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7 crime shows to watch on Netflix now
You can’t underestimate the power of Netflix. In the 17 years since it first came on the scene, the streaming giant – which is worth over £200bn – has become so much more than an entertainment hub. It’s a cultural and social phenomenon which has changed the way we think about, and even the way we watch, films and TV shows.
Fans of high-quality crime television drama have long relied on Netflix to produce and platform some of the world’s finest TV content. It’s where so many of us first saw the likes of Ozark, Mindhuter, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Money Heist, Lupin and Narcos, after all.
How about now, though? What are the newest must-see crime TV dramas on Netflix…? We’ve done some digging, and here are our top seven picks…
Best crime shows on Netflix in 2024
Ripley
Those familiar with Patricia Highsmith’s work will likely be aware that this very recent adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley isn’t the first time her character Tom Ripley has appeared on the big or small screen. Here, Moriarty himself, Andrew Scott, takes on the dastardly swindler, following in the footsteps of Matt Damon, John Malkovich, Barry Pepper, Dennis Hopper and Alain Delon.
Scott cuts a dash as the eponymous criminal in this eight-part series, which is artfully shot on classy, lush, black and white digital film. Schindler’s List screenwriter Steven Zaillian is behind the project, and it’s a neo-noir that’s firmly aware of its influences (directors like Hitchcock, Fellini and Antonioni loom large) and all the better for it. Dakota Fanning, Johnny Flynn and Maurizio Lombardi co-star.
The Gentlemen
For many discerning viewers, the name ‘Guy Ritchie’ might well have them reaching for their remotes. That would be a hasty move in this case, however. The braggadocio of the writer/director’s earlier works has relented somewhat, with the older Ritchie much more interested in character and theme than sharp-dressed cockneys shooting everyone.
That said, there are some sharp-dressed cockneys in this TV spin-off of his 2019 film of the same name. And, admittedly, a fair amount of people get shot. Still, this rare foray onto the silver screen for Ritchie sees him write and co-direct eight episodes of cleverly put-together criminal fun.
Theo James and Kaya Scodelario excel in the leads. Of course, there’s a part for frequent Guy Ritchie collaborator Vinnie Jones, but even he gives a restrained and mature performance. Overall, this is surprisingly excellent original Netflix content.
The Valhalla Murders
A stark yet beautiful detective thriller, this is as gritty and enthralling as televisual Scandi-noir gets. The themes, characters and plotting are all somewhat familiar to fans of the subgenre, but this eight-episode police procedural does everything right.
It’s a slow burn that rewards its viewers’ patience. This intriguing mixture of whodunit and gender politics, dusted in snow, is perfect for anyone who’s just finished – and now misses – watching Issa López’s True Detective: Night Country.
Griselda
If you’re a fan of subtle crime dramas with low-key performances and gritty realism, then you might want to dodge this high-budget biographical thriller series. There’s very little that’s subtle, low-key or gritty in Griselda, a miniseries from the producers of Narcos. This is unashamedly over-the-top TV craziness at its best.
Sofía Vergara plays Griselda Blanco, the infamous Colombian drug cartel boss. Across six episodes we watch her rise and fall in the competitive Miami cocaine scene of the 1970’s, ’80s and ’90s. Critics have suggested that Griselda glamorises its subject somewhat and, to an extent, that’s true. If you can see past that, however, it’s a lot of fun – and, incidentally, one of our favourite TV shows of 2024.
Monk
Netflix may be known for its original content, but the streaming service is also loved for its broad offering of old favourites. Fans of Monk – and there are plenty of them – will have been very pleased recently when they saw that all eight series’ and 125 episodes of the enjoyable detective show are now available to stream on Netflix.
Monk sees Tony Shalhoub as the central character Adrian Monk, a private investigator beset by a litany of phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Monk’s mostly seen collaborating with the San Francisco Police Department to solve their more peculiar crimes, all while trying to track down his wife’s murderer. The show received great praise during its run on television, winning eight Emmys, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe. It’s well worth another look.
Bodies
It’s a murder mystery, but not as you know it. Torchwood co-writer Paul Tomalin’s classy whodunit Bodies is technically a crime drama, but it’s so much more than that. It’s also an impressively high-concept piece of science fiction.
The premise is an extremely intriguing one – even for folk that wouldn’t usually class themselves as fans of sci-fi: a dead body appears on the exact same London street in three distinct time periods. Detectives from the years 1890, 1941 and 2023 all find the body and start their investigations. But here’s the rub: it’s the very same victim in all three time periods. That’s when things get really weird.
Dexter
Few TV crime fans are unaware of Dexter. There’s a good chance you’ve already watched some, if not all, of this incredibly fun – but incredibly twisted – Miami-set series, but it’s recently been added to Netflix. There are 96 episodes across eight series’ to run through – 106 episodes across nine series if you take Dexter: New Blood into consideration.
Michael C. Hall plays Dexter Morgan, the forensic technician who helps catch killers by day and is a serial killer who kills them by night. That’s right, there’s a fair bit of killing involved.
Have we missed your favourite? Let us know your top crime dramas from the streaming giant in the comments below…
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