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Hadda Condino
With its roots as a broadcast drama, Lucifer meshes together elements of fantasy and comedy with the familiar notes of a crime procedural to create an exceptionally fun and creative series that is unlike anything else on this list. It follows fallen angel Lucifer Morningstar (a devilishly good Tom Ellis), who at the start of the series is tired of his post in hell and trades it in for the sunny skies of the City of Angels, where he opens his own nightclub. After meeting Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) during a murder investigation, he becomes a consultant for the LAPD, putting to good use his unique ability to manipulate humans into revealing their deepest desires.
The problem is the consequences. The court appearances, the jail time, the change in one's relationships with family and friends. Sometimes it's just not worth it. That's where crime TV shows come in: You get all the thrills of crime without the negative personal ramifications!
Netflix has a whole bunch of crime shows just waiting to be dug into, from court-focused miniseries to investigation procedurals to action-packed spotlights on criminal activities. Netflix being Netflix, there are quite a few shows to sift through, and some you might miss on a cursory search, so we compiled the best for you.
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 featuring 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.
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."
Netflix has had a big hand in making crime as popular as it is in recent years, especially in the field of true crime TV. However, today we're more interested in either purely fictional stories or the dramatised versions of real cases.
UPDATE: We have added two new picks to our best crime dramas list. First up is Kin, a show that originally appeared in 2021 and has two seasons to date. It's a tense one, set in Ireland. Eric is a more recent addition, the tale of a missing child during the 1980s in New York. However, it's a little unlike what we've seen before, and revolves around a giant blue imaginary monster who is apparently the key to unwinding the mystery.
The best bit: you don't have to wait for episodes to arrive. While we add new shows to the list below as they arrive, Netflix typically releases most seasons as a block, rather than drip-feeding those eps.
When the premise of Ozark was revealed - Jason Bateman and Laura Linney star as as a married couple who have to relocate their family to the Ozarks after a money laundering scheme goes awry - everyone thought the show was just going to be Breaking Bad lite, but after four seasons it is much more than that. Fantastic acting and bags of tension make this one of the best things on Netflix right now.
If Gangs of New York had a sequel and that sequel was set in Birmingham, this is what it would be. An absolute British triumph of television starring Cillian Murphy as crime boss Tommy Shelby as he runs rackets post World War I with his flat-capped gang, The Peaky Blinders. Notable appearances from Sam Neill other big names couple together to make it one of the best things the BBC has made in years.
Based on true events, the series follows a young woman (Kaitlyn Dever) accused of lying to the police about a rape, and two detectives (Toni Collette and Merritt Wever) who begin to find the truth as they investigate a spate of similar attacks. It's not the easiest watch and it will almost certainly make you cry and shout with frustration, but it's compelling storytelling of the treatment of sexual assault victims, with all twists and turns you expect from a true crime drama. There are eight episodes in total, each lasting approx. 50 minutes.
British crime drama is usually seen on the Beeb and ITV, so it's great to see Netflix try its had at Brit crime and this one is a corker. When a stranger enters the life of Adam Price, something is revealed about his wife that turns his life upside down. This is a twisty, turny thriller that gets a little confusing but is a lot of fun.
Originally set to be just a two-part series, this fevered Spanish crime thriller has ballooned into five parts on Netflix and 48 episodes. The plot is simple but very effective: the Professor has plans to pull off some of the most audacious heists in history, recruiting eight people to help him do this. It's fantastic fun and while the final season has now aired, a South Korean remake is happening soon.
Safe is a cracking British thriller with a stellar cast. Dexter's Michael C Hall is Tom a widowed surgeon who lives a peaceful life until his eldest daughter goes missing. Over the episodes we find out that the rich neighbourhood he lives in is not quite what is seems.
Much like the BBC's Sherlock, Lupin is a masterful modern retelling of a classic literary great. The plot is fairly simple: Assane Diop is a thief that is out to avenge his father, after a wealthy family wrongs him. Diop uses racial prejudices help with his plans, as well as taking inspiration from French novelist Maurice Leblanc who created Arsne Lupin. If you after twists in your crime tales then this one is for you - it's utterly entertaining to watch.
You don't want to miss this. It is one of the strangest tales to ever hit Netflix and is the true story of a cat killer and how trying to figure out who this person is, another huge revelation is revealed. We don't want to spoil this one, but if you want a compelling watch then this is for you.
This one is super scary. The show focuses on police investigator Arnar who, living in Norway, heads back to his hometown of Iceland to help catch the country's first-ever serial killer. The cold backdrop is as much a character in the show as everyone else, with echoes of True Detective throughout. Superb stuff.
There's 5 seasons of How To Get Away With Murder on Netflix. The sixth and final season has just concluded so we're hoping it'll head to Netflix soon. This is a great crime series focused on a law professor who, with five of her students, becomes involved in a murder plot. Yes, it's melodramatic and soapy at times but Viola Davis is just stunning as Annalise Keating, the ruthless lawyer.
Co-written and directed by Ava DuVernay, When They See Us is a powerful dramatised account of the true story of five teens from Harlem who are falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park, New York. Over four episodes we see in detail how an accusation like this can change the lives of people, thanks to a flawed justice system.
This is a fantastic character study of a serial killer who just happens to be one of the most handsome people on the planet! That's right, Jamie Dornan plays Paul Spector who uses Belfast as his killing ground. On his tail is Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson), a detective who is brought in to solve the case.
Stephen King is a big fan of this one and we can see why. This superb Finnish drama features Detective inspector Kari Sorjonen who is autistic, taking on a Sherlock Holmes type role as he investigates goings on in the 'border town' of Lappeenranta in Finland. There are three series to binge-watch here and each season is a must for crime buffs.
Wow, this one is dark. This crime series centres on infatuation and how someone can seemingly be Mr Nice Guy to some people but completely different to others. While we can't give too much away (as it will spoil the fun), the focus here is on obsession and how, through social media and toxic relationships, things can get way out of control. This one of the most successful shows on Netflix right now and three seasons are streaming now.
The Serpent is a chilling true story about about a serial killer who preyed on backpackers in Thailand and the long process it took to get him recognised by the authorities. This one takes a little time to get going but definitely stick with it.
This stunning crime thriller takes place both in London and Tokyo with Tokyo detective Kenzo Mori (Takehiro Hira) in London looking for those who apparently killed his brother, someone who got messed up with the Yakuza. The murder could cause an all-out war on the streets of Tokyo, so there is a lot at stake.
The newest crime drama on our list is one of the most jaw dropping. Inventing Anna is about a supposed heiress who took Instagram and the like by storm - the only thing is, she was conning New York elites out of their precious cash. This series sees the whole thing recalled, by Anna, to a journalist reporting on the story.
Set on the fictional Summerhouse Estate, this London-based drama is a gripping look at the political machinations of a council estate that's packed with dealers and crime. Top Boy is a fantastic show that was saved by both Netflix and, er, Drake who is a big fan of the show.
This is one of our favourite series on this list. The End Of The F***ing World is based on a series of comics and is a bleakly dark but brilliantly funny story about James (Alex Lawther), a a teenager who thinks he might be a psychopath, and Alyssa (Jessica Barden), his classmate who is angry with the world. They go on something of a road trip and the results are marvellously macabre.
A classic high concept premise, here. Lucifer himself gets bored of Hell, and decides to come to Earth to help solve crimes instead. This is no hard-hitting true crime show, but its combo of campy fantastical elements and a charming performance by Tom Ellis makes Lucifer moreish, and has attracted a large and very dedicated following.
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