'Masterpiece' crime drama is finally returning – here's 5 series just like it to binge

The wait is almost over, and it’s almost time for Slow Horses to come back. Apple TV+’s acclaimed spy drama returns on Wednesday, September 24, bringing Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb and his dysfunctional team at Slough House into a fresh round of chaos and conspiracies.

Since it first arrived in 2022, the series has been hailed as a “masterpiece” of modern television, boasting a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score and cementing Oldman’s performance as one of the finest of his career.

The trailer for season five, which has already amassed more than 3 million YouTube views, teases Slough House going into lockdown after an incident leaves 11 people dead. Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung) finds himself under suspicion, while Diana Taverner (Kristin Scott Thomas) warns of an “apocalypse” unfolding in London.

At the same time, crime dramas are enjoying a golden era, with new series and true-crime documentaries appearing on streaming platforms almost every week.

The genre has never been more varied, ranging from icy Nordic noirs to satirical whodunits and real-life cases that shook communities.

With one of television’s most acclaimed thrillers about to return, now is the perfect moment to take stock of what else is out there. From haunting documentaries to big-budget prestige dramas, here are five shows that share the same gripping DNA.

Available to watch on Netflix

Scandinavian crime fiction has carved out a reputation for bleak settings, troubled detectives, and morally complex storytelling - and Dept Q fits that tradition perfectly. Adapted from the bestselling novels by Jussi Adler-Olsen, the Danish series follows Detective Carl Mørck, who is sidelined to head up Department Q - a police unit dedicated to long-forgotten cold cases.

What begins as a punishment assignment quickly becomes an obsession. Carl, alongside his partner Assad, discovers that these supposedly unsolvable crimes often hold secrets that powerful people would rather stay buried. As the pair dig deeper, they confront corruption, cover-ups, and disturbing truths about the society around them.

Available to watch on Disney+ and ITVX

If you prefer your mysteries with a lighter touch, Only Murders in the Building has become one of streaming’s most surprising successes. The Hulu series brings together Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as an unlikely trio of neighbours in a New York apartment building who bond over their love of true-crime podcasts.

When a suspicious death occurs in their building, the three decide to investigate - and document their progress in a podcast of their own. The result is a sharp mix of comedy, suspense, and satire, poking fun at both the culture of true crime fandom and the vanity of amateur sleuths.

Across multiple seasons, Only Murders has attracted a stream of high-profile guest stars, including Meryl Streep, Paul Rudd, and Sting, keeping the stories fresh while maintaining a strong emotional core. Underneath the humour lies a genuine mystery, often with twists that catch even seasoned crime drama viewers off guard.

Available to watch on Prime Video

One Night in Idaho: The College Murders is a chilling docuseries examining the November 2022 killings of four University of Idaho students in Moscow, a crime that shocked America and drew global media attention.

The series reconstructs the night of the murders, the police investigation, and the eventual arrest of a suspect whose alleged involvement continues to provoke debate. Through a combination of interviews, archive footage, and forensic detail, the show highlights the painstaking work of investigators while also giving space to the voices of those directly affected.

True-crime documentaries are often accused of sensationalism, but One Night in Idaho balances sensitivity with a journalist’s eye for detail. It captures the ripple effects of a violent act on a small community and the relentless public scrutiny that followed.

Available to watch on Disney+ and ITVX

Dramatising real-life crimes can be risky, but Under the Bridge has been praised for its thoughtful approach. The series revisits the 1997 murder of 14-year-old Reena Virk in British Columbia, Canada, a case that exposed the hidden dynamics of teenage cruelty, bullying, and exclusion.

Adapted from Rebecca Godfrey’s acclaimed non-fiction book, the show follows how a group of teenagers became entangled in a shocking act of violence - and how the investigation gradually uncovered the unlikely perpetrators.

Rather than sensationalising the crime, it examines the pressures of adolescence, cultural tensions, and the failure of institutions to protect vulnerable young people.

Available to watch on Disney+

Paradise arrived in January 2025 with plenty of buzz behind it. Created by Dan Fogelman - best known for This Is Us - the political thriller put Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, and James Marsden at the centre of a tense, claustrophobic story about power, loyalty, and survival.

Set in a sprawling underground bunker in Colorado three years after a catastrophic doomsday event, the series follows Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (Brown) as he tries to uncover the truth behind the shocking assassination of the President. But when suspicion starts to turn toward him, Xavier finds himself caught in a dangerous spiral of mistrust and conspiracy, never knowing who to believe or how deep the cover-up really goes.

On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 80% approval rating from 56 reviews, with an average score of 6.5/10. Awards season confirmed its impact - at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, Paradise scored a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, alongside acting nods for its three leads.