The 26 Best Crime Shows on Netflix (original) (raw)
Jake Weary as Cane standing outside on the dock with Melissa Benoist as Bree in The Waterfront
Image via Netflix
Updated Jun 28, 2025, 7:01 PM EDT
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Are you finding yourself in the mood for murder, most foul? Well, we have you covered with our list of the Best Crime Series on Netflix. From docuseries like The Keepers to Netflix originals like Mindhunter and Bloodline, as well as British series like Bodyguard and Peaky Blinders, there should be something to tempt you below.
Like with our Best TV Dramas on Netflix, we have even more lists of TV subgenres on the streaming giant to share, including the Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Best TV Comedies, and more. So if you don’t see your favorites here, keep checking! This list will continue to grow, but for now, check out our list of crime-specific recommendations below and let us know some of your other favorites in the comments.
Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.
Editor's note: This article was updated June 2025 to include The Waterfront.
‘The Waterfront’ (2025 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 64% | IMDb: 6.9/10
Release Date
2025 - 2025-00-00
Network
Netflix
Directors
Jann Turner, Liz Friedlander, Marcos Siega
Writers
Katelyn Crabb
Creator(s)
Kevin Williamson
The Western genre is as popular as ever, with the latest in a line of big-budget streaming efforts coming in the form of The Waterfront. The series follows the once-successful Buckley family as they battle with outside evils and inner conflict in the wake of their decaying fishing empire. Created by Kevin Williamson, this indulgent soap opera might not be for everyone, but for fans of a Western, there’s nothing better. - Jake Hodges
‘Adolescence’ (2025)
Rotten Tomatoes: 99% | IMDb: 8.4/10
Release Date
March 13, 2025
Network
Netflix
Directors
Philip Barantini
Writers
Stephen Graham, Jack Thorne
Created by the genius minds of Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, Adolescence tells the story of the Miller family, whose lives are turned upside down one fateful morning when the police raid their house and arrest their 13-year-old son, Jamie (Owen Cooper), for murder. With a well-deserved 99% Rotten Tomatoes score, Adolescence stands tall as both a remarkable feat of filmmaking and a culturally significant achievement in storytelling. One of the best miniseries to be released in years, there won’t be a single dry eye on any couch across the world following the end of this four-part drama, with each episode incredibly shot in one consecutive long take. - Jake Hodges
‘The Perfect Couple’ (2024)
Rotten Tomatoes: 64% | IMDb: 6.5/10
Release Date
2024 - 2023
Network
Netflix
Directors
Based on Elin Hilderbrand’s eponymous 2018 novel, The Perfect Couple follows Amelia Sacks, who is about to marry into the Winbury family, one of the wealthiest on Nantucket Island. But when a body is suddenly discovered on the estate before the ceremony, everyone becomes a suspect, with the investigation revealing shocking details about each family member and derailing the wedding. Created by Jenna Lamia and directed by Susanne Bier, The Perfect Couple boasts an ensemble cast featuring Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Billy Howle, Meghan Fahy, Dakota Fanning, and many more. Released in September 2024, the mystery drama miniseries features an intriguing narrative with solid cast performances and sweeping vistas and has been compared to shows like Big Little Lies (another mystery starring Kidman) and The White Lotus. While it has received somewhat mixed reviews, The Perfect Couple maintains all the elements that make a cozy, seaside murder mystery, akin to Agatha Christie’s stories or the works of Liane Moriarty.
