10 Shows Like The Accident You Must See

Netflix’s ‘The Accident‘ created by Leonardo Padrón, explores the fallout of a tragic accident that grips a small community of people in Santa Cruz, Mexico. When Rodri, the youngest son of Emiliano and Daniela, celebrates his birthday at a party organized in the family’s backyard, a mishap with a bouncing castle leads to the death of three children and a missing fourth. Subsequently, the families try to find the culprit behind the tragedy while still grieving for the lives of their children.

The show is an intimate reflection of the messy nature of people’s lives and how things spiral out of control in the wake of an extraordinary event. Each family grapples with conflicting emotions such as violence, aggression, infidelity, drug addiction, and irresponsibility, as they all come to the fore. Similarly, the following shows on this list examine the dark side of humanity after tragedy rips apart communities and families, forcing them to look into their souls and showcase their resilience in a turbulent period.

10. The Drowning (2021)

After losing her four-year-old son in a tragic drowning accident, Jodie Walsh tries to rebuild her life while contending with her grief. However, nine years after the incident, she views a boy who looks just like her son, forcing her to investigate without anyone believing her story. The British thriller show created by Francesca Brill and Luke Watson delves into the horrifying nature of an accidental death that haunts a mother forever. Like several parental figures from ‘The Accident,’ Jodie’s emotional and psychological journey reflects how desperate she is to reclaim her child’s life despite how slim her chances of success are. Even though people are hesitant to believe in her story, Jodie continues to push past her naysayers and find the truth herself in ‘The Drowning.‘

9. The Accident (2019)

‘The Accident,’ crafted by Jack Thorne, features not just a name similar to the Mexican show but also shares parts of its premise. In a small Welsh town named Glyngolau, where everyone knows everyone, a tragic explosion at a construction site leads to the death of several people, including children, which sparks an inquest into what led to the events and who is to blame. Like the Leonardo Padrón show, ‘The Accident‘ takes a deep dive into the far-reaching consequences of people’s actions, whether intentional or not. The story highlights key themes that are already present in the Netflix series, like internal politics, grief, losing all hope, and living with the reality of a tragedy in the aftermath of a terrifying event.

8. Blood (2018-2020)

Developed by Sophie Petzal, ‘Blood‘ follows a reclusive woman named Cat Hogan who has to travel back home after learning that her mother has passed away after falling over and hitting her head against a rock. Although the death is initially ruled as an accident, Cat suspects foul play as deeper and darker secrets within her family start to emerge in the thriller story.

Following on the same theme as ‘The Accident,‘ ‘Blood‘ is about secrets, agendas, manipulation, and lies, all festering under the wound of a tragic accident that serves as the spark for the narrative to ignite. The show delves into the layers of nuance surrounding a family’s long-buried past and how connections can often have a profound significance in the lives of people beyond just a name or identity. Ultimately, the story poses the same question inquired by the Netflix show: Is an accident ever really an accident?

7. The Bay (2019-)

In ‘The Bay,‘ the disappearance of two teenagers leads to an investigation that complicates matters when personal alliances and secret trysts come into play. Created by Daragh Carville and Richard Clark, the show follows Detective Sergeant Lisa Armstrong as she picks up a missing persons case for the Meredith twins, Dylan and Holly. However, when she discovers that the married stepfather of the teens is the man she had sex with the previous night, she decides to let her personal judgment overtake her professional duty.

The precarious situation and decisions undertaken by Lisa in the show’s premise resemble the irresponsible decisions taken by the characters in ‘The Accident.‘ While ‘The Bay’ may not be strictly about an accident, its themes of familial estrangement, interpersonal complications, and tragedy are all shared with the Mexican show, which is all about unintended consequences.

6. Safe (2018)

In ‘Safe,‘ created by Harlan Coben, a widowed surgeon, Tom, finds his life uprooted when his oldest daughter, Jenny, goes missing with her boyfriend in their gated community. With the help of his girlfriend, Sophie, a police detective, Tom undertakes a recovery mission to locate his daughter’s whereabouts and bring her home. However, he soon unearths hidden agendas and secrets lurking underneath the pristine exterior of their neighborhood.

