As the biggest streaming service around, Netflix has major titles across all genres, including the crime drama tradition, with big-name, critically acclaimed series like "Ozark," "Peaky Blinders" and "Mindhunter," among others.
But because of the sheer scope of Netflix's streaming library, there runs the risk of being almost too many great options, meaning you might miss some lesser-known but equally high-quality crime shows, from twist-filled originals to international series that found a home on their platform stateside.
To help you figure out which gripping mystery or heart-pumping procedural to click "Play" on next, Tom's Guide has handily put together a recs list of five top-notch titles that you might have missed upon initial release. When you want that indelible mix of suspense and storytelling, here are 5 Netflix crime drama shows you probably haven't seen yet but definitely should.
"Collateral"
Nowadays, Carey Mulligan is busy starring in another Netflix show — season 2 of the dark comedy "Beef," opposite Oscar Isaac, Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny — but back in 2018, she led a lesser-known title on the streaming juggernaut: the British crime thriller “Collateral.”
Written by BAFTA winner David Hare, the four-part police procedural unfolds over as many days and sees the Oscar nominee as Detective Inspector Kip Glaspie, who is assigned to investigate the murder of a pizza delivery driver in post-Brexit London. Soon, the detective is entangled in a complicated web involving refugees and immigrants, smugglers and spies, and the British government as a whole.
Watch "Collateral" on Netflix now
"Unbelievable"
Based on a true story, which was detailed in the Pulitzer Prize-winning article "An Unbelievable Story of Rape" by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong, this 2019 crime-drama miniseries centers on Marie Adler (Kaitlyn Dever), a young woman accused of lying about being raped. Meanwhile, two female detectives (played by Toni Collette and Merritt Wever) dig into a series of similar and seemingly connected cases and desperately work to track down the repeat attacker.
“Unbelievable” earned wide acclaim upon its release, including a Peabody Award as well as a Critics Choice win for Collette’s supporting performance. “Heartbreaking and powerful, 'Unbelievable' transcends familiar true crime beats by shifting its gaze to survivors of abuse, telling their stories with grace and gravity,” praises the critical consensus over on Rotten Tomatoes, where the drama holds an excellent 98% approval rating.
Watch "Unbelievable" on Netflix now
"Top Boy"
The British street drama follows the lives of Dushane (played by Ashley Walters) and Sully (Kane Robinson), who run a drug empire on their gritty, crime-riddled East London estate, Summerhouse. For those who aren't familiar, the show is an updated take on the Channel 4 original limited series of the same name, featuring the same cast and linked storylines. (It also features supporting turns from pre-stardom performers like Barry Keoghan, Letitia Wright and Benedict Wong.)
It was picked up by Netflix, who made the series their own, adding new characters and renaming the first two seasons "Top Boy: Summerhouse" — and released in 2019 with superfan Drake as an executive producer. The show covers numerous themes, from poverty to mental health, and has been praised not only for its representation of London's multiculturalism but also for its honest and incredibly authentic take on life in many parts of the capital.
Watch "Top Boy" on Netflix now
"The Sinner"
Though initially intended as an eight-part miniseries, the Netflix whodunnit "The Sinner" expanded into a psychological crime anthology over the years, with four seasons following haunted detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) and his investigations into various perplexing crimes.
Pullman is the only actor who carries through the whole show, with the rest of the cast changing up for each season's story; for example, season one delved into the past of Cora Tannetti (Jessica Biel), a young and trouble mother who shockingly stabbed a man to death, while the sophomore season brings Ambrose back to his hometown, where 13-year-old Julian Walker (Elisha Henig) kills his parents with motives seemingly tied to a local cult.
Watch "The Sinner" on Netflix now
"The Åre Murders"
In this Swedish crime drama — based on the Viveca Sten murder mystery novels "Hidden in Snow" and "Hidden in the Shadows" — Stockholm detective Hanna Ahlander (Carla Sehn) has been recently suspended amid an internal investigation. That doesn't stop her, though, from looking into the mysterious disappearance of a young girl in a snowy ski resort town, with help from local police officer Daniel Lindskog (Kardo Razzazi). Together, they'll have to put their personal tensions aside to uncover the town's darkest secrets.
The chilling five-part series received a widely positive response from critics, like Johnny Loftus of Decider, who wrote: "'The Åre Murders' features all the hallmarks of the Nordic Noir genre as it turns two differently-wired cops loose on the mystery of a teen’s disappearance. Throw in some fantastic location shots of Sweden’s mountainous north, and we’re all the way in on this investigation."
Watch "The Åre Murders" on Netflix now
More from Tom's Guide
- Netflix's new crime thriller is a gripping mystery series starring a 'legendary anti-hero' — and it's streaming now
- Forget the top 10 — I found 3 great Netflix crime thriller shows you (probably) haven't watched
- 3 best Prime Video crime drama shows to stream now that you (probably) haven't seen | Tom's Guide
