This week brings a packed slate of new and returning crime dramas across streaming platforms. Acclaimed Netflix political thriller The Diplomat returns for its third season, with Keri Russell. I love the interplay of Russell effortlessly navigating global crises while her complex marriage threatens to unravel under the same high-stakes pressure as her political world.

Season 2 ended with President Rayburn’s sudden death and damning revelations about his VP, Grace Penn (Allison Janney) —now president—setting the stage for a tense power clash with her former veep rival, Keri Russell’s Kate.

Sky Showcase introduces The Iris Affair, another globe-trotting thriller, this one from Luther creator Neil Cross, while BBC iPlayer’s The Ridge dives into a haunting New Zealand-set mystery when a Scottish doctor, in trouble at home, arrives to take refuge only to find her sister has died. Shock turns to horror as she’s drawn into a small town’s web of lies and secrets.

On Prime Video, Lazarus blends psychological suspense with a chilling cold-case murder investigation, courtesy of Harlan Coben and Danny Brocklehurst. It stars Bill Nighy, Alexandra Roach and Sam Claflin.

And Disney+ debuts 10 Murdaugh: Death in the Family, a dramatized take on the infamous real-life scandal, launching with a three-episode premiere and starting the talented Patricia Arquette. And we get a Dutch cop drama, Incognito on Channel 4 – After being rescued by a woman after a drowning incident, Felix is asked to infiltrate in her life.

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10 Murdaugh: Death in the Family (Disney+, 15 Oct.)
A powerful legal dynasty begins to crumble after a fatal boat crash involving teenage son Paul Murdaugh. Inspired by real events and the hit podcast, this tense new series launches with three episodes, followed by weekly instalments.

The Diplomat, Season 3 (Netflix, 16 Oct.)
Keri Russell returns as the US Ambassador to the UK in Netflix’s sharp political drama, navigating diplomacy, deception, and global threats with increasing personal stakes.

The Iris Affair (Sky Showcase, 16 Oct.)
From Neil Cross, creator of Luther, comes this sleek new thriller about a brilliant puzzle-solver and a charismatic entrepreneur locked in a dangerous chase across Italy.

The Ridge (BBC iPlayer, 21 Oct.)
A psychological mystery set in New Zealand, where a woman uncovers dangerous secrets surrounding her sister’s death on the eve of a wedding. Atmospheric, emotional, and unsettling.

Lazarus (Prime Video, 22 Oct.)
A man returns home after his father’s suicide and begins to experience disturbing visions tied to a series of cold-case murders. Created by Harlan Coben and Danny Brocklehurst, this psychological thriller delves into buried trauma and long-buried crimes.