15 Best TV Shows Like Netflix's You

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One of the most popular shows on Netflix for the past several years is "You," a psychological thriller based on the novel series of the same name by Caroline Kepnes. The series ran for five seasons and chronicled the adventures of serial killer Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) who traveled the world under various aliases while targeting fresh victims. Stylishly staged and sharply written, the series' protagonist gave it a distinctly villainous perspective on the world. And though "You" season 5 leaves Joe Goldberg's fate as a case closed, there are plenty of similar shows to keep the bloody thrills going.

There is no shortage of psychological thrillers available to watch, many of which are available on popular streaming services. Many of these shows involve serial killers and, on several memorable occasions, are told from the murderer's perspective like "You." Here are the 15 best TV shows like Netflix's "You" that you should definitely check out next.

As far as shows following the perspective of serial killers go, there is no franchise that's run longer and found its second wind more often than "Dexter." Based on the novels by Jeff Lindsay, the show revolves around Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) a forensic technician in Miami who secretly moonlights as a vigilante serial killer. Dexter carefully keeps his murderous proclivities from those close to him as he takes on other local murderers who have escaped the law. The revival series "Dexter: New Blood" follows the original series, the prequel "Dexter: Original Sin" chronicles a younger Morgan's adventures, and "Dexter: Resurrection" picks up where "New Blood" left off.

While it may be fair to say that "Dexter" is a show that should have ended sooner than it did, Hall's performance as the killer has always been its highlight. The darkly humorous perspective that Hall brings to the character, along with a whole line of equally lethal antagonists makes for consistently entertaining television. Like Joe Goldberg, Dexter Morgan puts on a charming front to conceal his deadly side, though Morgan also lives by his own clearly established code. A standout in Showtime's original programming for years, it's remarkable how good "Dexter" is, especially in its early seasons.

Before he was starring in major Hollywood blockbusters, British actor Idris Elba played the title character in the crime procedural "Luther." Elba stars as London police detective John Luther, whose work in the major crimes unit usually pits him against terrifying killers on the loose in the city. Luther's work takes an immense toll on his well-being and personal life as he strikes up an odd relationship with the psychopathic killer Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson). The 2023 continuation movie "Luther: The Fallen Sun" has Luther's latest antagonist, the well-connected David Robey (Andy Serkis), using Luther's problematic past on the force against him.

Simply put, "Luther" is one of the best crime TV shows of all time, with the intense procedural story elevated by Elba's intense performance. A major part of that intensity and effectiveness comes from how truly scary the show can be at times, establishing how dangerous its villains are. Many episodes feature a steadily mounting dread as the killers stalk their prey, underscoring how important it is for Luther to stop these maniacs. Thanks to its strong showing throughout its entire run, "Luther" is the perfect showcase for how well Elba can command a scene.

Author Sara Shepard's popular young adult novel series "Pretty Little Liars" was adapted into a show of the same name in 2010. The show revolves around a group of estranged friends who separated in the wake of the sudden disappearance of their mutual friend and clique leader. One year after this disappearance, the group reunites when they begin receiving threatening messages from an anonymous source revealing their personal secrets. The friends set out to identify their tormentor while later seasons involve different antagonists that challenge this close-knit group.

Starting out as a coming-of-age drama with a voyeuristic edge, "Pretty Little Liars" is a show that grew more complex as it progressed. More of a mystery than an overt thriller, at least initially, the series really thrived on the messy interpersonal dynamics between its main characters. The original series featured a five-year time jump that gave the show its second wind, delving into slightly more mature subject matter. An effective teen drama that elevates the formula with a shadowy adversary, "Pretty Little Liars" rose above its contemporaries and remains a compelling twist on the genre.

The 2007 Danish crime series "The Killing" was adapted into an American show of the same starting in 2011. The remake's first two seasons echo its European source material, with police detectives Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) investigating the murder of a Seattle teenager. The two detectives discover the girl has far-reaching ties, including connections with local politician Darren Richmond (Billy Campbell). The third and fourth seasons explore different murder investigations that shake Linden and Holder to their respective cores.

While the decision to extend the initial murder mystery to two seasons may have impacted the show's initial momentum, "The Killing" is still clearly a cut above most crime shows. Enos and Kinnaman make a strong crime-solving duo, while the series delivers an appropriately moody atmosphere for its Pacific Northwestern setting. But more than just the stylish staging and thrills, the series explores the heartbreaking impact of the murders being committed, particularly in its opening mystery. Haunting in its presentation and superbly acted all-around, "The Killing" is a rare remake that shines just as brightly as the original show.

Sinister cults of personality form the underlying basis for the 2013 thriller series "The Following" starring Kevin Bacon and developed by "Scream" creator Kevin Williamson. Bacon plays former FBI agent Ryan Hardy, who returns when notorious serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) escapes and gains a zealous following of fanatical murderers. Hardy discovers that this is all part of an elaborate scheme by Carroll to regain his freedom and pursue a vendetta against Hardy for arresting him years prior. The show's later seasons follow different dangerous cults and serial killers pursued by Hardy and his colleagues in the FBI.

