12 Best Shows Like Picnic at Hanging Rock to Watch Next (2026)
Craving eerie, atmospheric mysteries? Explore dramas, thrillers, and crime series like Picnic at Hanging Rock, from Sharp Objects to Taboo and more.
If you’re searching for shows like Picnic at Hanging Rock, the best matches usually blend mystery, unease, and emotional drama with secrets that slowly surface. This list leans into that mood with titles such as The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Murder at Road Hill House, Sharp Objects, and Taboo, each offering a different take on suspense and hidden truths. You’ll also find newer picks like Secrets We Keep, Wayward, and Adoration, which center on disappearances, small communities, and the tension that comes from what people refuse to say. Whether you want a period setting, a modern crime puzzle, or something darker and stranger, these options give you plenty to explore.
-
01
The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Murder at Road Hill House
crime · drama · mystery
In 1860, Inspector Jack Whicher of Scotland Yard is sent to rural Wiltshire to investigate the murder of the three-year-old boy Saville Kent, who was snatched from his bed at night and murdered.
Why watch: If you like period mysteries built around a real investigation, this is a strong fit. The crime-and-drama setup should appeal to anyone who wants a careful, suspenseful search for answers.
Directed by James HawesCast Paddy Considine, Peter Capaldi, Tom Georgeson, William Beck, Emma FieldingPeacock PremiumMore details on IMDb → -
02
Marianne
drama · horror · mystery · thriller
When a novelist realizes her terrifying stories are coming true, she returns to her hometown to face the demons from her past that inspire her writing.
Why watch: If you want mystery with a darker edge, this mix of drama, horror, mystery, and thriller could work well. It suits viewers drawn to stories where a writer’s past and present start to collide.
Directed by Samuel BodinCast Victoire Du Bois, Lucie Boujenah, Tiphaine Daviot, Ralph Amoussou, Bellamine AbdelmalekNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
03
Wayward
drama · mystery · thriller
A small-town cop suspects that the local school for troubled teens — and its dangerously charismatic founder — may not be all it seems.
Why watch: If small-town secrets and a school setting are what pull you in, this one fits that lane well. The mystery-thriller tone suggests a tense, secretive story centered on suspicion.
Directed by Euros Lyn, John Fawcett, Renuka JeyapalanCast Mae Martin, Sarah Gadon, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Sydney Topliffe, Toni ColletteNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
04
Capitani
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
In a Luxembourg village where everyone is keeping secrets, gruff police inspector Luc Capitani investigates the suspicious death of a 15-year-old girl.
Why watch: If you enjoy village mysteries where everyone seems to know something they’re not saying, this is a good match. Its crime, drama, mystery, and thriller blend makes it feel close to a classic hidden-truth setup.
Directed by Christophe WagnerCast Luc Schiltz, Sophie Mousel, Brigitte Urhausen, Joe Dennenwald, Konstantin RommelfangenNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
05
Adoration
crime · drama · mystery
When a 16-year-old girl vanishes, secrets come to light and disrupt a small community as her friends and family try to re-create her last movements.
Why watch: If missing-person stories in close-knit communities interest you, this title is worth a look. The crime-and-mystery angle suggests a grounded search that unfolds through family and social tension.
Directed by Stefano MordiniCast Noemi Magagnini, Alice Lupparelli, Beatrice Puccilli, Penelope Raggi, Luigi BrunoNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
06
Taboo
2 Emmy nominations
drama · mystery · thriller
Adventurer James Keziah Delaney returns to London from Africa in 1814 along with fourteen stolen diamonds to seek vengeance after the death of his father.
Why watch: If you want a more intense, character-driven mystery, this is an easy one to try. Its drama, mystery, and thriller mix should suit viewers who like a revenge-driven premise with strong atmosphere.
