10 Excellent Crime TV Series You Can Binge In A Day

Some crime miniseries are just so good audiences can’t help but devour the entire series across the span of one solitary day. While long-running shows with dozens of episodes per season can be great, just as important are the short-form television shows that can be taken in, enjoyed, and then moved on from all over the course of 24 hours. With tightly constructed narratives that still have more room for character development than the average feature film, one-season miniseries are often the perfect medium to deliver an intense crime drama.

Many of the best crime TV series of all time can be binged in one day, as most true crime stories act as self-contained narratives that cannot be extended endlessly season after season. With Apple TV+ series, Netflix originals, and traditional networks all delivering exceptional crime series, there’s never been a better time to be a crime TV lover than right now. All these series have something special to offer, and those with a free day on their hands can even enjoy them in their entirety over the course of just one day.

10 The Undoing (2020)

6 episodes

The Undoing brought Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant together for a thrilling murder mystery that viewers could devour in a single sitting. As an engaging spin on classic whodunnit tropes, Kidman played a New York therapist whose life is thrown into a whirlwind when her family ends up at the center of a murder investigation. With Grant trading his usual rom-com leading man charm to instead play a character with seriously sinister undertones, this was a prime example of the British actor’s willingness to take on more complex and challenging roles in recent years.

Featuring plenty of twists and turns, misdirects, and several detours, The Undoing took viewers on a wild ride where nothing was certain from one episode to the next. While The Undoing could be criticized for valuing episodic twists over the narrative cohesion of the final project, like the best bingeable TV series, the enjoyment of this mystery came primarily from guessing along throughout. Sadly, the ending didn’t live up to all the exciting build-up that came before it, but there are certainly worse ways to spend an afternoon.

9 The Serpent (2021)

8 episodes

The Serpent was an eight-part co-production between the BBC and Netflix that truly has to be seen to be believed. This story of a French serial killer conning and murdering backpackers on the hippie trail through Asia during the 1970s was based on the real killer Charles Sobhraj, who was believed to have killed at least 20 tourists, with most of his crimes taking place in Thailand. As a tense, thrilling, and totally engrossing series, The Serpent is truly one of the most underrated miniseries to come out in recent years.

With an astounding lead performance from Tahar Rahim, The Serpent perfectly captured how Sobhraj stole his victims’ passports and identities to travel the world while selling stolen diamonds alongside his accomplice girlfriend Marie-Andrée Leclerc (Jenna Coleman.) Just as thrilling was the story of the Dutch diplomat Herman Knippenberg (Billy Howle), who made it his mission to uncover the truth behind the tourist's deaths and bring Sobhraj to justice. While The Serpent can be binged in a day, the intensity of this series means it may be wise to spread it out over at least a few days.

8 Defending Jacob (2020)

8 episodes

A parent’s natural impulse to protect their child versus a legal professional’s duty toward justice was tested against one another in the thrilling murder mystery Defending Jacob. Based on a novel by William Landay, Defending Jacob starred Chris Evans as Andy Barber, an assistant district attorney dealing with the impact of his 14-year-old son being accused of murdering his classmate. With plenty of tension and engaging melodrama, this engrossing eight-part series is one of the best original series to come out of Apple TV+.

There was an ambiguity to Defending Jacob that kept its well-worn premise interesting right up until the end as the truth behind Jacob’s case revealed itself within its slow-burn narrative. Evan’s performance was a real highlight as he proved his talents outside of the superhero genre in a rare dramatic performance that made audiences wish he pursued more roles like this. While Defending Jacob could have streamlined its novel’s source material a little more and would have worked better as a six-part series, it still made for engaging viewing.

7 The Night Of (2016)

8 episodes

Few series have played with audiences’ beliefs and perceptions of the truth better than The Night Of. This astounding HBO miniseries starred Riz Ahmed as Naz Khan, a Pakistani-American college student accused of murdering a young woman on the Upper East Side of New York, and John Turturro as John Stone, the lawyer representing him. As a richly crafted mystery that kept viewers questing right up to the finale, by the time the credits roll on each episode, it’s nigh on impossible not to continue watching and try to uncover the truth behind this darkly eventful night.

The most thrilling aspect of The Night Of was how viewers' thoughts about Naz’s innocence changed from episode to episode. While Naz’s frantic panic and lack of memory surrounding the events of the young woman’s death initially seemed to indicate he was innocent, as new aspects of his personality are revealed in prison, this no longer feels as certain. The Night Of was an excellent series about the truth, justice, and the blurred lines between them.

6 Sharp Objects (2018)

8 episodes

The dark history of a troubled reporter is uncovered in Sharp Objects, an excellent eight-episode adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s debut novel of the same name. Starring Amy Adams as Camille Preaker, an alcoholic journalist recently discharged from a psychiatric hospital who returns to her hometown to cover the murders of two young girls, this HBO series showcased a life that was categorized by trauma, self-harm, and emotional devastation.

