HBO’s A Decent Man is a drama that explores the complexities of human nature, morality, and the consequences of one's actions. The series follows a middle-aged man trying to balance his feelings of decency with the demands of a society always challenging his principles.
Specifically, A Decent Man explores topics of guilt, repentance, and the human cost of keeping one's integrity in a society that sometimes appears to reward the opposite as the protagonist's life unravels. Its emotionally intense storytelling and thought-provoking plots have made it a fast must-watch for fans of character-driven dramas.
Here are seven shows to watch if A Decent Man resonated deeply with viewers.
The Undoing, The Sinner, Big Little Lies, and more shows similar to HBO's A Decent Man
1) The Undoing (2020)

The Undoing is another HBO show that explores the complicated themes of morals, guilt, and lying to yourself. It follows a successful therapist named Grace Fraser whose life falls apart when her husband, Jonathan, is named as the main suspect in a brutal murder. As long-buried family secrets come to light, Grace may have to face the fact that everything she thought she knew about her family was false.
Like A Decent Man, The Undoing is about how choices affect people and the bad side of lives that seem normal. In both shows, the characters are put in settings that test their morals and make them think about their actions and relationships.
2) Big Little Lies (2017-2019)

Another HBO drama, Big Little Lies, delves into the intricacies of daily life and the secrets individuals maintain. Set in Monterey, California, the show follows a group of women whose outwardly flawless lives are rife with hidden traumas, deceit, and betrayals. The novel reveals the characters' darkest secrets, which show how much our deeds influence others around us.
Big Little Lies revolves around the concepts of concealed guilt, moral struggle, and the effects of individual decisions. The show's analysis of complicated relationships, especially those based on dishonesty, reflects the psychological conflict and self-examination that A Decent Man so deftly depicts. Fans of character-driven dramas should not miss Big Little Lies, which explores the price of keeping a moral identity.
3) The Night Of (2016)
Much like A Decent Man's examination of how social influences mold a person's morality, The Night Of is a crime drama that probes the shortcomings of the criminal justice system. The miniseries centers on Nasir Khan, a young man who finds himself falsely charged with a murder he may or may not have committed.
The Night Of's main topic is how external influences and personal morals shape an individual's situation and choices. Like A Decent Man, the series emphasizes how our personal sense of right and wrong can be warped by the circumstances we find ourselves in. Anyone who liked A Decent Man's investigation of complicated human nature will find great value in the series' character growth, psychological strain, and moral dilemmas.
4) Sharp Objects (2018)

Based on the book by Gillian Flynn, Sharp Objects is a psychological thriller. The show follows Camille Preaker, a journalist who returns to her tiny community to report on a string of horrific killings. The more she learns about the case, the more she has to face her dark history, including her troubled connection with her mother and her unhealed trauma.
Much like A Decent Man, Sharp Objects emphasizes the intricacy of personal morality and the way trauma influences our behavior. Those attracted to A Decent Man's ideas of guilt, personal responsibility, and the quest for atonement will find this HBO Max series to be a great fit as the main character's inner struggle and loss of decency drive her downward spiral.
5) True Detective (2014-Present)

Much like A Decent Man, True Detective is an anthology crime series by HBO that delves into the depravity of the human psyche. With an overriding subject of moral ambiguity and the psychological toll of revealing the truth, each season follows a different group of detectives looking into horrible murders.
The first season, in particular, emphasizes two detectives, Rust Cohle and Marty Hart, who are driven to face their inner issues while looking into a troubling string of murders. True Detective, like A Decent Man, looks at the price of keeping one's moral integrity in a society rife with corruption and lies. The protagonists in both series are multifaceted individuals who battle to balance their convictions with the cruel reality of their situation.
6) The Outsider (2020)
The Outsider is a supernatural crime story based on Stephen King's book of the same name. It looks at how reality and the supernatural can be hard to tell apart. The story starts with the brutal murder of an 11-year-old boy and then follows the investigation that finds strange clues that the killer might not be human. The show highlights how investigating an unexplained crime may change people's perspectives and worldviews.
The Outsider looks at how complicated belief, morals, and the human mind are. The characters have to deal with their own sense of right and wrong and their desire to face the unknown as they try to make sense of the murder's strange events. The show's creepy mood, slowly building tension, and psychological depth make it a great choice for people who liked how A Decent Man narrated stories through its characters.
7) The Sinner (2017-2021)

The Sinner is a crime drama show about Detective Harry Ambrose, who looks into crimes that don't make sense. The show tries to figure out why normal people take part in horrible acts of violence, as it focuses on a different case each season. Trauma, memory, and the dark sides of people that make them do terrible things are all explored in this Netflix show.
The Sinner, like A Decent Man, examines the complicated nature of morals by focusing on the inner turmoil of people who have to face their darkest urges. Fans of A Decent Man who like stories with moral ambiguity and characters with mental issues will really enjoy this show. Their battles are slowly revealed as the story goes on.
If the HBO series left an emotional impact, these seven shows will maintain it. The moral difficulties and emotional problems that constitute A Decent Man are explored differently in each series, from The Undoing's buried truths to True Detective's dark soul plunge.