☀️👒🛫🏝️🍹Your Summer Crime Drama Watchlist is here—and it’s killer, of course. We’ve got your viewing guide for what to stream or download chilled out at home, or traveling this summer. Read on for our top picks available now or premiering soon. Be warned: If you don’t already have a Netflix subscription you’re going to need one – it’s on fire with hits this summer.
Dept. Q – Netflix, Streaming now
Matthew Goode leads this sharp, and dark, British series as Carl Morck, a brilliant but impossible detective exiled to a cold case unit after an incident he’s called out to goes badly wrong for him and his partner. But when one of those cases reawakens, so does his investigative fire. Created by Scott Frank, with Shetland’s Mark Bonnar co-starring, Dept. Q is bleak, original, witty, and totally addictive; Has there ever been a cold case series where the victim may be alive? The stellar cast also features Chloe Pirrie, Kelly Macdonald, Kate Dickie, Shirley Henderson and Jamie Sives.
The Waterfront – Netflix, Streaming now
Fishing empire or crime dynasty? The Buckley family’s legacy is built on blood and betrayal. From Dawson’s Creek’s Kevin Williamson, The Waterfront synopsis is: “As their storied North Carolina fishing empire decays, the damaged Buckleys grapple to revive their imperiled maritime heritage. Holt McCallany and Maria Bello star as the patriarch and matriarch of a family imploding under the weight of their past. Reviews have been very good: “Twists come thick and fast’’ says The Guardian. Roger Ebert writes: “The eight-episode series serves up a Southern-fried gothic tale set in the lovely but nefarious fictional coastal town of Havenport, North Carolina. Think of it as a throwback to the nighttime soaps of the ’80s and ’90s, like “Dallas” or “Falcon Crest,” but updated for our streaming era.’’
The Survivors – Netflix, Streaming now
Charlie Vickers and Yerin Ha star as a couple haunted by a 15-year-old tragedy that tore a sleepy Tasmanian seaside town apart. Now, the mysterious death of a young woman dredges up the past. The Survivors is a gripping six-part mystery drenched in atmosphere and grief. The Guardian calls it “a murder mystery so intense you’ll watch through your fingers.’’
Smoke – Apple TV+, Premieres 27 June
Serial arson, reluctant allies, and a growing conspiracy light up Smoke, starring Taron Egerton as investigator Dave and Jurnee Smollett as Detective Calderone. Sparks fly—literally and emotionally—in this slow-burn thriller where nothing stays buried as an arson investigator begrudgingly teams up with a police detective in a race to stop two arsonists, igniting a twisted game of secrets and suspicions.
Ballard – Prime Video, Drops 9 July
The Bosch universe expands with Ballard, starring Maggie Q as LAPD cold case Detective Renée Ballard. Cold cases, political landmines, and one episode with Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) await in this spin-off that keeps the legacy gritty and gripping. Though the series is centered on Detective Renée Ballard, there’s also a major ensemble component to this show. Each episode builds on the one before it, while ongoing mysteries weave throughout the series. Set in the same world as Bosch, one of the cases also ties directly to his past work as a detective.
Untamed – Netflix, Streaming 17 July
Cannot wait for this one!! In the vast expanse of Yosemite National Park, a woman’s death pulls a federal agent into a lawless wilderness where nature follows no rules. Untamed, set against the backdrop of Yosemite and starring Eric Bana, opens with his character noting that although over four million visitors flock to the park each year, “they see maybe ten percent of it.” That leaves plenty of ground for the six-part series to explore. “Things happen different out here,” he adds, as sweeping shots of breathtaking landscapes cut to a dead body and glimpses of the ensemble cast—including Sam Neill, Rosemary DeWitt, and Lily Santiago. Dark and foreboding, Untamed teases the hidden dangers beneath Yosemite’s majestic beauty in Netflix’s gripping new crime drama.
Hostage – Netflix, Streaming 21 August
Another one that’s hotly anticipated! In Hostage, uber-talented Suranne Jones plays UK Prime Minister Abigail Dalton, thrown into crisis when her husband is kidnapped during a global summit. Julie Delpy co-stars as France’s President Toussaint in this sleek political thriller from Matt Charman (Treason, Bridge of Spies). A synopsis tells us: “Forced into a fierce rivalry where their political futures, and lives, might hang in the balance, can they work together to uncover the plot that threatens?”
The Thursday Murder Club – Netflix, Streaming 28 August
Based on Richard Osman’s best-selling novel, this cozy murder mystery film set in an English village stars Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, and Celia Imrie as a quirky quartet of seniors who gather to solve murders for fun but find themselves caught in a real case. Helen Mirren plays ex-spy Elizabeth, Ben Kingsley is an ex-psychiatrist, Pierce Brosnan is a former union activist Ron, and Celia Imrie is ex-nurse Joyce.
🕵️♂️ That’s your whodunnit watchlist—chronologically curated for optimal binging. From now until the end of summer, there’s no shortage of crimes to solve or secrets to uncover. Stay curious, stay suspicious, and we’ll see you next week.
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