Special Report
Now Streaming Classic TV Shows That Will Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat
Published:
Television thrillers are the roller-coasters of entertainment. They are a white-knuckle ride of suspenseful dramas, mind-twisting mysteries, and adrenaline-rushing car chases, often probing themes such as unexplained phenomena, espionage, crime, terrorism, and revenge.
Though many of the greatest thrillers are motion pictures such as “Psycho,” “Silence of the Lambs” and “The Manchurian Candidate,” there have been many distinguished examples of the genre on television since that medium’s infancy. And even though restrictions related to the pandemic are loosening, people are still parked in front of their televisions more than usual, and thrillers are among their preferred choices of viewing.
24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of classic TV shows that are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. We identified the shows available for streaming based on data from website JustWatch. We then ranked the series based on their Internet Movie Database average user ratings, weighted by the number of votes each series received.
Like the rollercoasters with which they have been compared, the best thrillers gradually build up the tension before releasing it in a rush. Television also gave future Oscar-winners directors Sydney Pollack and William Friedkin an opportunity to hone their skills as directors of thrillers.
The genre allows directors and writers the freedom to innovate and create. And thrillers are among the most groundbreaking and honored shows on the small screen, among them “24,” “The X-Files,” and “Breaking Bad.” These are the television shows with the most Emmy wins of all time.
Some of the most acclaimed TV series were brought to us from the masters of suspense and the macabre — Rod Serling (“The Twilight Zone”) and Alfred Hitchcock (“Alfred Hitchcock Presents”). Hitchcock, of course, had already staked his claim as one of the greatest movie directors ever by the time his TV program first aired in 1955. Here are Alfred Hitchcock’s best and worst films.
Click here to see classic TV shows that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
To determine the best classic TV shows that will keep you on the edge of your seat, 24/7 Tempo identified all of the shows available for streaming — using data from website JustWatch — that are classified as “thriller” by the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). We then ranked the series based on their Internet Movie Database average user ratings, weighted by the number of votes each series received. Editorial discretion was then applied to include or omit titles that we felt did not match the classification of “thriller” or that deserved inclusion based on other metrics such as cult status or reputation.
In order to be considered, each show was required to have at least 4,000 user votes on IMDb. They also must have concluded as a series.
25. 24 (2001-2010)
> Total No. of seasons: 8
> Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Carlos Bernard
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Hulu, Microsoft Store, fuboTV, DIRECTV
The intense series that aired on Fox starred Kiefer Sutherland as a U.S. counter-terrorist agent tasked with saving his country from foreign and domestic foes over a 24-hour period that is told in real time. The series took home 20 Emmy Awards and two Golden Globes over its eight-season run. “24” has an 8.3 rating out of 10 out of more than 167,000 IMDb users.
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24. Prison Break (2005-2017)
> Total No. of seasons: 5
> Starring: Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller, Amaury Nolasco
> Available on: Redbox, Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Hulu, Microsoft Store, fuboTV, USA Network
“Prison Break” — about a man who makes his way to prison in order to break out his unjustly condemned brother — ran for four seasons beginning in 2005 with a fifth season in 2017. Critics preferred the first two seasons to the final three based on Rotten Tomatoes ratings. The site describes the series as a “taut thriller.” The Golden Globe-nominated show earned an overall rating of 8.3 out of 10 on IMDb.
23. Lost (2004-2010)
> Total No. of seasons: 6
> Starring: Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Yunjin Kim
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Crackle, Hulu, Microsoft Store, IMDb TV
“Lost” is about the tensions that arise among survivors of a plane crash on what appears to be a deserted island. J.J. Abrams, who helped develop the Mission: Impossible franchise and was involved in the reboot of the Star Trek franchise, was one of the creators of “Lost.” The provocative series ran for six seasons on ABC and won 10 Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe. The series has an 8.3 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.
22. Homeland (2011-2020)
> Total No. of seasons: 8
> Starring: Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Damian Lewis
> Available on: Redbox, Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Showtime Amazon Channel, Hulu, Showtime, Microsoft Store, fuboTV, DIRECTV
Claire Danes plays a bipolar CIA agent trying to find a balance between her private life and her high-intensity job. The eight-season series that appears on Showtime has won eight Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes. “Homeland” has an 85% approval rating from critics and audiences alike on Rotten Tomatoes. The tautly crafted series has an 8.3 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.
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21. Southland (2009-2013)
> Total No. of seasons: 5
> Starring: Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy, Regina King
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Hulu
The series that follows numerous officers on the Los Angeles Police Department has exceptional ratings online, including a score of 8.4 out of 10 on IMDb, a rating of 90% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and 97% from viewers reviewing it on that same site. It is one of those rare series where each of its five seasons improves on the last, according to consensus on Rotten Tomatoes. The site states that it “remains gloriously gritty and observant” in its final season, thanks in part to “bravely unsettling twists.”
