15 best thriller series: maniacs, mysticism and dark crime

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

"Dexter", "Twin Peaks", "Mr. Robot" and many other prominent representatives of the genre.

1. Breaking Bad

• USA, 2008-2013.
• Drama, thriller, crime.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 9, 5.

Chemistry teacher Walter White learns that he has cancer. To raise money for medical treatment and provide for his family, he begins to make drugs, partnering with dealer Jesse Pinkman. Gradually, from a modest family man, Walter turns into an experienced criminal.

One of the most popular TV shows of the last decade conquered viewers with an ambiguous morality and tense atmosphere, which is only growing by the last seasons. And in 2019, the full-length completion of the project was released, which allowed fans to finally say goodbye to their favorite characters.

2. Twin Peaks

• USA, 1990–2017.
• Thriller, detective, mysticism.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

The series of the legendary David Lynch tells about the small town of Twin Peaks, where the brutal murder of local beauty Laura Palmer took place. The FBI sends a young employee, Dale Cooper, to investigate. And soon he realizes that otherworldly forces are involved in the case.

In the finale of the second season, Laura Palmer uttered the legendary phrase: "See you in 25 years." The sequel was a little delayed, but in 2017 the third season was really released. However, after answering many questions, Lynch asked no less new ones, which perfectly reflects the very essence of Twin Peaks - everyone can interpret the series in their own way.

3. Dexter

• USA, 2006-2013.
• Thriller, drama, crime.
• Duration: 8 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 7.

Dexter Morgan, as a child, witnessed the murder of his mother. And now he has no empathy at all, and a desire to kill has settled inside. But his adoptive father was able to turn the sinister passion in an unexpected way: Dexter takes the life of only offenders who could not be arrested by the police.

Showtime in 2006 introduced the most charming and controversial criminal. He seems to be a maniac, but at the same time he makes the world a better place. Although periodic breakdowns deprive him of the right to forgiveness. A separate plus of this series is the off-screen text, voicing Dexter's thoughts, because in appearance the hero is always kind and positive.

4. Mind hunter

• USA, 2017 - present.
• Thriller, detective, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 6.

The plot of this series is based on real events. In the late 70s, FBI Special Agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench began to develop a new line of investigation. They interviewed incarcerated serial killers and tried to understand their way of thinking in order to figure out new maniacs.

The Mindhunter is distinguished by David Fincher's intrinsic detail on the project. Fictional events here are mixed with real stories and characters, and most of the action is exclusively occupied by dialogues.

5. Mister Robot

• USA, 2015-2019.
• Thriller, drama, detective.
• Duration: 4 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 5.

The ingenious programmer Elliot Alderson works for a large information security company. But in reality, he dreams of destroying a society built on the power of corporations. And one day, Elliot meets the mysterious Mr. Robot, who helps him in illegal activities.

The stunning technotriller that made actor Rami Malek famous is distinguished not only by a tense plot, but also by unexpected twists. At a certain point, the action literally turns upside down. Unfortunately, the fourth season ends the story of Mr. Robot.

6. Hannibal

• USA, 2013-2015.
• Thriller, detective.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 5.

The prehistory of the famous "Silence of the Lambs" tells about the legendary maniac Hannibal Lecter before being imprisoned. He was a successful psychotherapist who even the FBI turned to for help. The plot tells about the friendship and confrontation between Lecter and the best agent-profiler Will Graham.

Showrunner Brian Fuller has managed to turn the prequels of famous books and films into a very beautiful series. For example, cooking scenes are stunningly staged here. And it is doubly creepy that sometimes these are dishes made from human meat according to the plot.

7. Luther

• UK, 2010 - present.
• Thriller, detective, drama.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 5.

Detective John Luther of the London police is able to unravel any complex case. However, his methods are often very brutal, and he often oversteps the line of legality. And the hero himself is in constant depression.

In Luther, the perpetrator is often shown at the very beginning of the episode. And the main storyline is not the investigation, but the psychological confrontation between the detective and the villain. It is difficult to call John Luther himself a model of morality, which often creates very controversial situations.

