Ranker TVList RulesVote up the television drama series that aren't just well-written - these are shows packed with complicated ideas that keep you thinking and emotionally engaged.
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.
1
4814Dark
Louis Hofmann, Oliver MasucciPremiered: 2017
Dark (Netflix, 2017) is a German science fiction thriller web television series created by... more2
4514Sherlock
Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin FreemanPremiered: 2010
Sherlock (BBC One, 2010) is a British crime television series created by Steven Moffat and... more3
315Black Mirror
Daniel Kaluuya, Toby KebbellPremiered: 2011
Black Mirror (Netflix, 2011) is a British television anthology series created by Charlie... more4
3114The OA
Brit Marling, Emory CohenPremiered: 2016
The OA (Netflix, 2016) is an American mystery drama web television series created by Brit... more5
225Sense8
Aml Ameen, Doona BaePremiered: 2015
Sense8 (Netflix, 2015) is an American science fiction drama web television series created by... more6
215Fringe
Anna Torv, Joshua JacksonPremiered: 2008
Fringe (Fox, 2008) is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams,... more7
2814True Detective
Mahershala Ali, Matthew McConaugheyPremiered: 2013
True Detective (HBO, 2014) is an American anthology drama television series created by Nic... more8
182The Queen's Gambit
Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill CampPremiered: 2020
The Queen's Gambit (Netflix, 2020) is an American drama miniseries based on the 1983 novel by... more9
172Twin Peaks
Kyle MacLachlan, Russ TamblynPremiered: 1990
Twin Peaks (ABC, 1990) is an American mystery horror drama television series created by Mark... more10
154Mr. Robot
Rami Malek, Carly ChaikinPremiered: 2015
Mr. Robot (USA Network, 2015) is an American drama-thriller television series created by Sam... more11
2014Orphan Black
Tatiana Maslany, Dylan BrucePremiered: 2013
Orphan Black is a Canadian science fiction television series created by screenwriter Graeme... more12
147Maniac
Jonah Hill, Emma StonePremiered: 2018
Maniac (Netflix, 2018) is an American dark comedy television series created by Patrick... more13
1510Westworld
Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie NewtonPremiered: 2016
Westworld (HBO, 2016) is an American science fiction western thriller television series... more14
102Stranger
Cho Seung-woo, Bae DoonaPremiered: 2017
Stranger (tvN, 2017) is a South Korean crime thriller television series. An emotionless... more15
20The Code
Anna Wood, Ato EssandohPremiered: 2019
The Code (CBS, 2019) is an American drama TV series. The military's brightest minds take on... more16
51Giri/Haji
Takehiro Hira, Kelly MacdonaldPremiered: 2020
Giri/Haji (Netflix, 2020) is a British television drama created by Joe Barton. A detective... more17
21Wormwood
Peter Sarsgaard, Molly ParkerWormwood (Netflix, 2017) is an American six-part docudrama miniseries directed by Errol... more18
10The Third Day
Jude Law, Katherine WaterstonPremiered: 2020
The Third Day (HBO, 2020) is a drama television miniseries written by Dennis Kelly. The line... more19
10The Twelve
Luc De Ruelle, Maaike NeuvillePremiered: 2019
The Twelve (één, 2019) is a Belgian crime thriller. Twelve ordinary people are called for jury... more20
10Equinox
Danica Curcic, Lars BrygmannPremiered: 2020
Equinox (Netflix, 2020) is a Danish supernatural mystery thriller television series created by... more21
11Biohackers
Luna Wedler, Susanne JokielPremiered: 2020
Biohackers (Netflix, 2020) is a German drama sci-fi thriller television series created by... more22
00The Honourable Woman
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stephen ReaPremiered: 2014
The Honourable Woman is a 2014 British political–spy thriller television miniseries in eight... more23
00Paranoid
Indira Varma, Robert GlenisterPremiered: 2016
Paranoid (Netflix, 2016) is a British crime drama directed by Mark Tonderai and Kenny Glennan.... more24
75Hinterland
Richard Harrington, Mali HarriesPremiered: 2014
Y Gwyll, titled Hinterland in the English-language version (S4C, 2013), is a Welsh noir police... more25
00Walker
Jared PadaleckiPremiered: 2021
Walker (The CW, 2021) is an American western, action-drama television series written by Anna... more
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25