For a show that initially aired on network television, "The Following" pushed the boundaries of graphic content for the platform at that time. Simply put, this is a violent show, drawing viewers in for its lurid stakes as Hardy and team delve deeper into the heart of darkness. Between the gratuitous carnage are strong performances from Bacon and Purefoy, complementing each other in this cat-and-mouse game. Airing for three seasons, "The Following" is a vicious procedural that leans into a more horror-driven direction.

The blood-soaked upbringing of proto-slasher Norman Bates is chronicled in the 2013 A&E series "Bates Motel," a prequel to the iconic 1960 Alfred Hitchcock movie "Psycho." Freddie Highmore plays Norman, who is a teenager at the start of the series, with Vera Farmiga playing his dangerously unstable mother Norma. The mother and son duo open up the Bates Motel at a remote Oregon location, finding themselves drawn into a widening web of murder. As the series progresses, Norma becomes increasingly fearful of what Norman is capable of as his mental health steadily deteriorates, fueling his capacity for violence.

Horror is full of creepy familial dynamics and "Bates Motel" reminds audiences that Norman and Norma's relationship sets the foundation for that trope. Highmore and Farmiga anchor the entire series, knowing when to find the painful humanity of their characters and when to go broke with its bloody premise. And as Norman moves towards his slasher destiny, the show only grows stronger every step of the way as his dynamic with Norma becomes more fragile. A fascinating psychological deep dive into one of cinema's most iconic killers, "Bates Motel" brings the dark drama and lethal thrills to reinvigorate the "Psycho" franchise.

As far as iconic pop culture serial killers go, there are few that are more recognizable than Hannibal Lecter, created by author Thomas Harris. The cultured cannibal headlined the 2013 NBC series "Hannibal," with Mads Mikkelsen playing the role, joined by Hugh Dancy as FBI profiler Will Graham. Initially working closely together to track other serial killers, Lecter's true nature puts a particularly terrifying twist on procedural TV. This leads to the former associates being pitted against each other despite all their commonalities and deeply shared rapport.

"Hannibal" does the previously unthinkable and brings the franchise out from under the shadow of Anthony Hopkins' award-winning portrayal of Lecter. Each of the show's three seasons ups the ante, infusing its mystery thriller sensibilities with an increasingly unsettling mood. At its core, the story is the bad romance between Graham and Lecter, unconsummated but no less passionate amidst the blood and fury. Years after its cancellation, "Hannibal" still has fans in a chokehold waiting for further turns from Mikkelsen as the ravenous Lecter.

One young, handsome, and cunning serial killer who could give Joe Goldberg a run for his money is Paul Spector, from the Northern Ireland-set thriller "The Fall." Played by Jamie Dornan, Spector is the main antagonist for the 2013 series, preying on young women in Belfast at the start of the story. Leading the police task force to bring in Spector is Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson), who also is reconciling with her complicated past. As Gibson coordinates the police response, a cat-and-mouse game between Spector and the authorities escalates.

"The Fall," just like "You," isn't a murder mystery, with the identity of the killer revealed right away, relying on different sources of suspense. Anderson and Dornan command full attention to every scene they're in, making their characters' battle of wits all the more compelling. And its core, "The Fall" understands that tension doesn't necessarily need to come exclusively from graphic moments, but a slow-burning tension that steadily mounts. These qualities help make "The Fall" one of the best British crime dramas ever, going deeper with its characters than most procedurals.

Whether playing heroic protagonists in projects like "Stargate" or bringing calculated menace to otherwise comedic shows like "The Office," James Spader is always magnetic wherever he appears. The NBC action thriller "The Blacklist" uses this undeniable presence to great effect, with Spader playing notorious international criminal Raymond Reddington. Surrendering to FBI custody at the start of the series, Reddington negotiates for his immunity in exchange for his help in tracking down a list of nefarious criminals and terrorists. For mysterious reasons, Reddington only agrees to work alongside rookie criminal profiler Liz Keen (Megan Boone) as they take down these dangerous figures.

The reason to tune in every week, really, is Spader's performance, bringing an understated malice to his performance as Reddington. He and Boone provide their own modern twist on the Hannibal Lecter/Clarice Starling dynamic, with Reddington's own unique unhealthy obsession over his colleague. And for all the global intrigue and counterterrorism, the show organically maintains the ongoing mystery surrounding Raymond Reddington's real identity and motivations. A twist-filled procedural powered by Spader's captivating presence, "The Blacklist" showcases evil being used to vanquish evil.

The perfect thriller for the Information Age, "Mr. Robot," aired for four seasons on the USA Network from 2015 to 2019. Rami Malek stars as Elliot Alderson, a cybersecurity engineer suffering from severe mental health issues, including rampant paranoia. Alderson is recruited by a shadowy anarchist, known simply as Mr. Robot (Christian Slater), as part of a hacktivist collective taking on the malicious E Corp, a corrupt conglomerate. Over the course of the series, the scope expands as Mr. Robot's crusade against corporate malfeasance escalates, with Alderson drawn deeper into its techno-thriller web.

