5 Must-Watch Netflix Crime Shows You'll Want To Binge Immediately

When you think of riveting crime dramas, some people gravitate to HBO. That's with good reason — HBO over the past few decades has been responsible for some of the most iconic crime-oriented programming ever made. From The Sopranos and The Wire to more recent shows like True Detective, you can make a strong argument that HBO helped pioneer an entire genre of TV that has since been copied endlessly by major networks, cable channels, and, of course, rival streaming service.

That said, if you're interested in gripping crime dramas, HBO isn't the only game in town these days. To this point, Netflix over the past few years has done an impressive job of developing and licensing absolutely riveting crime shows.

Because it's hard, if not near impossible, to keep us with the deluge of content Netflix releases every single month, we've done the dirty work for you. Listed below are some of the best and most binge-worthy crime shows currently available on Netflix. While some of these may be familiar, there may be a few hidden gems here that you missed entirely.

Originally released in 2015, Netflix's Narcos became a cultural phenomenon. Spanning a total of three seasons over two years, Narcos focuses on Pablo Escobar's drug empire. But what makes the series so compelling is that it's not just a one-sided look into Escobar's rise and fall. The series also follows the DEA agents who worked for years to dismantle Escobar's criminal network. The end result is a riveting cat-and-mouse thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat even if you're familiar with the key tenets of the story.

While the show is largely based on real events, it's worth noting that the creators did take some artistic liberties in order to make the series engaging. For example, some of the event timelines are compressed. Additionally, the real-life DEA agents depicted in the film acknowledge that the show sometimes would show characters interacting even though they likely never met in real life.

That notwithstanding, there's enough realism in the show that you can reasonably argue that it's as educational as it is entertaining. If you're a fan of crime dramas and the rise of cocaine in the 1980s, Narcos is a must-watch. And in case you need any more convincing, Narcos currently has an 89% rating on the Tomatometer and a 94% rating on the Popcornmeter, which is to say it's beloved by both critics and fans. Lastly, Narcos inspired a few spinoffs but the original is certainly the best of the bunch.

Released with fanfare in 2017, Ozark was designed to be Netflix's version of Breaking Bad. If you've seen both shows, the similarities are hard to miss. For those who haven't viewed yet, the show is a fast-paced crime thriller that follows a financial advisor named Marty Byrne — played by Jason Bateman — who agrees to launder money for a drug cartel when his previous laundering efforts went sideways.

From episode one, Marty relocates his entire family to the Ozarks to embark on a brand new money laundering scheme in order to save his life and the life of his family. Of course, the move from Chicago to the Ozarks is a classic "fish out of water" scenario, and we're introduced to local characters who become intertwined with Marty's business endeavors. From rival drug cartels and federal agents to local criminals, the series does a masterful job of blending multiple storylines with a healthy amount of suspense and scheming.

Now is Ozark as good of a show as Breaking Bad? I personally don't think so. Perhaps it's not a fair comparison given that many people view Breaking Bad as a top 5 TV show of all-time. Still, Ozark can get close to matching the intensity and complex storytelling that made Breaking Bad addicting. Additionally, it's worth noting that the acting in Ozark is top-notch. Specifically, Julia Garner's award-winning portrayal of Ruth Langmore is nothing short of incredible.

Bad Blood is perhaps the most under-the-radar show on this list. That's a shame, because it's one of the more interesting mafia-oriented shows out there. Bad Blood tackles the mafia from a different perspective. Specifically, it covers the Montreal-based mafia, which is what makes the show so interesting. You get your standard dose of mob-based storylines, but the Canadian angle makes it fresh.

The overarching plot of Bad Blood covers familiar territory: mobsters jockeying for power, betrayals, brutal violence, and, of course, ongoing battles with rival Mafia organizations. Mafia shows are not in short supply, but great storytelling is typically what differentiates the exceptional shows from the mediocre ones. Bad Blood excels in this regard. The characters are well thought out, the story never drags, and the show is simply addictive.

If you're a fan of The Sopranos or Sons of Anarchy, Bad Blood should be right up your alley.

As a point of interest, the show was originally released in 2017 on Canadian TV and ran for two seasons. When the second season ended, many fans were eager for a third season. Even some of the cast member said they were on board for a third. And despite scattered reports that the show might get renewed for a third season, Netflix ultimately decided against it.

If you haven't seen Money Heist yet, do yourself a favor. Stop reading right now and start binging. Money Heist is one of my favorite crime shows of all time. The show is captivating and filled with twists and turns that are completely unpredictable. Originally released on Spanish TV, the show skyrocketed in popularity when it was picked up by Netflix. To this day, Money Heist remains the most popular non-English language show in Netflix history. What's more, the show won nearly every TV show award possible in Spain.

The show centers on a ragtag group of career criminals who join forces to pull off an impossibly complex bank heist. The man in charge of the operation, known by the moniker The Professor, is a brilliant tactician who came up with a scheme so brilliant it will have your jaw on the floor. The crime thriller wouldn't be complete without a capable foil, and this is where Money Heist excels. As the team attempts to pull off the heist, wily investigators attempt to keep up with The Professor's moves. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don't. The end result is a completely unpredictable.

The series was only supposed to last for one season, but its popularity prompted the show's creators to keep churning out additional seasons. Sometimes when this happens, a show experiences a clear dip in quality. Money Heist is an exception to the rule throughout its five-season run.

I can't recommend Money Heist enough. If you're looking for a crime thriller that has action, memorable characters, fun dialogue, brilliantly constructed cliffhangers, and shrewd operational planning, you won't do better than Money Heist.

Nemesis came out this past May and became one of Netflix's most-watched series. I started watching the series on a whim, not sure quite what to expect. To my pleasant surprise, the show starts off with a bang and doesn't let up. From start to finish, the show is a high-octane thriller and is well worth checking out.

The plot of Nemesis is simple enough. The show follows a criminal mastermind, played by Y'lan Noel, who, along with a small team of 3 others, helps orchestrate brazen heists in and around Los Angeles. The heists are daring, which, of course, just adds to the excitement. And hot on their trail is a seasoned LA detective, played by Matthew Law, who is just as savvy as the criminals he's trying to catch.

The show is a classic cat-and-mouse thriller set against a backdrop of meticulously planned heists, family drama, and plot twists that are hard to see coming. I finished the entire series in just a couple of days and it's well worth checking out. While it's not always fair to compare a TV series to a classic movie, I think it's fair to say that if you're a fan of the classic heist film Heat, you'll really enjoy Nemesis. The show was created by Courtney A. Kemp, who previously created the Starz show Power and its various offshoots.