There’s never a bad time to start streaming a slow-burning thriller; there are many to choose from, including new series and older ones. Here are some great ones.
Untamed (2025-present)
Stream Untamed on Netflix
In many respects, Netflix’s Untamed is a typical murder mystery, characterized by a clear beginning and ending. And yet, with the majestic Yosemite National Park as its backdrop, it’s more than that, since the park’s iconic granite monolith, El Capitan, plays a central role throughout.
The series, which stars Eric Bana as a special agent for the National Parks Service, is highly character-driven with an emphasis on dialogue and emotion. In each of the six episodes, secrets are slowly revealed that make you question what you thought just minutes ago, making you wonder who is “good” and who is “bad.”
Some early reviewers I found called the series predictable, but I didn’t find that to be the case. In fact, I consider it one of the best summer shows this year. I found the ending worth waiting for and the revealing of the killer a surprise. While I wouldn’t consider it one of my favorite TV series of all time, it was good enough that I can’t wait for its second season, which will be set in another still unnamed U.S. national park.
Slow Horses (2022-present)
Stream Slow Horses on Apple TV+
What would happen if James Bond weren’t so put together and ticked off a lot more people than M? He’d probably be in Slough House, where MI5 agents are exiled when they make career-ending mistakes on the job. Slow Horses follows this team of misfit agents, headed by Gary Oldman’s sloppy but brilliant Jackson Lamb, who always seem to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Each season of Apple TV+’s Slow Horses follows a distinct story with a new set of supporting characters, although the main characters remain consistent throughout. Each season builds to a satisfying conclusion that is always resolved. That is, until the credits roll. In a unique twist, each season-ender previews the next season, leaving you guessing about what hijinks are next for the mostly lovable slackers that make up Slough House.
Oldman is absolutely brilliant as Lamb, and he’s the heart of the show, which is based on a series of books by Mick Herron. Joining him in each year’s story is Jack Lowden as a young agent who always seems to make a mistake until the very end, and Kristin Scott Thomas as an unflappable leader at MI5. Rounding out the cast are the brilliant Jonathan Pryce, Saskia Reeves, Rosalind Eleazar, and Christopher Chung.
The fifth season of Slow Horses is set to debut in 2025, with at least one more season already renewed by Apple. If you like action dramas that have plenty of workplace drama thrown in, Slow Horses is for you.
Presumed Innocent (2024-present)
Stream Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+
Back in 1987, Scott Turow’s novel Presumed Innocent kept readers guessing about who murdered Carolyn Polhemus, a hotshot attorney with secrets that were slowly revealed. Three years later, Harrison Ford starred in the film adaptation as the character most likely to do the dirty deed. Decades later, Apple TV+ debuted an eight-episode series based on the novel that largely (but not wholly) followed the original story.
Presumed Innocent, the series stars Jake Gyllenhaal in the title role. His character, Rusty Sabich, is a high-profile Chicago prosecutor who very quickly becomes the chief suspect in the murder of Rusty’s colleague, Carolyn, played by Renate Reinsve in flashbacks. The story follows Sabich and his family as they prepare for his trial. Along the way, we meet his legal team, headed by the fantastic character actor Bill Camp, and opposition counsel, played by the constantly engaging Peter Sarsgaard.
The ending, which differs from the book and the 1990 film, comes as a complete surprise. And yet, getting to that point is what makes this series truly special. Each of the characters mentioned above, as well as Ruth Negga as Rusty’s wife, is phenomenal and multidimensional, and you’ll always find yourself questioning where each one stands throughout.
The series proved so highly successful that Apple renewed it for an unexpected second season. This round of episodes will feature a completely different cast and story, headed by Rachel Brosnaham. It will be based on the upcoming legal thriller novel Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray, which is set to be published in 2026. The new season will star Rachel Brosnahan in the lead role.
The Wire (HBO) (2002-08)
Stream The Wire on HBO Max
At the start of this century, HBO viewers were mesmerized by the award-winning series The Wire. Spanning five seasons, the gritty drama examined the city of Baltimore through the eyes of different institutions as they interacted with city law enforcement and the drug trade. Each season focused on a new institution, while maintaining its core group of characters, led by Dominic West, Lance Reddick, and Idris Elba, among others.
The Wire isn’t for the faint of heart, as it touches on subject matters that are both raw and frustrating. And yet, this realism, coupled with the amazing cast of characters, still holds up nearly 20 years since it last aired new episodes. You’ll appreciate every one of its 60 episodes.
The Hunting Wives (2025-present)
Stream The Hunting Wives on Netflix
Few slow-burners also have an element of escape, but that’s a good way to describe Netflix’s The Hunting Wives. This comedy-drama has everything one would want in a binge-worthy mystery, headlined by a cast of sometimes crazy characters, including Brittany Snow and Malin Åkerman.
Set in the heart of Texas, the series follows Snow’s New England-based character who has only just arrived in the Lone Star state. Soon she’s wrapped up in the antics of a circle of rich gun-toting housewives with secrets that eventually all spill, including her own. Throw in a murder that’s not fully revealed until midway through the eight-episode season, and be prepared for a fun, loopy ride.
This series is based on the 2021 thriller by author May Cobb, also titled The Hunting Wives. It’s likely to return for a second season, although that’s not guaranteed at this point.
Other cast members of The Hunting Wives include Dermot Mulroney, Jaime Ray Newman, Katie Lowes, and Chrissy Metz.
Bloodline (2015-17)
Stream Bloodline on Netflix
Every family has secrets. However, few can compare to the secrets held by the Rayburn family in Bloodline. Led by Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini, Norbert Leo Butz, and Academy Award winner Sissy Spacek, this three-season Netflix thriller features countless twists and turns that will keep you guessing throughout.
The family patriarch, Robert, played by Sam Shepard, heads the Rayburns, a well-respected family that runs a beautiful seaside inn in the Florida Keys. However, chaos ensues when the family’s black sheep, the oldest son, Danny, portrayed by Mendelsohn, returns home.
When I originally watched Bloodline, I did so on a season-by-season binge basis, which meant at least a year went by between seasons. On a second watch, I binged all 33 episodes over the course of 10 days. That’s the way to watch this. It better highlights the dysfunction, deceit, and ongoing scheming between every character. You’ll quickly find there is no character to love in this series, and that’s just fine. Enjoy watching each one suffer and smile all the way.
Adolescence (2025)
You can stream Adolescence on Netflix
You will come away angry after watching this unsettling four-part British crime drama on Netflix. The series follows the Miller family after their 13-year-old son, Jamie, is arrested for the murder of a classmate. Each minute of the story builds to a conclusion that, while decisive, has no winners and much anger still present.
Adolescence employs a “single-shot” technique, which creates a real-time, almost claustrophobic atmosphere. This method places you almost too closely inside the story. The main character, played by Owen Cooper, brings complexity to the role, which makes him difficult to define.
The subject matter of Adolescence makes this a must-watch series for anyone with a child. It forces you to take a closer look at the “manosphere” culture on the internet (as per the UN) and, as a result, you’ll come away more informed on the subject.
Slow-burning streamers come in different forms, and there are a lot to choose from, some more serious than others. When you need something to watch, remember this list.
