Crime dramas have become very popular among the masses, especially in recent times. Crime dramas are watched by numerous people all over the world, and the popularity of crime dramas is rising every day.
Many people are curious as to why this is the case. It might be because people are more interested in the inner workings of the human psyche. It might also be because people are more interested in criminal law nowadays. Or it might simply be because of the fact that people just want to know what makes a criminal the way they are.
Keeping this discussion aside, Netflix has a great collection of Crime dramas, which are absolutely enthralling. You will not be able to take your attention off of the shows, and your interest will just pique more and more.
Below, we have given the 25 best crime dramas streaming on Netflix right now. So, this might be a great time to make good use of your Netflix subscription and watch all of these amazing shows!
1. Mindhunter
Mindhunter is a crime-thriller series that revolves around real-life serial killers that haunted America between the 60’s and 70’s. This show was created by David Fincher, and it followed two people, Holden and Bill, as they went across the American Mainland and interviewed famous serial killers so that they could base a study pattern on them to catch other serial killers.
The series is particularly influential as a crime drama because of the accuracy depicted by the screenwriter in portraying the American Justice System and its flaws. This is a bone-chilling thriller drama that will take you some time to digest, and it is definitely a must-watch for people who are into real-life-inspired TV Series.
2. The Sinner
The Sinner is a 2017 anthology series which is based on a novel of the same name. The plot revolves around detective Harry Ambrose, who has his unusual ways of solving cases. He is a very intuitive person and brings a fresh set of eyes to every case that he deals with.
In the 1st season, Harry Ambrose deals with a woman named Cora Zanetti, who’s on trial because she stabbed someone to death at a beach. In the next season, he investigates a case about a child who poisoned someone. In each of these cases, he brings his own methods of solving it, which are a bit more eccentric than other detectives.
3. Behind Her Eyes
Behind Her Eyes is a 2021 psychological crime drama based on the novel by Sarah Pinborough. The story revolves around a single mother called Louise, who is having an affair with her boss, who is a new addition to the workplace. But things get a bit complicated when Louise starts becoming friends with Adele, her boss’ wife.
Soon, Louise is in the middle of a very complicated love triangle, but things get very serious and deadly when Louise finds out there are life-threatening secrets involved. It is a short series that you can watch in one day, and it’s recommended if you like suspenseful, slow-burn thrillers.
4. Narcos
Narcos is another crime drama series based on real events which premiered in 2015. Narcos depicts the rise of Pablo Escobar, the famous drug kingpin who, during the 80’s in Columbia, ran one of the biggest drug cartels the world has ever seen.
The show depicts the true story of Escobar with haunting accuracy, and it also shows all of the steps taken by law enforcement during that time. It also shows the state of Columbia and the complete dominance of Pablo Escobar over its sectors. The show is one of the most popular crime dramas on Netflix right now, and you can also check out its spin-off, Narcos: Mexico.
5. Ozark
Ozark is a crime drama series that premiered in 2017 and has received critical acclaim, including an Emmy and a Golden Globe. The story revolves around an accountant called Mary Byrde, who gets involved with the Mexican drug mafia in a bad business. After the money laundering job for the Mexican mafia doesn’t work out, Marty somehow has to make the money back.
To make the money back, he proposes a money laundering scheme on a grand scale at Ozark. He even moves his family from the heart of the city to Missouri, where the family has a hard time settling in because they get involved with the local criminals.
6. Dahmer
Dahmer is a recently added true crime docu-series that was released in 2022. The story is based on real-life events inspired by the serial killer Jeffery Dahmer, who went around killing and abducting men and also practicing cannibalism. The show also has inputs from real-life people who went through the terror that Dahmer caused.
The show depicts the mechanism behind Dahmers’ killings and the planning and practicality behind his madness. It also shows Dahmer’s impact on society, especially people who live near him.
The series leaves no room for imagination as every incident that is shown is based on real-life events that destroyed an entire community. Dahmer is a ten-episode Netflix series that you can watch in one sitting, and you should definitely not miss out on this if you’re a fan of true crime documentaries.
7. The Alienist
The Alienist is a slow-burn crime drama which is set in the 70’s New York. The show is based on a book by the author, Caleb Carr. The show premiered in 2018 and has a quiet fan following.
The story starts with the murder of certain male prostitutes. All of the male prostitutes killed were minors, and this caused quite a ruckus in New York City back then. Detective Roosevelt and Sara Howard got involved with the cases pretty soon. They gave their all to uncover the anonymous murderer, but the secrets were more heavy than they could handle.
8. Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is one of the top-rated dramas of all time. It’s a must-watch for everyone. The show revolves around an inconspicuous chemistry teacher; Walter White, and his rise in the drug cartel as the master meth maker; Heisenberg.
Walter White was a chemistry teacher at first, but when he got cancer, the money from his teaching job wasn’t enough to support his family. After a lot of contemplation, he contacts his ex-student and small-time drug dealer, Jesse Pinkman.
With his expert knowledge of chemistry, Walter White starts making meth. Soon, his meth becomes the most wanted and famous of all the drug kingpins, and he rises to the top as a drug maker. But everything has a cost, and Walter White’s journey as Heisenberg cost him a lot more than he was willing to sacrifice.
9. Peaky Blinders
Peaky Blinders is a 2013 British crime drama show which is known for its engaging plot and star-studded cast. The show revolves around Thomas Shelby, who is the leader of a gang known as Peaky Blinders. Thomas is a very respected gang leader, and he runs the gang with his brothers.
The show is set during a time in Birmingham when gang-related violence was on the rise, and to counter the influence of gangs, police recouped to any method they saw fit to put an end to the influence of the gangs. The show mainly gathered the audience not because of the plot but because of the characters and the cast, especially Cillian Murphy, who plays the character of Thomas Shelby.
10. Unbelievable
Unbelievable is a 2019 true crime mini-series which is based on a serial rapist in Washington and Colorado. It accurately shows the horrific realities of rape victims and describes the fear within the hearts of women who lived in Washington and Colorado.
The mini-series has a lot of cameos from the real-life people involved in the incident. The show is inspired by a book as well as an article that talked about the details of these rape cases without any fact unturned.
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11. The Blacklist
The Blacklist is an American crime drama inspired by real-life criminals. The story revolves around Raymond Redding, who assists the police force in hunting down elusive criminals. The task force is entirely dependent on Raymond’s analysis of a case before they send their men in to scoop out the area.
However, Raymond has his own unorthodox ways of working. Every episode features a different criminal which is inspired by a real criminal. The Blacklist became very popular in America, which led to video games, comics, and spin-off TV shows being produced.
12. Money Heist
Money Heist is a 2017 Spanish Mystery Crime drama that took the world by storm because of its intrinsic plotline and borderline genius characters. The show initially revolves around a group of robbers dressed in similar clothing and masks who are hired to rob a bank.
Slowly, we get to know the backstories of every one of the robbers, and we see that this is not just about stealing money from a bank. As the plot unfolds, we see a bigger mastermind behind this whole plot and the personal reasons for his actions. This is a show that you can’t stop watching once you pick it up.
13. Bodyguard
Bodyguard is a British Political drama that aired in 2018 and is still ongoing. It revolves around David Budd, a police sergeant who is also an ex-army man. He is now working as a protection officer to Julia Montague, the home secretary.
The show traces David’s journey as a bodyguard trying to overcome his PTSD, and the show criticizes bigger political issues that are plaguing the British Government
14. Night Stalker
Night Stalker is another true crime documentary based on the serial killer Richard Ramirez, who was given the nickname ‘ Night Stalker. `He was born in El Paso, Texas, and growing up, he witnessed a lot of violence, especially towards women. He grew up in a very poor area and received no education.
The documentary deals with his background as well as his motivations to do what he did and analyzes the patterns of his behavior. Ramirez killed a lot of women, especially during the night, in their homes, and that is why he was called the Night Stalker. He was also a believer in the Satanic Bible, and most of his violent acts were directed toward women.
15. Better Call Saul
Better Call Saul is a 2015 crime drama series. It is a part of the Breaking Bad universe. The story revolves around Saul Goodman, whose real name is Jimmy McGill. He was a con artist who was on his journey to become a serious lawyer.
Throughout the episodes, we see that Saul Goodman has no experience as a lawyer, but his flamboyant personality and his eccentric way of solving cases bring people to his doorstep. Things get worse when he gets involved in the drug business, especially with Walter White, Jesse Pinkman, and even Gus Fring before his death.
16. How To Get Away With Murder
How To Get Away With Murder is a legal crime drama that took the world by storm upon its release. Starring one of the greatest actresses of all time, the drama has a special place in everyone’s hearts.
