Best tv shows like True Detective
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
An American anthology police detective series utilizing multiple timelines in which investigations seem to unearth personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within or outside the law.
IMDB Rating: 8.9
IMDB Votes: 618000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 55 min
Plot tags: neo noir, serious, atmospheric, anthology, gloomy, realistic, southern gothic, clever, stylized, captivating
Best tv shows and movies like True Detective (2014):
Similar in 77%
Endeavour (2012)
Plot Summary:
The early days of a young Endeavour Morse, whose experiences as a detective constable with the Oxford City Police will ultimately shape his future.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: serious, detective, intellectual, realistic, atmospheric, crime drama, period piece, captivating, melancholic, costume drama
Similar in 85%
Trapped (2015)
Plot Summary:
As a ferry carrying 300 passengers from Denmark pulls into an Icelandic town’s small port, heavy snow begins to fall. The ferry can’t leave until the storm passes and the main road into town is impassable. A mutilated and dismembered body washes on the shore, an unidentifiable man murdered only hours ago. The local police chief, Andri Olafssun, whose personal life is in shatters, realizes a killer has descended into his town. As word spreads, order disintegrates into chaos as the ferry’s passengers and the town’s residents realize they are all possible suspects and that a killer is trapped among them.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 24000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, France, UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, detective, crime drama, scenic, enigmatic, bleak, noir, dark, crime thriller, neo noir
Similar in 87%
The Shadow Line (2011)
Plot Summary:
A noir thriller with diverse individuals whose worlds become interwoven after the murder of drug baron Harvey Wratten. From the cop with a bullet in his brain, whose amnesia leaves him doubtful of his own moral compass; to the drug-lord driven by a profound personal tragedy, risking it all on one last deal; to the brilliantly lethal puppet-master who gradually emerges from the shadows to bring the story to its shocking climax The Shadow Line explores the morality of these characters as they negotiate the repercussions of Wratten's death and attempt to navigate the fine line between right and wrong. As the thread around Wratten's operation begins to unravel, the web of intrigue becomes more complex and the question of which side of the line they stand on becomes increasingly blurred. An intelligent and gripping conspiracy thriller that delves to the heart of human morality, The Shadow Line will have audiences enthralled over six taut and thrilling episodes. Faced with similar dilemmas, on which side of the line would you stand?.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: serious, atmospheric, detective, rough, suspenseful, stylized, tense, captivating, realistic, crime drama
Similar in 78%
The Bridge (2011)
Plot Summary:
When a body is found on the bridge between Denmark and Sweden, right on the border, Danish inspector Martin Rohde and Swedish Saga Norén have to share jurisdiction and work together to find the killer.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 75000
Genere: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Norway
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, captivating, tense, suspenseful, gloomy, serious, detective, realistic, crime drama, noir
Similar in 80%
Broadchurch (2013)
Plot Summary:
The murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 124000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 48 min
Plot tags: emotional, tense, clever, realistic, serious, detective, crime drama, gloomy, dramatic, crime thriller
Similar in 76%
Top of the Lake (2013)
Plot Summary:
A woman haunted by her past, Detective Robin Griffin, investigates complex and unsettling cases.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 37000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK, Australia, New Zealand, USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, clever, bleak, captivating, detective, suspenseful, dark, crime drama, spooky, psychological thriller
Similar in 79%
Hinterland (2013)
Plot Summary:
Tom Mathias comes to Aberystwyth having abandoned his life in London. He's a brilliant but troubled man. Despite his faults he is an excellent detective, who knows that the key to solving the crime lies not in where you look for truth, but how you look. From the windswept sand dunes of the coastline to the badlands of the hinterland, Y Gwyll is a series of four two-hour stories that are original and local, yet timeless and universal.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, detective, serious, tense, bleak, crime drama, dark, suspense, noir, grindhouse
Similar in 87%
The Missing (2014)
Plot Summary:
A gripping anthological relationship thriller series exploring the emotional fallout of a child's abduction not only on the family but on the wider community, told over two time frames.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 29000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK, France, Belgium, USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, serious, realistic, emotional, suspenseful, crime drama, tense, captivating, gloomy, psychological thriller
Similar in 77%
Sharp Objects (2018)
Plot Summary:
Reporter Camille Preaker confronts the psychological demons from her past when she returns to her hometown to investigate the murders of two young girls.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 114000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 421 min
Plot tags: psychological, suspense, bleak, southern gothic, suspenseful, disturbing, dark, detective, realistic, rough
Similar in 76%
The Outsider (2020)
Plot Summary:
When an insidious supernatural force edges its way into a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a young boy, it leads a seasoned cop and an unorthodox investigator to question everything they believe in.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 93000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: mysterious, scary, detective, psychological, suspense, exciting, tense, bleak, sad, suspenseful
