There's a shift happening in entertainment. More and more, we're getting films that are three hours (or longer) in length and slower-paced series that take time to unravel the plot fully. Sure, there are places for those. But there's also a special place for fast-paced, twisty thrillers that unfold at a breakneck speed. Luckily, there are a plethora of these kinds of series available for your streaming pleasure.
The problem is, that avid watchers in this genre have seen the most heavily promoted shows. Search "best thrillers" online and it's often a regurgitation of the same few shows. Yawn. There are a handful of thriller series out there that have good writing, solid acting, and compelling premises that we just aren't aware of. Let's take a lot at some underrated thriller series you (probably) never heard of.
11 'Escape at Dannemora' (2018)
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Escape At Dannemora TV-MA CrimeBiographyDrama
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*Availability in US Release Date November 18, 2018 Cast Benicio Del Toro , Paul Dano , Patricia Arquette , David Morse , Eric Lange , Bonnie Hunt , Gregory Dann , Daniel Johnson , Dominic Colon , Jeremy Bobb , Skipp Sudduth , Amber Gray , Micah Stock , Michael Imperioli , Leo James Davis , Charlie Hofheimer , Jim Parrack , Richie Allan , Carolyn Mignini , Charles Prendergast , David Neal Levin Seasons 1 Expand
Escape at Dannemora is a Showtime limited series directed by Ben Stiller. It's based on the headline-grabbing true story of a prison escape that happened back in 2015. Richard and David are serving time in prison in upstate New York. However, a path to the outside reveals itself through an unethical sexual relationship with an employee at the prison.
Minimum Security, More Like It
In 2015, people were perplexed by how two dangerous individuals could flee a supposed maximum security prison. Yet even those familiar with the case facts will find value here. The series not only delves into the execution of the plan, but the interpersonal relationships of those involved.
10 'Top of the Lake' (2013 - 2017)
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Top of the Lake CrimeDramaMystery
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*Availability in US Release Date March 18, 2013 Cast Elisabeth Moss , David Dencik , Nicole Kidman , Gwendoline Christie , Alice Englert Seasons 2
Set in the scenic small town of Laketop, New Zealand, Top of the Lake is a heavy thriller. The series follows Detective Robin Griffin as she attempts to solve a disturbing case. In the first season, her primary focus is a pregnant twelve-year-old who's found dead. In the second series, she switches gears and locations to Sydney when an unidentified girl turns up on Bondi Beach.
A Harder Watch
Top of the Lake shows actress Elisabeth Moss before she went on to star in the widely acclaimed The Handmaid's Tale. Here, she continues the trend of projects tackling difficult subjects. The first season in particular explores childhood abuse and the people who'd rather turn a blind eye. For thriller lovers who want added depth to their stories, this is a perfect choice.
9 'Queen Sono' (2020) Queen Sono TV-MA Action & AdventureDramaCrime
Release Date February 28, 2020 Cast Vuyo Dabula , Pearl Thusi , Sechaba Morojele , Chi Mhende
Queen Sono is a South African Netflix series that follows the titular character, who is a secret agent working for an intelligence agency. She has yet to accept the assassination of her anti-apartheid mother and the questions surrounding it. That led her to Special Operations Group where she must balance her assignments with finding answers.
Gone Too Soon
This is one of many series negatively impacted by COVID-19. It premiered in April 2020 and was meant to have a second season. However, pandemic-related issues capped this one off at one. The pro? At six episodes, it's the perfect thriller series to binge-watch on a day in. The con? You'll definitely want more of Queen Sono after finishing it.
Stream on Netflix
Related 8 International Crime Thrillers You Need to See
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Posts 8 '3%' (2016-2020) Close
Remember when dystopian was all the rage? 3% provides an opportunity to jump back into that wave. It's set in a near-future society in Brazil that's divided into parts, the Inland for the Poor and the Offshore for the wealthy. A group of young adults are brought in to undergo an experiment, known as the Process, that provides them the chance to join the Offshore.
Not Your Average Post-Apocalyptic
3% holds the title of Netflix's first Portuguese-language original series. It's a thoughtful and engaging examination of class and technology. And while the chilling Process and solid worldbuilding are great, it's the characters who truly steal the show. The show boasts a large cast that goes beyond archetypes from the average YA dystopian.
Stream on Netflix
Related Why Teen Dystopian Future Movies Died Out
Although leading the box office for a few years, the genre could not grow out of similar themes and storylines and cut too much source material.
Posts 7 'The Kettering Incident' (2016)
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The Kettering Incident TV-MA MysteryDramaThriller
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*Availability in US Release Date July 4, 2016 Cast Matthew Le Nevez , Elizabeth Debicki , Catherine Moore , Henry Nixon , Alison Whyte , Anthony Phelan , Damon Gameau , Damien Garvey , Sacha Horler , Sianoa Smit-McPhee , Suzi Dougherty , Dylan Young , Kevin MacIsaac , Tilda Cobham-Hervey , Neil Pigot , Brad Kannegiesser , Nathan Lovejoy , Mick Davies Expand
When Anna Macy in The Kettering Incident was a teen, she went for a bike ride with her best friend Gillian. They saw strange lights in the sky and the next thing she knew she was covered in blood and Gillian was gone. Fifteen years later, Anna is now a doctor and returns to town just when another teen girl disappears.
A Speculative Bend
The small-town secrets and sci-fi flair of this series make it stand out from others on this list. Anna can't escape her past and for our enjoyment's sake, we don't want her to. From episode one, viewers are just as invested in discovering what truly happened to Gillian and what's happening now in this odd, little town.
