12 Best Shows Like Hannibal to Watch Next (2026)
Craving more dark crime thrillers? Find 12 tense, psychological series like Hannibal, from Mindhunter and Luther to You and Slasher.
If you’re searching for shows like Hannibal, you probably want something tense, dark, and built around crime, mystery, and psychological unease. This list leans into serial killers, investigators under pressure, obsessive relationships, and characters whose own minds are part of the danger. Mindhunter, The Fall, Luther, and The Following are strong starting points if you want crime stories with a chilling edge, while Prodigal Son and Harrow bring a more character-driven angle. For viewers drawn to horror-tinged suspense, Hemlock Grove and Slasher add extra menace without losing the crime-thriller core.
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01
The Following
crime · drama · horror · mystery · thriller
A brilliant, charismatic, and psychotic serial killer communicates with other active serial killers and activates a cult of believers who follow his every command.
Why watch: If you like stories about killers influencing other killers, this one turns that idea into a full crime-thriller hook. It should appeal to viewers who want a serial-killer premise with lots of psychological tension.
Directed by Marcos Siega, Nicole Kassell, Joshua Butler, Liz Friedlander, Rob SeidenglanzCast Kevin Bacon, Shawn Ashmore, James Purefoy, Sam Underwood, Jessica StroupNetflixTubiMore details on IMDb → -
02
Mindhunter
2 Emmy nominations
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.
Why watch: If the profiling side of Hannibal is what interests you most, this is a strong match. The FBI setting and focus on learning how serial offenders think make it a good pick for patients of slow-burn suspense.
Directed by David Fincher, Carl Franklin, Andrew Douglas, Asif Kapadia, Tobias LindholmCast Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv, Sonny Valicenti, Stacey RocaNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
03
Prodigal Son
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
The son of a notorious serial killer becomes an acclaimed criminal psychologist who uses his unique insight into how killers think to help the NYPD.
Why watch: If you enjoy crime stories built around psychology and family shadows, this one fits well. It follows a criminal psychologist who uses insight into killers to help the NYPD.
Directed by Adam Kane, Chris Grismer, Omar Madha, Antonio Negret, Satya BhabhaCast Tom Payne, Lou Diamond Phillips, Halston Sage, Aurora Perrineau, Frank HartsNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
04
The Truth Will Out
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Could Sweden’s most notorious killer be innocent? Detective Peter Wendel struggles to hold together his fractured psyche – and mismatched cold case team – while uncovering the truth of a cryptic message.
Why watch: If you want a Nordic crime mystery with a troubled detective at its center, this is worth a look. Its cold-case setup and fractured lead should suit fans of uneasy, methodical suspense.
Directed by Kjell-Åke Andersson, Lisa Farzaneh, Kristian Petri, Camilla Strøm HenriksenCast Robert Gustafsson, Louise Peterhoff, Ia Langhammer, Christopher Wagelin, Ingela OlssonAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
05
Luther
11 Emmy nominations Outstanding Television Movie (2016)
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
A dark psychological crime drama starring Idris Elba as Luther, a man struggling with his own terrible demons, who might be as dangerous as the depraved murderers he hunts.
Why watch: If you like dark detectives who seem to be wrestling with their own demons, this one lines up well. The genre mix and serial-killer focus make it a solid choice for tense crime drama.
Directed by Sam Miller, Jamie Payne, Brian Kirk, Stefan Schwartz, Farren BlackburnCast Idris Elba, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley, Warren Brown, Ruth WilsonHuluAMC+MaxMore details on IMDb → -
06
You
crime · drama · romance · thriller
A dangerously charming, intensely obsessive young man goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of those he is transfixed by.
Why watch: If obsession-driven stories are what you’re after, this thriller adds a sharper romantic angle. It’s best for viewers who want a dangerously fixated lead rather than a straight procedural.
Directed by Silver Tree, Marcos Siega, John Scott, Harry Jierjian, Lee Toland KriegerCast Penn Badgley, Victoria Pedretti, Charlotte Ritchie, Tati Gabrielle, Elizabeth LailNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
07
Apple Tree Yard
drama · thriller
What starts out as a simple, reckless mid-life affair between a genetic scientist named Yvonne and a Westminster paper pusher takes an intriguing turn when she realizes he’s a spook – then suddenly gets very dark indeed. A provocative study of obsession, longing and just how far down a criminal path desire can take you.
