10 TV Shows you must watch if you're a Sociology major 

TV shows and movies often reflect our society. Every well-written character has a social background that defines how they would react in the film world. Race, caste, class, culture, and even the characters’ names and where they come from play a major role in cinema, whether on television or big screens.

Imagine if Walter White from Breaking Bad had been a wealthy man instead of a struggling high school chemistry teacher. His character's motivation to join the drug trade would have fallen flat. Similarly, if Tony Soprano from The Sopranos had been a middle-class office worker instead of a mafia leader, his existential crises, therapy sessions, and struggles with power and family wouldn’t have carried the same weight. His identity, both culturally and economically, is crucial to the show’s themes and conflicts.

If you're a sociology major, TV shows can be a great way to analyze social structures, power dynamics, inequality, and cultural shifts. So we have curated a list of ten TV shows that every sociology major should watch and can easily resonate with. While Breaking Bad navigates the viewers through the world of crime, capitalism, and moral corruption, When They See Us on Netflix, perfectly captures how our individual biases can impact the way we see the world,

Disclaimer: The following content is the author’s opinion; readers' discretion is advised.

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Squid Game (2021–Present)

This show emerges as the most popular example in the list having gained huge viewership with the release of its second season. Squid Game Season 1 is about Gi-hun, a man burdened with the responsibility of running his house and suffering financially. Just at the right time, he encounters a man in a suit who encourages him to play a conventional Korean game for money. Later, he passes him the card, recruiting him for the deadly game. Gi-Hun competes and wins the whopping amount the game offers. But his conscience is scarred for life after what he experienced within the four walls.

In season 2, we see the same character, again joining the game with a motive to end it once and for all. Squid Game depicts a capitalistic society that purely runs on profit motive, pitting people against each other. It is a dark commentary on greed and how it can radicalize humans. Since childhood, we are taught to be competitive, the show beautifully depicts this through traditional childhood games. The contestants thought it was just another game only to realize the ultimate life-and-death twist.

Severance (2022- Present)

Severance is another popular example. Season 2 of the show was released in January 2025. The premise involves a corporate company that controls the world by getting its employees severed with a chip implanted in the brain. This leads to the creation of two selves of every employee - Outtie and Innie. Innie is the employee that works for Lumon and is active during working hours, while Innie is the personal self. Both selves are unaware of each other, which eventually creates conflict in the show.

The show explores how modern workplaces demand complete emotional detachment from personal life, raising questions about worker exploitation, free will, and corporate surveillance. The show also depicts an element of alienation of labor and the laborer, when the worker feels disconnected from their work or product under a capitalistic structure. If you are interested in labor studies or corporate dystopias, this could be a show for you.

When They See Us (2019)

When They See Us is based on a real-life story of the Central Park Five, which depicts racial injustice and mass incarceration in the US. The show is a powerful criticism of the racist judicial system of the country.

It follows the story of 5 black and Latino teenagers who were wrongly convicted for the brutal assault of a white woman. The series portrays how the kids were manipulated by the police to admit something they had not done. Years later, the actual perpetrator confessed to the crime.

Bojack Horseman (2014-2020)

Bojack Horseman is one of the hard-hitting shows on this list. The show explores the human psyche, the light as well as the shadows of a being, with its amazing monologues. It uses dark humor to explore depression, addiction, celebrity culture, and societal expectations. What’s it about? Bojack Horseman, the central character who has a human body and a horse head.

Bojack’s life is a mess. He is an alcoholic and narcissistic character who is stuck in the shadow of his former celebrity life and the fame that came with it. In the present timeline of the show, he is trying to find meaning and purpose in life while also dealing with his deteriorating mental health.

One of the most powerful episodes that reflects the dark side of society is Hank After Dark. In this episode, BoJack’s friend and a ghostwriter by profession, Diane Nguyen, calls out a powerful TV personality for his past s*xual misconduct. However, this led to further chaos when, instead of holding the man accountable, the media and public dismiss her claims, and she faces challenges for speaking out, which immensely impacts her mental health.

This portrays a sad reality of the real world where s*xual harassment cases are brushed under the rug. The episode portrays how male-dominated society functions and often protects powerful men, especially in the entertainment industry, while silencing victims. The show is filled with self-reflective and introspective incidents and commentaries that compel the viewers to see their own flaws as a part of society.

Mad Men (2007-2015)

The series is set in the 1960s and mirrors the advertising world in New York City. The central character is Don Draper, a charismatic yet deeply flawed creative director at Sterling Cooper, an advertising agency. The show highlights the ugly nature of consumerism and how advertisements impact our psyches and make us see what they want us to see.

The women characters in the show are seen facing subtle sexism as their roles are often defined by their gender. Joan, initially the office manager, is expected to use her looks to gain power, but when she demands respect beyond her beauty, she faces systemic misogyny. In one of the most heartbreaking moments from the show, she is forced into an unwanted sexual encounter with a client in exchange for a partnership at the firm.

