Best Mystery TV Series
These are the 60 best mystery series, ranked by the iRank Score — our composite of IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic and TMDb ratings, weighted by each source's reliability. No single-critic bias: the order reflects broad critical and audience consensus. Pick any title to see its full breakdown and similar recommendations.
Best mystery series: classics up to the 70s
- 1
The Twilight Zone (1959)
Rod Serling's classic anthology series tells a new uncanny tale each episode — sci-fi, horror, fantasy — usually capped by a chilling twist and a moral sting. Endlessly influential and razor-smart, it remains the gold standard of speculative storytelling. If its eerie ironies and twist endings gripped you, seek out anthology series and Twilight Zone–style tales where one strange premise reveals something true about us.
See shows like The Twilight Zone →
Best mystery series: from the 80s and 90s
- 2
Batman: The Animated Series (1992)
This 1992 landmark redefined Batman for a generation, blending noir style, art-deco "Dark Deco" design and genuinely mature storytelling. Atmospheric and surprisingly soulful, it treated its villains as tragic figures and remains the gold standard of superhero animation. If its moody elegance and depth gripped you, seek out stylish animated series and noir-tinged superhero stories that take their characters seriously.
See shows like Batman: The Animated Series → - 3
The X-Files (1993)
The exploits of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who investigate X-Files: marginalized, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder believes in the existence of aliens and the p
See shows like The X-Files → - 8
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
Follow the intergalactic adventures of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and his loyal crew aboard the all-new USS Enterprise NCC-1701D, as they explore new worlds.
See shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation → - 9
Twin Peaks (1990)
The body of Laura Palmer is washed up on a beach near the small Washington state town of Twin Peaks. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper is called in to investigate her strange demise only to uncover a web
See shows like Twin Peaks → - 10
Serial Experiments Lain (serial experiments lain, 1998)
Lain—driven by the abrupt suicide of a classmate—logs on to the Wired and promptly loses herself in a twisted mass of hallucinations, memories, and interconnected-psyches.
See shows like Serial Experiments Lain → - 11
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1992)
This spooky anthology series for kids recounts ghost stories told by the young members of the Midnight Society as they gather around a campfire. Each episode opens with members of the Midnight Society
See shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark? → - 12
Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989)
From England to Egypt, accompanied by his elegant and trustworthy sidekicks, the intelligent yet eccentrically-refined Belgian detective Hercule Poirot pits his wits against a collection of first clas
See shows like Agatha Christie's Poirot → - 13
Charmed (1998)
Three sisters (Prue, Piper and Phoebe) reunite and unlock their powers to become the Charmed Ones, the most powerful good witches of all time, whose prophesied destiny is to protect innocent lives fro
See shows like Charmed →
Best mystery series: from the 2000s and 2010s
- 4
Death Note (DEATH NOTE, 2006)
This landmark anime hands a bored genius student a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it — and watches him wage a god-complex war of wits against the detective trying to stop him. Tense, cerebral and morally electric, it's a battle of two brilliant minds. If its psychological cat-and-mouse gripped you, seek out smart thriller anime and dramas where intellect, ego and justice collide.
See shows like Death Note → - 5
Gravity Falls (2012)
This 2012 animated series sends twins Dipper and Mabel to spend a summer in a creepy Oregon town full of secrets, monsters and a mystery their great-uncle is hiding. Funny, clever and surprisingly layered with year-long puzzles, it became a cult classic for kids and adults alike. If its blend of comedy and eerie mystery charmed you, seek out adventurous animated series that hide a real conspiracy beneath the laughs.
See shows like Gravity Falls → - 14
The Originals (2013)
This Vampire Diaries spin-off follows the Mikaelsons — a family of millennia-old, power-hungry vampires — as they fight to reclaim the New Orleans they once built. Gothic, soapy and steeped in family betrayal, it turns immortal intrigue into addictive melodrama. If its supernatural scheming and dynastic drama hooked you, seek out vampire and urban-fantasy series about power, blood and family that never forgives.