Directed by Anders Engström, Kristoffer NyholmCast Tom Hardy, David Hayman, Jonathan Pryce, Oona Chaplin, Richard DixonTubiPeacock PremiumFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
07
The Last Anniversary
drama · mystery
A mystery that touches on family matters, motherhood and those women whose legacy defines the generations that blossom after them.
Why watch: If you prefer mystery with a family focus, this may be the best tonal match. It sounds especially suited to viewers who like stories about legacy, motherhood, and the secrets passed down between generations.
Directed by John PolsonCast Teresa Palmer, Miranda Richardson, Danielle Macdonald, Claude Scott-Mitchell, Helen ThomsonAmazon Prime VideoAMC+More details on IMDb → -
08
La Jauría
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Blanca, student leader of the feminist movement in an occupied school, goes missing: hours later, a video of a group raping the girl goes viral. In their aim to find her, a police squad formed by three women puts their lives and that of their families at risk. As they look for Blanca and investigate, they will find out that behind this gender crime there is much more than just one offender.
Why watch: If you want a mystery that also carries strong crime and thriller energy, this is a smart pick. It may appeal most to viewers looking for a tense investigation tied to a school and a wider social crisis.
Directed by Nicolás Puenzo, Marialy Rivas, Sergio Castro San Martín, Lucía PuenzoCast Antonia Zegers, María Gracia Omegna, Daniela Vega, Paula Luchsinger, Mariana Di GirólamoMaxMore details on IMDb → -
09
Liar
crime · drama · thriller
A teacher and a surgeon are rocked by scandalous accusations after they enjoy a seemingly innocent date.
Why watch: If your favorite part is the fallout from a sudden accusation, this one should hold your attention. Its crime, drama, and thriller elements suggest a tense, character-focused conflict.
Directed by James Strong, Samuel Donovan, Chris SweeneyCast Joanne Froggatt, Ioan Gruffudd, Zoë Tapper, Danny Webb, Richie CampbellAMC+More details on IMDb → -
10
Sharp Objects
8 Emmy nominations
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Reporter Camille Preaker confronts the psychological demons from her past when she returns to her hometown to investigate the murders of two young girls.
Why watch: If you like returns to a hometown that reopen old wounds, this is a strong recommendation. The crime-drama-mystery-thriller blend makes it a natural fit for viewers who want psychological tension and a dark investigation.
Directed by Jean-Marc ValléeCast Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Messina, Eliza Scanlen, Matt CravenMaxMore details on IMDb → -
11
Secrets We Keep
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
When a neighbor's au pair vanishes from her wealthy suburb, Cecilie seeks answers — and unravels secrets that shatter her seemingly perfect world.
Why watch: If suburban secrets and a vanishing act sound appealing, this is a strong contemporary choice. It should suit viewers who like mystery-thrillers where the search for one person exposes many hidden problems.
Directed by Per FlyCast Marie Bach Hansen, Excel Busano, Danica Curcic, Sara Fanta Traore, Simon SearsNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
12
Troppo
crime · thriller
An eccentric private investigator with a criminal past recruits a disgraced ex-cop to help solve the disappearance of a Korean tech pioneer in the wilds of Far North Queensland.
Why watch: If you want a mystery with a rugged setting and a private-investigator angle, this one stands out. The crime-thriller mix should work well for viewers who enjoy disappearance stories with a bit of grit.
Directed by Grant Brown, Ben Howling, Catherine Millar, Jocelyn Moorhouse, Yolanda RamkeCast Thomas Jane, Nicole Chamoun, Ling Cooper Tang, Lucas Linehan, Chenoa DeemalAmazon Prime VideoFreeveeMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
The best follow-ups to Picnic at Hanging Rock are the ones that keep the atmosphere thick and the answers just out of reach. From historical investigations to contemporary mystery dramas, this list gives you a range of tonal matches without forcing the same story twice. Bookmark this page if you want a quick way back to more recommendations, and check in again later as it’s updated regularly with new picks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these shows similar to Picnic at Hanging Rock?
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.