Expand Your Mind With These Cerebral Dramas
Doppelgangers, alternate realities, and murder mysteries that twist and turn give viewers a lot to think about when watching the best cerebral drama shows. Whether you like detectives with a dark side or robots struggling with sentience, this list of cerebral TV shows will exercise your mind. A few of the best cerebral TV series have even compelled fans to debate the meaning of every secret that is revealed.
Twin Peaks is a mystery that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Blogs, YouTube channels, and books have been dedicated to the intellectual ins-and-outs of the plot. Giri/Haji – translated Duty/Shame – is a British series that finds a Japanese detective with the tough decision to choose between helping his family and honoring his profession.
When it comes to good cerebral shows, it doesn't get much better than the German series Dark. A child's disappearance provokes a mystery that spans several generations and parallel worlds in this Netflix original.
Stop racking your brain when trying to decide which cerebral series to watch next and instead check out this list to see what fellow fans recommend. Vote your favorites to the top and please add any other good shows that challenge viewers to think outside of the box.
- 1Oliver Masucci, Karoline Eichhorn, Jördis Triebel
- Premiered: December 1, 2017
Dark, Germany's mind-bending sci-fi mystery, takes its characters and viewers on a twisted journey through multiple timelines. Boasting impressive acting, the story revolves around the interconnected lives of four families in a small town, dangling threads of fate, and the laws of time and space.
- 2Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Patricia Arquette
- Premiered: February 18, 2022
Severance, the enigmatic drama helmed by Ben Stiller, mesmerizes viewers with its unique premise, highlighting the lives of employees who undergo a mysterious work-life balance procedure. Themes of workplace conformity, technology's dominance over human existence, and ethical dilemmas underline this thought-provoking series.
- 3
The OA
Brit Marling, Emory Cohen, Phyllis Smith- Premiered: December 16, 2016
The OA, a remarkable blend of science fiction and otherworldly fantasy, captivates audiences with the story of Prairie Johnson, portrayed by co-creator Brit Marling. The series effortlessly transcends the realms of the afterlife and parallel dimensions, exploring themes of identity, trauma, and human connection.
- 4Christian Slater, Rami Malek, Portia Doubleday
- Premiered: June 24, 2015
Mr. Robot, a gripping psychological thriller, delves into the complex mind of Elliot Alderson, played by the talented Rami Malek. The show's intricate plot and conspiracy-heavy storyline leave viewers as perplexed as its characters while exploring themes, such as cybersecurity, mental health, and societal power structures.
- 5Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Ed Harris
- Premiered: October 2, 2016
Westworld, a riveting cautionary tale, blends futuristic sci-fi and gritty Western genres into a story populated with lifelike androids. Through multifaceted characters, the series explores thought-provoking themes of artificial intelligence, consciousness, and our own innate humanity.
- 6
Twin Peaks
Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick- Premiered: April 8, 1990
Twin Peaks, a cult classic, blends surrealism and otherworldly intrigue into a whodunit-turned-cosmic-drama. David Lynch's enigmatic vision, paired with memorable characters, transports viewers into a mesmerizing world that straddles fantasy and reality, illuminating themes of good versus evil and the human psyche's darker corners.
