These 17 Shows on Netflix Are a Must-Watch For True Detective Fans, According to Reddit

"True Detective " Season 4 just might end up being its most divisive yet. It's no secret that even the original showrunner, Nick Pizzolatto, wasn't shy about his thoughts on the new direction, stirring the pot behind the scenes.

Reddit, that ever-reliable hive of TV wisdom, has compiled a list, a guide for those seeking shows with a similar vibe, minus the off-screen drama. Think shadowy figures, twisted plots, and that lingering sense of unease, all wrapped up in series that deliver the goods.

Some titles are hidden gems, others are popular favourites, but all resonate with that True Detective-esque essence.

1. Bodyguard (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

A war veteran now working as a specialist protection officer is assigned to guard the UK's Home Secretary, whose politics he despises, leading him into a complex web of political intrigue, assassination attempts, and deep personal dilemmas.

2. The Diplomat (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

The series follows the high-stakes world of international diplomacy through the eyes of a newly appointed British ambassador Kate Wyler; diffusing political conflicts and global crises takes the center stage here.

3. The Spy (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

Based on true events, this drama chronicles the life of Eli Cohen, an Israeli clerk turned secret agent in the 1960s, who goes deep undercover in Syria, becoming a key player in Israel's intelligence efforts, but at great personal cost.

4. Lincoln Lawyer (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

A Los Angeles lawyer, who operates out of the back of his Lincoln car, becomes entangled in a high-profile murder case that tests his abilities and ethics, leading to revelations about his own past and the city's justice system.

5. The Sinner (2017-2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

An anthology series with clear and simple season structure; each season explores a new crime and the complex reasons behind ordinary people committing heinous acts. The selling point here is the show delving deep into the psychology of the perpetrators, and the investigators unraveling the truth.

6. Alias (2001-2006)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

A young woman, recruited as an undercover agent for a secret division of the CIA, discovers that she's actually working for a criminal organization; her mission then becomes to act as a double agent, unraveling complex global conspiracies while dealing with her own family's dark secrets.

7. Mindhunter ( 2017-2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Set in the late 1970s to early 1980s, two FBI agents expand criminal science by delving into the psychology of murder and getting uneasily close to all-too-real monsters as they pioneer the development of modern serial-killer profiling.

8. Caliphate (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 88%

A gripping Swedish series looking into rather heavy topics; it's the story of a mother worried about her daughter's radicalization, an ambitious intelligence officer, and a teenager who gets recruited by ISIS.

9. The Girl from Oslo (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 64%

When a Norwegian woman's daughter is kidnapped by ISIS, she must navigate the complex political landscape of the Middle East and confront her own past to save her daughter and her friends.

10. Marcella (2016-2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 70%

A British detective suffering from blackouts and personal traumas returns to work to investigate a serial killer, leading her on a journey that challenges her mental health and uncovers dark truths about her life and those around her.

11. The Forest (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 92%

A French crime drama where a police chief and a teacher uncover secrets and hidden obsessions in their small community as they investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl in a dense forest.

12. The Night Agent (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%

A low-level FBI agent working in the White House's basement, monitoring a hotline for spies, becomes embroiled in a complex conspiracy that leads to the highest levels of power, challenging his skills and loyalty.

13. Secret City (2016-2019)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 71%

An Australian political thriller following a seasoned journalist as she uncovers a web of conspiracies and secret plots beneath the facade of Canberra's calm politics, risking her life to expose the truth.

14. The Chestnut Man (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

In Copenhagen, detectives unravel a serial killer's grisly crimes, linked to a politician's missing child, with clues pointing to a sinister figure known as "The Chestnut Man."

15. Occupied (2015-2019)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 98%

A Norwegian political thriller set in a near-future where Russia, under EU's permission, conducts a 'soft' invasion of Norway to restart oil production, leading to a complex geopolitical conflict and resistance movements.

16. My Name (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

A Korean drama about a woman who joins an organized crime ring and becomes an undercover cop to avenge her father's death, delving into the criminal underworld and facing betrayals and moral quandaries.

17. Lupin ( 2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

Inspired by the adventures of Arsène Lupin, a man sets out to avenge his father for an injustice inflicted by a wealthy family, using his charisma and mastery of thievery, subterfuge, and clever disguises.