Both ‘Safe‘ and ‘The Accident‘ align themselves through the exploration of an extraordinary event that ripples through society while the parents of the children try to grapple with their anxieties. While the show is not as centered on a tragic accident as the Mexican series, it alights upon the same themes – pulsing thriller narration, lies, deception, and estranged family ties that get exacerbated after two teenagers vanish into thin air.

5. Deadwater Fell (2020)

The British show, ‘Deadwater Fell,‘ crafted by Daisy Coulam, explores the aftermath of a tragic house fire that kills a family in a remote Scottish village. Only the father, Tom Kendrick (David Tennant), survives the harrowing incident while his wife and three young children pass away during the fire. However, as the investigators probe into the case, they discover that the ties within the family were not as idyllic as first imagined.

While ‘The Accident‘ takes a comprehensive look into the tragedy suffered by the community of four families, ‘Deadwater Fell’ zooms in on one unhappy one and illustrates the same complicated familial dynamics as depicted in the Netflix show. It is a meditation on how things that look perfect on the outside never resemble what happens behind closed doors, a sentiment that is mirrored in the Mexican drama.

4. Sorry for Your Loss (2018-2019)

After the death of her husband, Leigh Shaw has to navigate her grief, loss, and abandonment as she tries to move on from his death with the help of her family and loved ones. The Kit Steinkellner-created drama may not dive into the escalation of affairs as depicted in ‘The Accident,‘ but its exploration of grief, loss, and tragedy makes it a worthwhile companion piece that is all about learning to move on. At its heart, both shows are about something unimaginable, an accident tearing people’s lives into pieces and how they try to piece it back together in their own ways. ‘Sorry for Your Loss‘ explores that very question by presenting a somber drama about fragilities and resilience.

3. Your Honor (2020-2023)

In’ Your Honor,‘ a prominent New Orleans judge, Michael Desiato, finds himself in a precarious situation after his son, Adam, becomes involved in a car crash accident that costs the life of a mob boss’ son. The narrative revolves around Michael’s efforts to protect his son despite his reputation and his career being put on the line. Developed by Peter Moffat from the Israeli TV series ‘Kvodo‘ by Shlomo Mashiach and Ron Ninio, ‘Your Honor‘ is a contemplation on how a desperate parent seeks to shelter his child even though the laws of morality wrap their hands around his neck. In many ways, Michael’s quest resembles Emiliano’s journey in ‘The Accident,‘ as both try to save face despite being honorable men on the inside.

2. The Leftovers (2014-2017)

Adapted from Tom Perrotta’s 2011 eponymous novel, ‘The Leftovers’ tells the story of the survivors of a global event known as the Sudden Departure, which resulted in the disappearance of 2% of the world’s population. Created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, the show delves into the underlying tensions, emotions, grief, and guilt dictating the decisions of those who survived the Departure without any knowledge of why.

Although ‘The Leftovers‘ has a surreal touch that pulls it out of the realms of reality, its incredible writing and character depth make it one of the most soulful stories about dealing with a tragedy that falls under the same blanket as ‘The Accident.‘ As both shows focus on the aftermath of the event, they highlight the complexity of people’s lives and how relationships are affected as a result of something that is unignorable and continues to haunt a community.

1. Broadchurch (2013-2017)

‘Broadchurch‘ centers on the murder of an 11-year-old named Danny Latimer in the small town of Broadchurch and how his death unravels the lives of those close to him and the larger community as a whole. Developed by Chris Chibnall, the story mostly follows the fallout of the events after Danny’s death, including the role of the media in covering the crime, mutual suspicion, and the grief that affects the family as a whole.

In a similar fashion to ‘The Accident,‘ the David Tennant and Olivia Colman starrer pulls the curtains back on the devastating effect of a local tragedy by putting the focus on each member of Danny’s family. The Peabody Award winner crafts a poignant but careful portrayal of people’s response to something out of their world crashing into their orbit. Additionally, the show’s depiction of each family member’s struggle is reminiscent of the approach taken by the Leonardo Padrón show.