Television series

Shark Tank

Name: Shark Tank
Released: 2009
Cast: Kevin O'Leary, Mark Cuban, Robert Herjavec, Phil Crowley, Lori Greiner

Other titles called Shark Tank: the 2015 series (Network 10).

Workplace drama
Dip in and out

Shark Tank is a high-stakes pitch competition where real entrepreneurs present business ideas to five wealthy investors who decide whether to stake their own money. It's part reality show, part masterclass in persuasion and negotiation. If you're fascinated by business, human psychology, and watching people's dreams tested in real time, this is oddly compelling—even if you have no intention of starting anything.

TVMaze rating

3.4

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy watching people defend their own shaky math under pressure, and like seeing how a sharp businessperson's instincts decide a deal in minutes.

Skip it if you want a story with a through-line, since each hour is a string of separate pitches, and the pitch-then-haggle rhythm can wear thin across eighteen seasons.

What it asks of you: Hour-long episodes, one short pitch after another, with little dwelling on any single person; you can dip in and out without losing the thread.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Apprentice2005

A similarly structured competition where business acumen matters more than charm, with Trump's unpredictable judgment creating constant tension. The board meetings mirror Shark Tank's evaluation moments.

But It's about getting hired by one man, not securing investment from many. The drama sometimes overshadows the actual business discussion.

Undercover Boss2010

Flips the power dynamic: executives work undercover in their own companies, learning what actually happens on the floor. Same fascination with business operations and human moments of reckoning.

But Less debate and negotiation—more observation and emotional revelation. The format can feel manipulative in how it's edited.

Dragons' Den2005

The original UK format that Shark Tank adapted. Sharper, faster-paced, and the Dragons have a different chemistry. If you've exhausted Shark Tank, this is the same DNA refined.

But Some American viewers find the British pace too clipped or the accents distracting. Harder to find in the US now.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Shark Tank

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Win It All2017

Both are built on the illusion that one big decision will change everything. The Sharks and the poker table both demand you see yourself clearly.

A man in debt stumbles into poker and becomes obsessed with one big win. It's about the gambling psychology underneath all entrepreneurship—risk, self-deception, the moment you know you've lost but can't stop. Same intoxication as watching Shark Tank pitches, just in a different arena.

But It's a quiet, character-focused indie. There's no charisma or triumph, only a man slowly discovering what he's willing to lose.

Silicon Valley2014

A ruthlessly funny satire of tech entrepreneurship, pitch culture, and VC delusion. Captures the actual psychology of Shark Tank but with comedy that bites harder.

But It's absurdist comedy, not reality. If you watch Shark Tank for genuine inspiration, this will feel cynical and deflating.

The Social Dilemma2020

A documentary hybrid about how a handful of entrepreneurs built companies that rewired human behavior. Shows the stakes and the dark side of the ventures we celebrate.

But It's a polemic, not a balanced look at entrepreneurship. Some find it preachy or technically simplified.

Halt and Catch Fire2014

A drama about the personal cost of building tech companies in the '80s and '90s. Explores ambition, ego, and failure with the texture Shark Tank can only hint at.

But Slower burn than Shark Tank, less external conflict. If you want immediate gratification, this asks for patience.

The Wolf of Wall Street2013

A savage portrait of salesmanship, ego, and the ruthlessness required to close deals. Shows how the Sharks themselves might have come up, warts and all.

But It's a three-hour cautionary tale about fraud and excess. Glorifies behavior you probably shouldn't emulate or admire.

StartUp2016

A limited series following a fictional cryptocurrency company from pitch to launch. Captures the chaos, personal conflict, and moral compromises hidden behind every venture.

But It's dark and grim in ways Shark Tank never is. Some find it bleakly pessimistic about entrepreneurship itself.

Boiler Room2000

A lean crime thriller about a phone-based pump-and-dump scheme that plays like a twisted mirror of Shark Tank's sales psychology. Shows charisma and coercion in the same frame.

But It's a fairly dated artifact of early-2000s filmmaking. Some viewers find it slow or too focused on crime rather than actual business.

The Righteous Gemstones2019

Both are about the performance of confidence and the willingness to convince people to hand over money. One calls it investing; the other calls it faith.

A family of televangelists running a megachurch money machine like a ruthless business empire. Same DNA as Shark Tank—charisma, persuasion, the art of selling—but in a register of baroque darkness and moral rot.

But It's violent, grotesque, and deeply cynical about human nature. If Shark Tank represents your optimism about capitalism, this will feel like a betrayal.