25 Best Psychological Thriller TV Shows, Ranked

The psychological thriller is an exceptional subgenre that dissolves any sense of reality and, instead of relying on physical action, it builds up the suspense through a character’s misconstrued perspective and complex mental state. Movies such as Rear Window, Cape Fear, and The Silence of the Lambs popularized the subgenre, paving the way for producing the best psychological thriller series, including Bates Motel, True Detective, and David Fincher‘s Mindhunter.

Through the years, there have been dozens of popular psychological thriller shows that earned praise from both critics and audiences, but only a few, such as The Following and Mare of Easttown, can leave viewers on edge. These spine-chilling psychological thrillers are expertly crafted, with well-written plots to complement stunning performances against gritty realities. Which are the most disturbing psychological thriller series worth watching as soon as possible?

25

‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ (2020)

Created by Mike Flanagan

Victoria Pedretti stars as Danielle Clayton in the gothic horror thriller The Haunting of Bly Manor. Danielle is hired as a live-in nanny by a family living in the English countryside, but as she settles into her new home and job caring for two young children, she begins to experience strange occurrences throughout the house. She slowly uncovers a series of dark secrets surrounding the manor as well as its residents.

Mike Flanagan‘s hit Netflix series, The Haunting of Bly Manor, is based on the 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw written by Henry James and follows a nonlinear plot that is full of thrilling twists and turns. The series has a ghostly, suspenseful tone, slightly toeing the line of horror, but is more of a reflection of an Edgar Allan Poe tale, which relies more on psychological intensity and mystery than visuals of gore and violence.

24

‘Fool Me Once’ (2024)

Created by Danny Brocklehurst

Fool Me Once is one of Netflix’s latest psychological thriller series that centers around a young mother, Maya Stern (Michelle Keegan), who is struggling to cope with the brutal murder of her husband, Joe (Richard Armitage). While Stern tries to pick up the pieces of her life, she hires a nanny to help out with her daughter and, for peace of mind, she decides to install a nanny cam. When Stern goes to check the footage one day, she is stricken with fear when she sees Joe, alive and well, playing with their daughter.

Based on the 2016 mystery thriller written by Harlan Coben, Fool Me Once puts a spin on the traditional whodunit with a shocking revelation, sending Stern into a thrilling downward spiral searching for answers while also trying to protect herself and her child. While it might not be one of those series you watch more than once, Fool Me Once is still a worthy series for any die-hard fans of psychological thrillers who enjoy piecing a complex web of a mystery together.

23

‘The Watcher’ (2022)

Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan

Inspired by true events, The Watcher stars Bobby Cannavale and Naomi Watts as Dean and Nora Brannock, a married couple who recently move into a new home with their son and daughter in Westfield, New Jersey. Initially, they’re happy in their new home and picturesque neighborhood, but when they start receiving harassing letters from an anonymous writer known as The Watcher, the family starts to become paranoid, believing everyone is a potential suspect.

Ryan Murphy‘s mystery thriller The Watcher is loosely based on real-life events of a family receiving a series of anonymous letters from an unknown sender who expressed an unhealthy infatuation with their home, but even today, the author has never been identified. While the series is mainly fiction, it also leaves audiences with a series of unanswered questions and even though it was intended to just be a miniseries, Netflix renewed the series for a second season. Despite some loose ends, The Watcher is still an exhilarating thriller with an intriguing mystery that presents several theories, making it one of the most recent top-notch psychological thrillers.

22

‘Sugar’ (2024)

Created by Mark Protosevich

Colin Farrell stars in the psychological neo-noir series Sugar as private investigator John Sugar, who is hired by a famed Hollywood producer (James Cromwell) to find his granddaughter who has been missing for several weeks. Sugar takes on the high-profile case, but as he begins his investigation, he uncovers family-kept secrets and past incidents that make him start to realize that this is more than just a missing persons case.

Sugar is a unique drama mystery series that meticulously intertwines certain scenes with classic noir films, giving it an edgy, gritty appeal similar to the setting of a traditional noir. With Farrell providing an off-camera hardboiled, narrative and his character carrying secrets of his own, Sugar is a fitting homage to the noir genre tailored to a modern mystery that will have viewers guessing at every turn. There is an unexpected element to the series that tips the overall plot sideways, but once viewers get past it, Sugar is indeed a psychological rollercoaster and one of the best series in recent years.

Watch on Apple TV+

21

‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ (2023)

Created by Mike Flanagan

Brother and sister, Roderick (name) and Madeline (name) Usher have built a pharmaceutical empire and are one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the country. While they have lived an extensive life basking in the riches and privileges of elite high society, the siblings’ demons and sins from their past eventually catch up to them as someone begins mysteriously killing off members of the Usher family one by one.

