Netflix is the home of some of the best thriller shows of recent times. That’s what one would call a perfect amalgam. While the genre is undoubtedly one of the world’s most popular, the streaming giant is the world’s largest. Indeed, it is like logging into one of the most comprehensive databases of entertainment to binge-watch some of the best series ever made, not just in the thriller genre but in TV history.
But the question is: How do we define a thriller? Is it a crime saga about a notorious drug trafficker, or a story of helpless underdogs fighting for survival in a deadly game show? Can a drama about a politician, who ruthlessly removes his opponents, be called truly ‘nail-biting,’ or is the tag more fitting for a fantastical tale of a group of young people trying to survive in an alternate dimension?
Simply put, the answer is that all of them are thrillers because they are fast-paced and keep audiences hooked with bated breath – almost in a state of constant tension – with every development in the story. The excitement that thriller TV shows build with every frame is unmatched, especially due to the fact that a longer format allows for a structured build-up of the plot as well as a deeper exploration of characters.
Like all other genres in entertainment, thrillers originated in literature. Over the last century, it found place and recognition — first on the big screen and then on the smaller one. Now, with streaming quickly replacing the idiot box, thrillers have not only found a broader and younger audience but also refreshing ideas and styles that keep them relevant in the information age.
Yet, irrespective of the change over the years, thrillers are an umbrella genre within which several sub-genres can neatly fit themselves.
What are ‘nail-biting’ thrillers?
Several of the best thriller TV series on Netflix have crime or action as driving elements. Others take the path of suspense, while the rest rely more heavily on aspects such as dystopian settings or even the murky world of espionage.
There are some shows which are sometimes included among thrillers due to certain aspects of their stories. But such shows are not tagged as ‘thriller’ by Netflix, which instead lists them as ‘drama’ or ‘sci-fi.’
Usually, dramas and some crime shows could be engrossing but not nail-biting. Such shows include the complex sci-fi show 3 Body Problem and the political drama The Diplomat. Though they have some minor sensational quotients, they are not thrillers in the true sense because they do not need to be thrilling with each frame. The focus of such shows is on more dominant genre elements. This means that thriller itself becomes a sub-genre and not the main genre in such shows.
It points to the fact that unlike romance or comedy, which have a more defined nature, thriller lacks a clear line of demarcation between itself and other genres. This is why anything that has action (except superhero), mystery, suspense, or intrigue becomes part of the broader genre of thriller.
Thus, the best thriller series on Netflix include a variety of shows as diverse as the Korean smash hit Squid Game and American political drama House of Cards to the Japanese dystopian show Alice in Borderland and the Spanish crime drama Money Heist.
The best of the true thriller shows you can watch on Netflix now
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A Killer Paradox (2024–)
Narco-Saints (2022)
The Night Agent (2023)
Alice in Borderland (2020–)
El Chapo (2017–2018)
My Name (2021)
Squid Game (2021–)
Vagabond (2019)
Money Heist (2017–2021)
Fauda (2015–2022)
Dexter (2006–2013)
House of Cards (2013–2018)
Source: augustman.com