Favorite Drama/ Mystery/ Thriller TV Shows
by flix28 | created - 11 Jul 2011 | updated - 04 Feb 2016 | PublicThis is a list of TV shows that I consider as Drama (Shameless, Political Animals), Mystery (Top of the Lake, CSI), or Thriller (Burn Notice, Drive). I put them all on one list because a lot of the shows contain one or all of the genres listed.
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1. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
TV-14 | 25 min | Drama, Mystery
Series of unrelated short stories covering elements of crime, horror, drama, and comedy about people of different backgrounds committing murders, suicides, thefts, and other sorts of crime caused by certain motivations, perceived or not.
Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Harry Tyler, John Williams, Patricia Hitchcock
Votes: 19,311
2. Bates Motel (2013–2017)
TV-MA | 45 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A contemporary prequel to Psycho, giving a portrayal of how Norman Bates' psyche unravels through his teenage years, and how deeply intricate his relationship with his mother, Norma, truly is.
Stars: Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Nicola Peltz Beckham
Votes: 116,839
3. Boomtown (2002–2003)
TV-MA | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Each episode of this series, set in present day Los Angeles, examines one crime from many different viewpoints - uniformed cops, detectives, witnesses, the media, the fire department and rescue squad, even the criminals themselves.
Stars: Donnie Wahlberg, Neal McDonough, Mykelti Williamson, Gary Basaraba
Votes: 2,300
4. Broadchurch (2013–2017)
TV-MA | 1,143 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart.
Stars: David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan
Votes: 127,005
5. Burn Notice (2007–2013)
TV-PG | 44 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A spy recently disavowed by the U.S. government uses his special ops training to help others in trouble.
Stars: Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell, Sharon Gless
Votes: 79,099
6. Carnivàle (2003–2005)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
During the Great Depression, an Oklahoma farm boy and a charismatic minister learn that they are key players in a proxy war being fought between Heaven and Hell.
Stars: Michael J. Anderson, Adrienne Barbeau, Clancy Brown, Debra Christofferson
Votes: 46,825
7. Castle (2009–2016)
TV-14 | 43 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
When a psychopath commits murders based on novelist Castle's books, Detective Beckett seeks his help to solve the case. He decides to work with her and uses his experiences as research for his novels.
Stars: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Jon Huertas
Votes: 174,212
8. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000–2015)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In Las Vegas, a squad of forensic investigators are trained to solve crimes by meticulously examining the evidence. They employ advanced technology and their rationality to detect the perpetrators.
Stars: William Petersen, Laurence Fishburne, Ted Danson, George Eads
Votes: 88,975
9. Damages (2007–2012)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A law school graduate becomes the protégée of a successful high-stakes litigator.
Stars: Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Tate Donovan, Zachary Booth
Votes: 31,581
10. The Dead Zone (2002–2007)
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Johnny had the perfect life until he was in coma for six years. When he awoke, he found his fiancee married to another man. His son doesn't know him. Everything's changed, including Johnny. With one touch, he can see things.
Stars: Anthony Michael Hall, Nicole de Boer, Chris Bruno, John L. Adams
Votes: 9,973
11. Drive (2007)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A drama about various people competing in an illegal cross-country road race.
Stars: Kristin Lehman, Emma Stone, Rochelle Aytes, Taryn Manning
Votes: 4,994
12. Durham County (2007–2010)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
An extraordinary series with an electric, oppressive atmosphere. A spiral of violence, unhealthy manipulations and tortured characters, Durham County excels in the detective series genre.
Stars: Hugh Dillon, Helene Joy, Laurence Leboeuf, Greyston Holt
Votes: 1,638
13. Flashpoint (2008–2012)
TV-14 | 41 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The missions and trials of a Toronto police tactical unit.
Stars: Hugh Dillon, Amy Jo Johnson, David Paetkau, Sergio Di Zio
Votes: 18,598
14. Fortitude (2015–2018)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle, Fortitude is one of the safest towns on earth. There has never been a violent crime here. Until now.
Stars: Richard Dormer, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Sienna Guillory, Mia Jexen
Votes: 23,568
15. Happy Town (2010)
353 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
A deputy sheriff is confronted with the unsolved mystery of a half-dozen child kidnappings over the past decade in a small town in Minnesota.
Stars: Geoff Stults, Lauren German, Amy Acker, Robert Wisdom
Votes: 3,427
16. I Shouldn't Be Alive (2005–2012)
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
Re-enactments of real-life tales of human survival against the savage elements, dangerous climates and physical hazards.
Stars: Eric Meyers, Paul McGann, Zam Baring, Ian Porter
Votes: 2,332
17. In Treatment (2008–2021)
TV-MA | 25 min | Drama
A psychotherapist questions his abilities and gets help by reuniting with his old therapist, whom he has not seen for ten years.
Stars: Gabriel Byrne, Uzo Aduba, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Forbes
Votes: 18,260
18. Jekyll (2007)
56 min | Crime, Horror, Sci-Fi
London, 2007. Tom Jackman is the only living descendent of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He has made a deal with his dark side: a body share. What Mr. Hyde doesn't know is that Tom has a family.... See full summary »
Stars: James Nesbitt, Gina Bellman, Denis Lawson, Michelle Ryan
Votes: 7,752
19. Kidnapped (2006–2007)
TV-14 | Crime, Drama
Complex overtones surround the kidnapping of a wealthy New York family's 15-year-old son, leading a specialist and a retiring FBI agent to figure it out.
