Thriller Shows You’re Sleeping On (But Shouldn’t)
Some of the most inventive, tightly plotted television hides just off the beaten path. These series span espionage, crime, conspiracy, and psychological suspense, with international productions and limited runs that make them easy to dive into without years of catch-up.
Below are twenty-five thriller shows that pair sharp writing with distinctive settings and precise performances. You’ll find single-season standouts, short anthologies, and compact multi-season arcs from broadcasters and streamers around the world—all with enough intrigue to hook you from episode one.
‘Counterpart’ (2017–2019)
This Starz series, created by Justin Marks, stars J. K. Simmons in dual roles as a mild-mannered Berlin bureaucrat and his more lethal “other” from a parallel dimension linked by a covert crossing point. The production filmed extensively in Berlin and Los Angeles and uses German and English dialogue to ground its espionage framework in a real diplomatic milieu. The ensemble includes Olivia Williams, Nazanin Boniadi, Harry Lloyd, and Sara Serraiocco across two seasons.
The show was produced by MRC and Anonymous Content, with the narrative structured around a classified agency managing contact between worlds and the operational protocols that govern it. Its episodes map inter-agency rivalries, tradecraft, and long-term sleeper operations, while building a rules-driven alternate-reality premise that stays anchored in bureaucratic procedure and cross-border intelligence work.
‘Quarry’ (2016)
Based on the novels by Max Allan Collins, this Cinemax series follows a Marine sniper returning home and being recruited into a criminal network operating along the Mississippi. The production shot in Louisiana and Tennessee to recreate riverfront routes and freight hubs central to the story’s logistics. Logan Marshall-Green leads the cast, supported by Jodi Balfour, Peter Mullan, and Damon Herriman.
Created by Michael D. Fuller and Graham Gordy, the series uses a case-of-the-week structure layered over a serialized conspiracy about procurement, debt, and off-book contracts. Music supervision leans on period Southern soul and rock, while the cinematography emphasizes industrial waterways and rail yards to situate each operation in practical terrain.
‘Patriot’ (2015–2018)
Created by Steven Conrad for Prime Video, this series centers on an intelligence officer whose non-official cover embeds him in a Midwestern industrial piping firm to influence a foreign election via procurement routes. Michael Dorman stars alongside Kurtwood Smith, Terry O’Quinn, and Aliette Opheim, with on-location shoots in Chicago, Milwaukee, Luxembourg, and Prague to depict corporate travel and diplomatic corridors.
The production blends workplace procedures and interagency reporting with detailed depictions of supply-chain audits, per diem rules, and export compliance as operational pressure points. Across two seasons, the narrative tracks how routine expense reports, HR investigations, and vendor checks intersect with covert objectives and internal oversight.
‘Giri/Haji’ (2019)
A co-production between BBC Two and Netflix, this bilingual series created by Joe Barton follows a Tokyo detective traveling to London to find his missing brother amid yakuza and organized-crime disputes. The cast includes Takehiro Hira, Kelly Macdonald, Will Sharpe, and Aoi Okuyama, with scenes shot across Tokyo and London to show parallel policing cultures and legal frameworks.
Structured as an eight-episode limited story, it interweaves Metropolitan Police procedures, family obligations, and Japanese organized-crime hierarchies. Visuals incorporate animation and stylized transitions at key junctures, while the score bridges British and Japanese influences to reflect the cross-cultural setting.
‘ZeroZeroZero’ (2020)
Adapted from Roberto Saviano’s nonfiction book, this series charts a single cocaine shipment from producers to brokers to buyers across continents. Created by Stefano Sollima, Leonardo Fasoli, and Mauricio Katz, it features Andrea Riseborough, Dane DeHaan, and Gabriel Byrne as a New Orleans-based family controlling a shipping company. Filming took place in Mexico, Italy, the United States, Morocco, and Senegal to depict the full logistics chain.
Produced by Amazon Studios and Sky, the show details charter routes, vessel registries, insurance arrangements, and procurement intermediaries that enable illicit cargo movement. The narrative alternates among cartel factions, Calabrian buyers, and shipping brokers, emphasizing port operations, customs inspections, and maritime risk management.
