With the plethora ofcrime dramasavailable, there are some hidden gems that have slipped through the cracks and gone unnoticed by a large audience. The world ofcrime dramas is filled with great TV shows, but given the sheer number of series available to stream, finding your next watch can be difficult.
Whileprocedural TV showslikeCSIandLaw & Orderhave dominated the genre for years, the streaming era has given access to a lot of different stories with different structures. Streaming has also allowed us to watch shows from all over the world, many of which are incredibly underrated and deserve more love.
The Glass Dome
Cast
The Glass Dome, released on June 29, 2025, follows criminologist Lejla as she joins the search for her friend’s missing daughter while confronting the trauma of her own childhood abduction.
Netflix’s Swedish crime drama,The Glass Dome, is one of the most chilling shows on the streaming platform. Set in Granas, the series sees Lejla Ness, a criminal profiler, go back to her hometown and is forced to remember one of the most traumatic events of her life when a young girl is kidnapped.
The Glass Domeoffers an intriguing mystery and tells its story in a non-linear structure as it goes back and forth between Lejla’s past and the present. What makesThe Glass Domeso engrossing is that it’s not easy to guess who the culprit is. Instead,it has audiences guessing throughout its six episodes.
The Gardener
The Gardener is a 2025 film about Elmer, a contract killer whose emotional detachment, cultivated by his mother, is challenged when he develops feelings for his next target. Disguised as peaceful gardeners, their concealed identities threaten to unravel.
The Gardeneris one ofthe best TV shows about serial killers on Netflix. It chronicles the unusual, problematic love story between Elmer, a botanist with an inability to process emotions who uses his knowledge about plants to kill people, and Violeta, a teacher who is one of Elmer’s targets.
WhileThe Gardeneris extremely dark, it’s also a story about love and how it can change people.Álvaro Rico gives an incredible performance as Elmerand is undoubtedly the highlight of the show because he perfectly captured all of his character’s quirks and emotions as he began to experience romantic feelings for the first time.
The Breakthrough
The Breakthrough is a crime drama that follows a detective joining forces with a genealogist to solve a 16-year-old double homicide before it becomes a cold case, piecing together the mystery in a race against time.
Based onThe Breakthrough: How the Genealogist Solved the Double Murder in Linköpingby Anna Bodin and Peter Sjölund,The Breakthroughbecame an instant hit when it debuted on Netflix. The series focuses on the brutal double murder of Gunilla and Adanan in a small Swedish town. For 15 years, there was no clue as to who the perpetrator of the crime was until forensic genealogy was used.
While The Breakthrough is a fictionalized portrayal of a real-life story,the Netflix crime drama keeps most of the true story in its premise, including the process they used to solve the murders.The Breakthroughis as interesting as it is heartbreaking because it features the impact that knowing what happened to one’s loved ones can have on those who remain behind.
The Fall
The Fall is a British-Irish crime drama series starring Gillian Anderson as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson. The show follows her pursuit of a serial killer, Paul Spector, played by Jamie Dornan, in Belfast. Directed by Allan Cubitt, the series delves deeply into the psychological aspects of both the hunter and the hunted, providing a tense narrative that explores themes of morality, justice, and human behavior.
One ofJamie Dornan’s most underrated TV shows,The Fallis a disturbing crime drama with no dull moments. The psychological thriller chronicles the battle of wits between Dornan’s Paul Spector, a notorious serial killer, and Gillian Anderson’s Stella Gibson, a detective who is determined to bring Spector down.
The Fallonly has three seasons with a total of 17 episodes, so it’s extremely easy to binge.Anderson and Dornan both give memorable performances in the crime drama,and their dynamic adds a layer of depth to the show. The show is worth watching for Dornan and Anderson alone.
Who Killed Sara?
Who Killed Sara? centers on Alex Guzmán (Manolo Cardona), a loving brother who is framed for his sister’s murder. While seeking revenge for her death, Alex also looks to unearth more about her sister’s killer. The series was created by José Ignacio Valenzuela and debuted on Netflix in March 2021.
Who Killed Sara?became one of Netflix’s most viewed non-English shows, and for a good reason. It centers on Álex Guzmán, a man who is wrongly arrested for a crime he didn’t commit.
