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13 TV Shows Like ‘The Good Wife’ That Are a Must Watch for Courtroom Drama Fans

  • March 10, 2025
  • 15 minute read
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Most times the courtroom dramas are not just about justice: it is about power, strategy, and players who play the game better! The Good Wife

, starring Julianna Margulies, Christine Baranski, and Matt Czuchry,

delivered high-stakes cases, political controversies, and personal betrayals that had fans on the edge wanting more of all that intense action! Missing that rush? These 13 TV shows like The Good Wife

pack just as much drama, deceit, and faceoffs!  

From elite firms to political chaos, there is something for every courtroom drama fan. But who is taking the stand first?

13 TV shows like The Good Wife that turn up the drama

13. Dead to Me

Cast: Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, James Marsden  

Release Date: May 3, 2019  

Where to Watch: Netflix  

Dead to Me

may seem like an unlikely match for The Good Wife

, but dig a little deeper, and you will find the same addictive mix of sharp writing, morally complicated relationships, and shocking twists and turns. Instead of courtroom battles, this show offers a tangled mess of secrets, lies, and an unlikely friendship between two women, Jen and Judy, who both have skeletons in their closets

.

Much like Alicia Florrick’s complicated relationships and emotional struggles, Dead to Me

explores the gray areas between right and wrong. Both shows live on surprise twists, keeping you hooked with every revelation!

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12. Big Little Lies  

Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley  

Release Date: February 19, 2017  

Where to Watch: HBO Max  

Like The Good Wife

, Big Little Lies

 with leading ladies

at its center thrives on power plays, betrayals, and the messy realities of the women’s lives behind closed doors. But instead of courtroom battles, this drama unfolds in a wealthy coastal town, where five women, each harboring their secrets, get caught up in a mess 

threatening to shatter their perfect facades.  

Much like Alicia Florrick’s calculated choices and shifting alliances, Big Little Lies

peels through the complex layers of its female leads, compelling them to fight personal and courtroom battles. If you enjoyed watching Alicia unravel secrets while keeping up appearances, the deadly lies lurking beneath Monterey’s pristine surface will have you on edge! 

11. S—dal

Cast: Kerry Washington, Darby Stanchfield, Katie Lowes

Release Date: April 5, 2012  

Where to Watch: Hulu  

If The Good Wife

had you hooked on to it battles and political chess games, S—dal

ramps up the heat with even higher stakes, more twists, and a lead who is every bit as skilled as Alicia Florrick. Olivia Pope is not just a fixer—she is a force of nature, bringing power and politics to Washington, D.C

., with a fervor that beats out any courthouse showdown. While The Good Wife

kept its drama, S—dal

throws in political espionage, steamy romance, and enough twists to leave you breathless making it the ultimate pick!  

10. For the People  

Cast: Hope Davis, Ben Shenkman, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Susannah Flood 

Release Date: March 13, 2018  

Where to Watch: ABC, Hulu  

The stakes are sky-high in For the People

, where young professionals battle it out in one of the most prestigious federal courts in the nation

. With fresh talent going head-to-head—some defending, some prosecuting, every case is a battle to prove they belong. Much like in The Good Wife

, and other shows like The Good Wife

, For the People

is not just about winning cases but office politics, moral dilemmas, and career-defining moments.  

Fans of Alicia Florrick’s rise in the courtroom world will find a similar thrill here. If you simply enjoyed seeing Alicia outmaneuver her opponents, wait until you see these rookies face off in high-pressure trials!

9. Pearson  

Cast: Gina Torres, Bethany Joy Lenz, Simon Kassianides  

Release Date: July 17, 2019  

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Peacock  

Jessica Pearson does not just survive the hectic world—reigns over it! In Pearson

, Suits

’ fearless powerhouse, Jessica Pearson trades in corporate for the political arena of Chicago

. If Alicia Florrick’s entry into politics in The Good Wife

has you hooked, Jessica’s high-stakes maneuvering will feel like home. The battles here are not just fought in court but in backroom deals, power plays, and ethical gray areas.  

Both shows thrive on intense, character-driven drama, where the rules are just one piece of a much bigger game. With corruption lurking at every corner and Jessica playing by her own rules, Pearson delivers a darker, sharper spin on political combat that will leave you wanting more!

8. Elsbeth

Cast: Carrie Preston, Carra Patterson, Wendell Pierce  

Release Date: February 29, 2024  

Where to Watch: CBS, Paramount+  

If The Good Wife

had a secret weapon, it was Elsbeth Tascioni. Now, she has her own TV show. Elsbeth

follows Carrie Preston,  a delightfully quirky professional as she brings her razor-sharp mind and unorthodox strategies to the NYPD

. Her genius is hidden behind eccentric charm, making her the kind who disarms opponents before dismantling their case piece by piece.  

Fans of The Good Wife

will love the return of this fan-favorite character. While Alicia played the polished strategist, Elsbeth is unpredictable and always three steps ahead. The show flips the standard courtroom drama by throwing her into investigations!

