Snowfall, the critically acclaimed FX crime drama starring Damson Idris, is free to stream on BBC iPlayer and offers a gripping, historically rooted story that I think surpasses Breaking Bad in several key ways
Damson in his breakout role as Franklin Saint in Snowfall(Image: Shared Content Unit)
I was among millions of viewers who became utterly hooked on Netflix’s Breaking Bad, which focused on chemistry teacher Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston) and his foray into the crystal meth trade. Since the series ended dramatically in 2013, I’d been hunting for a crime drama that would prove equally addictive and deserving of a binge-watch. Fortunately, a friend put me onto Snowfall. It wasn’t long before I was captivated.
The gripping series, which initially launched on FX in 2017 with the final episode broadcast in 2023, is now available to stream on both BBC iPlayer and Disney+. It features Nigerian-British actor Damson Idris as Franklin Saint, a teenage entrepreneur pursuing wealth and influence in Los Angeles during the 1980s. The praised series holds a 92% overall Rotten Tomatoes rating, with four separate seasons achieving a flawless 100%. While Breaking Bad and Snowfall have both managed to enthral audiences worldwide, there are several reasons why I believe the latter makes for superior viewing.
Historical context
Unlike Breaking Bad, which struggles with credibility owing to Walter’s extreme and remarkably swift transformation into a villain, Snowfall seized my attention as the raw narrative is firmly anchored in history, which immediately lends it greater weight. The series centres on a CIA operative attempting to finance the Contras through profits generated by Franklin and his family dealing drugs at street level. This draws upon a genuine real-world controversy surrounding claims that the CIA had enabled the drug trade in Nicaragua for geopolitical purposes.
Snowfall is also powerfully set against the early emergence of the crack cocaine epidemic, which wreaked havoc on real American communities (such as South Central Los Angeles) throughout the 1980s.
Across six seasons, Franklin wrestles with the life-altering wealth he can accumulate from manufacturing and distributing the drug, while it simultaneously tears apart his community and ruins his personal relationships.
A formidable ensemble of supporting characters
As a viewer, feeling emotionally connected to every character is crucial, and Snowfall’s outstanding cast genuinely propels the narrative, while Breaking Bad leans too heavily on Walter and his former student-turned-business-partner Jesse Pinkman (played by Aaron Paul).
Damson Idris, who recently appeared alongside Brad Pitt in the 2025 blockbuster F1, and is set to compete in Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2026, possesses the remarkable emotional depth required to authentically portray how Franklin’s ambition transforms him from an innocent, family-focused teenager into a merciless crime lord.
While Damson is undeniably a magnetic lead, his breathtaking portrayal of Franklin wouldn’t be as impactful without the programme’s supporting cast. The principal villain, Teddy McDonald, a CIA operative harbouring a secret agenda (portrayed by Carter Hudson), and Franklin’s devoted and passionate uncle Jerome Saint (Amin Joseph), a firm fan favourite who oversees his nephew’s street-level operations alongside his partner Louie (Angela Lewis), all play crucial roles in shaping Franklin’s character.
Further standout work comes from Gail Bean as crack cocaine addict Wanda Bell, whose emotionally charged redemption storyline, bolstered by Franklin’s closest friend Leon Simmons (Isaiah John), provides the series with its emotional core while highlighting the devastating consequences of the protagonist’s choices.
By contrast, Breaking Bad’s supporting cast, including several of Walter’s family members, proves considerably less memorable and occasionally frustrating to watch, as secondary storylines frequently fail to match the intensity of the central narrative.
No filler episodes
Breaking Bad occasionally loses its way, most notably with season three’s divisive Fly episode, which focuses solely on Walter and Jesse attempting to kill an insect in their laboratory, straying far from the exhilarating pace audiences had grown accustomed to from the Netflix series.
While Snowfall’s opening series requires a few episodes to properly establish its characters, each one serves a meaningful purpose within the story without ever hampering the narrative’s momentum.
Snowfall’s secondary storylines, including that of the Villanueva Cartel who become progressively entangled in Franklin’s drug empire as the series unfolds, add to the show’s relentless pace without fail.
Relationships and crime family dynamic
While the dynamic between Walter and Jesse represented one of the most intricate, and equally captivating, partnerships I’ve witnessed on screen in years, Snowfall’s portrayal of Franklin and Teddy’s alliance, which rapidly turns poisonous, proves even more compelling to follow.
The pair’s volatile partnership also directly impacts the Saint family as it reaches breaking point, serving as the trigger for its abrupt transformation from a small-time cannabis operation into a crack cocaine empire.
Franklin and Cissy Saint’s (Michael Hyatt) mutually dependent mother-son relationship forms an additionally divisive central thread, building towards a dramatic finale that will leave any Snowfall viewer utterly stunned.
If, like me, Breaking Bad left you craving further twists and turns with a narrative that lingers in your thoughts long after the closing episode, Snowfall will surpass all expectations.
