When it comes to crime, Netflix has it covered. Crime shows of all varieties, from all over the world, continue to trend at the top of Netflix’s viewing charts. From period pieces to psychological thrillers, there are crime shows of all types that will inspire a binge session that makes you late for work the next morning.
Although the options seem limitless, there are a few selections that stand out above the rest. The following list covers ten of the greatest crime shows on Netflix that are worth watching over and over. Since these are all fantastic shows deserving of a watch, there is no ranking on the order they’re listed, just a collection of the best crime dramas Netflix has to offer.
1
‘Lupin’ (2021–)
Sometimes the person doing the stealing is not necessarily the bad guy. In Lupin, Omar Sy stars as Assane Diop, a man on a personal mission for justice, using the famed literary thief Lupin as a basis for his outrageous heists. Using his charm, careful planning, and a little luck, Assane will either right a great wrong or make a powerful enemy for life.
Lupin is the perfect show for anyone who treats the Ocean’s Eleven movies like educational films. Each season of Lupin has become an anticipated event, with the adventures of the gentleman thief firmly established as a worldwide hit for Netflix. One of the best international crime shows on Netflix or otherwise, Lupin‘s elaborate plotting and charming performance from Sy is a prime candidate for a rewatch to look for details previously missed.
2
‘The Sinner’ (2017–2021)
A psychological crime thriller that explores the darker side of human nature, The Sinner is loaded with twists and compelling storylines. Bill Pullman stars as Harry Ambrose, a brilliant detective who knows the right question to ask or the key clue to keep an eye out for. Each season covers one case that seems impossible to solve, but with Harry continually pulling at threads, the lies eventually unravel.
Originally premiering on the USA Network, The Sinner is one of the rare crime anthology shows that doesn’t have a bad season. Each season will immediately hook viewers, and the sometimes slower approach to storytelling only contributes to the building tension and intrigue. Anchoring it all is a nuanced performance from Pullman, whose Detective Ambrose is a unique and complicated sleuth to follow. Watching one episode of The Sinner will most likely lead to an unintended four-season binge.
3
‘Ozark’ (2017–2022)
Ozark proves that the family that commits crimes together, stays together. Jason Bateman and Laura Linney star as Marty and Wendy Byrde, a seemingly happy couple with destructive secrets carefully hidden. Marty has provided a stable life by laundering money for a Mexican drug cartel, but when his partner is discovered to be embezzling, Marty avoids a bullet by moving the family to the Ozarks to expand the operation.
For four seasons, it seemed as if the Byrde family was moments away from being exposed or murdered. This consistent level of drama, along with solid performances from Bateman, Linney, and Julia Garner as the intelligent and perceptive Ruth, made sure Ozark was a relentlessly thrilling crime series. Every character had a complex moral compass that made (almost) no one a clear-cut hero or villain, forcing the viewer to question who they should be rooting for to walk away.
4
‘Better Call Saul’ (2015–2022)
Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) went from being a fan favorite side character to the star of the show in Better Call Saul. The prequel to Breaking Bad gives viewers a chance to see how Jimmy McGill (Odenkirk) would go from a former small-time con artist to the flashy criminal defense attorney known as Saul Goodman. Featuring familiar faces such as Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), and new characters like Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn), the love of Jimmy’s life, Better Call Saul was the rare spin-off that matched the original show.
Even if you know every twist and turn of Jimmy’s life, Better Call Saul loses none of its allure on a rewatch. Odenkirk continues to grow as a performer, and the crime drama allows him to dig into the character, layering his actions with understandable, if not self-destructive, motives. Better Call Saul is a heartbreaking tragedy disguised as a twisty crime drama, and as the layers shed away to reveal its true form each season, the series continues to outdo itself.
5
‘Peaky Blinders’ (2013–2022)
In Peaky Blinders, audiences are taken back to Birmingham, England, in the early 1900s. World War I is still present in the emotional scars of the returning men, and the street gang Peaky Blinders is spreading its influence day by day. A high-ranking member, Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy), has big plans for the gang and himself, but his overreach might bring them all the attention from higher authorities they won’t be able to withstand.
The time period is more than a setting; it’s a character in the show itself. As dark and moody as the characters themselves, the atmospheric presentation of Peaky Blinders is a welcome departure for crime fans who are looking for a different type of show to binge for the first or second time. Consistently tense, cleverly plotted, and featuring a magnetic performance from Murphy as the intelligent and daring Tommy, Peaky Blinders is everything a good crime show should be.
