force in The Departed, this thriller features a protagonist battling high-level corruption that threatens to undermine his entire pursuit of justice.
The Confession: A Novel
John Grisham · Book · 2010
If the high-stakes moral dilemmas of The Departed resonated with you, this story of wrongful conviction captures that same haunting tension between the letter of the law and true justice.
The Narrows
Michael Connelly · Book · 2005
Fans of The Departed will recognize the same relentless obsession and high-stakes investigation that drives characters to confront the shadows of their own pasts while chasing elusive, dangerous criminals.
Bloody January
Alan Parks · Book · 2017
Much like the gritty streets of South Boston in The Departed, this narrative explores the murky intersection of organized crime and police corruption through a similarly cynical, noir-inspired lens.
Series on the same thread
City on a Hill
Chuck MacLean · Series · 2019
This series mirrors the volatile, corrupt atmosphere of The Departed by showcasing an uneasy alliance where personal ambition and systemic rot collide within a tense, unforgiving urban landscape.
Chicago P.D.
Dick Wolf · Series · 2014
Viewers captivated by the compromised ethics and internal conflict within The Departed will find a similar exploration of the thin line between serving the community and succumbing to corruption.
The Night Manager
David Farr · Series · 2016
The high-stakes infiltration and constant fear of exposure found in The Departed are perfectly mirrored in this tense narrative about a man embedding himself deep within a criminal enterprise.
The Shield
Shawn Ryan · Series · 2002
If the moral ambiguity of The Departed kept you watching, this show delivers an even more intense look at the corruption that thrives when law enforcement officers operate outside rules.
Podcasts on the same thread
CounterClock
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2025
The pursuit of hidden truth in this investigation mirrors the investigative obsession seen in The Departed, demonstrating how secrets buried for years can still destroy lives in the present.
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
This deep dive into a man’s hidden life captures the same sense of identity crisis and social decay that made the characters in The Departed feel so dangerously unpredictable.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Departed based on a true story or another film?
The Departed is a 2006 film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is an adaptation of the 2002 Hong Kong film titled Infernal Affairs. Both movies center on the tense premise of police and organized crime syndicates infiltrating each other through undercover moles.
Should I watch Infernal Affairs if I liked The Departed?
Yes, watching Infernal Affairs is recommended for fans of The Departed. As the original source material, it establishes the core narrative of the dual-infiltrator conflict that Martin Scorsese adapted for his 2006 film set within the Irish Mafia in South Boston.
What order should I watch The Departed and Infernal Affairs?
The viewing order is a matter of preference, though watching The Departed first introduces you to the American adaptation. Afterward, you can view the 2002 film Infernal Affairs to compare how the original source material handles the infiltration plot between the police and the syndicate.
Is The Departed a standalone film or part of a series?
The Departed is a standalone film directed by Martin Scorsese. While it is based on the 2002 film Infernal Affairs, it functions as a complete story. There are no official sequels to The Departed, though the original source material spawned its own separate franchise.