The 12 best serial killer shows on Netflix, whether you&x27;re looking for a haunting documentary or a captivating fictional tale Declan Gallagher, Kevin JacobsenSat, May 16, 2026 at 9:00 PM UTC 0 Danica Ćurčič as Naia Thulin on 'The Chestnut Man'; Damon Herriman as Charles Manson on 'Mindhunter'; Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg on 'You'Credit: Nikolaj Thaning Rentzmann/Netflix; Netflix; Clifton Prescod/Netflix Despite — or perhaps because of — the gruesomeness of serial killer stories, many fans find themselves drawn in.
The 12 best serial killer shows on Netflix, whether you're looking for a haunting documentary or a captivating fictional tale
Declan Gallagher, Kevin JacobsenSat, May 16, 2026 at 9:00 PM UTC
0
Danica Ćurčič as Naia Thulin on 'The Chestnut Man'; Damon Herriman as Charles Manson on 'Mindhunter'; Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg on 'You'
Credit: Nikolaj Thaning Rentzmann/Netflix; Netflix; Clifton Prescod/Netflix
Despite — or perhaps because of — the gruesomeness of serial killer stories, many fans find themselves drawn in. Ever since the true crime explosion of the 2010s, numerous shows centered on the crimes of mass murderers have been produced, some better than others.
Netflix, in particular, has specialized in serial killer TV shows, diving deep into the heart of darkness with psychological thrillers like Mindhunter and You, and gripping documentary series like The Confession Killer and Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer. Ahead, we're recommending the 12 best serial killer shows worth streaming on Netflix, with an eye for those that don't fall into the trap of feeling exploitative.
01 of 12
The Chestnut Man (2021–present)
Mikkel Boe Følsgaard as Mark Hess and Danica Ćurčič as Naia Thulin on 'The Chestnut Man'
Credit: Nikolaj Thaning Rentzmann/Netflix
In the great tradition of nihilistic Danish mystery novels comes this delightfully spooky, occasionally transcendent twist on the successful formula. A woman is found brutally murdered on a playground with a bizarre totem constructed of chestnuts left next to her body. Solving the case, which is almost immediately tied to the missing child of a prominent politician, falls to detective Naia Thulin (Danica Ćurčič) and her partner, Mark Hess (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard). Cue ruminative looks from rain-dotted windows and some properly toe-curling violence. —Declan Gallagher
Where to watch The Chestnut Man: Netflix
Cast: Danica Ćurčič, David Dencik, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Iben Dorner
02 of 12
The Confession Killer (2019)
Joyce Lemons holds a photo of her daughter, Debbie Sue Williamson, in 'The Confession Killer'
Credit: Netflix
One of Netflix's twistiest serial killer shows is this fascinating (though exhausting) five-part docuseries about Henry Lee Lucas, who confessed to hundreds of murders that he may or may not have committed. Lucas was tied to few or none of the crimes through physical evidence but was able to parrot sufficient details of the attacks to convince investigators and victims' families that he was to blame. At times you may worry The Confession Killer is attempting to exonerate Lucas or make him into some sort of folk victim, but, in fact, the show turns the mirror rather successfully on the audience. —D.G.
Where to watch The Confession Killer: Netflix
03 of 12
Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer (2021)
Richard Cottingham (left, with head down), a.k.a. the Torso Killer, in 'Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer'
Credit: Netflix
Joe Berlinger has made a career out of Netflix serial killer content, having helmed both Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019), the latter being a narrative twist on Bundy's crimes. The Times Square Killer, the second installment in the Crime Scene documentary series, finds Berlinger telling the story of New York City's "Torso Killer," who carved a bloody swatch across midtown Manhattan in the 1970s.
There's a satisfying balance struck here between the facts of a little-known murder spree and respectful portraits of the victims, many of whom came from underserved communities and were only discovered to be missing when their family members took charge of the investigation. —D.G.
Where to watch Crime Scene: The Times Square Killer: Netflix
04 of 12
Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer (2025)
Shannan Gilbert in 'Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer'
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
This three-part documentary series is a satisfying deep dive for those familiar with the Long Island Serial Killer case and those learning about it for the first time. Directed by Liz Garbus, Gone Girls centers on the Gilgo Four, a group of four women whose bodies were found on Gilgo Beach, contextualizing their lives with a grace and sensitivity not often seen in other true-crime series. —Kevin Jacobsen
Where to watch Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer: Netflix
05 of 12
A Killer Paradox (2024)
Choi Woo-shik as Lee Tang and Lee Hee-jun as Song Chon in 'A Killer Paradox'
Credit: Song Kyoung Sub/Netflix
This surprisingly white-knuckle South Korean thriller, based on an animated web series, follows Lee Tang (Choi Woo-shik), a convenience store worker who accidentally murders a serial killer in a holdup gone wrong. As a hard-nosed detective (Son Suk-ku) continues his search for the deceased slasher, Tang finds he has quite a knack for knocking off bad guys.
While the plot never truly acquits itself of comparisons to Dexter and I Saw the Devil (2010), it's still a well-constructed, devious little thriller that benefits from sharp writing and a willingness to wade into tricky territory. It's the sort of show you could see really beginning to fly in its second season, if it's ever granted one. —D.G.
