Akhilesh C.
With the advent of streaming services, we have been bombarded with an umpteen number of thriller shows of various genres. The versatility of the plot varies between gory and romantic, scary or comic, at differing levels of their script fidelity, from one show to another. Based on the different kinds of audiences that we are, we possess a multifaceted taste in various sub-genres of thrillers. So here, we bring the list of the top thriller TV series ever, each of which is rare in its subject and offers a thrill of its own.
22. Sense8 (2015–2018)
Probably a dream story of many, interlinking people with the use of some kind of a supernatural phenomenon, in this case, the Homo Sensorium, ‘Sense8’ is a story of mentally interconnected folks from different parts of the world. In ‘Sense8,’ all eight Sensates have the ability to form one symbiotically living organism, like a remote colony, and share things like their day-to-day thoughts, etc. Throw in an antagonist who was previously chasing the mother of all Sensates, a few more Sensates living symbiotically separately from the present group of eight, and the thrill percolates down further.
21. Person of Interest (2011-2016)
A series comprising the conflicts of enigmas between what is ethical and what’s not, what is actionable and what may not be, ‘Person of Interest’ exploits the impressive technological prowess of “The Machine,” which provides actionable, credible artificial intelligence on the probable terrorist attacks and other deadly crimes. In the interest of the ethical angle of the usage of said Machine, for it was made for a higher purpose, the developer of “The Machine” restricts the information used only to a Social Security Number, either of the victim or the criminal (a.k.a. the Person of Interest). Bring in a vigilante ex-Green Beret who’s willing to break a few bones, a few competing machines (Samaritan), and the CIA, of course, who has to be involved in all high-tech science projects, and voila, Person of Interest! ‘Person of Interest’ has evolved to gather a cult following and is one of the best shows out there.
20. Hannibal (2013-2015)
‘Hannibal’ follows an extremely talented FBI profiler, who confronts a cannibalistic serial killer, and the rest is the story of their relationship that borders between symbiosis and invasion. As Will Graham, the profiler, gets into the shoes of Mr. Lecter, the thrill runs high, and it is slightly cringeworthy to watch Hannibal gourmet the hell out of human body parts. Mads Mikkelsen’s Hannibal is no less than a satanic, abominable, excruciatingly cold, and haunting rendition of the purported Hannibal per se, and is the best thing about the series. With the approval of IGN, IMDB, and Rotten Tomatoes of this series, its events and performances are savoury to the taste it puts to the screen.
19. Lost (2004-2010)
An ABC series, ‘Lost’ has grown and evolved from being a mere story of survivors of a plane crash on a tropical island to the parallel timelines, the Others, the mysterious Smoke Monster, mythical and advanced technological leaps, and conflict of interests. Captivating performances and cool sci-fi stuff make ‘Lost’ stand out among its peers, and it has had one of the highest numbers of viewers in television series history. Though it has officially ended, ‘Lost’ brought forward so many characters, notions, and thrills onboard that were certainly very high in magnitude and the brilliance of containing everyone in the same place. A replacement for ‘Lost’ may never be found.
18. Supernatural (2005–2020)
‘Supernatural’ is one of the longest-running TV series. A story of two brothers who had lost their mother and have a knack for warding off supernatural forces forms the show’s premise. Fueled by their avenging instinct for their mother’s and father’s deaths, they hunt dreadful demons and make to-and-fro turns to Hell itself. The CGI is effective and highlights the overall mood. Why would one watch ‘Supernatural’? To satisfy the urges and curiosities around the phenomena beyond human control and the fictitious know-how on prevention, if such situations do exist.
17. Daredevil (2015–2018)
Taking a step back from the Devils, we meet the Daredevil. The series goes no-holds-barred in showing Matt Murdock/Daredevil taking on criminals and thugs using his heightened senses, combat training, and skills as a lawyer. The best thing about the ‘Daredevil’ series is its action sequences and the casting. Matt Murdock, played by Charlie Cox, is as great as Vincent D’Onofrio, who plays Wilson Fisk, AKA Kingpin.