Adams’ impeccable portrayal of Camille was what made Sharp Objects stand out as she perfectly captured the character's downward spiral and the internal descent into disorientation that made the novel such a pageturner. As a riveting miniseries that walked the fine line between pulpy excitement and high drama, the dark nature of the murders forced Camille to confront her own trauma and the overbearing impact of her relationship with her mother. As a miniseries categorized more by self-loathing than its murder mystery, Sharp Objects was a uniquely bleak series.

5 When They See Us (2019)

4 episodes

With just four episodes, the astounding miniseries When They See Us can easily be binged in a day, although the sheer emotional devastation of its story may make this a difficult endeavor. Created, co-written, and directed by Ava DuVernay, this miniseries was based on events of the 1989 Central Park jogger case and its effects on the five Black and Latino suspects who were falsely accused of the rape and assault of a white woman. With the juvenile suspects being as young as 14 years old, these false accusations had ripple effects throughout their entire lives as they were prosecuted for a crime they did not commit.

When They See Us was based on a real case that continues to divide and spark debate among people to this day and a shocking and engrossing glimpse into the injustices within the legal system. By adding humanity to the stories of these young men, When They See Us showcased for audiences the devastating effects of police profiling and the nature of justice in America. With an emotional impact that truly cannot be understated, When They See Us was must-watch television.

4 The Staircase (2022)

8 episodes

The case against Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen, has fascinated viewers for more than two decades now, as the original 2004 true crime documentary outlined the complex and divisive nature of his story. However, it was the 2022 miniseries The Staircase, starring Colin Firth as Peterson, that added a new dramatic layer of intrigue to this story. Over the course of eight episodes, audiences witnessed the dramatization of not just Kathleen’s death but also the media circus that surrounded Peterson’s tumultuous legal battle.

The Staircase made for nail-biting viewing for those already familiar with the case and those learning about it for the first time, as it gave audiences all the information they needed to make up their own minds about his innocence without ever truly giving a definitive answer on it. Firth gave an astounding performance as Peterson, an eccentric man whose true intentions are incredibly hard to pinpoint. As a fresh perspective on a well-worn mystery, The Staircase miniseries was a real treat for true crime lovers.

3 Des (2020)

3 episodes

While audiences will recognize David Tennant as the fun-loving 10th incarnation of the Doctor on Doctor Who or even as the hilarious fictionalized version of himself from Staged, this Scottish actor was totally unrecognizable in the crime miniseries Des. This terrifying three-part ITV series starred Tennant as Dennis Nilsen, the notorious Scottish serial killer and necrophile who murdered at least twelve young men and boys between 1978 and 1983. As a truly vile and despicable man, Nilsen performed ritualized killings on his victims before shockingly flushing their dismembered remains down the toilet.

Des was an unrelentingly bleak crime drama that, after three episodes spent with Tennant’s Nilsen, certainly felt long enough. The monstrous nature of Nilsen’s crimes truly boggled the mind and was a glimpse into a level of evil far beyond common criminal behavior. Tennant won the International Emmy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Nilsen, a part that pushed him the farthest out of his comfort zone and normally friendly persona he had ever dared to endeavor.

2 Mare of Easttown (2021)

7 episodes

Oscar winner Kate Winslet has given some truly astounding movie performances across her Hollywood career, although perhaps her best acting came in the HBO crime miniseries Mare of Easttown. Playing out like a page-turner novel, Winslet starred as Mare Sheehan, a tough-as-nails detective sergeant investigating the murder of a young girl and the disappearance of another in her small Pennsylvania town. As a slowly unveiling mystery where everyone’s a suspect, Mare of Easttown made for truly nail-biting viewing over the course of its swift seven-episode run.

With strong female representation, an accurate presentation of the seldom-heard Philadelphia accent, and one knockout performance after another, everyone involved in Mare of Easttown was working at the top of their game. Boasting overwhelming critical acclaim, Mare of Easttown was an astounding example of what can be achieved within the confines of a miniseries, as the tight narrative had cinematic quality yet maintained enough room to breathe and develop. Mare of Easttown received sixteen Emmy nominations, with Winslet deservedly winning Outstanding Lead Actress.

1 Black Bird (2022)

6 episodes

The incredible Apple TV+ series Black Bird was a fascinating true crime drama based on the true story of Jimmy Keane (Taron Egerton), a charming narcotics dealer who agrees to a transfer to a high-security prison in return for a reduced sentence. However, the deal he made was anything but simple, as he must extract a confession from presumed serial killer Larry Hall, a suspected killer and rapist accused of killing 14 women. As a gritty and disturbing crime story, Black Bird echoed the character-driven appeal that made series like The Night Of so popular.

While Egerton gave an incredible performance as Keane, the standout role was Paul Walter Hauser's disturbing portrayal of Hall, a performance that captured the complex menace and buried humanity of this troubled killer. Black Bird was a series full of career-best performances that also featured Ray Liotta in a poignant posthumous role as Keane’s ailing father. As an entertaining and engrossing piece of television, Black Bird was a perfect example of a crime series that can be binged entirely in just one day.

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