Where to watch A Killer Paradox: Netflix
Cast: Choi Woo-shik, Son Suk-ku, Lee Hee-joon, Hyun Bong-sik
06 of 12
Mindhunter (2017–2019)
Holt McCallany as Bill Tench and Jonathan Groff as Holden Ford on 'Mindhunter'
Credit: Patrick Harbron/Netflix
David Fincher's eerily credible procedural follows FBI agents Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) and Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff), who develop the modern method of profiling serial killers by conducting interviews with some of the most fearsome criminals in the annals of history, including Charles Manson (Damon Herriman) and Dennis Rader (Sonny Valicenti). Mindhunter is, in many ways, the perfect distillation of Fincher's detailed approach to cinema and his fixation on the minds of murderers. It plays as a welcome follow-up to his 2007 masterpiece, Zodiac, while offering its own singular approach to the genre. —D.G.
Where to watch Mindhunter: Netflix
Cast: Holt McCallany, Jonathan Groff, Anna Torv, Cameron Britton, Hannah Gross
07 of 12
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Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (2021)
Richard Ramirez (left) in ‘Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer’
Credit: Netflix
This straightforward, horrifying docuseries gives an admirable just-the-facts recitation of Richard Ramirez, surely one of the most fearsome serial killers in history. It's one of Netflix's most blunt offerings, and there's little enhancement or drama here, as it's entirely unneeded, as Ramirez's crimes read like a depraved horror novel. His more or less accidental ability to elude police (until he couldn't) was so incredible that, if not for the fact that it actually happened, it would defy credulity. —D.G.
Where to watch Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer: Netflix
08 of 12
The Ripper (2020)
Peter Sutcliffe in ‘The Ripper’
Credit: Netflix
Looking across the Atlantic, this four-part docuseries examines the crimes of Peter Sutcliffe, a.k.a. "The Yorkshire Ripper," who murdered 13 women between 1975 and 1980 in England. It's an exhaustive, well-told account of Sutcliffe's terror reign, which isn't particularly well-known Stateside. This series also thoughtfully examines how the police response might've been different if his victims were men. —D.G.
Where to watch The Ripper: Netflix
09 of 12
The Sinner (2017–2021)
Jessica Biel as as Cora Tannetti on 'The Sinner'
Credit: Brownie Harris/USA
The Sinner is a reliable anthology thriller, with the first stellar season based on German mystery novelist Petra Hammesfahr's novel about homicide detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman). All four seasons concern Detective Ambrose as he attempts to solve murders that are more complicated than they initially appear, and each is nicely old-fashioned, with Pullman making for a grounding guide through all this mayhem.
As the series goes on, it adopts the pleasantly antiquated feel of something like Prime Suspect, where we follow a single detective on an understated journey without the noise of multiple side characters or killing-of-the-week distractions. —D.G.
Where to watch The Sinner: Netflix
Cast: Bill Pullman, Jessica Biel, Christopher Abbott, Carrie Coon, Tracy Letts
10 of 12
Slasher (2016–2023)
Eric McCormack as Basil Garvey and Thom Allison as Georges in season 5 of 'Slasher'
Credit: Cole Burston/Shudder
As with any slasher series — or, in this case, anthology — some installments are better than others. Across its five seasons (three are on Netflix), Slasher has covered tried-and-true genre territory and delved (at times less successfully) into more experimental fare. Season 1, one of the best, follows a series of vicious present-day copycat murders after an '80s Halloween massacre. Then there's season 3, which feels like one of those particularly cruel straight-to-video cheapies.
Slasher is more straight-faced and restrained than the similarly structuredAmerican Horror Story, calling back to the genre's heyday with a bit more realism and genuine reverence. —D.G.
Where to watch Slasher: Netflix
Cast: Paula Brancati, Christopher Jacot, Katie McGrath, Brandon Jay McLaren, David Cronenberg
11 of 12
The Watcher (2022–present)
Naomi Watts as Nora Brannock and Bobby Cannavale as Dean Brannock on 'The Watcher'
Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
Of course, being a Ryan Murphy creation, this fictionalized account of a bizarre case in upstate New York is one very full sink. It stars Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale as a testy married couple battling with independent kids, a whacked-out realtor (Jennifer Coolidge), nosy neighbors (Mia Farrow), and spooky notes from someone who really, really wants them to leave their new estate.
One of the joys of a Murphy production is watching all of the spinning plates and wondering which will topple first, but this one actually keeps most of them airborne throughout the season 1 finale. No one does the blend of crime and soap quite like Murphy, and his ability to goad some of our generation's best actors into increasingly wide-eyed theatrics remains unparalleled. Season 2 is expected to drop on Oct. 8. —D.G.
Where to watch The Watcher: Netflix
Cast: Naomi Watts, Bobby Cannavale, Isabel Gravitt, Mia Farrow, Jennifer Coolidge
12 of 12
You (2018–2025)
Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg on 'You'
Credit: Netflix
A blessedly perverse spin on both CW shows and classic psycho-thrillers, You confidently and effortlessly reinvents itself throughout five seasons. It follows bookstore employee and serial killer Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley), who develops an obsession with Guinevere (Elizabeth Lail) and wiggles his way into her friend group.
You is wonderfully knowing and often surprising, never content to milk one narrative thread for too long. As the later seasons segue into a sort of twisted serial killer version of Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), the show finds its satirical feet. —D.G.
Where to watch You: Netflix
EW grade: B+
Cast: Penn Badgley, Elizabeth Lail, Jenna Ortega, Victoria Pedretti, Dylan Arnold
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: May 16, 2026 at 07:09PM on Source: PRIME TIME
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