Mad Men is a dark commentary on the American Dream—the idea that anyone can succeed through hard work and determination, as it also brings forth the consequences of a successful life.

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

Walter White is an ordinary chemistry teacher who was diagnosed with cancer. To provide for his family within the limited time he has, he decides to use his knowledge of chemicals not for teaching kids but for making Meth. Walter becomes popular in the drug world for making the purest form of Blue crystals. This changes the character as he deals with the drug mafias and witnesses deaths while also being a father and a loyal husband.

The show highlights the desperation of the American middle class and the moral corruption they are exposed to. The drug Kingpin Gus Fring is shown living an ordinary life selling burgers, surprisingly being a part of the society. One of the most iconic scenes, the character transformation, is depicted through a single shot showing the facial expressions of Walter White. He enters a house and sees a girl choking to death because of a drug overdose, initially, he moves to save her but abruptly stops and simply glances at her while she loses her breath. The scene depicts the complete transformation of a common man into a drug kingpin.

The Sopranos (1999-2007)

The Sopranos, as the title suggests, revolves around Tony Soprano, who oscillates between his criminal empire and personal life. He is navigating his responsibilities as a husband, father, and leader of the Mafias. The central theme of the show is moral ambiguity as the show makes its audiences feel for a criminal.

In one of the scenes, he is seen taking his daughter to a college tour while simultaneously tracking down and murdering a former mobster-turned-informant. This poses two contrasting sides of the character, a caring father and a ruthless killer. The daughter also asks Tony about his work and whether he is involved in organized crimes, to which Tony gives a diplomatic answer. This shows the contradictions in real life, where people compartmentalize their morality based on convenience. It also reflects how powerful figures—whether in crime, politics, or business - rationalize their actions while maintaining a facade of normalcy.

Orange Is the New Black (2013-2019)

Orange is the New Black is another great example of a society that is not civil enough. It paints a world within the four walls of a prison. On one hand, it showcases politics among the inmates while also depicting how they have been victims themselves of a system that dehumanizes them.

The character arc of Piper, one of the central characters, drastically changes when she gets out on parole to attend a funeral. She notices some absurd hard-hitting hypocrisy of the outside world. After facing a long period of inhumane living conditions inside the prison, the inmates decide to conduct a peaceful protest. When a minor scuffle breaks out, a panicked correctional officer, Baxter Bayley, restrains Poussey by pressing his knee on her back, accidentally suffocating her to death while the other guards stand by in confusion. Poussey Washington is shown as one of the most beloved and optimistic inmates of Litchfield.

This draws a haunting parallel to the police brutality that we see in the real world. This scene brutally exposes issues of institutionalized racism, excessive policing, and how those in power manipulate narratives to protect themselves.

The Handmaid’s Tale (2017–Present)

Set in a future totalitarian society, The Handmaid’s Tale follows Offred, a woman who is forced to be a handmaid to reproduce for a family of elites. The show addresses gender inequality among other themes. In Gilead, women have few rights: they cannot read, write, or own property. Their primary role is reproduction, and they are reduced to tools for the continuation of the human race in a society ruled by religious fundamentalists.

The story of oppression never completes its full circle without rebellion. The show highlights resistance in various forms. Offred’s journey is one of quiet defiance, where she silently rebels by finding small ways to assert her autonomy and humanity.

Shameless (2011–2021)

Shameless tells the story of an absent and irresponsible alcoholic father, Frank Gallagher, who has 6 children. Fiona, his eldest daughter, takes up the responsibility of managing the family and keeping the household together through financial struggles and emotional turmoils.

The show is meant to challenge the very institution of family. Romantic and familial relationships are central to the show. Shameless explores the complexities of love, commitment, and betrayal, which are rarely conventional in the show but are often messy and flawed. One of the scenes depicts how deep into the slumber Frank actually is when the family finds out that he had never paid the water bill. When workers start digging up the yard to repair the pipes, they discover the body of Aunt Ginger, a long-dead relative whose Social Security checks Frank had been fraudulently cashing for years.

Through a combination of hard-hitting narratives and carefully created characters, the show portrays crucial themes like poverty and mental illness.

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These are some TV shows that are a must-watch for a sociology major. Each show covers a different theme, along with some intersections that are interesting to explore.

For a sociology major, watching these shows isn’t just about enjoying gripping narratives but also about being compelled to critically analyze the systems at play, questioning societal norms, and understanding the intricate relationships between individuals and institutions. Whether it’s the illusion of the American Dream in Mad Men, the police brutality and prison powerplay in Orange Is the New Black, or the deconstruction of a family institution in Shameless, each series provides a thought-provoking lens through which to study the world.