This article contains mentions of violence, murder, and sexual assault.
There’s a reason thatthrilling TV showshave started to become one of the most produced series formats in recent years. With the continued rise of streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, there is a high demand forfast-paced and action-packed thrilling contentthat can be binged in the hours after work or over a weekend. This style of content lends itself tointriguing characters, cliffhanging episode endings, and high-stakes situationsthat keep the viewer pressing ‘next episode’.
Some of the best TV shows of all time follow this format, immersing the audience in its story like the jaded realism of a real-life disaster series likeChernobylor a captivating, small-town mystery drama likeMare of Easttown.They provide a thrilling ride from beginning to end, and creators are now tailoring the episode length and structure to account for this new binge-watching style of viewing. The best shows make you forget about anything else and provide a constant flow of entertainment that makes a weekend binge feel so worth it.
Behind Her Eyes
Cast
Director Erik Richter Strand presents Behind Her Eyes, a supernatural thriller Netflix series that follows Louise, a single mother who has an affair with her psychiatrist boss, David. Her life takes a strange turn when she later befriends his wife, Adele, but soon she finds herself caught in a never-ending web of secrets and lies where nothing is what it seems.
Based on Sarah Pinborough’s 2017 novel of the same name,Behind Her Eyesis a supernatural thriller thatfollows the story of Louise (Simona Brown), whose life gets turned upside down when she starts an illicit affair with her new bossand friendship with his wife. The show is athriller in every sense of the word and keeps you guessingfor answers right up until the final moments. It is a paranormal tale with elements of horror that keep a gripping narrative throughout the series.
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With just six episodes in one season, it is the perfect show to binge-watch over a couple of days or even one day.The chemistry between the three leads is incredibly engaging, and the psychological tale grabs ahold and doesn’t let go. It is a genuinely eerie combination of romance, twisted revelations, and paranormal phenomenons, with several moments throughout the series that leave the viewer stunned into silence and have them questioning everything that just happened; making it one of the most rewatchable shows in recent memory.
Defending Jacob
Defending Jacob is a crime drama series starring Chris Evans as Andy Barber, an assistant district attorney whose life is upended when his teenage son Jacob is accused of murder. Adapted from the novel by William Landay, the series explores the strain on the Barber family as they grapple with the complexities of the legal system and the realization of their son’s potential guilt.
Defending Jacobis a crime drama miniseries and one of Apple TV’s most promoted shows that follows the story of Assistant District Attorney Andy Barber (Chris Evans), who, along with his wife (Michelle Dockery) must deal with the situation that his 14-year-old son Jacob is accused of stabbing his classmate to death.The show unfolds at a perfect pace, with eight episodes that feel like one long film rather than a segmented series.
Based on the 2012 novel of the same name by William Landay, Jaeden Martell plays the role of Jacob very convincingly, and his relationship with his father and mother plays out in a realistic fashion. Evans portrays a respected family man who is conflicted by his duty to uphold the law and his own son, who he begins to suspect might have actually done what he is accused of. It’s a complex and calculated narrative that is perfect to watch and leaves the perfect balance of intrigue leading into each new episode.
Silo
In a dystopian future, men and women reside in a vast underground silo governed by strict regulations, believed to shield them from the hazardous world above. The series delves into the complex social order within the silo and the mysteries surrounding their subterranean existence.
This science fiction dystopian miniseries is set in the future, where a community of people all live in a massive underground silo composed of 144 different levels. The silo has 10,000 inhabitants that form their own society and live by a set of rules that they all believe will protect them. With some of the group wishing to leave the silo, a practice that is strictly forbidden, believing that the ‘dead world’ outside is a lie, it creates a hostile and tension-fueled narrative between those wanting to keep order and those looking to escape.
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Another series that is based on novels, this time an adaption of theSilotrilogy (Wool, Shift, and Dust) by author Hugh Howey.The 10-part series follows an engineer (Rebecca Ferguson) who continues to discover more secrets and horrifying revelations about the silo’s forbidden history.It is a show that is easy to immerse in, and the atmospheric tension and dystopian elements provide a brilliant backdrop for the ensemble cast to shine against.
