10 Mystery Shows Like Netflix’s Inside Man to Watch Next
Inside Man is a British TV Mini-Series that premiered on Netflix this Halloween, on October 31, 2022. It’s a cool murder mystery series about a guy on death row, an English vicar, and a journalist trying to get to the bottom of the mystery of a young girl found in the vicar’s cellar.
The show is riveting and thought-provoking. And, apart from being a crime mystery first, it touches upon deeper topics that will certainly shake you, especially with the inspired performances by Stanley Tucci, David Tennant, Lydia West, and Dolly Wells.
If you enjoyed Inside Man, and want more similar content, don’t worry; I got you covered. Here’s a list of the ten best mystery shows, like Netflix’s Inside Man, that you should watch next, right now. The list isn’t ranked but rather alphabetically ordered.
Black Bird (2022)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Synopsis: The story follows Jimmy Keene, a criminal who’s sentenced to 10 years in prison for financial crimes. To cut that time short, he’s offered to transition from minimum to maximum security, where he was to befriend a notorious serial killer, Larry Hall. If he can get Larry to confess and reveal the location of as many as 18 female bodies, Jimmy will be set free.
The only question is, will he make it?
Why it’s like Inside Man: Just like in Inside Man, law enforcement is getting help from a convicted criminal to try and get justice and do some good. Both Grieff and Keene are felons, but the difference is Larry Hall is the killer in Black Bird. It’s a crime mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout.
Watch the trailer here.
Broadchurch (2013-2017)
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Synopsis: Two police detectives are pushed to their very limits after a seemingly friendly, calm little town becomes the focal point of a huge mystery revolving around the death of a young, pre-teen boy. It causes a huge media frenzy that slowly starts to tear the town apart, but the killer is nowhere to be found.
Why it’s like Inside Man: If we’re talking about crime mystery TV shows, you just can’t make a list that doesn’t have Broadchurch. The show is also starring David Tennant, and like Inside Man, it is situated in a small town in the UK. The show also touches upon crimes committed against kids, which is a sensitive subject but carried out incredibly well.
The three-season show is, in my opinion, a masterpiece of mystery, suspense, and drama.
Watch the trailer here.
Des (2020)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Genre: Crime, Drama, History, Biography
Synopsis: The series follows the true crime story of Dennis Nilsen, one of the most prolific, psychopathic serial killers in the history of the United Kingdom. In 1983, Nilsen was arrested after body remains were found in a clogged drain near his home in London.
After being taken into custody, Dennis Nilsen was not too shy of talking, revealing just how sociopathic, ruthless, and emotionless he was.
Why it’s like Inside Man: Like the Inside Man, the series has a lot of screen time in the jail, with a reporter speaking to a killer. However, you can see some redemptive qualities in Grieff, whereas there are absolutely none in Dennis Nilsen. Also – believe it or not – David Tennant is the star of this show as well. Looks like he found his niche in crime dramas, am I right?
Watch the trailer here.
For Life (2020-2021)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Synopsis: Aaron Wallace is a wrongfully convicted killer who spends his time in jail studying the law to try and get his verdict overturned. Meanwhile, he decides to help to get some of his fellow inmates out of prison as well, if he believes they were wrongfully convicted as well.
Why it’s like Inside Man: I stumbled upon For Life accidentally, and I wholeheartedly enjoyed it. Although there are some dark times in the story, it’s ultimately a feel-good tale of a guy fighting for himself while also helping others. Like Grieff, Walker wants to help others and do good. The only difference is, unlike Grieff, he isn’t really a criminal.
Watch the trailer here.
Luther (2010-2019)
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Synopsis: Idris Elba portrays Detective John Luther, a near-genius murder detective who uses his mind to solve the most violent crimes. However, the work he’s doing has him on the ropes sometimes, and he develops a thing for unorthodox methods of getting the answers he wants, so he’s usually in trouble with his superiors, who wonder if he’s more harm than good for the department.