Why watch: If you want a slower, more adult psychological thriller about desire and poor decisions, this may be the right fit. Its drama-first setup centers on obsession and how quickly a private affair can turn dangerous.
Directed by Jessica HobbsCast Emily Watson, Ben Chaplin, Mark Bonnar, Syreeta Kumar, Susan LynchHuluMore details on IMDb → -
08
Harrow
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
When a dark secret from this past threatens to be exposed, unorthodox and brilliant medical examiner, Doctor Daniel Harrow, must use all his forensic skills to keep it buried forever.
Why watch: If medical-legal investigations and buried secrets sound appealing, this one should click. It combines crime, mystery, and thriller elements around an unorthodox examiner trying to keep his past hidden.
Directed by Peter Andrikidis, Grant Brown, Catherine Millar, Tony Tilse, Mairi CameronCast Ioan Gruffudd, Darren Gilshenan, Damien Garvey, Ella Newton, Hunter Page-LochardHuluMore details on IMDb → -
09
Hemlock Grove
2 Emmy nominations
drama · fantasy · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
One cannot quench his all-consuming thirst. The other cannot tame the beast clawing its way out. In the sleepy Pennsylvania village of Hemlock Grove, two young men struggle to accept painful truths: about family, themselves, the mystery of the White Tower - and a terrifying new threat so powerful it will turn them from predators into prey.
Why watch: If you’re open to horror with your mystery and thriller elements, this leans further into the strange and unsettling. It may suit viewers who want a more genre-blending series with dark family and creature-like tension.
Directed by David Straiton, Deran Sarafian, Russell Lee Fine, T.J. Scott, David SemelCast Famke Janssen, Bill Skarsgård, Landon Liboiron, Joel de la Fuente, Kaniehtiio HornAmazon Prime VideoTubiPeacock PremiumAMC+More details on IMDb → -
10
The Fall
2 BAFTA TV Award nominations
crime · drama · thriller
When the Police Service of Northern Ireland are unable to close a case after 28 days, Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson of the Metropolitan Police Service is called in to review the case. Under her new leadership, the local detectives must track down and stop a serial killer who is terrorising the city of Belfast.
Why watch: If you prefer a serial-killer case led by a determined investigator, this is a strong option. The crime-drama focus and Northern Ireland setting give it a serious, methodical feel.
Directed by Allan Cubitt, Jakob VerbruggenCast Gillian Anderson, Jamie Dornan, John Lynch, Aisling Franciosi, Niamh McGradyAmazon Prime VideoTubiPeacock PremiumAMC+FreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
11
The Patient
drama · mystery · thriller
A psychotherapist finds himself held prisoner by a serial killer with an unusual request: curb his homicidal urges.
Why watch: If you like confined psychological duels, this premise is especially direct. A psychotherapist held by a serial killer should appeal to viewers who want a tense mystery built around разговорs and control.
Directed by Chris Long, Kevin Bray, Gwyneth Horder-PaytonCast Steve Carell, Domhnall Gleeson, Laura Niemi, Andrew Leeds, Linda EmondHuluMore details on IMDb → -
12
Slasher
crime · drama · horror · mystery · thriller
Thirty years ago, in the sleepy community of Waterbury, a killer known as “The Executioner” murdered Sarah Bennett's parents. Now Sarah and her husband Dylan have returned to town, only to find herself the centerpiece in a series of horrifying murders centered around the seven deadly sins.
Why watch: If you want horror mixed with crime and mystery, this one leans into that combination. It should work for viewers who enjoy a killer-centered story with a town-scale murder setup.
Directed by Adam MacDonald, Craig Wallace, Felipe RodriguezCast Christopher Jacot, Paula Brancati, Jo Vannicola, Sabrina Grdevich, Jefferson BrownNetflixAMC+More details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
The best part of this list is the range: some picks focus on profiling and investigation, others on obsession, and a few push further into horror and psychological damage. Whether you want a procedural with a dark streak or a story that keeps the tension close to the characters, there should be something here that fits your mood. Bookmark this page and come back when you want another unsettling crime-drama to queue up, because it’s updated regularly with fresh recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these shows similar to Hannibal?
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.