7. The Morning Show

Cast: Jennifer Aniston

, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass

Release Date: November 1, 2019

Where to Watch: Apple TV+  

The courtroom may be intense, but the cutthroat world of TV journalism is hot on its heels. The Morning Show

lifts the curtain on plays, betrayals, and moral dilemmas inside a top news network. Like The Good Wife

, it features strong, complex female leads with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon commanding the screen

as ambitious women juggling controversies, politics, and personal sacrifices.

While The Good Wife

tackled corruption in court, The Morning Show

 exposes it in the media. If you enjoy cozying up to a good, juicy high-stakes drama with smart, layered characters, you will want to tune in! 

6. Damages

Cast: Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Tate Donovan  

Release Date: July 24, 2007  

Where to Watch: FX, Hulu  

Forget fair trials, Damages

is all about ruthlessness! Glenn Close stars as Patty Hewes, a legendary attorney who takes young attorney Ellen Parsons under her wing

. But this mentorship comes at a cost! With cutthroat cases and high-stakes power plays, this show does not just explore the courtroom—it weaponizes it!

The Good Wife

had its own share of chess matches, but Damages

takes it to a whole other level. While Alicia Florrick was drawn into politics, Ellen gets pulled into a world of manipulation and deceit leading to a thrilling ride of events from start to finish!

5. Mad Men 

Cast: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser  

Release Date: July 19, 2007  

Where to Watch: AMC, Amazon Prime Video  

Initially, Mad Men

and The Good Wife

may not feel alike with one being about trials and the other about advertising. But beneath the surface, both explore ambition, reinvention, and the cost of success. Like Alicia Florrick, Don Draper knows that power comes with a price, and his story is just as compelling to watch!

Alicia transformed from a political wife to a fierce attorney, while Don mastered the craft of reinvention in an era of shifting social norms. If you loved watching The Good Wife

for its sharp storytelling and rich character work, Mad Men

delivers the same brilliance—just with more whiskey and cigarettes.  

4. Boston L–al 

Cast: James Spader, William Shatner, Candice Bergen  

Release Date: October 3, 2004  

Where to Watch: Hulu, Disney+

Boston L–al

is what happens when courtroom drama meets comedy. James Spader’s Alan Shore is a morally flexible mastermind, and William Shatner’s Denny Crane is a legend in his own mind

. Their courtroom shenanigans make every episode a rollercoaster of wit, ethics, and surprise twists—delivering the kind of storytelling and heated battles that make shows like The Good Wife

so addictive, but with an extra dose of humor! While The Good Wife

leaned deep into political drama, Boston L–al

 plays around with satire and some outrageous cases. Both series, however, are good at character-driven storytelling, in how  justice is not always served.

3. Suits

Cast: Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle

 

Release Date: June 23, 2011  

Where to Watch: Netflix, Peacock

Fast-talking practitioners, high-stakes cases, and a universe where the smartest person always wins—Suits

shares a lot of DNA with The Good Wife

. Harvey Specter and Mike Ross are the dream team

, running circles around their opponents with the kind of maneuvering that would make even Alicia Florrick take notes.  

Like The Good Wife

, Suits

is not just about the case, it is about office politics, changing alliances, and personal ambition. Both shows prove that their profession is not just about justice but is about who plays the game best!

2. The Good Fight

Cast: Christine Baranski, Sarah Steele, Nyambi Nyambi

Release Date: February 19, 2017  

Where to Watch: Paramount+, Prime Video

If The Good Wife

was the foundation, The Good Fight

is the rebellious, bolder sequel that breaks all the rules. Diane Lockhart, once the poised and seasoned giant, finds herself starting over after losing everything. But unlike Alicia Florrick’s steady climb, Diane’s journey is a free fall into chaos, corruption, and battles

 in a world that is more ruthless than ever!

While The Good Wife

tackled politics with subtlety, The Good Fight

throws subtlety out the window. The cases are louder, the stakes are higher, and the social commentary is razor sharp. It is like The Good Wife

on steroids and if you loved Alicia’s battles, wait until you see Diane!

1. The West Wing 

Cast: Rob Lowe, Martin Sheen, Allison Janney

Release Date: September 22, 1999  

Where to Watch: NBC, Max  

Courtroom and politics go hand in hand, and no show does political drama quite as well as The West Wing

. While The Good Wife

lived off courtroom drama, it also peeled back the layers of power, influence, and backroom deals, a territory that The West Wing

navigates expertly! Much like Alicia Florrick’s evolution, the staff of the White House faced impossible moral dilemmas, where justice is about strategy, survival, and compromise.

Both shows excel at whip-smart dialogue, layered narratives, and characters who feel deeply human!

Courtroom drama fans, your next binge-worthy obsession, is right here! From the high-stakes battles in The Good Fight

to the political maneuvering of S—dal

and the twisted deceptions of Big Little Lies

, these 13 TV shows like The Good Wife

deliver all the tension, twists, and character-driven storylines you crave!

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Which show will you start with? Or do you have a favorite we missed? Drop your picks in the comments below! 

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