Why it’s like Inside Man: There are some phenomenal mystery plots in Luther, and if I may add, I believe this was the best we’ve ever seen from Idris Elba. And seeing how many great roles he already has behind him speaks volumes.
Like Inside Man, Luther dabs with subjects like murder and the grey area of murder investigations – to what lengths is one allowed to go to find the answers for the greater good? Give Luther a shot; I bet you’ll love it.
Watch the trailer here.
Mindhunter (2017-2019)
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Biography
Synopsis: Two FBI agents in the late seventies conducted a series of interviews of the most notorious convicted serial killers in the US to try and develop a strategy to detect, prevent, or solve other cases involving serial killers. They dab into the minds of heavy psychopaths such as Edmund Kemper, Charles Manson, Jerry Brudos, and others.
Why it’s like Inside Man: Mindhunter is one of the best crime mystery shows ever created, and just like Inside Man, it’s a Netflix original. It follows the two guys who practically invented the term serial killers and used the information gathered from convicts to solve ongoing cases, just like they did from Grieff in Inside Man.
Watch the trailer here.
The Blacklist (2013-)
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Synopsis: After decades of successfully evading police detection and capture, Raymond Reddington decides to turn himself in but wants to speak only to a new FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen. The plot leads to Reddington being employed as an agent to help track down other criminals and solve mysteries that only a criminal mastermind like himself could solve.
Why it’s like Inside Man: Again, this is a story of a criminal who sought redemption and turned to the good side, offering his unique set of skills and abilities to solve the crimes that law enforcement couldn’t solve on their own. James Spader killed the role, and there’s a reason why the show is so popular, still. Give Ultron, I mean James, a shot with this show; you might enjoy it!
Watch the trailer here.
The Devil’s Hour (2022-)
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Synopsis: Lucy is a woman with a son named Isaac, who is seemingly suffering from an emotional disorder and is completely disconnected from her, and anyone else, for that matter. To add to it, Lucy has recurring nightmares and keeps waking up at exactly 3.33 AM every night, at the time known as “the devil’s hour.”
Why it’s like Inside Man: The Devil’s Hour is to most unconventional show on this list, as the mystery kind of dabs with something paranormal, but it really isn’t. But then, maybe it is. Whatever the case may be, the show is very cool.
It also touches upon kidnapping, just like Inside Man, and some characters have similar backstories. It also includes a lot of talking to a convict, who helps unravel the mystery.
Watch the trailer here.
The Essex Serpent (2022)
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Synopsis: A widow from London named Cora Seaborn moves to Essex, an island town, to investigate reports of a mysterious, mythical serpent living there. Once there, she meets a vicar (Tom Hiddlestone), and the two develop a semi-romantic bond. However, after a tragedy hits the town, local people start accusing Cora of attracting the creature with her inquiries.
Why it’s like Inside Man: I found the show incredibly interesting, and I’m not sure why it’s rated so poorly. Then again, I might be biased because I love Tom Hiddlestone in any role in his career so far. The Essex Serpent has many similarities with the Inside Man, like the plot happening in a small town, crimes against kids, a vicar in the lead role, and murder mysteries.
Watch the trailer here.
The Suspect (2022-)
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Synopsis: A clinical psychologist, Dr. Joseph O’Loughlin, is living a great life, with a successful practice where he speaks to criminals on a daily basis, all the money he could desire, a publishing deal, and even internet fame after being recorded saving a person from jumping off of a tenth-floor window in Joe’s hospital.
However, things take a complicated turn after Joe is a bit too eager to give his opinion to the police on a murderous case, leading the investigators to wonder – does Joe know more than he’s letting on? Does he have a side that nobody ever sees?
Why it’s like Inside Man: I loved the premise of the show – getting inside the mind of a criminal and not being what you seem to be at first sight. It also follows a murder mystery revolving around a young woman, just like the main case revolves around young Janice in Inside Man. The Suspect has great moments but felt just a bit underwhelming overall. Still, it’s well worth a watch.
Watch the trailer here.