Entertainment
10 Most Perfect Thriller Shows of the Last 10 Years
Your heartbeat races, your palms start to sweat, and right when you are sitting on the edge of your seat, the episode ends. A good thriller TV series knows how to keep its viewers engaged and coming back for more. From heart-pounding suspense to shocking plot twists, thrillers are some of the most addictive TV shows of any genre.
The past decade has been no exception when it comes to producing some truly memorable and magnificent thrillers. From subgenres that offer everything from comedy to drama, a thriller TV show knows how to get and hold an audience’s attention. These titles are the best of the best and prove that the past 10 years have been more than successful when it comes to creating remarkable thrillers for the small screen.
10
‘Dark’ (2017–2020)
A sci-fi thriller set in Germany, Dark is a deep dive into the interconnected drama of four families. When two children go missing in a small town, it sets off a chain of events that will change their lives forever. The characters and the viewers at home share in the confusion, and Dark will keep you hooked from start to finish.
Dark excels at creating plot twists and serpentine storylines. It leaves viewers guessing at every turn and becomes a bingeworthy compulsion as you simply have to see what happens next. Time travel, parallel universes, and more intertwine in this highly cerebral mystery.
9
‘The ‘Burbs’ (2026–Present)
When young married couple Samira (Keke Palmer) and Rob (Jack Whitehall) relocate with their infant son to Rob’s old neighborhood and family home, everything is not quite as it seems in The ‘Burbs. A creepy Victorian house across the street is the source of many rumors and speculations, and it turns out that the “safest town in America” has a few deadly secrets. Murder, mystery, and malarkey are all on the table in this Peacock original series.
The ‘Burbs is absolutely packed with talent. Palmer and Whitehall are both veterans of the small and silver screen, and TV titans Mark Proksch, Julia Duffy, and Paula Pell round out the infinitely talented core cast. The ‘Burbs is an ideal introduction to the thriller genre. It has enough suspense to keep heartbeats aflutter, but it also adds a good dose of joviality to keep the overall tone lighter and steer the series away from being too dark. In a streaming war that competes fast and viciously for viewership, The ‘Burbs has already been renewed for a second season. The ‘Burbs has proven its potential, and its inaugural season has no bad episodes.
8
‘How to Get to Heaven from Belfast’ (2026–Present)
From Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee comes an unhinged mystery like none other. How to Get to Heaven from Belfast blends McGee’s witty writing with a secretive and intriguing premise. The show follows three lifelong friends, Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher), Robyn (Sinéad Keenan), and Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne), who travel back to attend the wake of their mutual friend Greta (Natasha O’Keeffe), whom they haven’t talked to in several years.
When the trio arrives, they start to get suspicious about Greta’s life and death, and a much larger conspiracy soon unfolds. Haunted by a tragic secret in their past, the protagonists are both chasing ghosts and running away from them. At one season long, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is the perfect weekend binge. It is a must-watch for fans of McGee’s and makes for a crazy, comedic, and cryptic experience.
7
‘The Beast in Me’ (2025)
Reeling with grief after the loss of her son, author Aggie Wiggs (Claire Danes) tries to mentally distract herself by writing a new book. Unable to write her newest novel and given to distraction, she becomes obsessed with her enigmatic neighbor, Nile Jarvis (Matthew Rhys), a man who is suspected of killing his first wife. As Aggie digs herself deeper and deeper into a hole filled with suspicion and manipulation, The Beast in Me leaves no character unexamined and everyone’s morality is called into question.
The Beast in Me is aptly described by Collider‘s Michael Block as “an unrelenting cat-and-mouse game that forces its audience to question everything and everyone.” It toys with themes of privilege, power, and perception. At eight episodes, it makes a perfect capsule thriller, and it never stops delivering on high-stakes twists and growing tension.
6
‘The Boroughs’ (2026)
Aging is inevitable. Some fight against it, some accept it, but either way, it happens. The sci-fi thriller The Boroughs features both approaches and is a fascinating exploration of the subject. The Boroughs is a masterclass in tension from the very start. It simultaneously involves an exciting creature feature premise and a human, relational drama about getting older, independence, grief, and mortality.
