Nothing gets the juices flowing quite like crime, eh? A heist, some weapons trafficking, maybe a little arson?
The problem is the consequences. The court appearances, the jail time, the change of relationships with family and friends. Sometimes it's just not worth it. That's where crime TV shows come in: all the thrills of crime without the negative personal ramifications!
Netflix has a whole bunch of crime shows waiting to be dug into, whether it's court-focused miniseries, investigation procedurals, or action-packed spotlights on criminal activities. Netflix being Netflix, there are quite a few shows to sift through and maybe some you might miss on a cursory search, so we compiled the best crime shows you can watch on Netflix.
1. American Vandal
This mockumentary-style comedy series is set in a high school where two heinous crimes have taken place. In the first season, someone spray paints dicks on a bunch of cars in the parking lot. In the second season, someone tampers with the cafeteria offerings, making dozens of students lose control of their bowels. Shot through the lens of a few high schoolers trying to document their search for the truth, both season are hilarious as the mysteries unravel and we learn more about these high schoolers, their relationships, and their proclivity for hijinks. — Kellen Beck, Entertainment Reporter
Where to watch: American Vandal is now streaming on Netflix.
2. Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad takes one guy involved with one specific topic, methamphetamines, and covers it from pretty much every possible angle imaginable. The series stars Bryan Cranston as mild-mannered chemistry teacher Walter White who turns to producing and selling meth to cover the costs of his cancer treatments and make sure his family will be financially stable no matter what. Things spiral out of control continuously for several seasons as the DEA (including his brother-in-law) hunts him and his hunger for power drives Walter to mingle with increasingly dangerous dealers, cartels, and gangs. The setting of New Mexico, the writing, the photography, and the entire cast is excellent. The spin-off, Better Call Saul, which is a bit less crime-y, is equally as entertaining (if not a little more so), and is also available to stream on Netflix. — K.B.
Where to watch: Breaking Bad is now streaming on Netflix.
3. Death Note
Death Note, based on the manga of the same name, is a fantastic anime series that blends the supernatural with psychological thrills and mystery. Light Yagami, a young genius, finds a book called the "Death Note," to which a shinigami (demon) named Ryuk is attached. The Death Note allows whoever uses it to kill anyone by writing their name down in it, and Light gets to work killing lots of people he deems bad, setting off a manhunt led by a detective known as L to track him and stop him. It's weird, dark, sometimes goofy, and full of suspense and moral quandary. (There's also a live-action movie on Netflix, which is pretty bad. Stick to the anime.) — K.B.
Where to watch: Death Note is now streaming on Netflix.
4. When They See Us
The most culturally significant project Netflix released in 2019, Ava DuVernay's When They See Us revisits the case of the Central Park Five in excruciating detail. Examining the wrongful convictions of five Black and Latino men — Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise — for rape in 1989 (for which they would be exonerated over a decade later) this poignant true-crime miniseries offers a heart-wrenching look at the ongoing flaws in our justice system. A powerful watch, When They See Us highlights the insidious biases that plague our society and the vulnerable people put at risk.* — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: When They See Us is streaming on Netflix.
5. Good Girls
Three of your TV faves — Christina Hendricks of Mad Men, Retta of Parks and Recreation, and Mae Whitman of Arrested Development — star as a trio of suburban moms who stick up a grocery store to pay some bills. Unsurprisingly to anyone who’s ever seen a crime drama before, they quickly discover they’ve gotten in way over their heads. Equal parts thrilling and funny, with unexpected touches of emotion and cast chemistry you want to live in, Good Girls is a great time. — Angie Han, Deputy Entertainment Reporter
Where to watch: Good Girls is now streaming on Netflix.
6. Top Boy
Created by Ronan Bennett, Top Boy first aired in the UK from 2011 to 2013, originally set in the fictional Summerhouse public housing estate in East London, and drug dealers Dushane and Sully (Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson). Drake revived the show for Netflix alongside Adel Nur, Maverick Carter, and Jamal Henderson in 2019, with Walters and Robinson returning to their roles, and Lover's Rock star Micheal Ward joining as new gang leader Jamie.
This meaty drama, which has been compared to HBO’s The Wire, is startlingly grounded, anchored by a young, talented cast that radiates with vulnerability. This is television at its best.* — Kristina Grosspietsch, Writer
How to watch: Top Boy is now streaming on Netflix.
7. How to Get Away with Murder
How to Get Away with Murder is a show of complicated storylines and simple pleasures. The premise, which centers on a law professor and five students who get tangled up in a high-profile murder case, lends itself to one dizzying twist after another. But you can reliably count on the series for increasingly ridiculous plot twists, a knowingly campy tone, a super-sexy cast, and above all, a powerhouse performance by Viola Davis that elevates it into something truly special. Just be warned: You will try to binge the whole first season in one sitting. — A.H.
Where to watch: How to Get Away with Murder is now streaming on Netflix.
