Some shows hook you in with a twist in the first episode itself. Others rely on mood. But the best crime miniseries? They pull you in with the promise that this will be solved, and it won’t take forever. There’s something very satisfying about a story that knows when to end. Especially in a world of endless seasons and cliffhangers that never pay off and shows that get canceled in their prime, crime miniseries feel like an antidote. They are compact, deliberate, and almost always more powerful than longer shows.
The 2010s were brilliant for this format. Before streaming algorithms started churning out true crime docuseries by the dozen, networks and creators were experimenting with shorter, self-contained crime stories that lingered. They were solving a case or fixing a problem, but at the same time, they were exploring grief, obsession, justice, memory, and the messy fallout of human choices.
This list rounds up one standout crime miniseries from each year of the 2010s. Some you’ve probably heard of. Others might’ve slipped past you. But every pick here is worth watching.
2010: ‘Five Daughters’
Set in Ipswich, England, Five Daughters is a miniseries that pulls empathy from the unthinkable. It is a dramatization of the 2006 murders of five young women, all of whom are sex workers caught in the grip of addiction. Rather than centering the killer, the three-part series shifts its focus to the victims, named Gemma, Anneli, Paula, Annette, and Tania, and offers a rare and compassionate look at their lives, families, and the dire need that led them to the streets.
A Rare Portrait of Empathy
Five Daughters is told through the perspective of their loved ones, police officers, and community workers. It traces the days leading up to the murders and the aftermath, so it’s not necessarily a whodunit, but more like a why-did-this-happen. And the answer is layered, systematic, and heartbreaking. It also refuses to sensationalize the incident by giving each scene a documentary-like intimacy and letting the performances breathe. Perfect for viewers who want something raw and reflective.
2011: ‘The Shadow Line’
The Shadow Line begins with a murder and spirals into a slow-burning, morally tangled investigation that feels more like a philosophical thriller than a procedural. In it, drug lord Harvel Wrattern is shot dead shortly after his release from prison, which leads to two investigations. One official, led by amnesiac detective Jonah Gabriel, and one unofficial, orchestrated by Gatehouse, whose calm exterior masks something unsettling.
Slow-Burning and Intellectually Rich
It’s a story where every character is hiding something and every revelation leads to more questions. But that’s the kind of crime story that hooks you and never lets go. Aesthetic-wise, it leans into noir. There’s use of sharp lighting, long silences, and a haunting score by Emily Barker. Hugo Blick’s writing is dense and deliberate, rewarding viewers who like their mysteries layered and their characters morally complex. Plus, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Stephen Rea are stunning in their roles.
2012: ‘Underbelly: Badness’
Underbelly: Badness zeroes in on the decade-long criminal reign of Anthony “Rooster” Perish, a meth kingpin who managed to stay off the radar for years. Based on real events, the series follows his rise and the obsessive pursuit led by Detective Gary Jubelin, whose determination not only helped take Perish down but also untangled the criminal network.
Crime Story With Punch and Precision
Never shying away from Perish’s brutality but also making sure to explore the psychological stress on those chasing him, this one is the most streamlined and intense part of the Underbelly anthology. Matt Nable portrays Perish as a chilling man without going over the top and Jonathan LaPaglia brings urgency to Jubelin. It didn’t get the same buzz as earlier seasons, which is a shame, but it’s arguably more focused and compelling.
2013: ‘Mob City’
Set in post-war Los Angeles, Mob City dives headfirst into the web of organized crime, crooked cops, and Hollywood glamor. Inspired by real events and characters, the six-part TNT series centers on Detective Joe Teague, a war veteran turned LAPD officer, as he navigates the uneasy truce between the police and the rising mob empire led by Bugsy Siegel and Mickey Cohen.
Dripping With Atmosphere
Mob City did not get the attention it deserved, maybe because it aired quietly and ended too soon. But it’s a gem with its tale of shifting loyalties, double-crosses, and moral compromise. Frank Darabont (The Walking Dead, The Shawshank Redemption) directs with cinematic flair, and Jon Bernthal, Milo Ventimiglia, Alexa Davalos, and Jeffrey DeMunn add texture. If you love stories where everyone’s got something to hide, Mob City’s your jam.
2014: ‘Olive Kitteridge’
Adapted from Elizabeth Strout’s Pulitzer-winning novel, Olive Kitteridge isn’t a crime show in the traditional sense, but it earns a spot for its precision and darkness. Set in a coastal Maine town, the four-part HBO miniseries follows Olive, a retired schoolteacher whose life intersects with a series of tragedies, like depression, infidelity, suicide, and long-buried secrets, and how Olive’s bluntness both alienates and anchors those around her.