See shows like The Originals → - 15
Over the Garden Wall (2014)
This 2014 animated miniseries follows two brothers lost in the Unknown, a storybook forest where whimsy curdles into the eerie. Beautiful, melancholy and steeped in old Americana, it's a tiny, perfect autumn fable. If its dreamlike charm and gentle dread enchanted you, seek out atmospheric animated tales that balance wonder, mystery and a quiet undertow of unease.
See shows like Over the Garden Wall → - 16
Sherlock (2010)
This modern update drops Arthur Conan Doyle's detective into 21st-century London, where a brilliant, abrasive Sherlock and his steadfast Watson crack crimes with dazzling deduction. Stylish, twisty and electrically performed, it reinvented the sleuth for a new era. If its clever mysteries and crackling chemistry hooked you, seek out detective series and modern whodunits built on genius, banter and ingenious puzzles.
See shows like Sherlock → - 17
Monster (MONSTER, 2004)
Naoki Urasawa's anime masterpiece follows a brilliant surgeon who saves a child's life, only to learn the boy grows into a monstrous serial killer — and to chase him across Europe in a moral nightmare. Slow, meticulous and deeply unsettling, it's a peerless psychological thriller. If its dread and ethical weight gripped you, seek out cerebral thriller anime and crime dramas about conscience, guilt and the nature of evil.
See shows like Monster → - 18
Steins;Gate (2011)
This acclaimed anime follows a self-styled mad scientist whose group accidentally invents time travel via text message — then must undo the catastrophes their meddling unleashes. Slow-burning, brilliant and emotionally devastating, it's one of the great sci-fi anime. If its time-travel tension and tragic stakes gripped you, seek out cerebral sci-fi anime and thrillers where every change to the past exacts a terrible price.
See shows like Steins;Gate → - 19
The Mentalist (2008)
Patrick Jane, a former celebrity psychic medium, uses his razor sharp skills of observation and expertise at "reading" people to solve serious crimes with the California Bureau of Investigation.
See shows like The Mentalist → - 20
Supernatural (2005)
When they were boys, Sam and Dean Winchester lost their mother to a mysterious and demonic supernatural force. Subsequently, their father raised them to be soldiers. He taught them about the paranorma
See shows like Supernatural → - 21
Criminal Minds (2005)
An elite team of FBI profilers analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. The Behavioral Analysis Unit's most experienced agent is David
See shows like Criminal Minds → - 22
True Detective (2014)
An American anthology police detective series utilizing multiple timelines in which investigations seem to unearth personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within or outside the law.
See shows like True Detective → - 23
Another (2012)
When Kouichi arrives at his new school, he immediately senses something frightening in the atmosphere of his new class, something that no student wants to talk about and that seems to be related to a
See shows like Another → - 24
Elfen Lied (エルフェンリート, 2004)
The Diclonius, a mutated homo sapien that is said to be selected by God and will eventually become the destruction of mankind, possesses two horns in their heads, and has a "sixth sense" which gives i
See shows like Elfen Lied → - 25
Black Mirror (2011)
Twisted tales run wild in this mind-bending anthology series that reveals humanity's worst traits, greatest innovations and more.
See shows like Black Mirror → - 26
Grimm (2011)
After Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt discovers he's descended from an elite line of criminal profilers known as "Grimms," he increasingly finds his responsibilities as a detective at odds
See shows like Grimm → - 27
Dexter (2006)
Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police also leads a secret life as a serial killer, hunting down criminals who have slipped through the cracks of justice.
See shows like Dexter → - 28
White Collar (2009)
In exchange for his freedom, charming con artist Neal Caffrey provides his expertise to help straight-man FBI agent Peter Burke catch elusive white-collar criminals.
See shows like White Collar → - 29
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010)
This incarnation of the popular cartoon series finds Scooby and the gang living in Crystal Cove, a small town with a long history of ghost sightings, monster tales and other mysteries ripe for the sle
See shows like Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated → - 30
Pinocchio (피노키오, 2014)
In-ha and Ha-myeong become reporters for different reasons: one aspires to follow in her mother's footsteps and the other seeks to do honest news.
See shows like Pinocchio → - 31
Fringe (2008)
FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham, brilliant but formerly institutionalized scientist Walter Bishop and his scheming, reluctant son Peter uncover a deadly mystery involving a series of unbelievable even
See shows like Fringe → - 32
Brazil Avenue (Avenida Brasil, 2012)
Brazil Avenue is a dynamic, lifelike, and modern telenovela that reveals how unrelenting ambition and inflicted cruelty can change a young girl’s destiny and lead her to seek revenge.
