5 shows similar to True Detective that you should definitely watch

If True Detective has ever kept you up at 3 am to rethinking the weight of existence or Matthew McConaughey's mustache, then you know the pain of finishing a season and wondering what could compare, right?

True Detective is an HBO anthology crime masterpiece that has, in turn, made us crave shows that are just as brooding, philosophical, and feature detectives carrying more emotional baggage than evidence!

Luckily, we have a list of shows that scratch that same itch. Whether it's the psychological tug-of-war between detectives and killers, or the sense that something lurks beneath small-town civility, these five shows will make you feel right at home in the shadows.

Shows like True Detective

1. Hannibal (2013–2015)

Before True Detective made serial killers chic again, there was Hannibal. This was NBC's take on the infamous Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Mads Mikkelsen's portrayal is charming yet terrifying, while Hugh Dancy's FBI profiler Will Graham spirals as he tries to understand the monsters he hunts.

Like True Detective, Hannibal thrives on tension and imagery: antlers, hallucinations, and dinners that make you question your own meals. It's a slow-burning moral rot with a sophistication that puts most crime dramas to shame.

2. The Killing (2011–2014)

If you liked Rust and Marty's debates on truth, sin, and beer, The Killing offers that same energy. Well, minus the Louisiana humidity. This procedural follows two detectives (Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman) investigating the murder of a teenage girl, but they find a political conspiracy that runs a bit too deep.

The show's Seattle setting seeps through the screen, and the pacing gives The Killing its power. It's not about who did it as much as what the search for them does to those who can't stop looking.

3. Top of the Lake (2013–2017)

Created by Oscar-winner Jane Campion, Top of the Lake stars Elisabeth Moss as Detective Robin Griffin. She is seen investigating the disappearance of a pregnant 12-year-old in rural New Zealand. The case unravels into a labyrinth of trauma and sins.

Much like True Detective, the series doubles as an existential character study. Moss is phenomenal, and Campion's direction turns the wilderness into a character of its own.

4. Fargo (2014–2024)

If True Detective had humor (or a Minnesotan accent!), it would be Fargo. Inspired by the Coen Brothers' classic, each season tells a new story of decay in the American Midwest. It's bloody and uncomfortably funny.

The anthology format mirrors True Detective, but the tone is chaotic yet genius. The cast is top-tier (Billy Bob Thornton, Kirsten Dunst, Ewan McGregor, Chris Rock), and the writing is sharp enough to want you to get a tetanus shot.

5. Mindhunter (2017–2019)

This one's a no-brainer (pun intended). David Fincher's Mindhunter takes us to the 1970s when the FBI began studying serial killers. Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany play agents whose job is to interview murderers. But soon they realize that understanding evil can change you.

Fincher's perfectionism makes it hypnotic. There are long conversations that look like mental and moral rivalry instead of car chases or fights.

So, dim the lights, pour a drink, and prepare to spiral down five more rabbit holes of moral decay!

Edited by Sohini Sengupta

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