12 TV Series That Are Basically Soap Operas with a Bigger Budget

Ever wonder what happens when you inject a soap opera with a sizable budget, a dash of high stakes drama, and a sprinkle of cinematic magic? Well, you get a TV series that feels strangely familiar yet utterly extravagant. Fasten your seatbelts as we embark on part one of our tour through twelve TV series that are essentially soap operas in disguise – only with bigger wallets.

1. Game of Thrones – HBO

Starting with the gold standard, HBO's Game of Thrones could be viewed as a soap opera where the lavish mansions are replaced with towering castles, and the garden parties are swapped for battles involving dragons. Deceit, betrayal, unexpected death, and the occasional wedding massacre? All the makings of a soap opera, but with medieval attire and magical elements thrown into the mix.

2. Grey's Anatomy – ABC

In the hallowed halls of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (formerly Seattle Grace), you'll find more drama unfolding than in most soap operas. Grey's Anatomy has it all – steamy romances, intense rivalries, and plot twists that leave you gasping. It's essentially a soap opera scrubbed up in surgical gowns. The only difference? Instead of a dramatic background score, there's usually an indie pop song playing over the latest life-or-death surgery.

3. Succession – HBO

A wealthy family, in-fighting for power, sharp dialogue, and endless drama – Succession is a perfect example of a soap opera adorned in a business suit. The Roy family might as well be a modern-day equivalent of the soap opera classic Carrington family from Dynasty, with a media empire thrown into the mix. Their squabbles, strategizing, and luxury yachts create an atmosphere that feels like a soap opera on steroids.

4. The Crown – Netflix

Nothing spells soap opera quite like a high-stakes family drama. And when that family happens to be the British royal family, you've got yourself a regal soap opera. The Crown explores the very public and yet very private lives of the Queen and her kin. The plot twists might be rooted in historical events, but the emotional upheaval, personal struggles, and ornate settings give it an undeniable soap opera vibe.

5. Empire – Fox

The music industry meets soap opera in Empire, a glitzy series about a family's battle for control over a successful music conglomerate. With Lucious Lyon at the helm, a man who has as many secrets as he does hit records, Empire is a high-stakes soap opera that replaces the traditional dramatic organ music with hip-hop beats.

6. Downton Abbey – ITV

Downton Abbey is a perfect blend of British period drama and soap opera. This tale of an aristocratic family and their domestic helpers in the early 20th century expertly intertwines the personal, political, and social upheavals of the time. It's a high-class soap opera, where a misplaced pair of dress gloves can spark as much drama as an illicit romance.

7. Riverdale – The CW

Based on the Archie Comics, Riverdale takes a beloved group of teenage characters and thrusts them into a world of murder, betrayal, and secret societies. This isn't your grandparent's soap opera; it's a soap opera wrapped in a murder mystery, sprinkled with teenage angst, and delivered with a side of dark humor.

8. Dynasty – The CW

Dynasty, a reboot of the classic 80s soap opera, is unabashed in its opulence and drama. The wealthy Carrington family is back with more scandal, catfights, and champagne than ever before. Dynasty shows us that sometimes a soap opera doesn't need a disguise; it just needs a fresh coat of paint and a bigger budget.

9. The Real Housewives – Bravo

Reality television is fertile ground for soap opera theatrics, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Bravo's The Real Housewives franchise. With lavish lifestyles, simmering rivalries, and extravagant parties, The Real Housewives feels like a real-life soap opera with the drama dial turned up to eleven. The only difference is that these plot twists aren't scripted...or are they?

10. Scandal – ABC

The world of politics meets high-stakes drama in Scandal, a series that revolves around crisis manager (and professional secret-keeper) Olivia Pope. Between political cover-ups, torrid affairs, and shocking betrayals, Scandal could very well be Days of Our Lives with a political science degree.

11. The O.C. – Fox

Welcome to The O.C., a place where the sun is always shining, but drama is never far away. Following the lives of a group of friends and families in Orange County, California, The O.C. is a prime example of a soap opera in teen drama clothing. With love triangles, family feuds, and enough angst to fuel a hundred emo songs, this series proves that a soap opera can thrive in the suburbs.

12. The Sopranos – HBO

Ending our list with a bang, The Sopranos takes the soap opera formula and adds a dose of New Jersey mobster life. Centered around mob boss Tony Soprano and his struggles to balance family life with running a criminal organization, the show is packed with power struggles, domestic disputes, and the occasional horse theft. It's a soap opera where a family dinner can be just as tense as a mob hit.