In 2024, Netflix has produced some of the best crime drama series, ranging from intense storylines to mystery thrillers.
With a diverse array of shows that delve into the darkest corners of society, Netflix offers a rich selection of narratives that are as varied as they are thrilling.
From the intricate crime work in The Signal to the intense family saga of The Brothers Sun, Netflix’s lineup is sure to entice any crime drama enthusiast.
So, prepare your watchlist as we dive into the best crime drama series on Netflix for 2024.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Andrew Scott, who plays Tom Ripley, is the sixth actor to portray the character on the series Ripley, following in the footsteps of notable actors like Matt Damon and John Malkovich.
- Florian David Fitz, starring as Sven, is not only an actor but also contributed to the screenplay of the series.
- Marina Foïs, who portrays Selma, aka Fury, has an extensive acting career with over 80 credits to her name.
1. Fool Me Once
| Director | David Moore, Nimer Rashed |
| Cast | Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar, Richard Armitage |
| First Episode Date | January 1, 2024 |
| IMDb rating | IMDb |
The Drama series Fool Me Once started off the New Year 2024, premiering on January 1st, 2024.
It is based on the best-selling Novel by Harlan Coben and follows the story of a family torn apart.
The main character, Maya, played by Michelle Keegan, experiences great sorrow following her husband’s passing.
She starts seeing his image everywhere, including the nanny’s camera that she set up for her baby.
Moreover, Maya starts digging deeper into the case and uncovers the secrets and lies of her family.
2. Ripley
| Director | Steven Zaillian |
| Cast | Andrew Scott, Dakota Fanning, Johnny Flynn |
| First Episode Date | April 4, 2024 |
| IMDb Rating | IMDb |
Ripley is a thriller mini-series based on the popular novel The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith.
Set in 1900s New York, it follows the story of Tom Ripley, a grifter living a challenging life in New York City.
Despite appearing to lack opportunities, Tom is actually engaged in small-scale scams and frauds to make ends meet.
As Tom faces increasing pressure from the IRS and other threats, a private investigator named Al MacCarron approaches him.
He informs Tom that a wealthy businessman, Herbert Greenleaf, is seeking his help for a special job.
Tom accepts the job, which leads him to a complex life of deceit, fraud, and murder as he gets engulfed in a life of crime and deceit in coastal Italy.
3. American Nightmare
| Directors | Bernadette Higgins, Felicity Morris |
| Cast | Denise Huskins, Henry Lee, Aaron Quinn |
| First Episode Date | January 17, 2024 |
| IMDb Rating | IMDb |
American Nightmare is a gripping three-part Netflix docuseries that delves into the chilling true-crime story of Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn.
The series unfolds the mysterious events surrounding the kidnapping of Denise from her boyfriend Aaron Quinn’s home in Vallejo, California, on March 23, 2015.
The case garnered widespread attention due to the bizarre circumstances and the initial skepticism of law enforcement toward the couple’s account of the events.
It combines interviews, interrogation footage, and audio recordings to explore the harsh ordeal faced by Huskins and Quinn.
Moreover, it highlights the challenges they encountered with the police, who doubted their story and even accused them of staging the kidnapping.
4. The Signal
| Director | Sebastian Hilger |
| Casts | Florian David Fitz, Peri Baumeister, Yuna Bennett |
| First Episode Date | March 7, 2024 |
| IMDb Rating | IMDb |
The Signal is a German sci-fi thriller mini-series on Netflix revolving around the mysterious disappearance of the astronaut and the subsequent quest for truth by her family.
The series begins with German astronaut Paula Groth (played by Peri Baumeister), who hears a one-word message: Hello.
It is transmitted through space while aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
This sets off a series of events involving Paula, her husband Sven, and their 10-year-old daughter Charlie.
The plot thickens when Paula and her colleague Hadi (Hadi Khanjanpour) are set to return to Earth, and their plane mysteriously vanishes over the Atlantic Ocean.
As the story unfolds, it’s revealed that Paula had recorded what she believed to be a signal from extraterrestrial beings.
Overall, the series moves back and forth through time, slowly unraveling the mystery at its core.
5. Detective Forst
| Directors | Daniel Jaroszek, Leszek Dawid |
| Cast | Borys Szyc, Andrzej Bienias, Zuzanna Saporznikow |
| First Episode Date | January 11, 2024 |
| IMDb Rating | IMDb |
Detective Forst is a crime drama series on Netflix that revolves around the titular character Wiktor Forst, a police detective.
It is based on a popular novel series by Remigiusz Mroz and is set in the Tatra mountains in Poland.
The plot kicks off with a series of sinister murders that seem to be connected to a horrific personal and historical past.
Forst finds himself in the middle of these murders, which leads him to uncover dark secrets and confront his demons.
His investigation takes him through various twists and turns, including getting physically intimate with Agata, the daughter of his boss, police chief Edmund Osica.
