Fans of the thriller genre who enjoy watching a mystery emerge throughout a film's runtime are always on the lookout for TV recommendations as well. In recent years, there have been several well-crafted thriller shows available on streaming services, whether it's a miniseries or a multi-season.
Furthermore, with the changing tastes of the public, more and more women are ruling the thriller genre with more than just a gorgeous face and good luck. The following list of ten thriller series with leading female characters will astound you. With their wit, perseverance, and remarkable fortitude in adverse situations, as well as their natural ability to outshine their male scene partners, these ladies are a force to be reckoned with.
Behind Her Eyes ( 2021)
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Behind Her Eyes is a limited series adaption of Sarah Pinborough's best-selling novel from 2017. The show follows Louise (Simona Brown), a single mother who works part-time at a psychiatrist's clinic and falls in love with her boss David (Tom Bateman). Her life takes unexpected turns as she grows close to David's wife, Adele (Eve Hewson).
Adele's ability to shift from cold, aloof, and frightening to cheerful and welcoming at a moment's notice, along with Brown’s performance as the troublesome Louise are the reasons to visit the series. New viewers will be lured in by the consistently strong ensemble, efficient pacing, and variation on the traditional thriller, while fans of Pinborough's book will be gratified by the generally faithful adaptation from showrunner Steve Lightfoot.
Tell Me Your Secret (2021 - )
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In Amazon Prime’s Tell Me Your Secret, Karen Miller/Emma Hall (Lily Rabe) was in love with serial killer Kit Park (Xavier Samuel) in the past, who is frantically looking for redemption. Meanwhile, Mary Barlow (Amy Brenneman), seeks her missing daughter and enlists the assistance of a convicted rapist. Their pasts become murkier as they are driven to the edge.
Miller/Hall is a mysterious and sympathetic character who has the audience caught between rooting for her and doubting her intentions. While Amy Brenneman's performance as Mary Barlow is filled with powerful emotions that make the viewers uncomfortable at times. Furthermore, the series includes a lot of suspense and a gripping conclusion that will keep thriller fans intrigued.
The Wilds (2020 - )
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The Wilds is Amazon Prime’s young adult version of Lost that depicts a group of high school kids who are fighting to survive on a deserted island after a plane crash, unaware that they are being used as test subjects for a social experiment.
Like Lost, the show uses flashforward and flashbacks to give viewers a sense of whom these students are and to generate sympathy for them. The Wilds is interesting, entertaining, and an excellent pick for thriller aficionados because it is packed with intensity, flashbacks, and all which doesn’t leave the audiences with a moment of rest.
Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)
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Anatomy of a Scandal follows James Whitehouse (Rupert Friend), a parliamentary minister, who is accused of sexual assault by his ex-mistress, Olivia Lytton (Naomi Scott). Barrister Kate Woodcroft (Michelle Dockery), Whitehouse's prosecutor, is hell-bent on bringing this man and his career down, while his wife, Sophie Whitehouse (Sienna Miller), is battling to preserve her faith in him.
Anatomy of a Scandal's appeal resides in its characters, particularly Sienna Miller and Naomi Scott, who offer scene-stealing performances. Furthermore, the miniseries' three leading ladies show strength, fortitude, and determination to stand up for themselves rather than being knocked down by the unjustified systems and social norms.
The Flight Attendant (2020 - )
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The Flight Attendant follows Cassandra Bowden (Kaley Cuoco), who wakes up in her Bangkok hotel room, hungover from the night before and with a corpse next to her. Bowden continues her morning as if nothing occurred because she is afraid to call the cops, and later in New York, she is approached by FBI officials who question her about her recent layover in Bangkok.
Cuoco's portrayal, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination, is outstanding and compelling, causing viewers to root for her even as she continues to make poor choices. Moreover, Cassie Bowden is a regular person with who everyone can identify, which adds to the intrigue of the series because viewers can envision themselves in her place to experience the thrills.
Snabba Cash (2021– )
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Snabba Cash is a Swedish series based on Joel Kinnaman's 2010 Swedish crime drama Easy Money. The series follows single-mother Leya (Evin Ahmad) as she navigates the dangerous world of start-ups, where a predatory loan can sabotage your chances of becoming the next "unicorn," while also trying to flee the equally perilous world of drug trafficking, where rival gangs and the police present several fatal threats.
Even though the show weaves between these several threads, it is Leya's journey and Ahmad's passionate performance that will entice you to watch. She possesses the ego, ambition, compassion, courage, and self-awareness that distinguishes a successful prestige crime series protagonist, the type of character you root for even as they make poor choices.
Mare of Easttown (2021)
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A young woman is killed in a small Pennsylvania town, and Detective Sergeant Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet), a highly trained crime investigator, is taking the case. Sheehan has lived in Easttown her entire life and knows everyone there. Her life, however, is gloomy and tormented, owing in large part to the tragic death of her son.
Mare of Easttown is more than just a thriller; it's also a study in grief. The anguish of many town residents, including Mare and the mother of the murdered victim that envelops the series might bring any viewer right to it. With a Philadelphia-area native pronunciation that makes viewers forget she's British, Winslet's acting is phenomenal.
Shining Girls (2022 - )
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The idea of Shining Girls is based on Lauren Beukes' 2013 novel of the same name, in which Kirby Mazrachi (Elisabeth Moss) escaped a near-fatal attack by an unknown perpetrator who was never apprehended. She joins forces with a seasoned journalist to better comprehend her ever-changing present and face her past.
Moss is savagely focused and devoted to even the tiniest alteration in her character's emotion or suffering, as she always is. Kirby's ongoing renegotiation of a reality that shifts around her without notice or permission is a superb portrayal of the severe and long-lasting effects of trauma that everyone can relate to.
The Thing About Pam (2022)
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The Thing About Pam is based on a true story and follows Pam Hupp (Renée Zellweger), an apparently stereotypical suburban wife and mother, who killed her friend Betsy Faria (Katy Mixon) for her life insurance money, and almost got away with it until she stretched her luck too far and killed again.
Zellweger is a well-known actress, and her ability to transform Pam from nice to evil with the flick of a switch is a compelling incentive to watch the show. With a very realistic setting and great cinematography, the audiences are now invisible witnesses of history being recreated, getting to see how and why Pam committed her crime.
Messiah (2020)
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In Messiah, CIA agent Eva Geller (Michelle Monaghan) examines the global ascent of a man (Mehdi Dehbi) whose followers say he is the return of 'Isa (Jesus). As a result, she goes on a high-stakes global quest to discover if he is a divine being or a cunning con artist.
Messiah is a powerful film with excellent performances, particularly from Monaghan, who portrays a fascinating CIA operative who is dedicated, daring, and tenacious. Furthermore, the filmmakers manage to make the viewer confused in the first season, and are constantly nourished by religious doubt about whether he is truly Messiah or not.