6 'Counterpart' (2017 - 2019)
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Counterpart TV-MA Sci-FiFantasyDrama
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*Availability in US Release Date December 10, 2017 Cast J.K. Simmons , Nazanin Boniadi , Harry Lloyd , Olivia Williams , Sara Serraiocco , Nicholas Pinnock , Betty Gabriel , Ulrich Thomsen Seasons 2
Written by Justin Marks (who helped pen Top Gun: Maverick), Counterpart is a sci-fi thriller. Howard has worked for the United Nations in the Office of Interchange for decades. He doesn't know what the messages he passes mean, but that's none of his business. That is until he discovers his work may be tied to a crossing to another dimension.
Primed for Success
Throughout the series, we flip between the Alpha world and Prime world. Several of the actors, including the lead J.K. Simmons, take on the task of portraying their character in each parallel dimension. It's a fascinating imagination of what our future could hold.
5 'Homecoming' (2018 - 2020)
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Homecoming TV-MA ThrillerDramaMystery
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*Availability in US Release Date November 2, 2018 Cast Stephan James , Bobby Cannavale , Hong Chau , Alex Karpovsky , Julia Roberts , Shea Whigham , Janelle Monae , Chris Cooper Seasons 2
Homecoming is a psychological thriller that premiered in November 2018. It revolves around Heidi Bergman who used to work as a social worker at a facility meant to help soldiers transition back to "normal" life. Years later, Heidi's a waitress with little recollection of her time at the facility. The introduction of an auditor investigating the facility may start to fill in the missing pieces of her memory.
Audio or Visual? Why Not Both?
We've all heard about book-to-screen adaptations. Here, we get the rare podcast adaptation. Julia Roberts stars as Heidi and in season two Janelle Monáe gets added to the roster. No matter the format audiences decide to consume this story, it will keep them hooked with its sophisticated, creepy storytelling.
Related Greatest Movie Podcasts, Ranked
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Posts 4 'The Twelve' (2019) Close
The Twelve, also known as De Twaalf in Dutch, is a Belgian thriller. It centers on the twelve jurors called in to decide the fate of an accused murderer. The woman in question is a headmistress linked to two murders over a decade apart: her best friend and her daughter.
More Than a WhoDunIt
Fans of Agatha Christie adaptations would greatly enjoy this twisty series. Viewers get a peek into the thought process of each juror who brings their own unique perspective. Of course, hovering above it all, is the main question: did the headmistress do it? Don't fret if you want more after devouring the entire season, because an Australian version also exists.
Stream on Netflix
3 'Chance' (2016 - 2017)
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Chance TV-MA DramaThriller
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*Availability in US Release Date October 19, 2016 Cast Ethan Suplee , Hugh Laurie , Judah Simard , LisaGay Hamilton , Greta Lee , Stefania LaVie Owen , Paul Adelstein , Gretchen Mol , Brian Goodman , Paul Schneider , Clarke Peters , Michael Provost , Jacqueline O'Kelly , Liisa Cohen , Eliana López , Debbie Omariba , Melinda Meeng , Laurie Burke , Hilary Hesse , Sonja Kinski , Vanessa Martinez , Giorgia Whigham , Monique McKellop , Jolene Kay , Jennifer Robyn Jacobs Seasons 2 Expand
Eldon Chance in Chance is a forensic neuropsychiatrist working in San Francisco. One of his clients ropes him into her chaotic life filled with police corruption and abuse. To protect himself and his client, Dr. Chance will seek aid from dangerous individuals.
The Perfect Lead
Hugh Laurie plays the principal character and makes the show as great as it is. Sure, the premise is intriguing enough and there are lots of heart-pounding scenes to keep most people engaged. But it's the heart that Laurie puts into his character that truly makes this thriller shine.
2 'Shining Girls' (2022)
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Shining Girls TV-MA MysteryDramaCrime
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*Availability in US Release Date April 29, 2022 Cast Phillipa Soo , Elisabeth Moss , Wagner Moura , Jamie Bell Seasons 1
Shining Girls is a book adaptation about a woman named Kirby who is still reeling from an assault years prior that left her for dead. Her perpetrator was never caught and when a recent murder bears similarities to her own attack, she decides to solve both crimes.
Why It's Great
Elisabeth Moss strikes again, this time as Kirby. Moss is exceptional at inhabiting characters going through extreme emotional turmoil. Of course, the show is buoyed by the writing from the popular book it's based on. But the acting, cinematography, and appropriate changes make this stand successfully on its own.
Related Shining Girls Review: A Time-Travelling Serial Killer is on the Loose
In the Shining Girls, Elisabeth Moss hunts down a serial killer through time and space before it's too late.
Posts 1 'Dare Me' (2019-2020)
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Dare Me
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*Availability in US Release Date November 29, 2019 Cast Marlo Kelly , Willa Fitzgerald , Herizen F. Guardiola , Rob Heaps Seasons 1
Dare Me is another book-to-screen adaptation. This teen thriller series focuses on the inner workings of a competitive high school cheerleading team. Stepping into the role of new head coach would be tough for anyone. But Colette French can't begin to predict the dynamic of the team, led by queen bee Beth.
A Classic Teen Series
Fans of early 2000s teen thrillers and mysteries will feel a huge sense of nostalgia with Dare Me. There's romance, intrigue, toxic friendships. Coach French adds an adult perspective that some other teen dramas dismiss, but Dare Me fully embraces. Unfortunately, while audiences generally enjoyed the show, it was canceled after one season.