The Fall of the House of Usher is the latest series created by Mike Flanagan and is loosely based on the various works of famed gothic horror author, Edgar Allan Poe, who is best known for his short stories such as The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart. Each episode follows a different formula from one of Poe’s creepy tales, with a modern touch specifically molded to fit each family member. The Fall of the House of Usher has the perfect dosage of mystery, suspense, and mind games that all lead up to the unveiling of the siblings making a sinister deal with the devil.

20

‘The Following’ (2013 – 2015)

Created by Kevin Williamson

When a sadistic serial killer, Joe Caroll (James Purefoy), escapes the death penalty, he enlists the help of his large following of fans to continue his work and commit a series of brutal murders. The FBI calls in the former agent who originally apprehended Caroll, Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), and asks for his help to track down the madman’s extensive list of followers and stop them before they can claim more victims.

The Following is a twisted tale about a murderer who is determined to continue his reign of terror and manages to do so even behind bars, making each movement incredibly unpredictable and full of intensity. Caroll is also inspired by the iconic Edgar Allen Poe, and his crimes reflect the stories of the Gothic horror author, adding another layer to the complex mystery. Bacon delivers an emotional but defiant performance as Hardy who, despite his best efforts, is deep down a broken man struggling to heal mentally and physically from his work as a federal agent. The Following earned positive reviews from audiences and critics, making it a must-see in the genre.

19

‘The Sinner’ (2017 – 2021)

Created by Derek Simonds

Bill Pullman stars in Netflix’s series, The Sinner, as a homicide detective, Detective Harry Ambrose, who, unlike most detectives, has a sense of empathy and an unusual set of skills that sometimes leads him into dangerous territory. His checkered past drives his determination to solve each homicide and as he gets to know every major player in each case, he sometimes develops powerful bonds with them that force him to toe the line between professionalism and his personal feelings.

Each season of The Sinner features Ambrose investigating a different murder case, which allows the series to feel fresh while also maintaining a familiar formula for viewers. Pullman has never been more captivating and emotionally engaging as the enigmatic Ambrose, who is faced with the challenge of keeping an unbiased eye on the clues and never allowing his personal feelings towards a suspect or situation to prevent him from solving the case. The Sinner is a perfect balance of the classic thrills of murder investigations paired with in-depth character drama, making it an essential psychological thriller series for any diehard fan of the subgenre.

18

‘Behind Her Eyes’ (2021)

Louise Barnsley (Simona Brown) is a single mother who, shortly after meeting her new boss, Dr. David Ferguson (Tom Bateman); the two begin having a secret affair. As Barnsley tries to keep her scandalous affair separate from her everyday life, her world is thrown completely off when she develops a friendship with Ferguson’s wife, Adele (Eve Hewson). Initially, Barnsley takes the scenario as an unexpected love triangle, but she soon discovers that she’s caught in a web of secrets, lies, and unforgivable deception.

The British noir series, Behind Her Eyes, gives a whole new meaning to an office romance and features a rabbit hole of thrills and unexpected turns. While the series isn’t praised for its character development, it does follow an enticing series of events that are guaranteed to entertain audiences to a certain degree of shock and awe. Behind Her Eyes stands out for continuing to keep viewers guessing and as soon as they believe they have figured it all out, they’re thrown into another turn of events and information that leaves them utterly puzzled.

17

‘The Woman in the Wall’ (2023 – 2024)

Created by Joe Murtagh

When an Irish woman, Lorna Brady (Ruth Wilson), wakes up one morning, she’s horrified to discover a dead woman but even more frightened as she doesn’t know who or how the person ended up in her home. Since Brady suffers from sleepwalking, she is confused if she is responsible for the dead body or not, and, after meeting Detective Colman Akande, (Daryl McCormack), she becomes the investigator’s prime suspect in a completely different case.

The six-part dramatic thriller series The Woman in the Wall follows a confounding mystery complicated by Brady’s traumatic past and bouts of sleepwalking, presenting the age-old question in any mystery: did she or did she not commit murder? As the show immerses audiences in a game of tug-of-war over Brady’s innocence or guilt, Akande holds dark secrets of his own close to his chest which eventually slowly begin to unravel and become entangled in his investigation. The Woman in the Wall plays endless mind games with audiences while still moving the plot along, and as Brady and Akande form an unlikely alliance in their search for the truth, it also leads to a rather unexpected result most would have never imagined.

