As the leaves start to change color and the weather gets cooler, many people are turning their minds to all things fall—pumpkin spice, comfy sweaters, costume parties…and, of course, their favorite TV thrillers. Whether you choose to cuddle up on the couch with a warm cup of hot chocolate or prefer to get the family round for an outdoor barbecue followed by a Netflix marathon, you’re sure to enjoy this list of binge-worthy TV thrillers.
Our List of Bingeable TV Thrillers on Netflix
You
You follows the story of bookish, boy-next-door Joe Goldberg (played by Penn Badgley) who seems normal to the outside world, but has a dark secret: he’s actually a serial killer who develops unhealthy obsessions with the women he falls in love with, ultimately resulting in violence and even murder.
The show does an excellent job of making Joe perversely likable, despite the horrible things he does. At best, You will make you feel profoundly uncomfortable as it explores the twisted mind of a serial killer—at worst, it’s downright terrifying with plenty of thrills to go around. The first two seasons are currently available on Netflix, with a new season scheduled to be released in October of 2021.
Behind Her Eyes
Behind Her Eyes is a total mind-bender. It follows the story of single mother Louise (played by Simona Brown) who begins having an affair with her boss, David (played by Tom Bateman). Seemingly by chance, Louise meets David’s wife, Adele, (played by Eve Hewson) at a coffee shop and the two begin an unlikely friendship.
This show will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, as you try to figure out who the good guys and bad guys are in this twisted love triangle—as well as the dark, supernatural mysteries that surround David’s enigmatic wife, Adele.
The Haunting of Hill House
For fans of the horror genre, this limited series is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Many consider this series, written and directed by Mike Flanagan, to be a masterclass for effective storytelling in this genre. The story follows five siblings across two timelines. The first shows them growing up in a haunted house. The second, as adults reckoning with the trauma of their upbringing, as well as the recent death of one of their siblings.
The show is not only genuinely thrilling, it also offers viewers a compelling look at the impacts of grief and provides insight into the complexity of family dynamics.
The Haunting of Bly Manor
This follow-up series to The Haunting of Hill House introduces viewers to a whole new location and all-new characters, but with some of the same excellent casting as its predecessor—including Victoria Pedretti and Carla Gugino.
This season follows a young American woman (played by Pedretti) who takes a job as an au pair at a sprawling estate in rural England. Though it offers fewer jump scares than the previous series, Bly Manor includes many of the same thrills and thoughtful storytelling of the previous series, along with a very touching love story that will stay on your mind long after the credits roll.
Black Mirror
This anthology series includes a new, mind-bending story with every episode. Many of the episodes follow dystopian plotlines revolving around themes like artificial intelligence, social media, and other relevant socio cultural themes. In addition to being thrilling and at times, genuinely scary, Black Mirror provides valuable commentary on some of the major issues that have an impact on society.
The series has concluded its run, and all five seasons—comprising 22 episodes—are available on Netflix, making this show perfect binge-watching material.
Clickbait
Another mind-bender, this limited series follows the story of Nick Brewer (played by Adrian Grenier), a family-man who is abducted by kidnappers with a mysterious motive. After a video goes viral online accusing Nick of being an abuser of women, his family find themselves in a race against time trying to find his abductors before the clock runs out—all the while grappling with the question of whether Nick was truly who he said he was.
The show offers shocking twists from start to finish, and viewers will be left scratching their heads and sitting on the edge of their seats the whole series. You’ll want to turn it off, but the show will live up to its name…and you’ll keep clicking “next episode.”
Mindhunter
Part fiction, part real-life, this series takes viewers into the mind of famous serial killers. Based on true events, it follows detectives Holden Ford (played by Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (played by Holt McCallany), and psychologist Wendy (played by Anna Torv) as they attempt to unfold the pathology of serial killers and shed light on the phenomenon.
Throughout the series, the team conducts a series of interviews with serial killers including Ed Kemper, Jerry Brudos and Charles Manson, and is based on real profiles that were compiled on these killers in the 1980s and 1990s. Despite its popularity and critical acclaim, the series concluded after two seasons and all 19 episodes are available to binge on Netflix.
Ratched
Based on the iconic character from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, this limited series tells the backstory of Nurse Ratched, a young woman who works as a nurse at a mental health facility and develops a penchant for abusive behavior directed at her patients. The titular character is played by Sarah Paulson, and the series was developed by Ryan Murphy—the creator of American Horror Story and Pose.
The first season of 8 suspenseful episodes is available to binge on Netflix, with a second season in the works for the future.
Hopefully, one or more of these shows caught your eye. Every show on this list is sure to deliver thrills and offer hours of entertainment for you and your family. Now, the only thing left to do is pop some popcorn, grab the remote, fire up Netflix…and clear your schedule for the next eight hours. Enjoy!
