Thrilling shows that incorporate murder, mystery, and whodunit into the storytelling are a dime a dozen now on streaming television and movies. It seems every month, there’s another series that asks fans to follow someone solving a crime with large-scale consequences on the line for the world and the personal lives of the characters. This oversaturation makes it difficult to find truly great thriller shows, but we wholeheartedly endorse Paradise on Hulu as one of the series in the genre that’s worth watching.
Starring Sterling K. Brown, Paradise uses all of the tried-and-true elements of the crime genre along with enough creative novelty to make for one of the best political thrillers created in recent years. After the President of the United States is assassinated, Brown’s character must solve the puzzle of his death and face the dire repercussions of the truth. We have all of the shows like Paradise that will make you want to settle in for a long binge-watch session this weekend.
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11.22.63 (2016)
11.22.63 is all about the most famous assassination of the 20th century: John F. Kennedy’s. Over six decades later, there are still conspiracies and mysteries attached to JFK’s murder that result in crime fiction and storytellers filling in the blanks. This miniseries is based on Stephen King’s book about a time traveler who returns to the early 1960s to prevent Kennedy from being killed. Instead of succeeding in this matter, the protagonist must overcome his affection for the new people he met in the past. James Franco stars as the time traveler. This is a great combination of mystery, sci-fi, and historical fiction.
The Night Agent (2023)
3 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Action & Adventure
Stars
Gabriel Basso, Luciane Buchanan, Arienne Mandi
Created by
Shawn Ryan
Watch on Netflix
Gabriel Basso is the titular agent who will do whatever it takes to prevent a traitor within the U.S. government from wrecking any more havoc on the citizens of the country in one of Netflix’s most-viewed shows of all time. Like most great series in the crime thriller genre, The Night Agent always has one more big surprise up its sleeve that will force you to stay seated for another episode even if you need to go to work the next day. With the second season of the show just releasing in January 2025, fans are patiently waiting for the third season renewal and another batch of episodes.
The Diplomat (2023)
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama, War & Politics
Stars
Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi
Created by
Debora Cahn
Watch on Netflix
The Diplomat lives within the same political realm as Paradise, but this show is a little more slow-burn for those who like their thrillers to play out minus the guns and violence of a typical crime drama. Keri Russell is the diplomat who’s expected to streamline the process of becoming an ambassador to the U.K. with traitors at her back and a difficult husband who might seem to be working against her. Russell earned a nomination at the Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for season 1.
The Agency (2024)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery
Stars
Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith
Created by
Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth
Watch on Paramount+
Michael Fassbender plays a CIA agent whose personal life starts to meddle with his secret identity in ways that threaten to spoil both of his purposes (professionally and outside of work.) The sharp writing and unique spin on an otherwise stereotypical baseline plot make The Agency a great show for beginners and veterans of the political crime thriller genre. Jeffrey Wright is great in a supporting role. George Clooney produces.
The Consultant (2023)
1 Season
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Christoph Waltz, Nat Wolff, Brittany O'Grady
Created by
Tony Basgallop
Watch on Amazon
The Consultant stars Christoph Waltz as the new boss at a video game company who tries to make major changes to the firm after the previous CEO is mysteriously assassinated. Nat Wolff and Brittany O’Grady play the employees who have to save their own skin while operating within the new framework of the company under the ominous eye of Waltz’s antagonism. I still think this would have been an excellent candidate for a second season, but Prime Video never renewed it two years after its debut run.
Ozark (2017)
4 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hublitz
Created by
Mark Williams, Bill Dubuque
Watch on Netflix
Ozark is more just a straight-up crime drama than a mystery thriller, but the twists and character drama resemble Paradise enough that fans of both shows should enjoy. Jason Bateman is a whip-smart financial analyst who decides to use his skills to launder money for the Mexican cartel. As to be expected, this isn’t exactly a good idea, especially when his wife and kids start to get involved in the operation after they move to a remote location in Missouri.
Awake (2012)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Stars
Jason Isaacs, Wilmer Valderrama, Steve Harris
Created by
Kyle Killen
Watch on Amazon
Awake is the best sci-fi murder mystery show that you’ve probably never heard of before. Jason Isaacs plays a dad who gets into a car accident and lives a split life afterward. He can’t figure out how to discern which reality is the concrete one and goes to great lengths to prove to himself what’s really happening. Existentialist themes and analyzing the extent of separate realities are excellently introduced throughout. Severance fans will also like this one.
Sugar (2024)
1 Season
Genre
Drama, Mystery
Stars
Colin Farrell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Amy Ryan
Created by
Mark Protosevich
Watch on Apple TV+
Colin Farrell plays an investigator who starts learning a little too much about a murdered man’s family when he’s asked to cover a case involving a famous Hollywood producer. The execution of the ideas in Sugar is much more interesting than the premise reads on paper. It’s also on Apple TV+, so you know it’s gonna be good.
