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Published Jan 30, 2026, 5:30 PM EST
Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV.
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As one of the most compelling genres to find popularity in the modern era, crime thrillers like Prime Video's latest series Steal have been able to thrive on streaming platforms. Crime thrillers are tricky to create, as they require a specific blend of high stakes, believable premises, and well-developed characters to make their premises work well on screen, regardless of what their budget may be.
At their core, the best crime thrillers put viewers into tense situations where every decision feels consequential, even if that's not the case. From meticulously planned robberies, sprawling conspiracies, or desperate cat-and-mouse chases, that tension needs to feel earned and important. To sustain that tension across multiple episodes, a story needs stakes that feel real and urgent, characters whose choices matter, and a premise that works within the universe.
Streaming platforms have been particularly successful with the crime genre in general because they aren’t confined by the time restrictions and commercial breaks of network TV, which allows them to lean into the elements that create a true thriller. Instead of worrying about network constraints, streaming shows can lean into longer arcs, richer world-building, and cinematic production values that elevate the suspense in layered, unpredictable ways.
One of the most recently released crime thrillers to find success with audiences is Prime Video's Steal. The series, starring Sophie Turner as Zara Dunne, follows an ordinary office worker at a pension-fund investment company whose routine day is upended when a gang of armed thieves invades her workplace. The six-episode series sees her and her colleagues have to work with the criminals as they perform a large heist.
Steal quickly spirals into a broader conspiracy that involves law enforcement and forces the characters to confront high-pressure moral choices, strategizing their way through the crime. The show balances its central heist with a deeper look into the people behind the crime, creating a few layers of tension that hinge on both external danger and internal conflict. Steal is far deeper than the traditional crime thriller.
While Steal is one of the newest entries in the crime thriller genre, it's far from the only crime thriller available to audiences today. With a wealth of shows on streaming services that deliver similar thrills, there are series that document elaborate heists and others that deal with psychological suspense. Each offer their own takes on character development, especially the dark edges of human behavior.
10 The Blacklist
The Blacklist follows Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader), a former government agent turned high-profile criminal who mysteriously surrenders to the FBI and offers to help catch other dangerous fugitives. Initially working with a rookie profiler, Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone), each episode combines serialized mystery with standalone cases, revealing deeper conspiracies and shifting alliances.
The Blacklist, which ran from 2013 to 2023 on NBC, is a quintessential crime thriller because it builds tension through cat-and-mouse dynamics, moral ambiguity, and the constant question of Reddington’s true motives. The stakes remain high as federal agents race against time to thwart conspirators while grappling with the fallout of Red’s enigmatic web of secrets.
Release Date 2013 - 2023
Showrunner Jon Bokenkamp
Directors Andrew McCarthy, Michael W. Watkins, Bill Roe, John Terlesky, Donald E. Thorin Jr., Christine Moore, Kurt Kuenne, Terrence O'Hara, Adam Weisinger, Mahesh Pailoor, Karen Gaviola, Stephanie A. Marquardt, Steven A. Adelson, Daniel Willis, Matthew McLoota, Bethany Rooney, Joe Carnahan, Paul A. Edwards, Alex Zakrzewski, David Platt, Jean de Segonzac, Jono Oliver, Michael Zinberg, Paul Holahan
Writers Jonathan Shapiro, Kelli Johnson, Brandon Margolis, Daniel Knauf, Dawn DeNoon, Aiah Samba, Dave Metzger, Justine Neubarth, Dave Thomas, Kim Newton, Vincent Angell, David Merritt II, Chap Taylor, Daniel Voll, Elizabeth Benjamin, John Zinman, Wendy West, Anthony Sparks, Jim Campolongo, Kristen Reidel
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Diego Klattenhoff
Donald Ressler
9 The Asset
Credit: Jonas Berlin / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett CollectionNetflix's The Asset is a Danish crime thriller where a determined police cadet goes undercover to infiltrate a powerful drug smuggler’s world by befriending his wife, blurring her professional obligations with growing personal attachment. The series follows Clara Dessau (Ted Lind), and strives on its portrayal of moral conflict, portraying how undercover work forces characters to navigate deception, loyalty, and emotional strain.
The Asset focuses on the psychological cost of espionage and the rising stakes of conflicting loyalties, but does so within a tense, character-driven framework. This creates a fascinating crime thriller, as it brings character to the center of the story rather than plot. The Asset's tight narrative allows each twist and decision to carry real weight, pulling viewers deeper into jeopardy.
Release Date October 27, 2025
Network Netflix
8 Good Girls
Good Girls begins with a somewhat darkly humorous premise as a trio of suburban mothers decide to rob a local supermarket to solve their financial troubles, but it quickly plummets into a deeply dark comedic crime drama. As the women become entangled with organized crime and law enforcement, every choice increases danger for them and their families.
The series, which aired on NBC from 2018 to 2021, stands out as a crime thriller because it combines relatable characters with escalating illegal stakes, forcing them into schemes, money laundering, and threats that push them past ordinary limits. Starring Retta, Mae Whitman, and Christina Hendricks the series is a different style of crime thriller.
