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2026 has been a year of fast expansion for thriller television, with high-profile adaptations and prestige shows setting the bar for the genre higher than we have seen in the last few years. With stranger, darker stories and much more complex characters, crime and psychological thrillers of this year so far have left audiences with shock, awe, and surprises aplenty. The first half of 2026 has seen the releases of several major titles, the returns of long-awaited projects, and some iconic literature being adapted to screen.
Most of these 2026 thriller shows on television and streaming have swept fans off their feet with their A-list cast, sharp writing, clever dialogue, and interesting characterizations that are redefining the genre as we know it. From the all-new season of The Night Manager (Season 2) to the series revival of the ’90s crime classic Cape Fear, the world of thriller television has been nothing short of excellent this year. With that in mind, here’s our ranked selection of some of the best thriller shows of 2026 so far.
8
‘His & Hers’ (2026)
A miniseries created by William Oldroyd and adapted from Alice Feeney’s mystery novel, His & Hers centers on a former news anchor named Anna, who goes back to her hometown in Georgia after a series of grisly murders leave the community shaken. When Anna starts to look into the cases, her investigation keeps colliding with that of her estranged husband, local detective Jack, who becomes suspicious of Anna. Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal lead the cast, with Pablo Schreiber, Marin Ireland, Sunita Mani, and Poppy Liu in key roles.
Part modern crime noir, part Southern Gothic, His & Hers is a tense and twisty thriller steeped in family secrets, toxic relationships, and moral ambiguity. The six-part Netflix original largely thrives on the gritty central performances of Thompson and Bernthal, even if the story often feels far-fetched. While it earned a mixed reception upon its release, His & Hers is definitely one of the best Netflix thriller miniseries of the year.
7
‘Scarpetta’ (2026–Present)
Developed by Liz Sarnoff, Scarpetta is the first screen adaptation of Patricia Cornwell‘s best-selling crime novels featuring the titular forensic pathologist. The first season follows Kay Scarpetta as she employs advanced forensic tech and brilliant methods to solve a crime that ties back to her past. Each new season is expected to adapt a new book from Cornwell’s series. Nicole Kidman stars as the titular protagonist, with Bobby Cannavale, Jamie Lee Curtis, Simon Baker, and Ariana DeBose in main roles.
Scarpetta is a well-crafted crime procedural that serves as a prestige psychological thriller, blending complex criminal investigations with heavy family drama. The stacked cast, compelling mysteries, and atmospheric setting come together with solid performances by Kidman, Lee Curtis, and Cannavale. While the first season has had a mixed critical reception, Scarpetta has enough to satisfy both Cornwell fans and those unfamiliar with the books.
6
‘The ‘Burbs’ (2026–Present)
Inspired by Joe Dante’s 1989 film of the same name, The ‘Burbs was created by Celeste Hughey and follows married couple and new parents, Samira and Rob Fisher, who leave their city life and move to Rob’s childhood home in the suburbs. But the seemingly quiet and peaceful neighborhood quickly descends into chaos and paranoia when a strange neighbor moves across the street from the Fishers. Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall lead the cast, with Kapil Talwalkar, Julia Duffy, Paula Pell, and Mark Proksch in notable roles.
The ‘Burbs is not just a remake but an intelligent reimagination of the ’80s Tom Hanks comedy that is both funny and spooky. The series features completely new storylines in a present-day setting with a much broader, deeper mystery than the film’s chaotic neighborhood drama, but is equally bizarre. Fun and engaging, with Palmer at her comedic best, The ‘Burbs has become quickly popular since its release and has been renewed for a second season.
5
‘The Testaments’ (2026–Present)
Hot off the heels of The Handmaid’s Tale, which ended in 2025, Hulu launched the sequel, The Testaments, based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel, a follow-up to 1985’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Set in the same dystopian universe of Gilead, four years after the final events of The Handmaid’s Tale, the latest series follows 16-year-old Agnes (Chase Infiniti), daughter of a commander, whose life, beliefs, and entire world are upended by the arrival of Daisy (Lucy Halliday), an outsider. Brad Alexander, Mabel Li, and Rowan Blanchard play other main characters, with Ann Dowd reprising her role from The Handmaid’s Tale.
The Testaments is crafted more like a coming-of-age tale, following a group of teenagers as they navigate survival, girlhood, and friendships in the oppressive society of Gilead. Visually stunning, well-performed, and often disturbing, the series is a worthy follow-up to the legacy that The Handmaid’s Tale created. A slow-burning, dystopian drama thriller, The Testaments became an instant favorite of critics and fans, joining the ranks of Hulu’s most engaging thrillers.