'NCIS' (2003 - Present)
IMDb: 7.8/10
Release Date
September 23, 2003
Network
Showrunner
Donald P. Bellisario
Cast
Sean Murray
Timothy McGee
david mccallum
Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard
One of the most beloved procedurals in 21st-century television, this series follows the Major Case Response Team (MCRT) from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) as they investigate an unending barrage of criminal cases on a day-to-day basis. Often shocking and always thrilling, NCIS takes the stereotype held by the police procedural sub-genre and throws it out the window, crafting a series that manages to impress in both quantity and quality. The show is a fond favorite of both the public and critics, even earning three Primetime Emmy nominations during its run — one that doesn’t look to be ending anytime soon. - Jake Hodges
'Dare Me' (2019 - 2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 85% | IMDb: 6.7/10
Release Date
2019 - 2020-00-00
Directors
Megan Griffiths, Jamie Travis
Based on Megan Abbott’s novel of the same name, Dare Me follows a new high school cheerleading coach, Colette French (Willa Fitzgerald), who arrives expecting a simple job but instead finds a high school hierarchy full of toxicity desperate to be explored. Despite being canceled before it had the chance to fully flourish, the 10 episodes of Dare Me that do exist are more than enough to provide tension and entertainment in abundance. A mixture of mature drama and teen themes, each of the high schoolers has a personality that feels rooted in the true duality of an adolescent, with their costly mistakes both morally reprehensible and understandable. - Jake Hodges
'Bodies' (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 7.3/10
Release Date
2023 - 2023-00-00
Showrunner
Paul Tomalin
Directors
Marco Kreuzpainter, Haolu Wang
Writers
Paul Tomalin, Danusia Samal
This Netflix hit, based on the graphic novel and DC comic of the same name, features four periods in history across over 100 years, all set in the same London location and featuring the very same murder. It soon becomes clear that each is linked, especially when it is discovered that the body in question is exactly the same one spread across time. Starring the likes of Shira Haas, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, and the brilliant Stephen Graham, Bodies is a mind and time-bending tale that takes time to piece together, but once the mystery begins to unravel, it is thoroughly gripping. Featuring a story that feels wholly unique, the series is both a breath of fresh air and a wonderful addition to the crime and sci-fi genres. - Jake Hodges
'In From the Cold' (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 71% | IMDb: 6.3/10
Release Date
2022 - 2022-00-00
Network
Netflix
Cast
Cillian O'Sullivan
Chauncey
Created by Adam Glass, In From the Cold details the combination of professional and private life, as ex-Russian spy Jenny (Margarita Levieva) is outed by a CIA agent for her secret past and must try and save her family from a dangerous threat. Intriguing and twisted in all the best ways, In From the Cold manages to balance a slowly evolving mystery with tender character development. By mixing both the crime and sci-fi genres, In From the Cold offers something for everyone, with eight episodes of thrilling entertainment punctuated by moments of camp excitement. - Jake Hodges
'Lupin' (2021 - Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 7.5/10
Release Date
January 8, 2021
Showrunner
George Kay
Directors
Louis Leterrier, Marcela Said, Ludovic Bernard, Hugo Gélin, Daniel Grou, Xavier Gens
Writers
François Uzan, George Kay, Eliane Montane, Sumerah Srivastav
One of French television’s most-loved series, Lupin follows Omar Sy as the suave Assane Diop, a man with a Robin Hood-like moral compass who seeks revenge on a wealthy family that inflicted tragedy on his own. Inspired by the Arsène Lupin novels by Maurice Leblanc, Lupin never drops below its high-octane opening episode. Beyond its detailed cinematography and action-heavy plot, the star of Lupin is its greatest asset, with Sy’s witty, brooding performance of a man that mixes Sherlock with Luther the sort of lead role that inspires a generation of actors. Simply put, Lupin is one of the best crime shows on Netflix. - Jake Hodges
'Inside Man' (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 67% | IMDb: 6.6/10
Release Date
2022 - 2022-00-00
Network
BBC One
Directors
Paul McGuigan
Writers
Steven Moffat
The mind of Steven Moffat has produced some brilliant modern series, with this perhaps his most underrated. Inside Man follows David Tennant’s loyal vicar, Harry, who, after a moment of miscommunication, leads a woman to believe his son is committing an evil crime and accidentally locks her up in his basement. Pair this with a Sherlock-esque Stanley Tucci, and you have a recipe for a puzzling, dramatic series. With twists and turns aplenty, the lengths a man will go to protect his own are explored in beautiful depth throughout Inside Man, with Tennant producing a performance well worthy of his excellent pedigree. - Jake Hodges
'Better Call Saul' (2015 - 2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 9.0/10
Release Date
2015 - 2022-00-00
Network
AMC
Showrunner
Peter Gould
A spin-off of the legendary Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul follows one of the show’s most intriguing characters, Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), as he lives out his life as a hotshot lawyer back when he was known simply as Jimmy McGill. The series follows the events that led to his eventual iconic meeting with Walter White (Bryan Cranston). Featuring a revolving door of genius characters, some from Breaking Bad and some new, Better Call Saul champions the best assets of its predecessor as a sometimes comic and always emotionally gripping rollercoaster. The best compliment that can be paid to the show is just how close it comes in quality to its source material, which is no mean feat for any series in the history of television. - Jake Hodges