12 Movies Like Dexter You Need to Watch
Find 12 dark, suspenseful picks with crime, drama, mystery, thriller, and action vibes for fans searching beyond Dexter, plus new titles to watch.
If you’re searching for movies like Dexter, you probably want a sharp mix of crime, suspense, and morally complicated characters who keep you guessing. This roundup brings together 12 picks that lean into dark investigations, twisted motives, and high-stakes tension, with standouts like Dexter (2006), Mindhunter (2017), and Surveillance (2008) setting the tone. You’ll also find action-tinged and mystery-driven choices such as Miami Vice (2006), Banshee (2006), and City Homicide (2006), plus unsettling mind-game territory from Psychic Investigators (2006) and Furious (2026). Whether you want procedural grit or a more psychological edge, these titles cover crime, drama, mystery, thriller, and action in different but equally addictive ways.
-
01
Psychic Investigators
crime · drama · mystery
Real-life detective thrillers which combine stylized dramatic reconstructions, unique archive and compelling interviews with key characters.
Directed by Annie Bradley, John LaRose, Tim Conrad, Adrian Callender, Gary LangCast Tarioa Van Weesenbeek, Phil Jordan, Frank Longo, Robert Nolan, JoAnn NordstromFreevee -
02
Furious
crime · drama · thriller
FBI agent Alice Black is on the hunt for a mysterious and calculating female serial killer. Both walk their own paths toward justice, and as their lives start to intertwine, the line between right and wrong begins to blur.
Directed by Destiny Ekaragha, Karena Evans, Brian KirkCast Emmy Rossum, Lola Petticrew, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Scoot McNairy, Jake LacyHulu -
03
Surveillance
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
An FBI agent tracks a serial killer with the help of three of his would-be victims - all of whom have wildly different stories to tell.
Directed by Jennifer LynchCast Caroline Aaron, Hugh Dillon, David Gane, Gill Gayle, Kent HarperAmazon Prime Video -
04
Mindhunter
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
An agent in the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit develops profiling techniques as he pursues notorious serial killers and rapists.
Directed by David Fincher, Carl Franklin, Andrew Douglas, Asif Kapadia, Tobias LindholmCast Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv, Sonny Valicenti, Stacey RocaNetflix -
05
Miami Vice
action · crime · drama · thriller
A case involving drug lords and murder in South Florida takes a personal turn for undercover detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs. Unorthodox Crockett gets involved romantically with the Chinese-Cuban wife of a trafficker of arms and drugs, while Tubbs deals with an assault on those he loves.
Directed by Michael MannCast Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Gong Li, Naomie Harris, Ciarán HindsAmazon Prime Video -
06
City Homicide
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
On the Homicide floor of a police headquarters in Melbourne, Australia, detectives work to bring justice for the deceased.
Directed by Pino Amenta, Kevin Carlin, David Cameron, Nicholas Bufalo, Paul MoloneyCast Shane Bourne, Nadine Garner, Aaron Pedersen, Damien Richardson, Noni HazlehurstAmazon Prime VideoHuluFreevee -
07
Criminal Minds
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
An elite team of FBI profilers analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. The Behavioral Analysis Unit's most experienced agent is David Rossi, a founding member of the BAU who returns to help the team solve new cases.
Directed by Glenn Kershaw, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Rob Bailey, Edward Allen Bernero, Matthew Gray GublerCast Kirsten Vangsness, A.J. Cook, Matthew Gray Gubler, Joe Mantegna, Thomas GibsonAmazon Prime VideoHuluParamount Plus -
08
The Dead Girl
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
The clues to a young woman's death come together as the lives of seemingly unrelated women begin to intersect.
Directed by Karen MoncrieffCast Toni Collette, Piper Laurie, Donnie Smith, Michael Raysses, Earl CarrollAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
09
Heroes
crime · drama · fantasy · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
Common people discover that they have super powers. Their lives intertwine as a devastating event must be prevented.
Directed by Greg Beeman, Allan Arkush, Jeannot Szwarc, Adam Kane, Greg YaitanesCast Jack Coleman, Hayden Panettiere, Milo Ventimiglia, Masi Oka, Sendhil RamamurthyNetflix -
10
Durham County
action · crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Detective Mike Sweeney has just moved with his wife and daughters from Toronto to his hometown of Durham County after the death of his partner. Hoping to escape the violent world of big city police work, Mike falls into a suburban world besieged by crime, abuse and murder.
Directed by Adrienne Mitchell, Holly Dale, Charles Binamé, Alain Desrochers, Rachel TalalayCast Hugh Dillon, Helene Joy, Laurence Leboeuf, Greyston Holt, Cicely AustinAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
11
See No Evil: The Moors Murders
crime · drama · thriller
See No Evil: The Moors Murders is a British two-part television serial directed by Christopher Menaul. It was produced by Granada Television and broadcast on ITV during May 2006. It tells the story of the Moors Murders, which were committed during the 1960s by Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, from the view of Hindley's sister Maureen Smith and her husband David.
Directed by Christopher Menaul, Nicola MorrowCast Joanne Froggatt, Maxine Peake, Sean Harris, Matthew McNulty, George CostiganFreevee -
12
Zodiac
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
The Zodiac murders cause the lives of Paul Avery, David Toschi and Robert Graysmith to intersect.
Directed by David FincherCast Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Robert Downey Jr., Brian CoxParamount Plus
Wrapping Up
This list is built for readers who enjoy dark crime stories with smart writing, tense pacing, and characters who never feel entirely safe. From forensic obsession to undercover work and relentless cat-and-mouse pressure, these picks offer plenty of reasons to keep watching. If you found a few new favorites here, bookmark the page and check back later, because it’s updated regularly as more strong matches are added.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Dexter?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.
Related Guides
Last updated: September 11, 2026