16. Dexter (2006-2013)
In ‘Dexter,’ the titular protagonist is a bloodstain analyst working for the Miami Police Department, who turns into a cold yet careful and methodical serial killer, complete with synthetic gloves and plastic screens. Instead of just killing any random person unlike a psycho, he goes after the dreaded paedophiles, rapists and other killers, who have somehow bypassed the judiciary and law. The intent, the specific ways of killing, and the way of getting away after killing the bad guys are at their best in ‘Dexter’. The plot is shown more like a Karma phenomenon, where what you help with during the day is nullified at night, which is rare. And no, we aren’t talking about any superpowers or supernatural phenomena here.
15. The Wire (2002-2008)
One of the highest-rated series on IMDB, ‘The Wire’ stands out from other drug-related, mobster TV series due to its multifaceted and micro-environmental approach to drugs. While all the characters, being drug dealers, addicts, crime cohorts, the police, and the lawmakers, are tightly interwoven, the granular viewpoint of their individual lives, their gangs, and their leaders steals the show. Apart from the performances, the varied perspectives of the same place every season are something to look out for. ‘The Wire’ consumes both your time and thrill, and gives the best outcome possible.
14. Mr. Robot (2015–2019)
In ‘Mr. Robot,’ a lonely, socially awkward cybersecurity engineer named Elliot, who hacks felons at night. He finds it difficult to cope with day-to-day things, yet he’s adept at his area of work. Though he’s shown as responsible for the death of his neighbour, a mysterious anarchist, one Mr Robot hires Elliot to work as a hacker on his behest for society. The plot is compelling and thick, with a specific agenda and the intended nemesis of E Corp a.k.a. Evil Corp. The sheer confusion, conviction, and composure of Elliot and the technically and scientifically sound scripts (thanks to the expertise of the likes of Black Hat, DEF CON, and Tanium, etc.) make ‘Mr. Robot’ one of the frontrunners of modern TV thrillers.
13. Narcos (2015–2017)
Based on the life and lies of Pablo Escobar, the Colombian drug lord and billionaire, ‘Narcos’ makes one wonder about the notorious supply chains and the revenue accumulated thereafter from the production and smuggling of Cocaine across the American borders. The rise and fall of Pablo Escobar, amidst a lot of corruption, arrests, and escapes, shows the grim reality of drug dependency and of the money mongers who contrive such heinous crimes under the cover of drug smuggling. A life full of betrayals and dogfights, Escobar’s shoes are the ones no one could step into, though nobody should try it either.
12. Twin Peaks (1990-2017)
A widely watched show of the 90s, which was later cancelled due to lower viewership, ‘Twin Peaks’ is a story set in the fictional town of Twin Peaks outside Washington. As the body of a homecoming queen is discovered under mysterious circumstances, the plot thickens, with more truths revealed about the dual standards in her life. The story progresses with the investigation of the unsolved murder mystery and the subplots involved therein. ‘Twin Peaks’ has often been regarded as one of the greatest television dramas ever, and certainly one of the best thrillers.
11. Prison Break (2005-2009)
‘Prison Break’ constitutes the minuscule and intricate dynamics of the Fox River State Penitentiary and the story of plots and twists around escape attempts. The protagonist’s brother, who has been convicted and is on death row, is supposedly to be saved using an escape from the prison by digging underneath it. The ensuing seasons involve recapturing the escaped convicts, their lives outside the mundane prison cells, and the other side of their personalities. Viewers need to look out for the performances of Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell in the show.
10. Black Mirror (2011-Present)
An anthology TV show dealing with the other side of the technological advancements and their drawbacks (for example, a webcam that has been snooping sensitive information that it’s not supposed to), ‘Black Mirror’ poses the chilling revelations and the after-effects of every leap and bound made in the field of information. A perfect binge material, as none of the episodes of any season are interrelated, ‘Black Mirror’ is twisted, mind-bending, and beautiful.
9. Stranger Things (2016–2025)
More than the thrill, ‘Stranger Things’ is effective for its unusual horror angle. Set in the 80s Indiana, a young boy disappears under mysterious circumstances, and a search operation follows, by the police, his friends, and family. Spiced up with many supernatural phenomena like telekinesis, unnatural human-based experiments producing supernatural results, and the “old-era unknown technology causing negative effects” viewpoint, ‘Stranger Things’ is a one-of-a-kind chilling and captivating show about humans and monsters.