Release Date 2018 - 2021-00-00
7 Kaleidoscope
MovieStillsDBKaleidoscope, a 2023 Netflix original series, focuses on a master thief who assembles an impeccable team to take on a $7 billion heist from a high-security vault. While the massive heist is the center of the show, the series' unique structure is what helped it stand out to audiences. Told in a non-linear structure, Kaleidoscope came with an interesting ploy.
Viewers were able to choose any of the 8 episodes of Kaleidoscope to begin the series with, as it plays with the narrative in a way that keeps its crime at the core, but weaves its story in a different way, removing the limitations of an episode-by-episode structure. Tension mounts with the high-stakes plot, but its kaleidoscopic storytelling offers something different.
Release Date 2023 - 2023-00-00
Network Netflix
Directors Robert Townsend
6 Sneaky Pete
Prime Video's Sneaky Pete, which was created by David Shore and Bryan Cranston, follows Marius Josipović (Giovanni Ribisi), a con artist recently released from prison who assumes the identity of his former cellmate Pete Murphy. Taking on Pete's complicated life in order to hide from a dangerous crime boss, tension mounts as his lies swirl around genuine relationships.
As a crime thriller, Sneaky Pete finds itself in a unique space. Bringing a con artist story to life, the series is able to embed itself in the story of Marius' deception, escalating the risks involved with his plan as he becomes more entrenched in Pete's life. The compelling, unpredictable nature of the show allows for higher intensity.
Release Date 2015 - 2019-00-00
Network Amazon Prime Video
Directors David Shore
5 Cross
Adapting James Patterson's famous Alex Cross novels for TV, Prime Video's Cross follows a brilliant forensic psychologist and homicide detective, Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge), as he hunts criminals in Washington, D.C. and beyond. The series allows for a simple adaptation of Patterson's work that builds upon the source material, creating a richer world for viewers.
Cross blends emotional depth with methodical investigation and escalating threats, bringing a similar energy to the table that other successful Prime Video shows like Bosch do. The series explores professional pressure and personal trauma, which for Cross stems from his wife's murder, and allows for consistent games of cat-and-mouse that raise the stakes each episode.
Release Date November 14, 2024
Network Prime Video
Directors Craig Siebels, Nzingha Stewart
Writers Ben Watkins
Franchise(s) Alex Cross
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Isaiah Mustafa
John Sampson
4 Leverage
Originally airing between 2008 and 2012, Leverage was a cable series that aired on TNT during its initial run. Hardly the traditional procedural, Leverage is about a team of reformed criminals who use their unique skills to take down corrupt corporations and people in positions of power. Led by Nathan "Nate" Ford (Timothy Hutton), the series explores the idea of former "bad guys" making the best "good guys".
Each episode is able to build suspense through its complicated cons and strategic twists, taking on an episodic format with various serialized storylines running through the season. The strengths of Leverage lie in the inventive setups that the team are able to build, blending a caper-style of storytelling with layered character development.
Release Date 2008 - 2012-00-00
Showrunner Chris Downey
Directors Dean Devlin
Writers Chris Downey
3 The Night Manager
Based on John le Carré’s novel, The Night Manager is a spy-infused crime thriller that follows former British soldier turned hotel night manager, Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston). While The Night Manager season 2 is currently airing after a ten-year hiatus, the show's first season aired in 2016. Pine's original covert mission, infiltrating the inner circle of arms dealer Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie), created a high-stakes thriller.
The Night Manager shines in its ability to build atmospheric tension, along with its well-drawn characters and the ever-present threat of exposure or violence as Pine moves deeper into peril. The show's fusion of crime, espionage, and psychological intrigue makes it a standout example of a character-driven thriller.
Release Date 2016 - 2025-00-00
Network BBC One
Directors Susanne Bier, Georgi Banks-Davies
Writers David Farr
Franchise(s) Based on a novel by John le Carré
2 His & Hers
Netflix's newest crime thriller, His & Hers, revolves around a news anchor Anna Andrews (Tessa Thompson), who returns to her hometown after a murder sparks old memories and secrets. Working alongside her estranged husband, Detective Jack Harper (Jon Bernthal), Anna uncovers layers of mystery tied to past betrayals and unresolved trauma.
His & Hers is able to weave slow-burn investigation with evolving suspects and emotional stakes that deepen the mystery. Personal history and professional duty collide within the series, and each revelation amplifies tension as she confronts both external danger and inner conflict. The mystery's focus on character and its layered plot development keep the stakes consistently high from episode to episode.
Release Date 2026 - 2026-00-00
Network Netflix
Directors Anja Marquardt
Writers Tori Sampson
1 Money Heist
2017's Money Heist, a Spanish series on Netflix, chronicles the plan of a criminal mastermind known as The Professor (Álvaro Morte) as he attempts to pull off the biggest robbery in Spanish history. Hoping to infiltrate the Royal Mint Of Spain with a team of expert thieves, The Professor is hoping to print billions of euros, and takes viewers along on the journey to do so.
Money Heist is told using dynamic flashbacks and complicated character arcs, exploring the strategy behind rebellion. It uses high-stakes tension and emotional depth in order to show the level of loyalty it takes to move beyond a simple heist. Money Heist's layered plotting and iconic imagery make it one of the most compelling crime thrillers available on streaming.
Release Date 2017 - 2021-00-00
Showrunner Álex Pina
Writers Álex Pina, Javier Gómez Santander
English (US) ·