‘McMafia’ (2018)
Inspired by Misha Glenny’s nonfiction, this BBC One and AMC co-production follows an investment banker navigating global criminal finance and cross-border money flows. James Norton leads a cast that includes David Strathairn, Juliet Rylance, and Aleksey Serebryakov, with filming in London, Croatia, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates to mirror international transactions.
Created by Hossein Amini and James Watkins, the series maps shell companies, correspondent banking links, and sanctions exposure as plot mechanisms. Over its episodes, it traces how family ties intersect with regulatory environments, compliance functions, and offshore structures used to move funds and consolidate influence.
‘The Honourable Woman’ (2014)
Written and directed by Hugo Blick for BBC Two and SundanceTV, this limited series stars Maggie Gyllenhaal as an executive overseeing a philanthropic telecom initiative that intersects with intelligence agendas. The supporting cast features Andrew Buchan, Stephen Rea, and Lubna Azabal, with production spanning the United Kingdom and Morocco to depict governmental and NGO settings.
The narrative uses procurement tenders, grant oversight, and cross-jurisdictional audits as levers within diplomatic and security contexts. Its eight episodes employ interdepartmental memoranda, redacted files, and interagency briefings to frame the legal and ethical pressures around infrastructure projects and data access.
‘The Bureau’ (2015–2020)
Known in France as ‘Le Bureau des Légendes’, this Canal+ series created by Éric Rochant centers on DGSE case officers managing long-term “legend” identities in foreign postings. Mathieu Kassovitz leads a large ensemble including Sara Giraudeau, Florence Loiret Caille, and Jean-Pierre Darroussin. Filming occurred in France and multiple overseas locations to depict illegal residency networks and embassy-based operations.
Across five seasons, the show details agent running, asset validation, clandestine communications, and counterintelligence responses. Storylines integrate cyber operations, debrief protocols, and diplomatic cover, with episodes structured around mission risk assessments and operational discipline.
‘The Bridge’ (2011–2018)
This Scandinavian co-production created by Hans Rosenfeldt begins with a cross-border crime discovered on the Øresund Bridge linking Denmark and Sweden. Sofia Helin and Kim Bodnia headline the early seasons, with filming in Malmö and Copenhagen to capture joint investigative procedures under two legal systems.
The series is organized into multi-episode cases involving jurisdictional cooperation, shared task forces, and the coordination challenges of dual prosecutions. Over four seasons, it depicts interagency data sharing, evidentiary standards, and language-barrier solutions used by the police units on both sides of the strait.
‘Utopia’ (2013–2014)
Channel 4’s conspiracy thriller created by Dennis Kelly follows a group of forum users who acquire a manuscript connected to a covert population-control program. The production is noted for precise color design, with composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer providing an experimental score. Filming across the United Kingdom uses everyday locations—schools, estates, and offices—to stage clandestine exchanges.
Across two series, the plot explores public-health policy, black-budget research, and targeted assassination teams. Scenes frequently hinge on procurement of rare documents, identity management, and the internal protocols of a secretive organization pursuing a long-term objective.
‘The Shadow Line’ (2011)
Created, written, and directed by Hugo Blick for BBC Two, this limited series pairs police and criminal investigations into the same homicide. The cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Christopher Eccleston, Stephen Rea, and Rafe Spall, with London locations emphasizing corporate offices, secure storage sites, and transport depots relevant to the case.
Spanning seven episodes, it focuses on chain-of-custody issues, insider cooperation, and the influence of semi-privatized security firms on evidence handling. The narrative tracks competing inquiries that expose opaque trusts and executive-level decision-making within organized-crime supply chains.
‘The Missing’ (2014–2016)
Produced by BBC One and Starz, this anthology from writers Harry and Jack Williams presents separate investigations across two seasons connected by themes of disappearance and cross-border policing. The first season stars James Nesbitt, Frances O’Connor, and Tchéky Karyo, while the second features David Morrissey, Keeley Hawes, and Roger Allam.
Each season uses non-linear timelines and jurisdictional differences to examine search protocols, media coordination, and the role of specialized units. The production filmed in mainland Europe and the United Kingdom to reflect the logistical realities of international cooperation between police services and military authorities.