8. True Detective (2014-2015)
Created by Nic Pizzolatto, ‘True Detective’ is an anthology crime drama series that deals with unique investigations led by various detectives. Over time, the show has had some of the best actors in Hollywood take on the lead roles, including Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Mahershala Ali, Jodie Foster, and Kali Reis. Delving deep into the crime genre, ‘’True Detective’ offers a gripping exploration of the darkness of the human mind and how light can be shone on it.
7. The Walking Dead (2010–2022)
A TV series that shook and baffled many of us, thanks to the dead people walking, ‘The Walking Dead’ is a beloved zombie show. It follows a sheriff who suddenly wakes up in a hospital and finds himself in a world free of humans but replete with the walkers. As he struggles to find more people like him, he moves closer to the despicable reality that the humans have become far more hostile than the walkers and that there’s no avail or escape from the dreadful epidemic. ‘The Walking Dead’ has broken all kinds of ceilings in terms of stellar performances and even taller scripts.
6. Fargo (2014–2024)
‘Fargo’ has fascinated viewers through the movie and the series. The Minnesota tales have interested many due to their spontaneity and the justness they portray, albeit in a dark, unbecoming way. Primarily being a murder investigation, the “getting away with murder” part is what makes it better. Billy Bob Thornton as Lorne is as spontaneous, cold-blooded, and deceitful as he gets. ‘Fargo’ is unsettling and nail-biting with its moments of malice and quirk.
5. Mindhunter (2017–2019)
‘Mindhunter’ tries to poke at the curtain of the mystery closest to us and yet, still, far from reach- the human brain. It follows two FBI agents, Holden Ford and Bill Tench, as they try to understand what makes a serial killer tick. ‘Mindhunter’ is based on the book of the same name by former FBI agent John Douglas, in collaboration with the writer Mark Olshaker. Helmed by David Fincher, it is a near-perfect portrayal of the incidents in the book, considering the creators have taken some creative license in drawing up the characters and managing their storylines.
4. Sharp Objects (2018)
‘Sharp Objects’ operates as a whodunnit; an examination of the psyche of a handful of broken women and their upbringing, while diving deep into the complex web of emotions and thoughts that constitute a person, also represented by random, quick cuts in scenes showing seemingly unrelated visuals derivative of the protagonist’s conflicted state of mind. It is dark, almost bleak, and psychologically disturbing on many levels, often unforgiving in its dramatic revealing of the many secrets the human brain is capable of housing under the complex umbrella term ‘behavioural psychology’. The visible effort and meticulousness put into crafting each shot make things all the more eerie and unsettling.
3. You (2018-2025)
‘You’ stars Penn Badgley as a serial killer who is often smitten with women and takes up different identities while going after them and making sure that no one stands in his way. If stalking is an art, he is a brilliant artist willing to take the bloody route to success. However, it is a game of patience as well, and one wrong move can jeopardize things big time. Beauty can be dangerous, and he needs to tread carefully if he wants to “capture” it. A gripping drama series about romance, obsession, and violence, ‘You’ is based on the books by Caroline Kepnes and is one of the most-viewed shows in the US.
2. Severance (2022- )
Dan Erickson’s sci-fi psychological thriller series ‘Severance’ has won many awards and, as of 2025, is the most-watched show in the history of Apple TV+. The series revolves around the workers at Lumon Industries, a biotechnology corporation. It has developed a medical procedure, AKA “severance,” that separates the professional and personal identities of its workers. In other words, they don’t remember the outside world when inside the premises, and forget what happened inside the premises once they are outside. However, confusion occurs when the different personalities collide without prior knowledge, setting forth a “series” of events, with a shocking truth hidden deep within the office. Starring Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman, and John Turturro, ‘Severance’ is a one-of-a-kind thriller show that is a must-watch.
1. Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
One of the highest-rated TV shows in history, ‘Breaking Bad’ ripens as it ages. We follow ingenious and later infamous chemistry teacher and cancer patient Walter White (Bryan Cranston) who exploits his skills and those of his crime cohort-cum-student Jesse (Aaron Paul) to synthesise methamphetamine or Crystal Meth, which is the best that has been produced, thanks to the technical know-how. As the series progresses, Walter White gets more restless and dilapidated while jugling gangs, his cancer, and the DEA. ‘Breaking Bad’ is, without a doubt, one of the greatest television series out there.
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