In the age of binge-watching and streaming, infinite TV show options are available at all times. With all these options, a TV show exists for everyone. There are shows to scare, entertain, educate, or transport you to a different world. There are even shows that make perfect background noise while you clean or get work done. Since so many options exist, it can be overwhelming to pick something to commit to. If there’s one TV genre that is almost guaranteed to keep you invested, it’s thrillers.
Just like thriller movies need to keep you hooked from start to finish, so do thriller TV shows. Since much of the television consumed now is streamed, these shows need to be exciting and captivating. Luckily, many TV thrillers fit that description. Even better, most of them are available to stream on Netflix.
Here, we have compiled a list of the 18 best TV thrillers to watch right now on Netflix.
‘Dark’ (2017 – 2020)
Dark is a German show set in a small town where the disappearance of two young children exposes the relationships between four families. The psychological thriller comes with a supernatural twist as the events in the present-day relate to events in the same town, but back in 1986. As the families look into the disappearances, they begin to uncover unfathomable secrets.
An Enthralling Foreign Thriller
This show marks the first German production by Netflix, and it has an impressive 95% Rotten Tomatoes Critic score and a 94% Audience score. It is engaging from start to finish, and with three seasons, it’s bound to thrill you. It shocks you in ways you didn’t know were possible, and constantly throws new information at you. The revelations are equally surprising as they are enthralling.
‘Ripley’ (2024)
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s revered novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, the eight-episode miniseries Ripley features Fleabag alum Andrew Scott stepping into the role of psychopathic conman and killer Tom Ripley, with the adaptation taking place in 1961 New York City where the enigmatic character is hired by millionaire Herbert Greenleaf (Kenneth Lonergan) to travel to Italy and bring his prodigal son Dickie (Johnny Flynn) home. Ripley accepts the job with his own motive, with the cunning criminal devising a scheme full of fraud, lies, and murder.
Andrew Scott Masterfully Transforms into Tom Ripley
Steven Zallian created, wrote, and directed the reimagining, choosing to create a series instead of a film because he felt that it “allowed me to be more faithful to the story, tone, and subtleties of Highsmith’s work. I tried to approach my adaptation in a way I imagined she might herself.” Zallian more than delivered, as Ripley features a deeply disturbing and unnerving performance as the infamous conman, with the adaptation also captivating viewers with its stunning black and white cinematography, taut pacing, and well-executed plot twists.
‘Bloodline’ (2015 – 2017)
Featuring a stacked ensemble cast including Kyle Chandler, Sissy Spacek, and Linda Cardellini, the gripping psychological thriller Bloodline focuses on the affluent Rayburns, a prominent family in the Florida Keys who have more than a few skeletons tucked tightly away in their closet, many of which come to light following the unexpected return of black sheep Danny (Ben Mendelsohn). Old tensions flare up amongst Danny and his three younger siblings, specifically sheriff brother John (Chandler) who is caught between his loyalty to Danny and duty to uphold the law.
Sibling Tensions Boil Over in ‘Bloodline’
The first season of Bloodline garnered widespread acclaim from critics, with many singling out the winning on-screen chemistry between Mendelsohn and Chandler and their powerful respective performances. The slow-burn series kept audiences deeply invested in large part due to the cast’s top-notch portrayals and its intriguing characters, though the latter two seasons didn’t quite pack the emotional punch of the first. Regardless, Bloodline is a must-see for mystery lovers and fans of riveting family dynamics, and all three seasons are sure to keep you hooked.
‘Killing Eve’ (2018 – 2022)
For four delightfully juicy seasons, audiences all around the world watched as British intelligence investigator Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) engaged in a thrilling cat-and-mouse game with the psychopathic assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer) in the smash hit Killing Eve. Based on the Luke Jennings novels, the acclaimed series follows the two women on opposite sides of the law as they develop an unhealthy obsession with one another as Eve sets out to apprehend the elusive and highly-skilled killer, leading to an explosive grand finale.
Oh & Comer Shine as Formidable Foes
Killing Eve became a global sensation and immediately hooked fans thanks to Oh and Comer’s phenomenal performances as the dueling leading ladies, with the Grey’s Anatomy alum winning a Golden Globe and Comer a Primetime Emmy for their stellar work. The spy thriller shattered streaming records and helped make the antagonistic Villanelle one of the small screen’s most iconic (and best-dressed) villains, with Observer saying she is “utterly lovable, utterly unforgivable.” Just keep in mind that Killing Eve has a famously polarizing conclusion that may disappoint some.
‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ (2024 – Present)
After her breakthrough performance as the plucky werewolf Enid Sinclair in the juggernaut Wednesday, Emma Myers continued her TV takeover with the lead role in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, an adaptation of the Holly Jackson novel that centers on true crime enthusiast Pip Fitz-Amobi as she sets out to investigate the death of a local school girl in the quiet town of Little Kilton, Buckinghamshire under the guise that it is for a school project. Despite the authorities believing they caught the perpetrator, Pip believes the killer is still roaming free.