‘Bloodline’ (2015–2017)
Developed by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman for Netflix, this family-crime thriller stars Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini, and Norbert Leo Butz. Filming took place primarily in the Florida Keys, using working marinas, resorts, and backwater channels to shape the setting.
Over three seasons, the series follows inheritance disputes, property liens, and law-enforcement exposure for a family-run business. Financial entanglements, insurance claims, and asset transfers drive the plot, alongside interactions with local deputies, federal investigators, and maritime authorities.
‘Hap and Leonard’ (2016–2018)
Based on the novels by Joe R. Lansdale, this SundanceTV series stars James Purefoy and Michael Kenneth Williams as friends drawn into investigations in East Texas. The production recreates Gulf Coast and Piney Woods environments, with Christina Hendricks, Jimmi Simpson, and Pollyanna McIntosh in supporting roles.
Across three seasons, the cases involve missing persons, stolen assets, and small-town corruption. The show incorporates private-investigator tactics, informal networks, and jurisdictional overlaps among sheriff’s departments, state police, and federal agents.
‘Banshee’ (2013–2016)
A Cinemax original created by Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler, this series features Antony Starr as an ex-con assuming the identity of a small-town sheriff. Locations in Pennsylvania and North Carolina simulate the town’s mix of Amish country and industrial sites, with Ulrich Thomsen, Ivana Miličević, and Hoon Lee among the ensemble.
The story develops through task-force operations, organized-crime enterprises, and the practical limits of rural policing. Over four seasons, it explores evidence suppression, inter-gang negotiations, and the strain placed on county infrastructure by high-level criminal activity.
‘Rectify’ (2013–2016)
Created by Ray McKinnon for SundanceTV, this series follows Daniel Holden’s return to his hometown after time on death row. Aden Young leads a cast including Abigail Spencer, J. Smith-Cameron, and Clayne Crawford. Production took place in Georgia towns that supply the courtrooms, workshops, and residences central to the narrative.
The plot examines post-conviction review, plea arrangements, and community responses to contested cases. Across four seasons, it engages with probation conditions, mental-health services, and civil actions tied to past prosecutions and withheld evidence.
‘The Night Of’ (2016)
An HBO limited series from Steven Zaillian and Richard Price, this adaptation of ‘Criminal Justice’ stars Riz Ahmed and John Turturro. Locations include Queens, Rikers Island facilities, and Manhattan courtrooms to map the steps from arrest to trial. The production emphasizes intake procedures and pretrial logistics.
Over eight episodes, the case unfolds through discovery, plea bargaining, and forensic review. The narrative lays out how competing defense strategies, prosecution timelines, and institutional constraints shape outcomes for defendants and families.
‘Top of the Lake’ (2013–2017)
Created by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, this series presents two self-contained investigations led by a detective played by Elisabeth Moss. The first season filmed in New Zealand’s South Island, while the second moved to Sydney, using urban beaches and precinct houses to shift the procedural environment. Supporting cast members include Peter Mullan, Holly Hunter, and Gwendoline Christie.
Each season focuses on missing-person inquiries that connect to trafficking, property development, and workplace exploitation. The show outlines investigative interviews, interagency tasking, and the role of specialist units in managing sensitive victims and complex witnesses.
‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)
Developed by Joe Penhall and executive-produced by David Fincher and Charlize Theron for Netflix, this series stars Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, and Anna Torv. It adapts ‘Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit’ by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker, with production centered in Pennsylvania to stand in for multiple states.
Across two seasons, it chronicles the formation of behavioral analysis protocols through prison interviews, case consultations, and academic partnerships. The episodes detail interview methodologies, transcription practices, and coding schemes that become part of investigative training.
‘The OA’ (2016–2019)
Created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij for Netflix, this series combines missing-person investigation with speculative elements. The cast includes Brit Marling, Jason Isaacs, Emory Cohen, and Kingsley Ben-Adir. Production utilized locations across the United States for schools, suburban homes, and research facilities.
Told in two parts, it uses multi-perspective narration, recovered journals, and clinical records to structure the central mystery. The plot tracks a small group’s coordination, resource gathering, and communications as they attempt to verify testimonies and follow leads.
‘Perpetual Grace LTD’ (2019)
An Epix original from Steven Conrad and Bruce Terris, this limited series stars Ben Kingsley, Jimmi Simpson, Luis Guzmán, and Jackie Weaver. Filming in New Mexico and Texas created the desert and borderland backdrops that frame the story’s schemes and cons.