Ripe With Emotional Nuances
While Olive Kitteridge may not fit in the mold and the story is not driven by a single crime, the slow accumulation of choices, regrets, and revelations give it a distinct noir sensibility. Directed by Lisa Cholodenko, it is visually muted but emotionally piercing. Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins, and Bill Murray round out a cast that feels lived-in, not performed. It won Emmys, yes, but it feels like a hidden treasure with its thoughtful and devastating narrative.
2015: ‘And Then There Were None’
Agatha Christie’s most famous mystery gets a sleek update in this three-part BBC adaptation. Ten strangers are invited to a remote island under mysterious pretenses, only to find themselves accused of past crimes, and picked off one by one. With no escape and no clear culprit, paranoia sets in and the story unfolds like a ticking clock, with each death more unnerving than the last.
The Perfect Weekend Watch
Boasting a talented ensemble cast that includes Charles Dance, Sam Neill, Aidan Turner, and Miranda Richardson, this one crackles with an infectious sense of suspense and foreboding. Director Craig Viveiros uses silence, shadow, and pacing to turn this version of And Then There Were None into a masterstroke of tone. It leverages the remote setting and the claustrophobic isolation of the characters to create an atmosphere of dread, yet the miniseries never loses sight of the whodunit element at its core.
2016: ‘The Night Of’
It starts with a cab ride, a party, and a night that spirals out of control. When college student Nasir Khan wakes up to find a young woman dead in her bed, he is arrested for her murder, and what follows is a slow unraveling of his life. The series tracks his journey through the criminal justice system, from Rikers Island to the courtroom, while also following his weary, eczema-ridden lawyer, John Stone, who takes on the case with reluctant tenacity.
Examination of Guilt and Innocence
Anchored by a career-defining performance from Riz Ahmed, The Night Of is one of those rare shows that feels both intimate and epic. It is visually restrained and emotionally loaded, thanks to the impeccable direction by Steven Zaillian and James Marsh. John Turturro is equally brilliant as the lawyer. The pacing, the realism, the moral ambiguity, and the exploration of the flaws inherent in the American criminal justice system are all handled with care.
2017: ‘Godless’
Godless flips the Western genre on its head and here’s how. It follows notorious outlaw Frank Griffin as he hunts down his former protégé Roy Goode along a trail that leads to La Belle, a mining town that is almost entirely populated by women. Roy, wounded and on the run, finds refuge there, but his presence screams danger. As Griffin closes in, the town prepares for an explosive showdown.
A Character-Driven, Beautifully-Shot Western
The seven-part Netflix miniseries blends sweeping landscapes with intimate character arcs, building toward a final confrontation that is as brutal as it is cathartic. Godless doesn’t fit into all genre boxes, but it’s a stunner. Jeff Daniels, Jack O’Conner, Michelle Dockery, and Merritt Wever are all standouts, bringing nuance and steel to roles that could have been one-dimensional. And the pacing is just right. Slow enough to savor, and fast enough to keep you hooked.
2018: ‘Sharp Objects’
Camille Parker, a troubled journalist with a history of self-harm, returns to her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri, to cover the murder of two young girls. But her reporting assignment turns on her when she confronts her toxic mother, her half-sister, and the buried traumas about her complex, dysfunctional family that refuse to stay buried.
Tangled in Psychology and Atmosphere
Directed with an assured, unsettling hand by Jean-Marc Vallée (Big Little Lies), Sharp Objects is an eight-part HBO miniseries that is fragmented, haunting, and raw. It is also visually hypnotic with its use of mirrors, flashbacks, and heatwaves that blur the line between past and present. But more than anything, Amy Adams is phenomenal in giving Camille a vulnerability that’s never played for pity.
2019: ‘Unbelievable’
When it comes to crime miniseries, 2019 was a year that brought us Unbelievable, easily one of the best projects of the past decade. It begins with a young woman, Marie Adler, reporting a rape, only to be met with skepticism, procedural coldness, and eventual criminal charges for filing a false report. As her life unfolds under the weight of disbelief, the story shifts to two detectives in another state, Grace Rasmussen and Karen Duvall, who investigate a series of similar assaults.
As Important As It Is Compelling
An eight-part Netflix miniseries, based on a Pulitzer-winning article, Unbelievable is told in parallel timelines – Marie’s isolated ordeal, and the detectives’ meticulous pursuit of justice. Kaitlyn Dever is heartbreaking, Toni Collette and Marriett Wever are stellar, and together they form a trio that anchors the show. The performances do the heavy lifting here, but the show is also a study in how systems fail and how people persist.