Netflix series recommendations for the psychological thriller lover

Psychological thrillers are my favourite! I love the insight into how the mind works and why people behave the way they do. If that sounds like something you’re into, these show recommendations will be perfect for you!

The Sinner 

This show was incredibly intriguing! The whole premise is not what happened, but why did it happen? It was truly unpredictable and suspenseful every step of the way. It’s one of those shows where I just had to keep watching to see it all come together at the end. It has 3 seasons each following a different storyline. My personal favourite is season 1, I think it is one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve seen… ever. 

Mindhunter 

Mindhunter is loosely based on real events and follows the development of the FBI’s behavioural science unit in the 1970s. It features their attempt to learn about why criminals commit crimes including famous names such as Ed Kemper, Charles Manson, and many others. This series held my attention episode after episode. It was fascinating! Mindhunter has 2 seasons (and the first season was the best in my opinion). It hasn't been renewed for a 3rd season yet so we’ll have to wait and see. 

Black Mirror 

Black Mirror is also known as the modern “Twilight Zone”. It is essentially a depiction of a world where technology is not always our friend. Each episode features a new story and they are all uniquely compelling. It never fails to surprise me and leave me feeling unsettled. A fellow Digital Community Crew member wrote an article called “Best Black Mirror episodes as compiled by a normal fan” in which they list some of their favourite episodes. Some of my personal favourites that have stuck with me even after years of having watched them include: 

• Black Museum 
• White Bear
• White Christmas 
• Playtest 
• The Entire History of You 
• Be Right Back

Black Mirror has 5 seasons and it has not been announced when or if a 6th season will take place. I sure hope so because even though I could rewatch these episodes, there’s nothing like watching them for the first time and having my mind blown. 

Doctor Foster 

I did not expect to be so captivated by Doctor Foster. The show follows Gemma (Dr. Foster) as she begins to discover her husband’s infidelity. As a viewer, I was really taken on the journey with her. It’s written and depicted in a way that made me feel every emotion that she feels. The anxiousness, the hurt, the betrayal - everything. I think that’s why I was so invested in this show! I had to binge-watch to see how everything unraveled! Doctor Foster has 2 seasons and unfortunately will not return for a 3rd although I wish it did because Gemma is such an amazing character.

Behind Her Eyes 

I watched Behind Her Eyes over reading week and I really didn’t know what I was watching in the beginning episodes. I was confused because it follows the story of a married couple David and Adele as well as David’s assistant, Louise. From the get-go you can tell something is wrong in David and Adele’s marriage but you can never quite put your finger on it… until the end. Trust me, it’s worth the wait. I enjoyed it because it was not predictable at all, even though there are so many hints throughout the show, nothing could have prepared me for that plot twist! (PS. stay away from the comments section of the Youtube trailer for spoilers!). Behind Her Eyes is a limited series with only 1 season, and it has not been announced if there will be a season 2. 

What If 

The last line of the trailer is “true success comes at any cost” and this show really tests those boundaries. What might a person sacrifice for success? Well, the characters in this show fight that battle until the end. The interesting thing about this show is that it starts out heading in one direction and then takes a complete turn and uncovers so much more. That’s what really got me. The layers and complexities of the characters and their relationships were so intriguing, I couldn’t stop watching! What If only has 1 season and a 2nd season has not been announced.

The Stranger 

I think the trailer gives a good understanding of why I was so interested in this show. Faking a pregnancy… to save a marriage? And being told this information about your wife (who is missing) by a stranger? I was sold, I wanted answers! There were so many interesting aspects to this show that I had to keep watching to find out more about. Who is this stranger and why is she ruining people’s lives like this? Where did the wife go? The Stranger did not disappoint!  There is currently only 1 season of The Stranger and a 2nd season has not been announced.

You 

I actually wrote an article about You called “Netflix’s “You” Season Two recap: What in the WORLD” (which contains spoilers!). You is a really fascinating show because it’s narrated by the main character Joe. You literally hear his voice, thoughts, and justifications for his harmful and dangerous actions. The narrations really piqued my interest because there are times when Joe will talk about a person out loud as if they’re still alive, but in his mind, he nonchalantly recalls the memory of how he caused that person’s death. It’s unsettling. You is coming back for a 3rd season, can’t wait to see what Joe is up to!

Haunting of Hill House 

Considering that the title of this show has the word “haunting” in it, I expected to be terrified while watching this show. Instead, I literally cried throughout the entire last episode. Haunting of Hill House yes, has a haunted aspect to it, but it’s so much more than that which is why I loved it. It touches on how the mind can also be haunted and the long-lasting impacts that Hill House has on the last family that lived there. There’s a reason why everyone who has watched this series recommends it, it’s truly one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.

Haunting of Bly Manor 

Haunting of Bly Manor was created by the same producers as Haunting of Hill House and features many of the same actors. It follows a different storyline so it’s not a continuation of Hill House. Of the two, I don’t think Bly Manor was as impactful as Hill House for me (if you watch both of them you’ll probably understand why). But nevertheless, Bly Manor was still an amazing series. Again, there is a haunted aspect but it’s not the typical ghost story type of show. There are so many layers to each of the characters which I thoroughly enjoyed. The Haunting series in general does a great job with their writing. They set the stage for how a character acts and episode by episode you learn more about what caused them to act the way they do.

Bonus: Secrets & Lies 

Secrets & Lies isn’t on Netflix, I actually watched this series on Youtube but had to give it an honourable mention as a captivating psychological thriller! I love Martin Henderson so he was a big reason that I started the show. After reading some of the Youtube comments and seeing all of the positive reviews I figured that I’d give it a shot. The premise is that a young boy named Thom is killed and the man who found his body is accused of his murder. I’d like to think I’m really good at predicting plots, but this show kept me guessing from beginning to end on who might be responsible for Thom’s death. I’m pretty sure at one point or the other throughout the series, I had most of the main characters under my suspicion as being responsible. The psychological aspect of why the culprit killed Thom literally gave me goosebumps. I’ve never been so shocked! There was only 1 season of Secrets & Lies but it was also adapted into a US version with 2 seasons. 

Next up on my Netflix watchlist

These are some of the shows I’ve been hoping to watch next: 

• Ozark 
• Who Killed Sara?
• Collateral
• Bloodline
• Unbelievable 
• The Five 
• Reckoning 
• The Mess You Leave Behind 
• The Alienist 
• Retribution  

Happy watching!