The show’s ten episodes revolve around insurance fraud, identity manipulation, and the control of local institutions. It uses bank protocols, notary procedures, and small-town governance as pressure points within an escalating series of operations and counter-operations.
‘Fortitude’ (2015–2018)
Created by Simon Donald for Sky Atlantic, this Arctic-set series assembles an international cast including Richard Dormer, Sofie Gråbøl, and Dennis Quaid across later episodes. Filming in Iceland and the United Kingdom portrays an isolated town with limited medical, forensic, and law-enforcement resources.
Across three seasons, investigations intersect with scientific research stations, mining interests, and environmental conditions that complicate recovery and analysis. The narrative incorporates public-health responses, quarantine decisions, and the logistical challenges of emergency services in remote climates.
‘Riviera’ (2017–2020)
Created by Neil Jordan for Sky Atlantic, this series stars Julia Stiles as an art adviser drawn into criminal dealings on the Côte d’Azur. The production filmed in Monaco and the south of France, integrating marinas, galleries, and estates into its visual design. The supporting cast includes Lena Olin, Adrian Lester, and Rupert Graves across its run.
The plot examines provenance, auction practices, and art-market fraud, alongside private-security work and cross-border financial structures. Over multiple seasons, it follows cooperation and conflict among family members, law enforcement, and intermediaries operating in luxury markets.
‘Requiem’ (2018)
A BBC One and Netflix limited series created by Kris Mrksa, ‘Requiem’ follows a cellist who travels to a Welsh town to investigate a long-unsolved disappearance. Lydia Wilson leads the cast with Joel Fry, Brendan Coyle, and Tara Fitzgerald, and the production uses Welsh locations to anchor the story.
The six episodes integrate missing-person procedures, local records, and estate inheritance issues. Music performance and archival research provide recurring motifs, while the investigation works through property searches, witness interviews, and town history.
‘Sherwood’ (2022)
Created by James Graham for BBC One, ‘Sherwood’ draws on real incidents in Nottinghamshire mining communities. The cast includes David Morrissey, Lesley Manville, and Adeel Akhtar, with production in Nottinghamshire and surrounding areas to depict streets, woodland, and terraced housing central to the case.
The series focuses on legacy tensions, neighborhood surveillance, and the deployment of specialist units in semi-rural terrain. It outlines information-sharing between regional forces and national resources, as well as community liaison practices during high-visibility searches.
‘Marcella’ (2016–2021)
Created by Hans Rosenfeldt for ITV and later distributed on streaming platforms, this crime thriller stars Anna Friel as a former detective returning to active duty. Filming in London provides estate homes, industrial spaces, and transport hubs that support both domestic and organized-crime investigations. The ensemble includes Ray Panthaki, Jack Doolan, and Jamie Bamber across its run.
Across three seasons, the series engages with child-protection cases, gang activity, and corporate malfeasance. It features internal-affairs scrutiny, psychological assessment, and interagency collaboration with national crime units.
‘The Night Manager’ (2016)
Adapted from the novel by John le Carré, this AMC and BBC series stars Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie. Locations include Switzerland, Spain, Morocco, and the United Kingdom, reflecting the movement of hospitality professionals, arms brokers, and intelligence handlers. The production partners with hotels and resorts to situate surveillance and covert meetings in service environments.
The limited series centers on the infiltration of a private network through procurement chains and shell companies. It details tradecraft around vetting, asset development, and controlled deliveries, coordinated by an under-resourced government unit facing institutional obstacles.
‘Tin Star’ (2017–2020)
Created by Rowan Joffé for Sky Atlantic and distributed internationally, this series stars Tim Roth, Genevieve O’Reilly, and Christina Hendricks. Filming in Alberta and later Liverpool provides contrasting landscapes and policing cultures that reframe the central family’s circumstances across seasons.
The show explores the effects of corporate expansion, private security, and jurisdictional authority on local law enforcement. Over three seasons, it follows investigations that involve energy companies, organized crime, and cross-border issues, with cases escalating from local disturbances to wider conspiracies.
Share the thriller gems you’d add to this list in the comments.