16

‘Mare of Easttown’ (2021)

Created by Brad Ingelsby

In a small rural town in Pennsylvania, a local police officer, Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet), investigates the brutal murder of a young girl while she is trying to keep the pieces of her life together. Since murder rarely happens in the tight-knit community, residents are put on edge and as Sheehan relentlessly works the case, she discovers damning secrets about those closest to her, leading her to an unexpected suspect right in her backyard.

HBO’s miniseries Mare of Easttown is hands down one of the best psychological thrillers in recent years and features an outstanding cast including Evan Peters, Guy Pierce, and Hacks star, Jean Smart. While the murder is at the center of this show, Winslet’s character has a mystery of her own that keeps audiences tuning in to each episode to not only learn who the killer is but also what exactly happened to Winslet that set her on a path of self-destruction. The series does an excellent job of conveying the positives and negatives of a small town as well as the social dynamics that come with almost every one of them. Unlike other murder mysteries, Mare of Easttown doesn’t involve a killer in a big city or large town and while that’s still terrifying, the idea of a potential neighbor being a crazed murderer presents a whole other level of fear and uncertainty in this psychological thriller.

15

‘The Patient’ (2022)

Created by Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg

Therapist, Alan Strauss (Steve Carell) is held captive by his patient, Sam (Domhall Gleeson), who reveals that he’s a serial killer. If Strauss wants to live, he must unravel Sam’s mind and find a way to stop him from killing anyone else. The unnerving situation causes Strauss to reflect on his broken life, especially as it seems like it may be cut short. In the process, he uncovers the depths of Sam’s compulsions, and he realizes he must fix the rifts within his own family.

Hulu’s The Patient is a limited series starring a refreshingly dramatic Carell in his first major television role that puts audiences on pins and needles the entire time. The series dives into the psyche of a murderer but also explores the seemingly ordinary mind of Strauss, presenting the extreme possibility that there isn’t much that separates Strauss from his patient.

14

‘Swarm’ (2023)

Created by Janine Nabers and Donald Glover

Creators Janine Nabers and Donald Glover weave a cautionary tale about fandoms in the limited series, Swarm. The critically acclaimed show follows Dre (Dominique Fishback), a woman part of a fanbase called “The Swarm,” where she’s particularly known for her love for a pop star. Unlike her fellow fans, Dre’s admiration of the celebrity is deeper and darker, inspiring her to go to some strange places for the sake of her love.

Swarm is a great show about obsession, using the perspective of fans to tell a genuinely original and darkly comedic story that takes some shocking and unexpected turns. As Dre falls deeper into the engrossing world of the fandom dedicated to a celebrity who is clearly a pastiche of Beyoncé, her desire leads to real consequences. – Hannah Saab

13

‘The Undoing’ (2020)

Created by David E. Kelley

Manhattan psychologist, Grace Fraser (Nicole Kidman) lives a more than comfortable life with her husband and oncologist, Jonathan (Hugh Grant), and their son, Henry. When the mother of one of Henry’s classmates is found brutally murdered, Grace’s perfect world is turned upside down when she and her family become the center of the investigation.

The Undoing strategically muddies the waters to set the stage for an unsuspected, jaw-dropping finale.

Max’s The Undoing is a twist on a classic “whodunit” that keeps audiences second-guessing about who is responsible for the senseless crime. Kidman is fantastic as the magnetic Grace Fraser, whose mysterious vibe fits the story perfectly. With many unassuming characters like Jonathan and Grace’s father (Donald Sutherland) plus just as many plausible suspects, The Undoing strategically muddies the waters to set the stage for an unsuspected, jaw-dropping finale.

12

‘The Devil’s Hour’ (2022 – )

Created by Tom Moran

Lucy Chambers (Jessica Raine) is a single mother and social worker who wakes up every night at exactly 3:33, which is known as the Devil’s hour. As she tries to figure out the meaning behind the reoccurrence, she struggles to connect with her son, Isaac, who appears to have an emotional disorder. This is further complicated when a mysterious criminal, Gideon (Peter Capaldi), seeks her out, which leads to her finally learning the unbelievable truth behind her life (and her nightly terror).

The Devil’s Hour is a British science-fiction and psychological crime TV series with fractured storytelling similar to Christopher Nolan‘s film, Memento. The Devil’s Hour is a haunting blend of murder and time traveling that jumps between two different timelines that comes to full fruition once Lucy is face to face with Gideon, whose mere presence sends chills down the spine.