Stars: Jeremy Sisto, Carmen Ejogo, Delroy Lindo, Linus Roache
Votes: 2,975
20. Las Vegas (2003–2008)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama
Welcome to the Montecito Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, where you can do anything you want, but Ed Deline and his crack surveillance team will be watching. Just remember: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Stars: Josh Duhamel, James Caan, James Lesure, Vanessa Marcil
Votes: 29,945
21. Mental (2009)
TV-14 | 45 min | Drama
The psychiatrist seeking to save his sister as well his patients while using any means necessary.
Stars: Chris Vance, Jacqueline McKenzie, Marisa Ramirez, Derek Webster
Votes: 2,418
22. The Missing (2014–2016)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Tony and Emily Hughes' vacation turns into a nightmare when their 5-year-old son Oliver disappears from a large celebrating crowd in Northern France.
Stars: Tchéky Karyo, Anastasia Hille, James Nesbitt, Frances O'Connor
Votes: 30,175
23. Nip/Tuck (2003–2010)
TV-MA | 44 min | Drama
Two plastic surgeons--one a dedicated family man and one an unscrupulous playboy--strive to maintain their business whilst having to work their way through numerous hardships ranging from personal to clients with criminal connections.
Stars: Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon, Joely Richardson, John Hensley
Votes: 58,601
24. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (2008–2009)
TV-PG | 60 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Precious Ramotswe launches the first-ever female detective agency in Botswana. She embarks on various adventures while investigating cases and must also overcome several challenges in her quest.
Stars: Jill Scott, Anika Noni Rose, Lucian Msamati, Desmond Dube
Votes: 3,841
25. Persons Unknown (2010)
TV-14 | 43 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Several strangers awaken and find themselves imprisoned inside a small ghost town. They quickly search for answers and along the way start to question each other's motives.
Stars: Jason Wiles, Daisy Betts, Chadwick Boseman, Lola Glaudini
Votes: 8,688
26. Political Animals (2012)
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama
A divorced former First Lady is currently serving as the Secretary of State. She deals with State Department issues while trying to keep her family together.
Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Carla Gugino, James Wolk, Sebastian Stan
Votes: 6,548
27. The Pretender (1996–2000)
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A specially gifted man, with the ability to instantly master any skill, escapes from a secret testing facility and travels the country taking on different jobs and helping strangers while hiding from his kidnappers.
Stars: Michael T. Weiss, Andrea Parker, Patrick Bauchau, Jon Gries
Votes: 17,074
28. Shameless (2011–2021)
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, Drama
A scrappy, feisty, fiercely loyal Chicago family makes no apologies.
Stars: Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy, Ethan Cutkosky, Jeremy Allen White
Votes: 284,433
29. Sherlock (2010–2017)
TV-14 | 90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The quirky spin on Conan Doyle's iconic sleuth pitches him as a "high-functioning sociopath" in modern-day London. Assisting him in his investigations: Afghanistan War vet John Watson, who's introduced to Holmes by a mutual acquaintance.
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs, Rupert Graves
Votes: 996,394
30. Six Feet Under (2001–2005)
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, Drama
A chronicle of the lives of a dysfunctional family who run an independent funeral home in Los Angeles.
Stars: Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose
Votes: 149,154
31. Smith (2006–2007)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A drama about the lives of a crew of professional criminals.
Stars: Ray Liotta, Virginia Madsen, Simon Baker, Jonny Lee Miller
Votes: 1,965
32. Strike Back (2010–2020)
TV-MA | 45 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Follows the actions of Section 20, a secretive unit of British military intelligence. A team of special operations personnel conduct several high risk missions across the globe.
Stars: Philip Winchester, Sullivan Stapleton, Michelle Lukes, Daniel MacPherson
Votes: 33,464
33. Thriller (1960–1962)
TV-PG | 50 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
Experience the complete series of the show that was hailed as the most frightening ever created for television--now available for the first time.
Stars: Boris Karloff, Richard Peel, Henry Daniell, Lillian O'Malley
Votes: 1,660
34. Top of the Lake (2013–2017)
TV-MA | 750 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Obsessed with the disappearance of a 12-year-old pregnant girl near a freezing lake in New Zealand, a brave detective will find herself up against small-town secrets and a side of herself that was meticulously kept at bay.
Stars: Elisabeth Moss, David Wenham, Peter Mullan, Thomas M. Wright
Votes: 37,680
35. Trauma (2009–2010)
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama
Follows a small group of flight paramedics on the job and in their lives outside of work.
Stars: Derek Luke, Anastasia Griffith, Aimee Garcia, Kevin Rankin
Votes: 2,735
36. Vanished (2006)
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
A senator's wife goes missing.
Stars: John Allen Nelson, Joanne Kelly, Margarita Levieva, John Patrick Amedori
Votes: 1,736
37. Without a Trace (2002–2009)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Series about the special FBI Missing Persons Squad that finds missing people by applying advanced psychological profiling to reveal the victims' lives.
Stars: Anthony LaPaglia, Poppy Montgomery, Enrique Murciano, Eric Close
Votes: 21,680
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