See shows like Brazil Avenue → - 33
American Horror Story (2011)
An anthology horror drama series centering on different characters and locations, including a house with a murderous past, an asylum, a witch coven, a freak show, a hotel, a farmhouse in Roanoke, a cu
See shows like American Horror Story →
Best mystery series: recent
- 6
Stranger Things (2016)
This 2016 phenomenon drops a 1980s small town into supernatural nightmare when a boy vanishes and a strange girl with powers appears, pursued by secret experiments and a creature from another dimension. A loving throwback to Spielberg-era adventure with real scares and heart, it became a global obsession. If its nostalgia and dread hooked you, seek out sci-fi horror series and 80s-flavoured mysteries about kids facing the unknown.
See shows like Stranger Things → - 7
Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun (地縛少年花子くん, 2020)
This stylish anime pairs a lovestruck schoolgirl with the mischievous ghost haunting her school's bathroom, in a supernatural tale of urban legends, yokai and slow-building feeling. Visually striking and tonally nimble — funny, eerie and tender by turns — it's a fresh take on school-set fantasy. If its quirky charm and ghostly romance hooked you, seek out supernatural anime that blend comedy, mystery and the bittersweet.
See shows like Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun → - 34
Banana Fish (BANANA FISH, 2018)
This intense anime follows Ash Lynx, a brilliant teenage gang leader in New York, who teams with a young Japanese photojournalist to unravel a deadly conspiracy tied to his abusive past. Dark, propulsive and emotionally raw, it fuses crime thriller with a tender bond. If its gritty stakes and aching connection gripped you, seek out crime and drama anime that pair brutal worlds with deep, fragile relationships.
See shows like Banana Fish → - 35
The Apothecary Diaries (薬屋のひとりごと, 2023)
This acclaimed anime follows Maomao, a sharp-witted apothecary sold into the emperor's palace, who solves poisonings and court intrigues with cool deductive brilliance. Elegant, clever and quietly subversive, it blends mystery, history and slow-burn romance. If its detective wit and palace intrigue hooked you, seek out mystery anime and historical dramas led by brilliant, observant women.
See shows like The Apothecary Diaries → - 36
Alchemy of Souls (환혼, 2022)
This sumptuous K-drama fantasy follows a powerful sorceress trapped in a blind woman's body and the noble young man who needs her help to change his fate, in a world where souls can be swapped. Lavish, romantic and full of intrigue, it became a streaming hit. If its magic, romance and twists hooked you, seek out Korean fantasy dramas where forbidden power and destined love entwine.
See shows like Alchemy of Souls → - 37
Girl from Nowhere (เด็กใหม่, 2018)
This Thai anthology series follows the mysterious, vengeful Nanno as she transfers between schools, exposing the hypocrisy, cruelty and secrets of those around her. Dark, stylish and morally provocative, it turns each episode into an unsettling fable. If its eerie payback and social bite gripped you, seek out anthology thrillers and dark dramas where a mysterious avenger drags hidden sins into the light.
See shows like Girl from Nowhere → - 38
Dexter: Resurrection (2025)
This 2025 revival wakes serial-killer-with-a-code Dexter Morgan from a coma to search for his missing son, reckoning with a lifetime of damage. Tense and character-driven, it returns one of TV's most morally fraught antiheroes to the hunt. If its dark psychology and cat-and-mouse stakes grip you, seek out serial-killer thrillers and antihero dramas about monsters trying to control the darkness inside.
See shows like Dexter: Resurrection → - 39
ERASED (僕だけがいない街, 2016)
This taut anime follows a man who can leap back in time moments before tragedies — until a murder hurls him into his own childhood to prevent a series of killings and save a lonely classmate. Tense, melancholy and emotionally rich, it's a gripping time-travel mystery. If its suspense and heart hooked you, seek out thriller anime and time-loop dramas where saving others means confronting the past.
See shows like ERASED → - 40
Only Murders in the Building (2021)
Three strangers share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one.