Unbelievable
Starring Toni Collette and was created by Susannah Grant, Michael Chabon, and Ayelet Waldman. The 2019 miniseries takes an introspective look at a serial assault case that took place in Washington State and Colorado
In one of the most gritty and realistic series released in the past few years,Unbelievabletells the story of a young woman (Kaitlyn Dever) who ends up being charged with a crime for reporting that she was sexually assaulted. She gets pressured by two male policemen who cast doubt on her version of events, and her life and mental health start to unravel. In a separate plot, two detectives, Grace (Toni Collette) and Karen (Merritt Wever), investigate a similar case, and the two help solve the crime and provide the evidence that proves her claims.
The article thatUnbelievablewas based on “An Unbelievable Story of Rape,” written by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong, won a Pulitzer Prize for its research and journalism.
Unbelievableis based on the 2015 article “An Unbelievable Story of Rape,” written by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong. It ventures into many sensitive themes, including sexual assault, victim blaming, and the corruption of the justice system, that showcases many flaws in the reporting process and in society in general. All three leading actresses were nominated for both Critics' Choice and Golden Globe Awards for their performances, capping off an incredible story that leaves viewers stunned throughout.
Bodyguard
Bodyguard tells the fictional story of David Budd, a heroic but volatile war veteran now working as a Specialist Protection Officer for the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London’s Metropolitan Police Service.
Bodyguardis a British thriller that centers around an Army veteran turned police sergeant David Budd (Richard Madden), who is assigned to be the security and private protection for controversial Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes).With a palpable atmosphere throughout the six-part series, political tensions and personal issues create threats for both Budd and Montague as the challenges soon surmount into explosive revelations and acts of violence.
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Without doubt, Madden produces an iconic display in one of his breakout roles. His steely and confident portrayal of a security officer driven to the brink by a government conspiracy is incredibly captivating and elevates the whole series. The stakes are ever present as there is a constant threat to life, and in the series finale, Budd is literally forced into a life-or-death situation wearing a suicide vest as he must prove his innocence while helping save those close to him. It is truly a wild ride, filled with high-paced action and compelling performances throughout the cast.
Black Bird
Inspired by the true story of convicted serial killer Larry Hall, Black Bird is an Apple TV+ drama series that follows a wealthy young named James Keene Jr., who finds himself imprisoned after being convicted on drugs and weapons charges. Fortunately for James, the FBI offers him an early out - if he can get Larry to sign a confession by befriending him in prison, his sentence will be commuted.
In the crime drama miniseriesBlack Bird,the story follows that of Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), a charming drug and arms dealer who ends up getting 10 years in prison without parole. With his father’s health starting to fail, he is offered a lifeline by the FBI to be released early if he can transfer to a facility for the mentally insane and get a confession from the serial rapist and murderer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser). What follows is a cat-and-mouse game with time running out, where Keene must befriend and trick Hall into confessing without realizing the ruse.
Black Birdis an adaption of James Keene’s 2010 autobiographical novelIn with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption.
With only six episodes,Black Birdis the perfect series to binge-watch, featuring two of the best performances in recent years from Egerton and Hauser. The two show electric chemistry throughout, with Egerton’s cocky and charismatic style playing off Hauser’s demented and introverted role discussing crimes, sexual escapades, and life with a high-stakes narrative that is genuinely gripping. The show is paced to perfection, with hardly a scene or sentence that doesn’t advance or elevate the story, and its real-life basis adds another layer of authenticity.
The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House is a 2018 horror drama series that interweaves the past and present narrative of a family grappling with traumatic occurrences from their former residence. The story explores the psychological and supernatural elements of their experiences as they contend with haunting memories and events.