8. Homeland

• USA, 2011–2020.
• Thriller, drama, crime.
• Duration: 8 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 3.

US Marine Corps Sergeant Nicholas Brody was held captive in Iraq for eight years. But after his return home, the CIA begins to suspect that the hero may be involved in preparing a terrorist attack on America.

This series is based on the Israeli project "Prisoners of War". But after the first season, the plot of the remake went in a different direction. Interestingly, in 2015, a Russian version of this story was released, in which Vladimir Mashkov played the main role.

9.24 hours

• USA, 2001-2010.
• Action, thriller, detective.
• Duration: 8 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 3.

Counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer regularly faces very dangerous situations. He must rescue a presidential candidate, prevent a nuclear bomb from exploding, or search for a dangerous virus. Moreover, he has only one day for any task.

The main feature of this series is that all events are shown in real time. Each season of 24 episodes fits into one day, which provides constant dynamics and does not allow you to relax throughout the entire plot.

10. Bates Motel

• USA, 2013-2017.
• Thriller, detective, horror.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

Young Norman Bates and his mother Norma buy a motel in a small town. They want to calmly develop their business, but constant troubles make their life more difficult. In addition, Norma puts too much pressure on her son, which damages his already unstable psyche.

The authors of this series decided to tell the backstory of the legendary film by Alfred Hitchcock "Psycho", and the action was postponed to our days. But despite the fact that the ending of the plot is known to everyone, there is a lot of room for unexpected turns in the series.

11. Bodyguard

• UK, 2018.
• Thriller, drama, crime.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

Former military man David Budd managed to prevent a terrorist attack on a train. After receiving a promotion, he becomes the personal bodyguard of the Minister of the Interior, Julia Montagu. Budd does not share the tough politics of his new boss, but he has warm feelings for her personally. In addition, an assassination attempt is being planned on the minister.

In the UK, "The Bodyguard" has become one of the main television events of 2018. Each episode has incredible plot twists, and it makes you watch the series literally without stopping.

12. Terror

• USA, 2018 - present.
• Thriller, horror, historical.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

In the middle of the 19th century, an expedition led by explorer John Franklin sailed on the ships Terror and Erebus to the northern coast of Canada. A year later, both ships get stuck in the ice. And teams have to cope not only with difficult conditions of survival, but also with a supernatural enemy.

"Terror" comes out in an anthology format, and the events of the second season unfold during the Second World War, when mysterious murders begin to take place in the Japanese camp.

13. You

• USA, 2018 - present.
• Thriller, drama, melodrama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

Joe Goldberg works in a bookstore. After a chance acquaintance with the novice writer Beka, he decides to win her favor by all means. Joe begins to follow the girl and searches for all the details of her life on social networks. The fan is ready even for crimes, considering his obsession with real love.

The series is ironically filmed in the spirit of a romantic movie. But in fact, this is a story about toxic relationships and the halo effect, when a nice person seems kinder and smarter. Therefore, before you feel sympathy for the main character, you should think about all his terrible deeds.

14. Followers

• USA, 2013-2015.
• Thriller, detective.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

Former professor Joe Carroll, who once taught literature, turned out to be a maniac-killer. He was arrested, but the villain managed right from prison to organize a whole group of fanatical followers who continued his work. FBI agent Ryan Hardy must find the fanatics and figure out Carol's plans.

This story is based on the classic confrontation between hero and villain. Moreover, the positive character often seems rude and unpleasant, and the criminal is always calm and smiling.

15. Tell me a story

• USA, 2018 - present.
• Thriller.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

The young couple decided to finally get married. But exactly during their visit, three robbers in masks of pigs burst into the jewelry store. A young girl moves to New York to her grandmother and meets a charming guy there. And the brother and sister get into trouble, and now they need to get rid of the dead body.

The authors of the series took as a basis the famous fairy tales "Three Little Pigs", "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Hansel and Gretel" and showed them in a modern and very dark form. And the storylines are surprisingly intertwined with each other.