Who Killed Sara?perfectly blends a mystery about who was behind the murder of Álex’s sister, as well as an intense tale about revenge. Throughout its three seasons,Who Killed Sara?presents a story that has no dull moments, but is packed with an engrossing mystery and a flawed but likable protagonist who is easy to root for.
Bloodhounds
Two young boxers team up with a good-hearted loan shark to defeat a competitor who takes advantage of the most vulnerable people.
One ofWoo Do-hwan’s best K-dramas,Bloodhoundssees his character, Kim Geon-woo, team up with Hong Woo-jin in order to fight against a loan organization.Bloodhoundsis action-packed from start to finish, but also features a heartwarming story about a son who is determined to save his mother from criminals who are intent on taking advantage of her.
Although Woo Do-hwan is famous for playing the arrogant male lead in romantic K-dramas,Bloodhoundsproved that he is capable of shining in a different genre. However,the highlight ofBloodhoundis undoubtedly Geon-woo and Woo-jin’s bond, whose funny dynamic serves as the backbone forthe action K-drama.
The Bridge
The Bridge is a 2011 crime drama series focused on a murder investigation that begins when a body is discovered on the Øresund Bridge connecting Denmark and Sweden. Danish inspector Martin Rohde and Swedish investigator Saga Norén must collaborate across borders to uncover the killer’s identity and intentions.
The Bridgeis a Nordic series that ran for four seasons from 2011 to 2018. Each season focuses on a different crime that homicide detective Saga Norén has to investigate. WhileThe Bridgedoesn’t tread new waters as it focuses on a type of storytelling formula that has been seen countless times before, it’s still an enjoyable crime drama.
Marnolo Cardona, who plays Saga Norén inThe Bridge, is riveting as the awkward detective, which adds emotional depth to the crime thriller. The mysteries inThe Bridgeare compelling, but what makes it such a memorable show is how it depicts its characters and doesn’t shy away from portraying the challenges of police work.
Giri/Haji
Giri/Haji is a thriller series set in Tokyo and London, examining the consequences of a murder that connects the two cities. It explores themes of morality and redemption through the intertwining lives of its characters, blending suspense and dark humor within its narrative framework.
Released in 2019,Giri/Hajiis a perfect crime thriller filled with suspense. When Kenzo’s brother, Yuto, is accused of murdering the nephew of a Yakuza member, he travels to London in order to find his brother, who’s presumed dead, and discover if he is guilty of the crime he was accused of.
Giri/Hajifinds the perfect balance between including a central mystery while placing its characters at the center of its premise. WhileGiri/Hajiuses a lot of tropes,the series finds its strength with impeccable characters and a riveting storyline that is filled with suspense and intrigue.
Nine Puzzles
Nine Puzzles follows Ena and Detective Hansaem as they work together a decade after Ena finds her uncle murdered. Faced with a series of similar killings, each connected by mysterious puzzle pieces, they strive to prevent the perpetrator from striking again.
One ofthe best K-dramas on Disney+,Nine Puzzlesis another example of why Korean series have become global sensations. The psychological thriller centers on the hunt for a serial killer who leaves puzzles at his crime scenes. Yoon E-na leads the investigation into the puzzle murderer when a string of new murderers reminds her of how her uncle was killed.
Kim Da-mi and Son Su-ku are riveting inNine Puzzlesand feed off each other’s energy, resulting in an intense series that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
What makesNine Puzzlesso interesting is that it’s a character study. While the show does focus on the mystery of the puzzle murderer,it also delves into E-na’s tense relationship with Kim Han-saem. Kim Da-mi and Son Su-ku are riveting inNine Puzzlesand feed off each other’s energy, resulting in an intense series that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
The Disappearance
The Disappearance is a dramatic film released in 2017 that explores the impact of Anthony Sullivan’s disappearance on his tenth birthday. As the police investigation stalls, hidden family secrets begin to emerge, causing tensions and conflict within the Sullivan family.
The Disappearanceisone of the most underrated TV showsthat should have gotten more attention. The Canadian series focuses on the disappearance of Anthony Sullivan, a young boy who goes missing during a treasure hunt. As the police and family try to find him, hidden secrets begin to be revealed.
The Disappearanceexplores the impact that having a missing child has on a family. The crime drama is filled with suspense from start to finish, and weaves an intense mystery with devastating consequences. AlthoughThe Disappearanceflew under the radar of most people,it’s a fantastic show that fans of crime dramas will appreciate.