Moreover, as the series progresses, Forst’s actions lead to him being suspected of being the serial killer himself. So, he must clear his name while stopping the true culprit.
6. Bandidos
| Director | Adrian Grünberg |
| Cast | Alfonso Dosal, Ester Expósito, Juan Pablo Medina |
| First Episode Date | March 13, 2024 |
| IMDb Rating | IMDb |
Bandidos is a Spanish-language action-adventure series that premiered on Netflix in 2024.
The series combines real and fictional elements of local history to tell a captivating story about Miguel Morales, a charismatic trickster and hustler.
Despite being the son of a renowned archaeologist, Miguel prefers the thrill of the chase over academic pursuits.
The series begins with Miguel’s introduction and his partnership with his uncle Wilson, a retired counterfeit expert, and Lili, a young woman with a talent for charm and credit card fraud.
Further, the adventure starts when Miguel encounters Luis Fernandez de Montejo, who drunkenly reveals a secret treasure hidden by his ancestor.
Overall, Miguel and his team face numerous challenges, including deciphering the map and recruiting additional members like Citlali to pursue the treasure.
7. Furies
| Directors | Jean-Yves Arnaud, Yoann Legave |
| Cast | Lina El Arabi, Marina Foïs, Steve Tientcheu |
| First Episode Date | March 1, 2024 |
| IMDb Rating | IMDb |
Furies is a gripping Netflix series that premiered on March 1, 2024. The show follows Lyna, a college student who yearns for a normal life with her boyfriend, Elie, a police officer.
However, her life takes a dramatic turn because of her parent’s involvement in criminal activities.
Her parents are gunned down in a mob-related attack, leading to Lyna’s imprisonment for refusing to disclose the killer’s identity.
Lyna’s quest for vengeance leads her to uncover shocking truths about her identity and her family’s past.
She discovers that she is not the biological daughter of her parents and that the real Lyna Guerrab died long ago.
Later, Lyna learns that her real parents, Driss and Kahina, were deeply in love when they had her and that her father may still be alive, imprisoned for the last twenty years.
Overall, the series is a tale of family secrets, personal discovery, and the complex web of the criminal underworld.
8. The Brothers Sun
| Directors | Brad Falchuk, Amy Wang |
| Cast | Michelle Yeoh, Justin Chien, Sam Song Li |
| First Episode Date | January 4, 2024 |
| IMDb Rating | IMDb |
The Brothers Sun is a Netflix series that intertwines the lives of a legendary crime family from Taipei, Taiwan, and their complex dynamics after a family crisis.
The series begins with the head of the Triad Jade Dragons falling into a coma after an attack by mysterious assassins.
Together with their mother, Eileen, the Suns rise to the challenge, engaging in a fierce battle against their enemies.
The Boxers, a mysterious organization formed to counter the Triads’ corruption, play a pivotal role in the series.
The season concludes with the Big Sun, the family patriarch, emerging from his false coma to disrupt Eileen’s plans and push Charles to become the new Dragon Head.
9. Boy Swallows Universe
| Directors | Bharat Nalluri, Jocelyn Moorhouse, Kim Mordaunt |
| Cast | Simon Baker, Bryan Brown, Phoebe Tonkin |
| First Episode Date | January 11, 2024 |
| IMDb Rating | IMDb |
Boy Swallows Universe is a Netflix series about Eli Bell, a young boy who grew up in the suburbs of Brisbane in the 1980s.
Eli comes from a criminal family and has faced the harsh realities of life from a young age.
Similarly, his stepfather, Lyle, was a drug dealer, and his mother, Frankie, struggled with addiction.
Gus, Eli’s older brother, is smart but stopped talking at the age of seven and communicates by writing letters in the air.
Moreover, the story takes a dark turn when Eli discovers Lyle’s secret room, which has a red telephone that mysteriously rings without connection.
Eli’s suspicions about Lyle’s involvement in drug dealing again are confirmed, leading to a series of tragic events.
10. Griselda
| Directors | Ingrid Escajeda, Carlo Bernard |
| Cast | Sofía Vergara, Alberto Guerra, Juliana Aidén Martinez |
| First Episode Date | January 25, 2024 |
| IMDb Rating | IMDb |
The Netflix series “Griselda,” which premiered on January 25, 2024, is a crime drama that follows the life of Griselda Blanco.
Griselda was once the wife of a cocaine dealer in Medellín named Alberto Bravo. She then decides to forge her own identity and destiny.
After a split with her husband, she left Colombia in 1978 with her three sons, Uber, Dixon, and Ozzy, and headed to Miami.
With the help of an old friend, Carmen Rivera, Griselda attempts to start a new life away from drugs and crime.
However, circumstances force her back into the narcotics trade. And she brings along a kilo of cocaine to sell on the streets of Miami.
