Let’s be real: few things hit the spot like a taut crime drama. Whether you fancy yourself an amateur sleuth or simply enjoy watching morally messy characters go off the rails, the right show can keep you locked in for hours on end. If you’re craving twists, tension, and stories that make you second-guess every character’s motives, this countdown is for you. Starting from newer standouts to the genre’s modern legends, here are 10 crime dramas worth every minute.
10. The Sinner
Fans of brooding investigators will immediately latch onto Detective Harry Ambrose, played with weary brilliance by Bill Pullman. Each season unpacks a different “why” rather than “who,” diving deep into the emotional unraveling behind violent acts. The first season, which borrowed from the plot of Petra Hammesfahr’s novel, is unforgettable and haunting enough to have you staring at your ceiling for a long while after the credits roll.
9. Peaky Blinders
Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby is charisma and menace rolled into one. Set in post-World War I Birmingham, this stylish saga follows the Shelby family’s criminal empire as it grows, collides with rivals, and tests loyalty at every turn. With six seasons of razor-sharp storytelling, a film on the horizon-it’s easily one of the most addictive period crime dramas around.
8. Ozark
Meet the Byrdes, ordinary on the surface, and deeply entangled in cartel crime underneath. Ozark is all about calculated risk, moral compromise, and the terrifying calm with which Jason Bateman and Laura Linney’s characters navigate their double lives. The constant escalation makes every episode feel like a pressure cooker ready to blow.
7. Narcos
Narcos chronicles with unflinching eyes the drug trade, capturing Pablo Escobar’s brutal empire and the U.S. agents determined to stop him. Wagner Moura’s performance as Escobar is hypnotic, and Pedro Pascal and Boyd Holbrook bring intensity to the law-enforcement side of the story. And if you still want more after that, Narcos: Mexico is just as gripping.
6. Money Heist
Stylish chaos is your thing; this series is it. With its iconic red jumpsuits and Dali masks, Money Heist follows a group of thieves carrying out meticulously planned robberies under the direction of the enigmatic Professor. High emotion, high stakes, and nonstop surprises make it a global obsession for a reason.
5. Mindhunter
This slow-burning thriller gets inside the minds of America’s earliest profiled serial killers. Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany play FBI agents developing techniques that would define modern criminal psychology. Guided by David Fincher’s precise direction, the show is eerie, cerebral, and fascinating in the most unsettling way.
4. Griselda
Sofia Vergara plays notorious drug queenpin Griselda Blanco in the similarly titled Griselda, with a performance both fierce and transformative. The series refuses to glamorize her rise; instead, it shines a spotlight on the brutality and manipulation fuelling her power. It is a show with some serious punch, thanks to standout support from Martín Rodríguez and Alberto Guerra.
3. Collateral
With just four episodes, Collateral gets down to business. What initially appears to be a straightforward murder quickly becomes a waltz through politics and society, focusing on immigration, the military, and government secrets. The always-excellent Carey Mulligan plays the lead, DI Kip Glaspie, whose tenacity pushes the mystery through its various knots of interconnected truth.
2. Breaking Bad
A high school chemistry teacher becoming a meth kingpin? That premise shouldn’t work-but Breaking Bad turned it into a TV legend. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul deliver powerhouse performances as their characters descend into moral chaos. If you want even more nuance and character depth, the prequel Better Call Saul expands the universe masterfully.
1. Bodyguard
Tense, tight, and packed full of political tension, Bodyguard tells the story of war veteran David Budd, who is assigned to protect a contentious public figure. Anchoring the show is Golden Globe winner Richard Madden, along with explosive action, combined with sharp commentary on government power and trauma. Every episode feels like a timer counting down.
Whether you’re in the mood for some psychological tension, sprawling criminal empires, or pulse-pounding action, these series are guaranteed to pull you in. Just remember: with a crime drama, trust is a luxury, and the truth is never as it seems.