Suspense within the thriller genre in TV shows can be difficult to cultivate, as the narrative must develop slowly throughout an entire season. Plenty of these projects fall into the miniseries format, like the best thriller TV shows of 2024. However, it's even more impressive when a thriller series can maintain momentum and mystery across multiple seasons. The pacing, foreshadowing, and number of red herrings must be perfectly balanced to keep the audience engaged while not alienating them and making the plot too convoluted. This makes it especially intriguing to watch a show that provides a genuinely shocking ending.

Many underrated recent detective shows use thriller and mystery elements to great effect, as most projects within the genre revolve around murder or some type of criminal activity. Whether the story is told from the perspective of a detective, a victim, or a curious third party, the protagonist always has a sense of curiosity and intuition that drives them to find the truth. It's common for these shows to touch upon sensitive subjects and occasionally incorporate graphic imagery into the story. However, these visuals and narrative arcs all serve to the central themes and message of the mystery.

10 The Undoing (2020)

Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant play a dangerous game of cat and mouse

Nicole Kidman has lent her skills to many moody thriller miniseries, and The Undoing is no exception to her phenomenal work. In one of Hugh Grant's best TV villain performances, Grant and Kidman costar as a married couple, Jonathan and Grace, whose seemingly idyllic life is thrown into chaos when Jonathan is connected to the murder of a local woman. Set against the backdrop of wealth and privilege in Manhattan, The Undoing pushes the viewer to wonder if Jonathan is capable of murder or if he's the loving husband Grace always thought he was.

The gorgeous visuals and luxurious sets juxtapose the evil hidden just below the surface of their affluent community, and the prying eyes of neighbors make the tension all the more immediate.

The series takes several dark turns throughout its episodes and sees Grace and Jonathan grow suspicious of each other, forcing Grace to protect their son and decide what side she's on. The gorgeous visuals and luxurious sets juxtapose the evil hidden just below the surface of their affluent community, and the prying eyes of neighbors make the tension all the more immediate. Overall, the anchor of the twisting narrative is the performances of Kidman and Grant.

9 Dark (2017–2020)

The stories and mysteries of Dark live up to its name

Netflix's German sci-fi thriller, Dark, remained consistently highly rated and engaging throughout its three-season run and is a perfect blend of the speculative fiction and thriller genres. The series begins with the disappearance of a young boy, which sparks the residents of the town to search for him, but they uncover a much more sinister secret. Incorporating time travel, intergenerational trauma, and deliberately methodical pacing, Dark is a marathon of intense emotional storytelling.

Dark tells an intricately woven story, and its multiple timelines and intersecting realities can be difficult to keep track of by the final season. However, the layers are well worth peeling back, as uncovering the secrets that link the characters and their fates is what keeps the audience coming back with each installment. Even when the narrative starts to become comprehensible, Dark will throw in a twist that's impossible to see coming.

8 The Sinner (2017–2021)

With each installment of The Sinner, the audience gets closer to understanding the detective at the heart of the series

The killer is never who the audience expects in The Sinner, and even when it seems a case is cut and dry, there's always a hidden conspiracy behind every corner. By using a semi-anthology format, the series follows the same detective on different cases that all leave him feeling empty and uncertain by the season's end. While The Sinner tells many tragic and difficult stories, they all are beautifully crafted, staying one step ahead of the viewer until the end.

Even if the audience knows that Ambrose will crack the case, this doesn't mean that The Sinner will provide a happy ending.

Despite being originally intended as a miniseries, The Sinner had clear potential to become a multi-season series, with Bill Pullman anchoring every installment as detective Harry Ambrose. It quickly justified its continued run in season 2, as the story grew more personal for Ambrose, seeing him return to his hometown and uncover the truth of what's been happening below the town's veneer. Even if the audience knows that Ambrose will crack the case, this doesn't mean that The Sinner will provide a happy ending.

7 Sharp Objects (2018)

Amy Adams is at her best in this devastating psychological drama

It's always incredible to witness an actor giving a career-defining performance, which happened with Amy Adams playing Camille Preaker in Sharp Objects. Based on Gillian Flynn's novel of the same name, Sharp Objects is a compelling psychological thriller that sees Camille grapple with her town's history and her family's legacy as young girls start going missing for the second time in recent memory. Though she's spent most of her life running from this place, Camille is forced to return and reckon with her past.

The shocking conclusion of Sharp Objects cements the series as one that will never be forgotten, as even the intelligent Camille couldn't have predicted the twist. As a journalist, Camille s forces with the detective from out of town, Richard (Chris Messina), who pushes her to heal her wounds while attempting to uncover who's behind the gruesome killings. The idyllic and rural setting of the town sharply juxtaposes the horrible events, making Sharp Objects a classic Southern Gothic tale.

6 Severance (2022–Present)

For every piece of information that Severance reveals, a new mystery rears its head

Waiting for Severance season 2 has been difficult, but it's only made the follow-up to the universally praised first season all the more anticipated. Severance stars Adam Scott as Mark, an employee at Lumon Industries who's undergone a severing operation, which creates a mental divide between his life at work and his home life. Mark's relationships with the other employees and their realization that Lumon isn't what it seems are the main conflicts and mysteries of Severance.

There's no question that Severance season 2 will increase the tension and draw the audience deeper into Lumon's web.