The story revolves around the residents of a retirement community who witness strange creatures and other unusual circumstances in their picturesque cul-de-sac. The Boroughs is brimming with talent and includes Hollywood icons such as Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, and Geena Davis. As with all meaningful science fiction premises, The Boroughs uses the setting of sci-fi to examine some of the most profound human conditions. It has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is perfect from the first episode to the last.
5
‘Dark Winds’ (2022–Present)
When your series has George R. R. Martin as an executive producer, there is a good chance it’s going to be something epic, and Dark Winds has been exactly that. The western-themed thriller is set in the 1970s and follows Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), two police officers who protect and serve the local Navajo people. In Dark Winds, Joe and Jim must deal with their own personal struggles while trying to ensure the safety of those they are charged with protecting, including solving a murder case and tracking down a professional killer.
Dark Winds has ranked high with critics and fans alike and is enjoying a renaissance of streaming success as all four seasons are currently streaming on Netflix. Being available on the streaming giant has been a great one for the series, and it continues to be a favorite. New audiences are finally able to discover why this AMC series has stood out among the rest, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
4
‘Slow Horses’ (2022–Present)
Gary Oldman is a chameleon. His ability to morph into a character and completely disappear into a role is well known in the industry, and it made him a perfect cast for the Apple TV series Slow Horses. Oldman plays Jackson Lamb, a jaded MI5 agent who is rough around the edges. Thrown together with a motley crew of other MI5 less-than-desirables, the team at Slough House does what they do best and takes an unorthodox approach to espionage.
The exciting plotlines and biting wit of Slow Horses make it an absolute hit. Oldman is irreplaceable as the unpolished veteran who has a rough exterior but ultimately cares about the people he works with. Like an onion slowly peeling back layers, devotees are rewarded for following his character’s journey as he is given more emotional depth and pathos as the series goes on. Slow Horses Season 6 premieres this September, and it will undoubtedly be as stellar as the rest of the show’s tenure.
3
‘Paradise’ (2025–Present)
It is difficult to describe Paradise without giving too much away. This gripping drama has so many reveals and twists and turns that it feels like an enigma wrapped in a riddle. The series features Sterling K. Brown and Julianne Nicholson in key roles, and they give phenomenal performances. Brown and Nicholson play consummate career professionals on two flip sides of a situation that are given opportunities for their vulnerability to sneak through.
Nothing in Paradise is as it seems, and audiences are waiting on the edge of their seats to see what happens in the upcoming third and final season. It is rare to find thriller TV shows where it is almost impossible to predict what happens next, but Paradise is refreshingly one of them. Fans of post-apocalyptic, political, and survivalist series should definitely check it out and get caught up to speed before the finale.
2
‘Squid Game’ (2021–2025)
Netflix is known for its robust selection of award-winning South Korean TV shows and movies, and one of the best is Squid Game. In this high-stakes thriller, contestants who are under immense financial pressure agree to participate in a contest that involves children’s games. With a multi-million dollar prize and seemingly infantile obstacles, the allure of the games is irresistible. However, contestants soon find out that elimination means exactly that, and they pay for a loss with their lives.
Squid Game is one of Netflix’s most successful TV series ever. It became a worldwide phenomenon and has inspired countless other projects. Although there are some shady characters in the show, most of the contestants are honest, ordinary people simply trying to make their lives a little better. This everyman setting tugs at the heartstrings of viewers and allows Squid Game to have a greater impact than most thriller shows. Every audience member can identify with the struggle of those who participate and imagine what they would do in a contestant’s place. Squid Game has won six Primetime Emmys and continues to be one of the best thriller TV shows of the past decade.
1
‘Severance (2022–Present)
In only two seasons, Severance has delivered more twists and turns and psychological mayhem than most TV series do in their entire run. Starring an impeccable cast that includes Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, and Tramell Tillman, Severance is a workplace drama like no other. The core premise is that employees of the secretive Lumon Industries agree to have a procedure done that allows their minds to separate into two personas, one for work and one for personal life.
Severance is brilliantly designed to create an uneasy tension and unsettling feeling that lingers in the back of viewers’ minds. The cinematography and mise en scène are stylized and gorgeous, all the while staying inside an intentionally melancholy and monotonous theme. Most people have to deal with a work/life balance, and Severance tugs at that string like a violinist playing a concerto. Severance has won 10 Primetime Emmys over its two seasons thus far, and only greatness is expected in the future for this perfect TV thriller masterpiece.
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