American supernatural horror seriesThe Haunting Of Hill House, loosely based on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel of the same name, focuses on five adult siblings and their experiences at Hill House in their childhood and the effect on their daily livesin the present day, told in parallel timelines. The series ensemble cast features Michiel Huisman, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, and Victoria Pedretti, as the five adults who are struggling to live their lives after the horrific experiences they have gone through.
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Described asone of the best horror shows of the decade,The Haunting Of Hill Houseis a series with ten episodes that allows for the full development of the storylineand the characters within. With many hair-raising moments and genuinely terrifying sequences, it is a compelling narrative that is full of paranormal twists and turns. The film has a foreboding sense of dread, and it expertly combines the scary elements with a deep exploration of family dynamics that makes it one of the best series to watch as quickly as possible.
Mare of Easttown
Mare of Easttown is a mystery crime-drama that stars Kate Winslet as a detective attempting to solve a murder as her life crumbles around her. Marianne “Mare” Sheehan is assigned to investigate the murder of one girl while trying to tackle a cold case of another missing girl. Having recently lost her son, Mare’s world is steeped in chaos as she attempts to reclaim her life in the eyes of the town - and herself.
Mare of Easttownfollows Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet), a troubled small-town detective who is investigating the recent murder of a teenage mother. Sheehan’s own life provides as many obstacles as the case, with a divorce on the horizon, her son who took his own life, and a horrid custody battle for her grandson with her son’s ex-partner, who was addicted to heroin.
Winslet gives one of the best performances of her career in an ensemble cast that features Jean Smart and Evan Peters. It offers a sensational blend of criminal mystery and personal drama that keeps the audience guessing and desperate to know more. Winslet’s portrayal as a detective barely hanging on while struggling with her own demons and a previous unsolved case of a missing girl that has left her doubting her abilities makes forthe perfect seven-part miniseries that must be binge-watched.
Sharp Objects
Sharp Objects is an HBO thriller mini-series that centers on reporter Camille Preaker, a woman with a dark past returning to her hometown. Returning to Wind Gap, Missouri, to investigate two murders, she takes up at her childhood home, where she must now contend with her mother, who will force her to reckon with her past.
Sharp Objectsis a psychological thriller series that tells the story of Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), a troubled reporter who returns to work in her hometown, covering the brutal murder of two young girls. Once home, she finds herself under the thumb of her overbearing and critical socialite mother, who forces Camille to explore her demons, with her having a history of alcoholism for many years and just recently being discharged from a psychiatric hospital after problems related to a troubled childhood.
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The series has been universally praised for its compelling visuals, dark atmospheric tone, and masterful direction.Adams gives one of the best performances of the year as the haunted journalist who harbors many dark secrets. There are many chilling moments, and the story of the murders mirrors the horrific and torrid issues that are plaguing Camille.It is an incredibly well-executed series with a unique and interesting narrative with many sensational performances, a perfect recipe for a series that is easy to watch in one go.
Chernobyl
Chernobyl is a miniseries dramatizing the 1986 nuclear accident, highlighting the efforts of the individuals who worked tirelessly to mitigate its impact. Released in 2019, this historical depiction captures both the technical and human aspects of one of the most significant industrial disasters in history.
The five-part historical drama miniseriesChernobyl, recounts one of the most famous disasters of the modern world, the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster, and the subsequent cleanup and fallout of what followed. One ofthe most realistic portrayals of the disastercaptures several stories surrounding the incident, showing events before, during, and after that truly encapsulate the enormity of the catastrophic failure.
The release of each episode was accompanied by a podcast in which creator Craig Mazin and NPR host Peter Sagal discussed the show and the decisions behind each episode.
At only five episodes,Chernobylis the shortest series in the ranking, but that doesn’t mean it lacks in any of the storytelling or character development. The fact it is retelling a harrowing real-life account of the events makes it an absolutely gripping and, at times, disturbing watch. The performances up and down the cast are all spellbinding, providing a haunting atmosphere and grim depiction of the whole disaster. It is one of the best series ever created, receiving an incredible 19 nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards, and one of the best shows to binge-watch in history.