4
‘DTF St. Louis’ (2026)
A dark comedy thriller series created by Steven Conrad, DTF St. Louis revolves around two men going through midlife crises, Clark and Floyd, who sign up on the titular discreet dating app for some excitement. When Floyd winds up mysteriously dead, his wife becomes the prime suspect, and the investigation reveals a complex love triangle and dark motives. Jason Bateman and David Harbour star as Clark and Floyd, with Linda Cardellini, Richard Jenkins, Joy Sunday, Arlan Ruf, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris Perfetti, and more in key roles.
DTF ST. Louis has all the right ingredients of a suburban murder mystery thriller with strong psycho-social themes, ranking among the best of the subgenre. While it starts as a crime story, the series quickly turns into a sardonic, dark, but humanistic commentary on loneliness and male friendship. A dark mystery comedy driven by strong performances by the leading trio of Harbour, Bateman, and Cardellini, DTF St. Louis has earned critical acclaim, receiving 13 nominations for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards.
3
‘Star City’ (2026–Present)
Created by Ronald D. Moore, Ben Nedivi, and Matt Wolpert as a spin-off of their critically acclaimed For All Mankind, Star City reimagines the space race, redefining history as we know it. Named after the nickname of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia, the series is set in an alternate 1969, where the Soviet Union has become the first nation to land on the moon, plunging intelligence agents and space engineers into a deadly battle of paranoia, espionage, and political propaganda. Rhys Ifans portrays real-life rocket engineer Sergei Korolev, with Anna Maxwell Martin, Alice Englert, Agnes O’Casey, Josef Davies, and Ruby Ashbourne Serkis in other main roles.
The much-awaited follow-up to Apple TV’s flagship sci-fi series, Star City packs the tension of Cold War-era espionage and sci-fi space drama in a very sophisticated narrative that is unlike any other thriller seen this year. Thought-provoking and tension-packed, Star City puts a whole new spin on the history of the space race with an excellent narrative and stunning visuals. Since its premiere in May 2026, Star City has earned near-universal acclaim, widely hailed as one of the finest sci-fi shows on Apple TV.
2
‘Cape Fear’ (2026)
Created by Nick Antosca, Cape Fear is a psychological thriller miniseries adapted from John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel, The Executioners, and its film adaptations in 1962 and 1991. The story follows Max Cady, an unreformed ex-convict released from prison after a 17-year sentence, who seeks revenge on his lawyer, Anna Bowden, who put him in prison for killing his pregnant wife. Javier Bardem stars as Max and Amy Adams as Anna, with Patrick Wilson, Joe Anders, Lily Collias, CCH Pounder, and Malia Pyles in key roles.
Apple TV’s Cape Fear differs largely from the original novel’s straightforward revenge story, reinventing the plot with two targets and heightened moral ambiguity for all key players of the story. The seven-part thriller mostly reimagines Martin Scorsese’s 1991 film and is equally brutal and violent, but emphasizes the psychological torture more. Driven by Bardem’s phenomenal turn as the vicious, maniacal character that was made iconic by Robert De Niro, Cape Fear is easily one of the best shows of the year on Apple TV.
1
‘The Night Manager’ Season 2 (2016–Present)
Inspired by John le Carré’s novel and adapted by David Farr, The Night Manager Season 2 is the second chapter of the series that was first released in 2016 and has since remained one of the best secret agent shows of the 21st century. In the second season, the titular hotel-manager-turned-British spy Jonathan Pine, now operating as Alex Goodwin, embarks on a dangerous international mission involving Colombian arms dealers after his old nemesis, Richard Roper, resurfaces. Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, and Olivia Colman reprise their roles from the first season, with Diego Calva, Camila Morrone, Indira Varma, Paul Chahidi, and Hayley Squires as new characters.
The Night Manager Season 2 marks a welcome return of the same sophistication and style from the first season, but with more thrills and grittier character arcs. Hiddleston’s MI6 spy is not only more evolved, but also brings more depth to his story in his second mission, against an equally powerful antihero from Calva. Since its January premiere, The Night Manager Season 2 has been critically acclaimed as a worthy, action-packed follow-up that thrives on Hiddleston and Calva’s performances.
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Remus Noronha
Almontather Rassoul
