With so many popular and shocking crime dramas out there, a lot of great thriller TV shows end up flying under the radar. While streaming has given us access to countless TV shows we might not have experienced otherwise, it has also made it easy for amazing stories to go unnoticed.

Whether you’re interested in an out-of-the-box show that switches things up every season or a crime series starring a Wednesday cast member, there are many underrated thriller shows that are compelling reminders of the narrative power of this genre. Some are scary, some are thoughtful, and one has a great sense of humor.

Tell Me Your Secrets (2021)

Real-life couple Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater starred in this Prime Video thriller, which came and went in 2021. If you want complex characters who have lived difficult lives or want to see inside the mind of a criminal, Tell Me Your Secrets is the thriller for you.

If the series only focused on Mary Barlow (Amy Brenneman), whose daughter disappeared, it would be intriguing enough since we could start putting the puzzle pieces together and guessing what happened to her. But the other main characters allow the series to talk about morality, death, and whether moving on can ever truly be achieved.

Through John Tyler and Emma Hall, Tell Me Your Secrets also examines what it’s like to be on either side of a crime. John is in prison for rape, and Emma is dealing with the trauma of having dated a serial killer.

Surface (2022)

This AppleTV+ thriller only had two seasons, and it didn’t get the attention that other big shows like Severance have. That’s too bad, as Gugu Mbatha-Raw gives a stunning performance.

Books, movies, and TV shows about characters who don’t remember anything after a terrible accident may be common, but Sophie Ellis’s story is still gripping. You’ll want to find out her real identity, and each season has eight well-structured episodes.

In contrast to the many murder mystery shows out there or crime dramas focused on a small town full of missing people and secrets, Surface is a change of pace as it’s about one character’s strange and scary experience.

Wayward Pines (2015-2016)

Blake Crouch’s book series about Ethan Burke, an agent for the Secret Service who ends up in a creepy town, was just waiting to be adapted for TV. The two-season thriller has vivid performances from Shannyn Sossamon, Carla Gugino, and Matt Dillon, who plays up Ethan’s confusion and determination perfectly.

Wayward Pines has a premise that will appeal to fans of MGM+’s From, as in both stories, characters aren’t able to leave. However, in this case, the characters have to go along with the rules, which makes the world-building fairly strong.

It’s always fun when a show can have a fresh twist on the “small town” trope. Rather than simply being a pretty, charming place where murder and crimes happen, Wayward Pines is scary, magical, and mysterious.

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder (2024-)

There’s nothing like a thriller with a vibrant, smart protagonist who you just know will solve the murder, and this fun Netflix series stands on its own despite the many shows about enthusiastic teens solving crimes in small-town locations.

As you watch Pip Fitz-Amobi (Emma Myers) work on the case of Andie Bell (India Lillie Davies), who was killed a little while ago, she develops a sweet bond with Ravi Singh (Zain Iqbal).

Although it could have been a miniseries, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, which is an adaptation of the Holly Jackson novel, is getting a season 2, which will hopefully focus even more on Pip and Ravi.

Shining Girls (2022)

Elizabeth Moss has become celebrated for her striking portrayals of intelligent women in terrifying places, from Robin Griffin in another underrated thriller, Top of the Lake, to Offred on The Handmaid’s Tale. She brought her incredible talent to Shining Girls and portrayed the complex main character, Kirby Mazrachi.

Shining Girls plays with one woman’s traumatic history and has an interesting twist that differentiates it from other thrillers. As Kirby continues to face the nightmare of almost dying after an assault when she thinks the killer is back, the show asks if she can truly get closure, even if she finds out the truth.

Cruel Summer (2021-)

It was disappointing when Freeform canceled Cruel Summer after two seasons, but now season 3 is reportedly happening after all. The anthology series has been great so far, and there’s a lot of potential for the third season to tell another compelling tale.

Season 1 is particularly impressive as you don’t know if you should believe Kate Wallis (Olivia Holt), who goes missing, or Jeanette Turner (Chiara Aurelia), who tries to become as popular as Kate was. Since three distinct timelines are shown in each episode, it’s a creative and fun way to tell the story, and the 1990s nostalgia is great, too.

As the reveal of what happened to Kate is so dark and upsetting, the show looks at trauma, family, identity, telling the truth vs. lying, and old and new friendships. Season 2 has more of a murder mystery vibe and is still solid.

Homecoming (2018-2020)

Other Prime Video thrillers like The Better Sister and We Were Liars have gotten more attention, but Homecoming is another interesting one that not everyone saw. Season 1 had a bit more hype than season 2, as it starred Julia Roberts in the lead role.

Both seasons feature huge secrets, from why a woman can’t remember why she’s in a boat in the water to the real story behind a therapy center for soldiers. The show is beautifully shot and has a quieter tone than many. It’s a nice contrast to fast-paced crime dramas, but there are still some twists that make you pause.

Don’t Come Home (2024)

With 71% on the Rotten Tomatoes Popcornmeter, Don’t Come Home is a sad and scary story about Varee’s (Woranuch Bhirombhakdi) search for her daughter Min (Ploypaphas Fonkaewsiwaporn). This emotional premise makes you want to keep watching to see if there’s a happy ending, as in a short time, the show makes it clear how much Varee has been through.

The Thai series has only six episodes, and is the perfect show to watch if you want a supernatural thriller that plays with the haunted house trope. The setting of a terrifying mansion works nicely, too, and creates a sense of dread in every single episode. Some paranormal thrillers can quickly become corny, but this is a well-done show.

The Resort (2022)

It takes a lot to surprise thriller fans, but the ending of this one-season Peacock show just might shock anyone who tunes in. The Resort starts off depicting a seemingly fun vacation that sheds light on the marriage issues between Noah (William Jackson Harper) and Emma (Cristin Milioti).

Rather than simply explaining the mysterious events that happened at this resort years ago, Emma finds an object that leads them to a high schooler who went missing, and the series sprinkles in clues perfectly. It’s riveting to watch Emma and Noah’s obsession since they now have a purpose other than wondering if their relationship will last.

The Resort might not go in the direction you’re expecting, but the ending feels like the right one. And the show also does a good job exploring a tragedy that Noah and Emma have been coping with.

Search Party (2016-2022)

Every season of Search Party twists the narrative and sees Dory Sief (Alia Shawkat) in an even wilder situation, which stops it from becoming stale. It starts off as a tale about Dory’s creepy interest in an old classmate who went missing, but that’s just a tiny piece of the overall story.

Each season of this thriller explores Dory becoming an influencer who is in charge of a cult, a shocking murder, and an eerie kidnapping. It’s more humorous than most shows in the genre, and pokes fun at social media obsession and the desire to be popular and cool while also asking big questions about what makes someone a good person.