6
‘Narcos’ (2015–2017)
The rise of the cocaine trade and the drug lord behind it is chronicled by a DEA agent who watched its effects in Narcos. Season 1 introduces viewers to Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) as he takes his first steps into becoming a drug kingpin by smuggling cocaine from Colombia into the United States. On the other side of the conflict is Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook), a DEA agent tasked with ending Escobar’s rule while watching the death toll from the drug war skyrocket.
In the same spirit of movies such as Goodfellas or Blow, a combination of real-world events and stylized re-enactments keeps the story moving briskly. Many crime dramas have moments where the plot will tread into unbelievable territory, but with Narcos, there’s an added uncomfortable knowledge that everything on screen is based on events that actually happened. Narcos ran for three seasons before spinning off into Narcos: Mexico, focusing on the Mexican drug trade, which would last for three seasons as well.
7
‘Sneaky Pete’ (2015–2019)
In Sneaky Pete, con artist Marius (Giovanni Ribisi) is released from prison, but he finds being a free man more dangerous than being behind bars after learning a gangster he once crossed wants to settle debts owed. Remembering the stories from his cellmate Pete (Ethan Embry) about his family, Marius shows up at their doorstep pretending to be their estranged relative, hoping it might be a good place to hide. Marius is now locked into the con of his life, because if the family figures out he’s not Pete, his next likely destination will be the morgue.
Showrunner Graham Yost of Justified fame, took over as showrunner early in Season 1, and he brought the same sense of layered humor and peril to Sneaky Pete. Marius is in a constant state of juggling lies and the clever writing keeps the con artist in perpetual danger of making the wrong move while keeping the show light and enjoyable. Sneaky Pete ran for three seasons on Amazon Prime, and while its Rotten Tomatoes score sits in the 90s, not enough people have given this underrated show a chance.
8
’Dept. Q’ (2025–)
In Dept Q, Detective Carl Morck (Matthew Goode) is never afraid to flaunt his intelligence, but even he didn’t predict the shooter who almost killed him and his partner at a crime scene. A social pariah in his department, Carl’s return after recovery isn’t met with a warm welcome, and his antisocial behavior hasn’t changed in his time away. When Chief Superintendent Moira Jacobson (Kate Dickie) is pressured to make a cold case unit, she assigns Carl to the basement and makes him the sole member of the new “Department Q.”
Frequently compared to Apple’s spy series Slow Horses, Dept. Q delivers a compelling mystery while also allowing room for the characters to develop. The writing is sharp, and Goode handled it with the appropriate level of prickliness while never coming off as theatrical, which is a common trap this type of character falls into. Dept. Q hit number one on Netflix’s global viewership chart, and the positive ratings guaranteed that a second season of the mystery series was on its way.
9
‘The Gentlemen’ (2024–)
A family inheritance leads to murder, drug running, and underworld politics in The Gentlemen. When the Duke of Halstead (Edward Fox) dies, he passes his title and estate to his son Eddie Horniman (Theo James), an Army officer who wasn’t closely involved in family affairs. Eddie is reluctant to accept the responsibility, even more so when he learns about the secret marijuana farm that has been operating on the property for years.
Based on the 2019 Guy Ritchie film of the same name, The Gentlemen also has Ritchie step in to direct the first two episodes. The director’s style is perfectly captured in the series, as the gentlemanly class of criminals bear the colorful idiosyncrasies seen in films like Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. James is superb as the reluctant problem solver who becomes a natural crime lord, and his chemistry with partner in crime Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) is worth rewatching Season 1 for until Netflix releases the second installment.
10
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)
Without question, as one of the greatest crime shows of the 21st century, Breaking Bad is great TV, whether it’s the first watch or the fifth pass through. Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is a high school chemistry teacher disappointed with his simple life, but a terminal cancer diagnosis leaves him desperate to leave money behind for his family. Using his chemistry knowledge to his benefit, Walter creates a shaky partnership with an old student, Jessie Pinkman (Aaron Paul), to make the best meth Albuquerque has ever seen.
An example of serialized storytelling at its finest, Breaking Bad always left the audience desperate to see the next episode with a life-or-death cliffhanger or a stunning reveal to cap off an episode. On screen, Cranston’s ability to fuse an everyman relatability with a simmering menace helped Walter White become one of the most iconic characters on television. Breaking Bad would go on to win 16 Emmys, including two for Outstanding Drama Series.
Breaking Bad
- Release Date
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2008 – 2013-00-00
- Network
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AMC
- Showrunner
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Vince Gilligan
- Directors
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Vince Gilligan, Michelle Maclaren