Myers Is a Savvy Sleuth in the Compelling Mystery
The engrossing six-episode series touts a well-crafted mystery full of exciting twists and turns, and viewers will quickly find themselves rooting for the spunky Pip, who finds herself risking life and limb while investigating the Nancy Drew-esque case. Myers’ riveting performance as the amateur sleuth showcases the actress’ undeniable charm and likability, with Geek Vibes Nation saying she “brings an intelligence, strength, and warmth to a compulsively addictive detective story”; a second season of the intriguing hit is currently in development.
‘Narcos’ (2015 – 2017)
Based on the true story of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, Narcos is a crime thriller that follows the lives of the two DEA agents who spent years in Columbia to bring down Escobar and his cartel. The show details Escobar’s origins, his drug-related endeavors in and beyond Columbia, and the rise and fall of his power over the country. It also shows the lesser-known family side of one of the most powerful cartel leaders in history.
A Binge-Worthy Crime Thriller
Following DEA agents Javier Pena (Pedro Pascal) and Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook), the show is relentless in its depiction of the crime syndicate started by Escobar. Agents Pena and Murphy spent years throughout the ’80s and ’90s attempting to find cracks in Escobar’s carefully executed scheme. The show displays how it affected their personal lives and the lives of Columbians. It’s non-stop action from beginning to end, making it easily binge-worthy.
‘The Society’ (2019)
Imagine a modern-day take on Lord of the Flies, but instead of little boys stuck on an island, it’s an entire town of teenagers with no way out of the town. That’s essentially what The Society is. When a group of teens leaves their town of West Ham, Connecticut for a field trip, they are suddenly taken back to town and told to get off the buses. Thinking that their parents are waiting to take them home, they are shocked to discover that the entire town is void of people. With their phone and internet service cut and a dense forest surrounding them, they must form a functional society to survive.
Teens at the Edge of the World
Tragically canceled after one season by Netflix during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Society was gripping from the first scene. The ensemble cast was full of interesting, complex characters who had to grapple with being forced into adulthood while still maintaining some semblance of youth. Jealousy, fear, hunger, and adolescence fight for attention as the teens attempt to form a town of their own with no guidelines or supervision. If there’s any show Netflix should bring back, it’s The Society.
‘You’ (2018 – 2025)
Gossip Girl alum Penn Badgley delivers a chilling performance as serial killer and stalker Joe Goldberg in the streaming sensation You, an adaptation of the Caroline Kepnes book series that focuses on the narcissistic Joe as he goes to terrifying lengths to insert himself into the lives of the women he becomes obsessed with. Trapped in his own crippling delusions and twisted perceptions of love, Joe targets his victims while pursuing an idealized romance he can never attain because of his deranged true nature.
‘You’ Takes Viewers into the Mind of a Narcissistic Psychopath
Throughout the course of the show’s five electrifying seasons, audiences are given a disturbing look into the mind of a psychopath and the way they operate, with You following Joe as he manipulates and disarms the latest object of his affection until something sets him off, and he reverts back to his violent tendencies. Joe’s vicious cycle of destruction is never-ending and the gripping series brilliantly explores the dangerous serial killer’s urges and his own conflicting self-perceptions.
‘Black Doves’ (2024 – Present)
Keira Knightley continued proving herself to be one of Hollywood’s most dynamic leading ladies when she starred alongside Ben Whishaw and Sarah Lancashire in Black Doves, in which the Oscar-nominated actress appears as Helen Webb, the wife of the Secretary of State who has a covert identity as a spy for the titular mercenary group. When her former flame is murdered by London’s criminal underworld, Helen teams up with her old hitman friend Sam (Whishaw) to hunt down the person responsible.
Knightley Dazzles as a Savvy Secret Spy
The Black Doves mercenary group obtains highly classified secrets for the highest bidder, and Helen delves deeper into the organization and explores her ex-lover’s mysterious background. The six-part spy thriller debuted to critical acclaim and earned Knightley a Golden Globe nomination, with critics awarding the series a stellar 94% Rotten Tomatoes score and praising its rip-roaring action sequences, sharp humor, and masterful blend of genres; a second season is currently in the works at Netflix.
‘The Diplomat’ (2023 – Present)
TV titan Keri Russell is no stranger to starring in acclaimed hits, with the seasoned actress having previously appeared in small-screen staples Felicity and The Americans. In 2023, she found further acclaim when she began portraying Kate Wyler in the political thriller The Diplomat, in which she plays the newly appointed United States ambassador to the United Kingdom, who is brought in to help prevent a potentially catastrophic international crisis while subsequently juggling her deteriorating marriage.
Russell & Sewell Headline the Taut Political Thriller
Rufus Sewell stars opposite Russell as Kate’s husband, Hal Wyler, a fellow diplomat and former US ambassador to Lebanon who struggles with accepting his lack of posting and his jealousy towards his wife’s professional success. The first season of The Diplomat racked up 173.46 million viewing hours and remained in Netflix’s Global Top 10 during all four weeks, with its overwhelming popularity leading to the announcement of two additional seasons, with the third slated to premiere later on October 16, 2025.