Similar in 89%
Bosch (2014)
Plot Summary:
Based on Michael Connelly's best-selling novels, these are the stories of relentless LAPD homicide Detective Harry Bosch who pursues justice at all costs. But behind his tireless momentum is a man who is haunted by his past and struggles to remain loyal to his personal code: “Everybody counts or nobody counts.”.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 81000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 51 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, exciting, detective, neo noir, tense, crime drama, mind blowing, crime thriller, gloomy
Similar in 84%
Twin Peaks (2017)
Plot Summary:
Picks up 25 years after the inhabitants of a quaint northwestern town are stunned when their homecoming queen is murdered.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 74000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 1032 min
Plot tags: psychological, surreal, mind bending, captivating, tense, offbeat, atmospheric, disturbing, experimental, esoteric
Similar in 82%
The Night Of (2016)
Plot Summary:
After a night of partying with a female stranger, a man wakes up to find her stabbed to death and is charged with her murder.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 167000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 525 min
Plot tags: suspense, realistic, atmospheric, tense, psychological, serious, detective, thought provoking, clever, enigmatic
Similar in 79%
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Plot Summary:
This English-language adaptation of the Swedish novel by Stieg Larsson follows a disgraced journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, as he investigates the disappearance of a weary patriarch's niece from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander. As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 487000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, Sweden, Norway
Duration: 158 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, neo noir, captivating, rough, clever, serious, disturbing, psychological, psychological thriller, suspense
Similar in 89%
Memories of Murder (2003)
Plot Summary:
1986 Gyunggi Province. The body of a young woman is found brutally raped and murdered. Two months later, a series of rapes and murders commences under similar circumstances. And in a country that had never known such crimes, the dark whispers about a serial murderer grow louder. A special task force is set up in the area, with two local detectives Park Doo-Man and Jo Young-Goo joined by a detective from Seoul who requested to be assigned to the case.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 208000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: South Korea
Duration: 131 min
Plot tags: realistic, neo noir, psychological, suspense, bleak, disturbing, detective, enigmatic, clever, thought provoking
Similar in 83%
Zodiac (2007)
Plot Summary:
The true story of the investigation of the "Zodiac Killer", a serial killer who terrified the San Francisco Bay Area, taunting police with his ciphers and letters. The case becomes an obsession for four men as their lives and careers are built and destroyed by the endless trail of clues.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 584000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 157 min
Plot tags: suspense, atmospheric, tense, neo noir, stylized, twist ending, suspenseful, psychological, rough, detective
Similar in 75%
Prisoners (2013)
Plot Summary:
When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 784000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 153 min
Plot tags: psychological, twist ending, suspenseful, bleak, atmospheric, neo noir, detective, surprise ending, psychological thriller, tense
Similar in 75%
Whitechapel (2009)
Plot Summary:
Whitechapel is a British television drama series produced by Carnival Films, in which detectives in London's Whitechapel district deal with murders which replicate historical crimes. The first series was first broadcast in the UK on 2 February 2009 and depicted the search for a modern copycat killer replicating the murders of Jack the Ripper. A second series was commissioned by ITV in September 2009 with the focus on the Kray twins. The first episode of this second series was broadcast on 11 October 2010. A third series was commissioned by ITV in March 2011, which was extended to six episodes as three two-part stories. The first and second series were broadcast in the United States on six consecutive Wednesday evenings beginning 26 October 2011 on the BBC America cable network. The third was broadcast in the US starting on Wednesday 28 March 2012, also on BBC America. On 24 September 2012, ITV renewed Whitechapel for a fourth series consisting of 6 episodes. The first episode was broadcast on 4 September 2013.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, serious, rough, tense, suspenseful, detective, realistic, crime drama, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 81%
Luther (2010)
Plot Summary:
A dark psychological crime drama starring Idris Elba as Luther, a man struggling with his own terrible demons, who might be as dangerous as the depraved murderers he hunts.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 152000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, psychological thriller, tense, detective, rough, serious, crime drama, exciting, dramatic, suspenseful
Similar in 82%
The Killing (2011)
Plot Summary:
The Killing is an American crime drama television series based upon the Danish television series Forbrydelsen. Set in Seattle, Washington, the series follows the various murder investigations by homicide detectives Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 120000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: psychological, gloomy, neo noir, tense, serious, detective, suspenseful, atmospheric, realistic, dark
Similar in 82%
Twin Peaks (1990)
Plot Summary:
The body of Laura Palmer is washed up on a beach near the small Washington state town of Twin Peaks. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper is called in to investigate her strange demise only to uncover a web of mystery that ultimately leads him deep into the heart of the surrounding woodland and his very own soul.
