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6.7k voters

The Greatest Thriller Shows in TV History

Updated March 3, 2021 19.4k votes 6.7k voters 301.5k views108 items

List RulesVote up the best thriller TV series - whether the thrills come from character drama, gripping action or nail-biting horror.

These are the best nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat thriller shows on television, ranked from best to worst. This list of the greatest thriller TV shows also includes information about the series stars. Popular thriller TV series have been a staple of television viewing for years, so there's often debate about what the most gripping and engaging thriller series of all time is. Don't let your favorite thriller television series sink to the bottom of the list - be sure to vote them up so they have the chance to reach the top spot.

This thrilling list is made up of both newer and older shows, like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and even Lost. These are all the top-rated thriller shows, thanks to votes, so if you're trying to remember some names of your favorite old thriller series this is a great place to start.

This list answers the questions, "What is the greatest thriller show of all time?" and "What are the best thriller shows?"

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Breaking Bad
Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul
Premiered: 2008
Network: AMC
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Dexter
Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter
Premiered: 2006
Network: Showtime
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Mindhunter
Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany
Premiered: 2017
Network: Netflix
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Hannibal
Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen
Premiered: 2013
Network: NBC
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Prison Break
Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller
Premiered: 2005
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
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Homeland
Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin
Premiered: 2011
Network: Showtime
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Stranger Things
Winona Ryder, David Harbour
Premiered: 2016
Network: Netflix
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Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub
Premiered: 2001
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
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The X-Files
David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson
Premiered: 1993
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
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The Blacklist
James Spader, Megan Boone
Premiered: 2013
Network: NBC
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Dark
Louis Hofmann, Oliver Masucci
Premiered: 2017
Network: Netflix
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Criminal Minds
Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler
Premiered: 2005
Network: A&E, CBS
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American Horror Story
Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott
Premiered: 2011
Network: FX
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Ozark
Jason Bateman, Laura Linney
Premiered: 2017
Network: Netflix
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Mr. Robot
Rami Malek, Carly Chaikin
Premiered: 2015
Network: USA Network
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House of Cards
Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright
Premiered: 2013
Network: Netflix
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Orphan Black
Tatiana Maslany, Dylan Bruce
Premiered: 2013
Network: BBC America, Space
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The Fall
Gillian Anderson, Jamie Dornan
Premiered: 2013
Network: BBC Two
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Fargo
Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman
Premiered: 2014
Network: AMC
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Gypsy
Naomi Watts, Billy Crudup
Premiered: 2017
Network: Netflix
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Black Mirror
Daniel Kaluuya, Toby Kebbell
Premiered: 2011
Network: Channel 4, Netflix
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The Following
Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy
Premiered: 2013
Network: Fox Broadcasting Company
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Jack Ryan
John Krasinski, Abbie Cornish
Premiered: 2018
Network: Amazon Video
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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni
Premiered: 1999
Network: NBC
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The Americans
Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys
Premiered: 2013
Network: FX
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