Part of the reason Severance works is because each of the characters has two personas that don't know anything about each other, making it impossible to share information and piece together where the mysteries intersect. Though there are satirical elements and searing commentary on the capitalistic work environment, there's more than corporate greed at work behind the scenes in Severance. There's no question that Severance season 2 will increase the tension and draw the audience deeper into Lumon's web.

5 Fargo (2014–Present)

The anthology series continues the themes and tone of the beloved Coen Brothers movie

Loosely based on the 1996 film of the same name by the Coen Brothers, every installment of Fargo is set in the same universe but focuses on a new mystery or investigation. Intertwining the lives of the detectives, the criminals, and the victims, Fargo uses its offbeat and satirical tone to comment on the tropes and pitfalls of the thriller genre. The most recent season of Fargo was a stunning return to form featuring Juno Temple, Jon Hamm, and Lamorne Morris, who work together to create a spellbinding story.

The future of Fargo remains uncertain, but after the success of season 5, there's hope that Fargo season 6 could happen eventually. Every season of Fargo touches upon the concept of the term "Minnesota Nice," which dictates that the residents of the upper Midwest will behave with politeness and decency, even when they're hiding something darker. This is exactly what happens to the characters in each season of Fargo, as their cheerful exteriors are a front for a complex web of danger and deception.

4 Yellowjackets (2021–Present)

The characters in Yellowjackets have buried the secrets of what happened to them too deep

From the moment it first premiered on Showtime, Yellowjackets connected with audiences because of the way it updated the survival genre and gave it a supernatural twist. Though it's frequently compared to Lord of the Flies, Yellowjackets is different because it follows the young women in the immediate aftermath of their plane crash in the wilderness, as well as the lives of the survivors in the present. However, even though the audience is privy to the women's lives today, they keep their secrets about the past very close.

There have been hints about what the girls will resort to in the woods and the hidden malevolent power hidden within the woods, but nothing concrete is known quite yet.

As Yellowjackets season 3 draws closer, there are still many mysteries that have yet to be unraveled, namely the answer to opening scene of season 1. There have been hints about what the girls will resort to in the woods and the hidden malevolent power hidden within the woods, but nothing concrete is known quite yet. Whether this supernatural force is real and controlling their fates or if the women are responding to this horrible, life-changing event, the only way they know how remains to be seen.

3 Homecoming (2018–2020)

Memory becomes unreliable in this twisting tale of deception and exploitation

Julia Roberts stars in Homecoming season 1, with Janelle Monáe taking over as the lead in season 2. The unsettling series touches upon the mercurial nature of memory as both protagonists struggle to who they are or some of the most significant events of their lives. Told through two parallel timelines, Homecoming follows the events that unfold at a facility for recently returned veterans and a present investigation into the true purpose behind this center.

Though Homecoming season 2 didn't quite meet the expectations set by season 1, it's still worth watching for the performances and innovative continuation of the story. While it incorporates some light sci-fi elements, Homecoming is deeply entwined with current political discussions. These conversations touch upon how the government often fails veterans after they return from serving their country. This makes it all the more insidious when the audience slowly pieces together what the Homecoming facility is trying to do.

2 True Detective (2014–Present)

While each seasons of True Detective has something to offer, season 1 is by far the best

The anthology thriller series True Detective arguably peaked with its first season, but there's still a lot to recommend the following installments, especially seasons 3 and 4, Night Country. However, most of 's best episodes across the four seasons are from season 1, as this is the tightest and most compelling story of the series. Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey star as the two lead detectives in season 1, who are the perfect foils to each other, resulting in an ideal investigative partnership.

The final episode and chase scene in True Detective season 1 is one of the most terrifying and nail-biting moments of television of the 21st century.

Bouncing back and forth between the past and present, True Detective season 1 revolves around a cold case that becomes more frightening and unbelievable with every episode. Each season tackles a difficult case that spans a long period of time, allowing the characters to revisit locations and clues that they might have overlooked in the past. The final episode and chase scene in True Detective season 1 is one of the most terrifying and nail-biting moments of television of the 21st century.

True Detective has been renewed for season 5 after the success of Night Country (via Variety).

Season	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
1	92%	91%
2	47%	29%
3	84%	57%
Night Country	93%	56%

1 Mare Of Easttown (2021)

Kate Winslet is at her best as the tough and tortured Mare

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Mare of Easttown

TV-MA

8/10

8.7/10

Release Date

2021 - 2021-00-00

Network

HBO Max

Showrunner

Brad Ingelsby

Cast

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  Angourie Rice
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  Evan Peters

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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.

Directors

Craig Zobel

Writers

Brad Ingelsby

Seasons

1

Streaming Service(s)

MAX

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Mare is one of the best roles of Kate Winslet's career, and the actress brings the complex figure to life with ease across the series' seven episodes. Mare of Easttown was an immediate hit with critics and audiences who watched the HBO miniseries, and it's no wonder considering how effectively the narrative unravels before the viewer's eyes. There are many unexpected twists in Mare of Easttown, and even when it seems that the case is wrapped up, one last twist of the knife makes the story even more tragic.

However, even though there's plenty of darkness and tragedy in Mare of Easttown, there are glimmers of hope for Mare and her family, who are just as important to the narrative as the mystery. Mare has a difficult time putting up boundaries between her work and her home life, and she chafes against the expectations and familiarity of the town she's lived in her entire life. Though Winslet carries the project, each actor fleshes out the world and makes Easttown feel all too real and lived in.

Season	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
1	95%	94%