11

‘You’ (2018 – 2024)

Developed by Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble

A psychological thriller based on the novels by Caroline Kepnes, You is a series that has evolved over the years. It starts out as a story about Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley), a seemingly harmless bookstore manager who falls in love – and then becomes obsessed – with aspiring writer Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail). When the stalker with a toxic obsession turns into a killer, he moves to the next town (and another season).

While You was initially about Joe and his wild actions and delusions, the series has slowly but surely introduced other characters that can match or even outdo the protagonist. From wealthy socialites to a woman who’s very similar to himself, he has had a lot to contend with in recent episodes, which have proven that the familiar world Joe lives in is full of sick and twisted individuals. Will the fifth and final season finally reveal if Joe has met his match? – Hannah Saab

10

‘Yellowjackets’ (2021 – )

Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson

Featuring a wildly talented ensemble cast that includes Sophie Nélisse, Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Christina Ricci, and more, Showtime’s Yellowjackets is a wholly original and riveting thriller series. It tells the story of a group of high school soccer players, a team of girls about to go to the national competition, but soon find themselves stranded in a mysterious forest after a plane crash.

The show alternates between the time the girls spent in the wilderness and the lives of the adult versions of the Yellowjackets characters who survived, set 25 years later. It never gives too much away, teasing important plot points so that the reveal is that much more satisfying. Yellowjackets is a fantastic blend of the psychological thriller, drama, and supernatural genres, as it often doesn’t reveal which parts are hallucinations and which parts are from the “darkness” in the wilderness. It keeps viewers guessing on the unsettling journey, with its latest season leaving fans with more questions than answers. – Hannah Saab

9

‘The Fall’ (2013 – 2016)

Created by Allan Cubitt

A London detective, Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson), is on the hunt for a dangerous serial killer who has been preying on his potential victims in Northern Ireland. As Gibson’s search intensifies, she looks for an obvious suspect but never expects the murderer to be the soft-spoken husband and father, Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan). As she’s organizing the case against him, bureaucracy and politics get in the way of justice, making the already terrible situation worse.

The Fall is a terrifying reminder that most of the genuine monsters in the world don’t appear to be like the ones children imagine hiding under their beds. Spector’s established home life and family adds a different kind of suspense to this intense game of cat and mouse as well as a misplaced empathy for the serial killer as he tries to keep the charade going.

8

‘Bates Motel’ (2013 – 2017)

Developed by Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, and Anthony Cipriano

After the death of her husband, Norma Bates (Vera Farmiga) purchases a motel in a coastal town, White Pine Bay, as an opportunity for a new start for both her and her shy teen son, Norman (Freddie Highmore), who has an intense bond with his mother. As Norman starts to open up, he manages to make some friends but he and his mother soon realize that the small town isn’t as picturesque as they thought.

Bates Motel is a prequel series to the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie, Psycho and follows a young Norman Bates and the crucial events that led to him becoming an unsuspecting murderer. The series’ suspense relies on fear tactics and mental manipulation and is topped off with sharp performances from both Highmore and Farmiga. Hitchcock fans shouldn’t expect the same level of novelty and finesse, but there’s something there for anyone looking for a decently entertaining psychological thriller.

7

‘Sharp Objects’ (2018)

Created by Marti Noxon

Camille Preaker (Amy Adams) is an investigative journalist who returns to her hometown to report on a series of unsolved crimes involving two local girls. While digging for clues, she tries to reconnect with her overbearing mother (Patricia Clarkson) and her half-sister, Amma (Eliza Crellin), but as traumatic memories begin to surface, Camille’s investigation starts to hit too close to home for her.

Max’s Sharp Objects is a miniseries based on the best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn and one of the best book-to-television adaptions in recent years. An award-winning eight-episode limited thriller series, Sharp Objects immediately gets under the skin with the jarring brutality of the crimes in a clearly corrupt town full of secrets. Adams also delivers a phenomenal performance in her first major lead television role, portraying the troubled Camille Preaker in an unforgettable way.

6

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)

Created by Mike Flanagan

In 1992, Hugh (Timothy Hutton/ Henry Thomas) and Olivia (Carla Gugino) Crain move into a mansion in the country with their five children who grow up in what would be known as the famous haunted house, Hill House. Now adults, the unusual occurrences, and ghosts of Hill House have continued to follow them while others remain hidden in the corner of their minds.

Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House is the latest adaption of Shirley Jackson‘s 1959 horror novel created and directed by Mike Flanagan. The Haunting of Hill House embraces haunted house tropes and executes them in fresh and terrifying ways. This blend of horror and psychological thriller is full of hidden clues and Easter eggs that make the series worth watching at least more than once, but definitely not right before bed.