See shows like Only Murders in the Building → - 41
FROM (2022)
Unravel the mystery of a nightmarish town in middle America that traps all those who enter. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also surviv
See shows like FROM → - 42
Dark (2017)
A missing child sets four families on a frantic hunt for answers as they unearth a mind-bending mystery that spans three generations.
See shows like Dark → - 43
BEASTARS (2019)
In a world where beasts of all kinds coexist, a gentle wolf awakens to his own predatory urges as his school deals with a murder within its midst.
See shows like BEASTARS → - 44
Riverdale (2017)
Set in the present, the series offers a bold, subversive take on Archie, Betty, Veronica and their friends, exploring the surreality of small-town life, the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riv
See shows like Riverdale → - 45
Classroom of the Elite (ようこそ実力至上主義の教室へ, 2017)
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji enrolls at the prestigious Tokyo Koudo Ikusei Academy, but is assigned to Class 1-D, where students with behavioral problems are housed. The school awards points equivalent to 100,
See shows like Classroom of the Elite → - 46
Severance (2022)
Mark leads a team of office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives. When a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it begins a journey to disco
See shows like Severance → - 47
Wednesday (2022)
Smart, sarcastic and a little dead inside, Wednesday Addams investigates twisted mysteries while making new friends — and foes — at Nevermore Academy.
See shows like Wednesday → - 48
The Promised Neverland (約束のネバーランド, 2019)
Emma, Norman and Ray are the brightest kids at the Grace Field House orphanage. And under the care of the woman they refer to as “Mom,” all the kids have enjoyed a comfortable life. Good food, clean c
See shows like The Promised Neverland → - 49
Vagabond (배가본드, 2019)
Stuntman Cha Dal-geon gets involved in a tragic airplane crash and ends up discovering a national corruption scandal in the process. Go Hae-ri, the oldest daughter of a deceased marine, decides to wor
See shows like Vagabond → - 50
Outer Banks (2020)
A tight-knit group of teens unearths a long-buried secret, setting off a chain of illicit events that takes them on an adventure they'll never forget.
See shows like Outer Banks → - 51
My Name (마이 네임, 2021)
Following her father's murder, a revenge-driven woman puts her trust in a powerful crime boss — and enters the police force under his direction.
See shows like My Name → - 52
IT: Welcome to Derry (2025)
In 1962, amid a spate of unexplained disappearances of local children, a group of misfit friends begin to suspect a long-buried ancient evil lurking. As the kids set out to determine what's really goi
See shows like IT: Welcome to Derry → - 53
The Day of the Jackal (2024)
An unrivalled and highly elusive lone assassin, the Jackal, makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. But following his latest kill, he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligenc
See shows like The Day of the Jackal → - 54
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018)
Magic and mischief collide as half-human, half-witch Sabrina navigates between two worlds: mortal teen life and her family's legacy, the Church of Night.
See shows like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina → - 55
Kingdom (킹덤, 2019)
In this zombie thriller set in Korea's medieval Joseon dynasty which has been defeated by corruption and famine, a mysterious rumor of the king’s death spreads, as does a strange plague that renders t
See shows like Kingdom → - 56
WandaVision (2021)
Wanda Maximoff and Vision—two super-powered beings living idealized suburban lives—begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.
See shows like WandaVision → - 57
Tower of God (神之塔 -Tower of God-, 2020)
Reach the top, and everything will be yours. At the top of the tower exists everything in this world, and all of it can be yours. You can become a god. This is the story of the beginning and the end o
See shows like Tower of God → - 58
Mare of Easttown (2021)
A detective in a small Pennsylvania town investigates a local murder while trying to keep her life from falling apart.
See shows like Mare of Easttown → - 59
Kakegurui (賭ケグルイ, 2017)
Run by a corrupt and sadistic school council, the “system” at Hyakkaou is based on gambling, with losers who cannot cover their debts being demeaned by their peers and forced to serve their debtholder
See shows like Kakegurui → - 60
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Flashing between past and present, a fractured family confronts haunting memories of their old home and the terrifying events that drove them from it.
See shows like The Haunting of Hill House →
Ranked by the iRankMovies editorial teamUpdated August 2026MethodologyData sources