It revolves around Annalise Keating, a celebrated criminal lawyer, and professor who has an extreme way of teaching. She pushes her students to be their best. But at the same time, she gets herself and her students involved in things that alter the course of their lives forever. She is a loved and hated character at the same time in the show. But you cannot deny her impact and strength of character.
17. Flower of Evil
Flower of Evil is a thriller K-Drama with an engaging plot that leaves fans expecting more. The K-drama is a remake of a Filipino K-drama, and it premiered in 2020.
It gathered a lot of attention internationally as well. The story revolves around a detective called Ji-won. She has the perfect life from the outside: a husband who loves her and a young daughter.
But she doesn’t have any clue about who her husband was in the past. However, certain killings start to take place, and she is put in charge of the case. Now, Ji-won can’t help but wonder who her husband actually is as his behavior starts getting more and more suspicious.
18. Lupin
Lupin is a French TV series which aired in 2021. The story revolves around Assane, a thief who is also a second-generation immigrant. As a child, Assane saw a lot of injustice take place. The worst thing happened when his father was accused of stealing a necklace wrongly.
After he was convicted for a crime he didn’t commit, he committed suicide. Many years later, Assane is out to get revenge on the people who wrongly accused his father and to expose them.
19. Dark
Dark is a German dystopian drama which premiered on Netflix in 2017. There was no hype around the show, but in 2019-2020, the show received a popularity surge, and it became the most popular show on Netflix in a different language. The show revolves around a small town in Germany where a child goes missing, which puts the entire town in a state of anxiety.
Soon, other children go missing as well. After that, unexplained events start taking place, and at the center of everything is Jonas. The show progressively gets more complicated, and from what seemed like a common thriller about a missing child, it goes on to become a scientific dystopian series that proves how little we know about our world.
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20. Law School
The K-drama Law School is a very famous K-drama that everyone should watch. It revolves around Hankuk University Law School and the things that go on there. The students of that school are rattled by a suspicious murder case that takes place at their institution.
The main suspect is their own professor. This show deals with the modern legal system in Korea, as well as the loopholes and injustices that occur all the time.
21. Ted Bundy Tapes
Ted Bundy Tapes is a true crime documentary based on the most famous serial killer of modern times. He also had a very violent childhood, which might have been a contributor to his impulses. He was a charming man who won over people’s hearts easily, especially women. That is how he lured in 30 women and killed them, which were confessed by him.
The real count of murders is still unknown as the government believes he has killed over a hundred women. You can find more information and real-life interviews in the documentary itself. He has also been convicted multiple times, but he’s a notorious jailbreak, and he’s also famous for representing himself in his own trial.
22. Alias Grace
Alias Grace is a Netflix limited series based on a book by the famous writer Margaret Atwood. Alias Grace is Atwood’s lesser-known work, as her other novels are more famous. However, Alias Grace is a poignant tale centered around an immigrant woman.
The story revolves around an Irish immigrant known as Grace. In the 19th century, Grace immigrated to Canada as a maid. But soon, she is convicted of the murder of the person who employed her. Things take a turn when Grace is diagnosed by a psychiatrist as being mentally unstable. This puts the whole narrative into question, as well as the legal system back then, which was baffled by this unusual situation
23. The Ripper
The Ripper is a British true crime documentary series based on the famous serial killer Jack the Ripper. Jack the Ripper is a famous serial killer who terrorized England during the 70s in the Manchester and Yorkshire area. Many interpretations of Jack the Ripper have been made by the popular media, but this mini-series by Netflix is by far the most accurate one.
It perfectly captures the dear instilled in the hearts of people at this time, as well as the government’s struggle to capture the notorious killer, who always seemed to be out of hand.
24. Lucifer
Lucifer is a fantasy drama based on a DC comic of the same name. The show revolves around Lucifer, who is bored being the ruler of Hell, and he decides to come down to Earth to experience a human life. In the real world, he spends most of his time partying, but when a crime takes place in his club, he decides to partner up with the detective in charge of the case and solve crimes.
As he starts blending more and more into the human world, he starts feeling things that only a human would and falls in love with the detective he partnered up with.
25. Copycat Killer
The Copycat Killer is a 2023 Taiwanese crime drama that has recently been added to Netflix. The plot revolves around a highly manipulative serial killer who brainwashes their victims. He hacks into the media and makes a spectacle out of his own killings, confusing the general public and the people who are handling his case.
Paired against the killer is a headstrong prosecutor who is determined to get to the bottom of this case as soon as possible. This is a very engaging Asian Drama that will get you hooked till the end.
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