Guns. Murders. Power. When the stakes are high, the dangers rise, and for us watching these things unfold from the screen, we can’t help but somehow enjoy the thrilling ride. If you’re a fan of TV shows that mainly focus on the rise and fall of criminals, mobsters, and other wrongdoers, then this list is for you! We’ve rounded up some thrilling crime dramas that are worth checking out the next time you’re picking a title to binge-watch!
On The Job
Erik Matti’s On The Job film and its sequel, On The Job: The Missing Eight, has been turned into a series on HBO GO. The first part of the series tells the story of prisoners Mario and Daniel, who are secretly being freed by corrupt authorities to serve as untraceable guns-for-hire. The second part follows the corrupt reporter Sisoy as he searches for the truth behind the disappearance of his best friend and colleagues in the newspaper business.
Peaky Blinders
Here’s a period crime drama starring Cillian Murphy, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Tom Hardy. Set in Birmingham, England just several months after the first World War, Peaky Blinders is about the Peaky Blinders gang and their cunning boss Tommy Shelby. The story begins when the gang gets in conflict with Major Chester Campbell, a detective chief inspector sent by Winston Churchill to eradicate the likes of them.
Narcos
Narcos gives viewers a closer look at the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar, who gained billions through the production and distribution of cocaine in Colombia. The story is told from the point of view of American DEA agent Steve Murphy, and depicts how Escobar started by moving illegal goods into Colombia, got involved in the cocaine trade, and became a drug kingpin that would be etched in history.
Dexter
Dexter Morgan is a blood pattern analyst from the Miami Metro Police Department who lives a double life as a serial killer. While being a murderer, Dexter follows a certain “code” in picking his victims. Being a part of the investigations at the homicide division, Dexter tracks down the murderers who have escaped the justice system and kills them to satisfy his own thirst for blood.
Hannibal
Here’s another serial killer on TV that’s worth checking out. Hannibal is based on the titular cannibal from Thomas Harris’ novels made even more popular by their film adaptations, particularly The Silence of the Lambs. The story begins with the FBI profiler Will Graham who is put under the supervision of the forensic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Unbeknownst to the people around him, Lecter is really a cannibalistic murderer who uses his influence on the FBI to cover his tracks.
Mindhunter
Set in the 70s, this crime thriller focuses on two FBI agents’ quest to discover more about the minds of serial killers. Agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench team up with psychologist Wendy Carr to launch a research project where they interview the most notorious killers in prison in the hopes of solving ongoing cases. Some of the killers portrayed in the series are Edmund Kemper, Montie Rissell, and Jerry Brudos.
Extracurricular
This Korean drama tells the story of Oh Ji-soo who is a model high school student. To financially support his studies, Ji-soo makes a mistake and finds himself strewn in the criminal underworld. Soon, things become more complicated when he is forced to let a classmate from a wealthy family join him, while another classmate in the same business gets caught by the authorities.
The Wire
Created by former police officer David Simon, The Wire centers on the narcotics scene in Baltimore, as seen through the eyes of the law enforcers, the drug dealers, as well as the users. The series begins with the introduction of two major forces in the city, the Baltimore Police Department and a drug dealing organization run by the Barksdale family. Caught between them is Detective Jimmy McNulty, who investigates the puzzling acquittal of D’Angelo Barksdale who was charged with murder.
The Sopranos
The Sopranos ran from 1999 to 2007, and up to this day, it is regarded as one of the best TV shows of all time. It tells the story of Tony Soprano who runs a mob in New Jersey. After collapsing due to a panic attack, he attends therapy sessions with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi. The series then details the mobster’s struggles from handling his criminal organization, his family at home, and the enemies surrounding him and his mob.
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad tells the story of Walter White, a chemistry teacher whose life is turned upside down when he discovers that he has lung cancer. Desperate to provide for his family even when he’s gone, Walter enters the methamphetamine drug trade with his former student Jesse. As they descend deeper into the criminal underworld, the dangers demand more and more ruthlessness from Walter.
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