Moving at a deliberate pace for its first two seasons, "Mr. Robot" packs in its biggest twists for the back half of the series, keeping audiences on their toes. At the center of it all is Malek, delivering a star-making performance as the paranoid but brilliant protagonist. Across the series, Elliot begins to overcome trauma, culminating in him finally learning to let go in the ending of "Mr. Robot" as he moves on with his life. If "You" is a story of troubled young men in New York giving into their demons, "Mr. Robot" is a show about them outmaneuvering the devil they know.

The classic Archie Comics characters might not seem like a natural fit for dark teen drama with psychological thriller overtones, but the 2017 series "Riverdale" made it work. Taking place in the eponymous upstate New York town, the small community is rocked by the murder of one of its teenagers. This kicks off a string of bizarre and disturbing events across the subsequent seasons that Archie Andrews (KJ Apa) and his classmates find themselves caught up in. After the main characters graduate from high school, the series goes through a time jump featuring the characters returning to Riverdale as adults.

To be clear, "Riverdale" is absolutely bananas and even more absurd than you've heard, with later storylines involving parallel universes and magical resurrection. That this all stems from a murder mystery wrapped in a teen drama makes this progression all the more gleefully over-the-top. And yet, despite being given every opportunity, somehow the show never collapses under its own weight but becomes the ultimate in trashy television. With storylines and dialogue that have to be seen to be believed, "Riverdale" is the "Twin Peaks" of its time in its own ludicrous way.

The number of film and television adaptations based on the literary works of Stephen King is staggering, but one of the best is 2020's "The Outsider." Adapting the 2018 novel of the same name, the show centers on the grisly murder of a young boy in a small Georgia town. While the circumstances implicate local Little League baseball coach Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman), it becomes clear that there is more to this mystery than meets the eye. To assist in the investigation, preternaturally gifted detective Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo) is summoned to discover what truly occurred.

A slow burn that escalates from its procedural roots into something far more sinister, "The Outsider" is the best Stephen King TV series, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Much of this quality comes down to the superb performances across the board from the show's ensemble cast, particularly Erivo and Ben Mendelsohn. There is a haunting atmosphere that hangs over the proceedings, as the impact of this heinous crime causes deep ripple effects on the entire community. A fantastic adaptation featuring King's favorite character, "The Outsider" will leave viewers hungry for more.

South Korean television, or K-dramas, continue to find global success, fueled by enormously successful shows like "Squid Game." One genre Korean shows particularly excel at are thrillers, with the 2020 series "Flower of Evil" certainly qualifying on that score. The show centers on happily married couple Cha Ji-won (Moon Chae-won) and Baek Hee-sung (Lee Joon-gi), with Ji-won working as a police detective. As Ji-won begins investigating the activities of an unidentified local serial killer, she begins to suspect that her husband may be the culprit.

Across its 16-episode run, "Flower of Evil" keeps audiences guessing as to whether Hee-sung is indeed the murderer Ji-won is searching for. This leads to some of the wildest K-drama plot twists ever, but never quite breaking the realm of believability. Lee Joon-gi does a stellar job as the complicated Hee-sung, especially as his traumatic backstory is revealed. A fantastically intimate murder mystery, "Flower of Evil" expertly keeps its viewers on their toes.

Netflix has been producing its own growing library of original K-dramas, years before "Squid Game," with one standout being 2021's "The Glory." This revenge thriller follows Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo), who was viciously bullied by her classmates in high school. Years later, Dong-eun is now the elementary teacher for several of her former tormentors' children who are none the wiser about her grudge. This is all part of an elaborate scheme by Dong-eun to gain her revenge, incorporating other people her bullies had wronged while turning them against each other.

Grippingly suspenseful, "The Glory" practically borders on outright horror with the lengths Dong-eun goes to achieve her revenge and the sadistic trauma her bullies inflicted. Just like its protagonist, this is a story with a razor-sharp focus in its writing and its performances every step of the way. This is buoyed by several dramatic plot twists, particularly as Dong-eun's vendetta begins to visibly take shape. Easily one of the best K-dramas on Netflix, "The Glory" is a taut revenge story and a masterclass in tension-building.

Author Frederick Forsyth's classic 1971 novel "The Day of the Jackal" had been adapted into two separate films before receiving a television adaptation in 2024. Eddie Redmayne stars as an enigmatic British assassin known simply as the Jackal who has gained notoriety worldwide. Pursuing him is Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch), an MI6 operative tracking the contract killer across Europe. This chase escalates as the Jackal takes on an offer to assassinate a high-profile tech billionaire before he can release a disruptive new innovation.

Moving briskly across its 10 episodes while taking full advantage of its international locales, "The Day of the Jackal" is a superb update of the story. Redmayne brings a lethal focus to his globetrotting role, matched by Lynch's own intense performance. And in its most suspenseful moments, the show leaves viewers breathless as they wonder how the bad guy is going to get away with his murderous tasks this time. Lean and mean and anchored by its two leads, "The Day of the Jackal" is one of the best shows available on Peacock.