8. Mindhunter
Based on true accounts of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, a now-defunct department of the ‘70s credited with establishing many modern criminal profiling tactics, Mindhunter offers a terrifying meditation on violent crime. Although much of the series is structured around the hunt for Dennis Rader (aka "BTK"), Mindhunter isn’t a police procedural in the true sense. Instead, it takes its viewers on a terrifying meet-and-greet with some of the most prolific serial killers of the 20th century, and asks why they did what they did. It’s a tremendously dark watch, but offers a nuanced portrait of criminologist history worth a watch for any true crime fan. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Mindhunter is now streaming on Netflix.
9. Narcos
Whether you caught this Netflix staple in its heyday or are circling back after getting into its successor Narcos: Mexico, you’re definitely making a solid crime show choice with Narcos. Better and better across its three seasons, this look at the life of drug lord Pablo Escobar (played by Wagner Moura, who earned two Golden Globe nominations for his performance), is deeply unnerving and tremendously dark. Still, its consistently excellent pacing and high production value make it more than a slog through underworld horror, instead offering a warped but resonant portrait of power. — A.F.
How to watch: Narcos is now streaming on Netflix.
10. Ozark
As Tolstoy wrote, every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. But in Ozark? The Birds get screwed in a uniquely shitty fashion. In this spiritual successor to Breaking Bad, executive producer and director Jason Bateman stars as Marty, a mild-mannered money launderer who accidentally sticks his family in the crosshairs of a Mexican drug cartel. Across three seasons — with a fourth and final installment expected in 2021 — we watch as Marty, his wife Wendy (Laura Linney), and their two kids (Sofia Hublitz and Skylar Gaertner) grapple with life and death consequences against the ominous backdrop of the Ozarks. This one is just truly great TV, with supporting performances to die for. — A.F.
How to watch: Ozark is now streaming on Netflix.
11. Peaky Blinders
Peaky Blinders is a superbly gripping British crime drama that’s loosely based off of real people and historical events. The series, created by Steven Knight, is set in post-World War I Birmingham, England, and follows war hero Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy) who’s taken his place as boss of the family and crafty gang leader. Viewers are masterfully transported to the gritty, cutthroat 1920s streets where Tommy struggles to manage his family’s business, crimes, and enemies — all while dealing with severe PTSD.
The show is ripe with seduction, love, loss, mismanaged emotions, booze, guns, violence, and wits. It delivers twists and turns that are sure to shock even the most attentive viewers, and it features a stacked cast (including Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, and Tom Hardy). The costume design is fiercely impressive, and in case you’re not hooked yet, it also has a killer soundtrack full of PJ Harvey, The White Stripes, Radiohead, and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. — Nicole Gallucci, Culture Reporter
Where to watch: Peaky Blinders is now streaming on Netflix.
12. The Sinner
Saying there are a lot of crime shows out there in a roundup of crime shows feels like stating the obvious, but it does sometimes feel like a genre that's become oversaturated. As Mashable's Jess Joho wrote in her review of Season 2, though, "The Sinner is one of the few crime series more interested in innocence than in guilt. It's exactly what makes it feel so compelling and fresh."
The anthology show focusses on a different case each season, with troubled Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) investigating scenarios where unexpected people have seemingly committed terrible crimes. Although I'd argue the earlier seasons are the strongest, The Sinner never pulls any punches and always places its well-drawn characters at the centre. — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
Where to watch: The Sinner is now streaming on Netflix.
13. Riverdale
Is it weird that a TV series based on the generally saccharine Archie comics is actually about murder, sex, and drugs? Yes. Is any of that weirdness remotely bad in Riverdale? No. Not at all. Riverdale kicks off with the mysterious death of Jason Blossom and blooms further into a smart, unabashedly bonkers CW classic that isn’t afraid to get messy. From the occasional musical number to the Gargoyle King enthralling legions of children with hallucinogenic Pixy Stix, Riverdale makes good on its most iconic line: No one’s innocent in crime town. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter
Where to watch: Riverdale is now streaming on Netflix.
14. Sacred Games
Adapted from Vikram Chandra’s 2006 novel, Sacred Games centers on the underworld of Mumbai and one notorious gangster: Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). Gaitonde sends a missive to police officer Sartaj Singh (Said Ali Khan) with a 25-day ultimatum for saving his city from catastrophe. It is a show that could have buckled completely with subpar casting, but Siddiqui’s performance is indelible from start to finish. Gaitonde’s every look, movement, and spitting curse word create a dynamic anchor for this sinister tale as it unravels...even if Season 1 is way better than Season 2. — Proma Khosla, Entertainment Reporter
How to watch: Sacred Games is now streaming on Netflix.
15. Unbelievable
Unbelievable is absolutely one of the best shows of 2019, because it's a thoughtful crime miniseries that focuses on the victims, not the perpetrators. Thanks to Kaitlyn Dever's memorable, heartbreaking performance, viewers never forget the very real people behind the horrific headlines. In this based-on-a-true-story adaptation, a man breaks into a teen's home and rapes her, but doesn't leave any evidence, and the police doubt her story....until similar crimes start happening all over, and two tenacious detectives (Toni Collette and Marritt Weaver) join forces to finally bring these women justice. — Erin Strecker, Entertainment Editor
How to watch: Unbelievable is now streaming on Netflix.
*This blurb appeared on a previous Mashable list.
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