Unlocked, You, Mindhunter, and the 8 best Netflix thrilllers (movies and TV shows)

Sometimes you’re in the mood for something that will get your heart racing and your blood pumping, but not necessarily scare the living daylights out of you. That’s where a good thriller comes in, movie or television show. The good news is that there are tons of excellent Netflix thrillers available on the service and a wide variety.

Whether you’re in the mood for a psychological thriller, a crime thriller, an action thriller, or something else entirely, Netflix has a wide range of options.

Best Netflix thrillers

Best Netflix thrillers: The Pale Blue Eye

Based on the novel by Louis Bayard, The Pale Blue Eye is a tense, gothic thriller/mystery movie with an impressive cast that includes Christian Bale and Gillian Anderson.

The story follows a retired and apathetic detective (Bale) who is called in to investigate the mysterious murders of two military cadets with the assistance of future author, Edgar Allan Poe. While not as fast-paced as some of the other thrillers on this list, The Pale Blue Eye is ideal for those who want a well-acted, slow-burn period film with excellent production value.

Best Netflix thrillers: You

It’s hard to believe that Netflix’s smash-hit series You started out from humble beginnings as a Lifetime series. For whatever reason, the show didn’t receive as much traction on Lifetime, so it wasn’t until Netflix picked it up that the Penn Badgley-led psychological thriller became internationally popular.

Badgley plays serial killer and professional stalker Joe Goldberg, a picture-perfect “nice guy” who fixates on various women and then stalks them until he can become their perfect boyfriend, at least, until things go wrong as they inevitably do in these situations.

Now in its fourth season, You is an addictive watch with plenty of engaging twists that will keep you guessing episode after episode. And if you really like the show, you should check out the books the series is based on by Caroline Kepnes.