IMDB Rating: 8.8
IMDB Votes: 211000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 1505 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, psychological, enigmatic, suspenseful, mind bending, neo noir, surreal, offbeat, captivating, gloomy
Similar in 86%
The Fall (2013)
Plot Summary:
When the Police Service of Northern Ireland are unable to close a case after 28 days, Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson of the Metropolitan Police Service is called in to review the case. Under her new leadership, the local detectives must track down and stop a serial killer who is terrorising the city of Belfast.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 116000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: psychological thriller, psychological, captivating, serious, tense, detective, crime drama, suspenseful, atmospheric, noir
Similar in 83%
Harrow (2018)
Plot Summary:
When a dark secret from this past threatens to be exposed, unorthodox and brilliant medical examiner, Doctor Daniel Harrow, must use all his forensic skills to keep it buried forever.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, Australia
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, tense, clever, witty, captivating, disturbing, psychological, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 83%
Hannibal (2013)
Plot Summary:
Both a gift and a curse, Graham has the extraordinary ability to think like his prey—he sees what they see, feels what they feel. But while Graham is pursuing an especially troubling, cannibalistic murderer, Special Agent Jack Crawford teams him with a highly respected psychiatrist – a man with a taste for the criminal minded – Dr. Hannibal Lecter.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 271000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 1680 min
Plot tags: psychological, scary, tense, suspenseful, atmospheric, serious, stylized, rough, psychological thriller, detective
Similar in 90%
Fargo (2014)
Plot Summary:
A close-knit anthology series dealing with stories involving malice, violence and murder based in and around Minnesota.
IMDB Rating: 8.9
IMDB Votes: 398000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 53 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, neo noir, dark comedy, captivating, clever, detective, anthology, witty, offbeat, suspenseful
Similar in 79%
Mindhunter (2017)
Plot Summary:
An agent in the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit develops profiling techniques as he pursues notorious serial killers and rapists.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 323000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: psychological thriller, detective, psychological, thought provoking, crime drama, thrilling, suspense, disturbing, exciting, retro
Similar in 88%
Insomnia (2002)
Plot Summary:
Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 313000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 118 min
Plot tags: neo noir, psychological, atmospheric, detective, psychological thriller, suspense, dark, suspenseful, tense, bad ending
Similar in 76%
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Plot Summary:
Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon dead bodies, $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert, but methodical killer Anton Chigurh comes looking for it, with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell hot on his trail. The roles of prey and predator blur as the violent pursuit of money and justice collide.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 10000000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min
Plot tags: neo noir, tense, serious, atmospheric, suspense, bleak, suspenseful, neo western, gloomy, rough
Similar in 86%
Se7en (1995)
Plot Summary:
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the "seven deadly sins" in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Sommerset researches each sin in an effort to get inside the killer's mind, while his novice partner, Mills, scoffs at his efforts to unravel the case.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 18000000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 127 min
Plot tags: surprise ending, detective, suspenseful, disturbing, neo noir, suspense, scary, tense, bad ending, atmospheric
Similar in 85%
Dexter (2006)
Plot Summary:
Dexter is an American television drama series. The series centers on Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter pattern analyst for 'Miami Metro Police Department' who also leads a secret life as a serial killer, hunting down criminals who have slipped through the cracks of justice.
IMDB Rating: 8.7
IMDB Votes: 753000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 5076 min
Plot tags: captivating, clever, serious, stylized, tense, atmospheric, disturbing, bloody, suspenseful, offbeat