Mentions of murder, gun violence, bullying, and more.
While manycrime showsneed various seasons to tell their stories, there are some that are shorter and thus can be enjoyed from start to finish in just one weekend. The branch of crime, whether true or fictional, is a very popular one, and most are so engaging and intriguing that they are easy to binge-watch.
Some ofthe best TV shows of all timeare from the crime genre, though some of them were mixed with other genres like drama, as is the case forThe Sopranos, while others, likeLaw & Order, are still running. Many ofthe best crime showshave multiple seasons, but there are some that are shorter and equally great, and can be watched in one weekend.
Quicksandis a Swedish psychological crime drama miniseries based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Malin Persson Giolito.Quicksandbegins with a school shooting at Djursholm senior high school, where 18-year-old Maja (Hanna Ardéhn) is arrested and her ex-boyfriend Sebastian (Felix Sandman) is dead at the scene, along with some of Maja’s friends, including her best friend Amanda (Ella Rappich).
Quicksandmakes some dark and shocking revelations about Maja and Sebastian.
Through flashbacks,Quicksandexplores the events that led to the shooting, beginning with how Maja and Sebastian met, while also following the investigation and Maja’s trauma and grief while kept in a cell. Throughout six episodes,Quicksandmakes some dark and shocking revelations about Maja and Sebastian, with a heavy emotional charge and the suspense of Maja’s arrest and potential imprisonment.
Love & Deathis a biographical crime drama miniseries based onthe true story of Candy Montgomery.Love & Deathtakes the audience to the 1970s, in Wylie, Texas, to follow Candy Montgomery (Elizabeth Olsen) and Betty Gore (Lily Rabe), both happily married to Pat (Patrick Fugit) and Allan (Jesse Plemons), respectively – however, both marriages are struggling for different reasons.
Love & Death is based on Jim Atkinson and John Bloom’s bookEvidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs.
Candy is attracted to Allan, and he reciprocates, so they begin an affair. Their relationship is further complicated by Betty giving birth to her and Allan’s second child, so he ends the affair. However, when their respective partners learn of the affair,Candy goes to extremes, unleashing a messy investigation and even messier results.
Another Swedish crime miniseries that you’re able to watch in just one weekend isA Nearly Normal Family. Based on the novel of the same name by M. T. Edvardsson,A Nearly Normal Familyintroduces the audience to the Sandell family, formed by father (and pastor) Adam (Björn Bengtsson), mother (and attorney) Ulrika (Lo Kauppi), and daughter Stella (Alexandra Karlsson Tyrefors).
Their lives take a turn whenStella is accused of the murder of 32-year-old entrepreneur Chris(Christian Fandango Sundgren), but Adam and Ulrika are willing to go to lengths to protect their family.A Nearly Normal Familyfollows the investigation with flashbacks to Stella and Chris’ relationship, and it makes some disturbing revelations along the way.
Sharp Objectsis a psychological crime drama miniseries based on Gillian Flynn’s 2006 novel of the same name.Sharp Objectsfollows Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), a reporter struggling with substance-use disorder who, after being discharged from a psychiatric hospital after years of self-harming, returns to herhometown of Wind Gap, Missouri.
There,Camille investigates the murders of two young girls, but she also finds herself once more under the critical eye of her socialite mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson). The investigation, plus the tense relationship with her mother, force Camille to face her personal demons, makingSharp Objectsa story of trauma, mental illness, family dysfunction, and some dark and disturbing family secrets.
First wasDahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, and later cameMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Created by Ryan Murphy,The Lyle and Erik Menendez Storyexplores the story of brothers Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik Menendez (Cooper Koch).On June 15, 2025, Lyle and Erik killed their parents, José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty Menendez (Chloë Sevigny).
Although the Menendez brothers were initially believed to have killed their parents out of greed to get their money,the defense argues that the brothers did so in self-defenseafter years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse by their parents.The Lyle and Erik Menendez Storyexplores the brothers’ story through multiple unreliable narrators, leaving it to the audience to decide what truly happened.
The Staircaseis a biographical crime drama miniseries based on the 2004 true crime docuseries of the same name.The Staircasefollows Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), a crime novelist who, one day,finds his wife, Kathleen (Toni Collette), dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home. Michael becomes the prime suspect, and so the show follows the investigation of Kathleen’s death.
Through flashbacks,The Staircaseexplores the dynamic of Michael and Kathleen, all while a team of French filmmakers takes an interest in the story to make a documentary about it.The Staircasewas praised for the performances of Firth and Collette, as well as for its perspective on the case, which is different from what the documentary did.
Black Birdis a true crime drama miniseries based on James Keene’s 2010 autobiographical novelIn with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption.Black Birdtells the story of Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), who is arrested for drug and weapons conspiracy and faces a 10-year prison sentence without a chance for parole.
However, thanks to Jimmy’s charm and gift for talking, he’s offered a deal:he has to befriend a serial killer and get him to confessto killing 14 women after being convicted of only two murders, or he will serve his full sentence.Black Bird’s performances and its characters’ moral complexity led to its success, and luckily, it’s a bingeable show.
Mare of Easttownis a crime drama TV series created by Brad Ingelsby. Set in the fictional suburb of Easttown, Philadelphia,Mare of Easttownfollows Marianne “Mare” Sheehan (Kate Winslet),a detective sergeant investigating the murder of a teenage mother. Mare is a local hero thanks to scoring the winning basket in a high school basketball game 25 years ago, but behind closed doors, Mare is struggling.
Mare is going through a divorce, struggling with the loss of her son after he killed himself, and a custody battle over her grandson. On top of that and the murder she’s investigating, Mare failed to solve the case of a missing young girl, which madethe town doubt her detective skills.
Mare of Easttownexplores themes like grief, trauma, death, family, and the unpleasant side of small towns, where secrets can’t be kept for long.Mare of Easttownwas a critical success, and, at the time of writing, there are no plans to expand it with a second season as it was planned as a standalone series.
One of Netflix’s biggest and most recent hits is the 2025 psychological crime dramaAdolescence, created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham.Adolescencetakes the audience to an English town, where13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is arrested on suspicion of the murder of his classmate, Katie Leonard. While Jamie is processed and held at a police station for questioning, dark secrets come to light.
Adolescenceexplores the impact of Jamie’s arrest and actions on his family, as they face the community’s backlash and more.
Katie had rejected Jamie’s advances, which then led to online bullying of Jamie.Jamie also has radical and disturbing views towards women, which further complicate the investigation and the search for Jamie’s possible innocence. Parallel to the investigation,Adolescenceexplores the impact of Jamie’s arrest and actions on his family, as they face the community’s backlash and more.
Every episode ofAdolescencewas shot in one continuous take.
Adolescencehas been praised for its performances, filming techniques, narrative, emotional charge, and realism, as well as for the complex topics it addresses, such as incel culture, social media, bullying, and online radicalization. At the time of writing, there’s no confirmation of a second season, makingAdolescencea show that can be watched in one weekend.
