With the onset of streaming and the continuation of the medium’s golden age in the 21st century seeing both networks and streaming services grow increasingly daring with the kinds of stories they’re willing to tell, the past 10 years have been a goldmine of bold and impactful television. The thriller genre has been among the greatest beneficiaries of this, with small-screen suspense taking the form of everything from fast-paced politics to slow-burn murder mystery in the past decade.
Apple TV is lining up to have another big year in 2026, and things are already off to a hot start with the Season 2 premiere of sci-fi shows like Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Apple TV also has a few big crime thrillers coming this summer with Cape Fear and Lucky, both of which are premiering this summer. Cape Fear features some big stars like Javier Bardem and Amy Adams, and it’s based on the same source material that inspired Robert De Niro’s 1991 film of the same name. Following Cape Fear around a month later is Lucky, the Anya Taylor-Joy-led crime thriller that also stars Timothy Olyphant. Last year around this time, Apple TV debuted all episodes of one of the most underrated crime thrillers in platform history, but the future of the show is still incredibly murky.
Procedurals have long been television's comfort food. There's something undeniably satisfying about watching skilled professionals solve problems, crack cases, or win impossible battles week after week. But the very best procedurals offer more than just a reliable formula. They create characters audiences become invested in, weave compelling long-term storylines between banger standalone episodes, and somehow make it impossible to stop at just one episode.
What a terrific year 2026 has been for true crime, and not just on Netflix, which has become the de facto hub for the genre. HBO Max released a surprise follow-up chapter in The Yogurt Shop Murders, and more recently debuted the first episode of Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult, which holds a rare 100% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. Peacock, on the other hand, delivered The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets. However, Netflix remains the undisputed champion of the true crime genre, for better or worse. The streamer has already had more than half a dozen hits this year, with The Crash — a feature-length examination of horrific events from 2022 — emerging as something of a sensation with more than 50 million views in three weeks.
Do you prefer cozy British whodunits, staple American television with the FBI involved, or a fresh take on the classic literary character, Sherlock Holmes? Withthese detective shows that will keep you hooked from start to finish, you'll find all of these and more. You might even discover new shows you haven't heard of before or be reminded of something you've had on your watchlist for a while.
There was a time when I genuinely thought nothing would ever top Breaking Bad because almost every episode felt stressful in a way very few shows manage. Walter White (Bryan Cranston) kept making decisions that looked smart in the moment and disastrous five episodes later, which made the tension build naturally instead of feeling manufactured. The transformation of Walter White from high school teacher to ruthless drug lord kept audiences gripped to their TVs for five seasons. The series also stars Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt, and Dean Norris, and it remains in the conversation of the best TV shows of all time.
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