20. Carnivàle (2003-2005)
> Total No. of seasons: 2
> Starring: Michael J. Anderson, Adrienne Barbeau, Clancy Brown
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, HBO Now Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Now, HBO Go, DIRECTV, HBO Max
Part fantasy and part drama, “Carnivàle” is about a farm boy and a preacher involved in a proxy battle between heaven and hell set during the Dust Bowl in the 1930s. The two-season series that aired on HBO won five Emmy Awards and has an 8.4 rating out of 10 among users of IMDb. “Carnivàle” got less love from critics listed on Rotten Tomatoes, with a Freshness rating of 53%, though 87% of audiences were intrigued by the story about hope and despair during the Depression.
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19. Banshee (2013-2016)
> Total No. of seasons: 4
> Starring: Antony Starr, Ivana Milicevic, Ulrich Thomsen
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Cinemax Amazon Channel, Max Go, DIRECTV
Cinemax’s “Banshee” is another gripping series that received increasingly positive reviews over its four-season run. The series tells the story of a criminal (played by Antony Starr), who pretends to be the murdered sheriff of the small town of Banshee, Pennsylvania. Critics note the show’s sometimes gratuitous violence and sex while also praising its self-aware pulpiness.
18. The Americans (2013-2018)
> Total No. of seasons: 6
> Starring: Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Keidrich Sellati
> Available on: Redbox, Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Microsoft Store, Popcornflix, DIRECTV
“The Americans” is a Cold War thriller with a twist — married undercover KGB agents who assimilate into American society and commit espionage while raising two children who are unaware, at first, of their real identities. The six-season series that ran on FX was created by Joe Weisberg, a former CIA officer. It won four Emmys and one Golden Globe before concluding its run in 2018. “The Americans” has a 96% Freshness rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and 93% of audiences enjoyed the spyfest. The show has an 8.4 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.
17. Fringe (2008-2013)
> Total No. of seasons: 5
> Starring: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, IMDb TV
“Fringe” revolves around an FBI agent who works with a once-institutionalized scientist and his son to investigate a string of bizarre crimes. The series — which holds a rating of 8.4 out of 10 on IMDb — ran for five seasons before ending. All the seasons are available to watch on Amazon Video. The series has drawn many comparisons to “The X-Files.”
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16. Person of Interest (2011-2016)
> Total No. of seasons: 5
> Starring: Jim Caviezel, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Netflix, Microsoft Store, DIRECTV
“Person of Interest” follows a former CIA agent and a billionaire coding genius as they work together to prevent crimes before they take place. The highly-addictive series ran for five seasons and earned an overall rating of 8.4 out of 10 from the nearly 160,000 users rating it on IMDb. Additionally, aside from the first season, every season received positive reviews across the board from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
15. Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999)
> Total No. of seasons: 7
> Starring: Richard Belzer, Clark Johnson, Yaphet Kotto
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Netflix, fuboTV, Sling TV, DIRECTV
A strong cast led by Richard Belzer, Clark Johnson, and Yaphet Kotto powered the acclaimed seven-season series about a homicide investigation unit probing violent crimes in Baltimore. The gritty, intense series that appeared on NBC and ran until 1999 won four Emmy Awards. “Homicide: Life on the Street” has a 91% Freshness rating among Rotten Tomatoes critics, and 100% of audiences liked the series, which has an 8.5 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.
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14. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962)
> Total No. of seasons: 7
> Starring: Alfred Hitchcock, Harry Tyler, John Williams
> Available on: Amazon Video
The master of suspense in motion pictures presented an anthology of stories about crime, mystery, horror, and the macabre, introduced by Alfred Hitchcock’s signature “Good evening” greeting. Hitchcock directed some of the episodes. Other notable directors included Sydney Pollack and William Friedkin, who would go on to win Best Director Oscars, an honor that eluded Hitchcock. “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” enjoys a 94% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.5 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.
13. The Punisher (2017-2019)
> Total No. of seasons: 2
> Starring: Jon Bernthal, Amber Rose Revah, Ben Barnes
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Netflix
This two-season take on Marvel’s Punisher — a Marine veteran turned vigilante in the wake of his family’s murder — has a rating of 8.5 out of 10 on IMDb thanks to the votes of more than 170,000 users. The boundary-pushing thriller exists on the edge of the superhero genre, and may appeal to action fans who are not usually drawn to comic-based shows or movies.
12. Hannibal (2013-2015)
> Total No. of seasons: 3
> Starring: Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen, Caroline Dhavernas
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store
Hannibal follows an FBI consultant who must work with a young, talented psychiatrist named Dr. Hannibal Lecter to solve a series of murders. Featuring acting talent including Mads Mikkelsen, Caroline Dhavernas, and Laurence Fishburne, the show is described in Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus as catering “to an intellectual audience that prefers plenty of gore in its psychological thrillers” — perhaps in the way the titular doctor might.
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11. Mr. Robot (2015-2019)
> Total No. of seasons: 4
> Starring: Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Carly Chaikin
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Microsoft Store, fuboTV, Pure Flix, Sling TV, USA Network, DIRECTV
“Mr. Robot” is about a brilliant but troubled cyber-security engineer recruited by a shadowy group to hack into the computer system of the corporation he works for. Rami Malek, who would later win a Best Actor Oscar in 2019, took home an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2016. The four-season series that originally ran on USA Network, won two Emmys and two Golden Globes. “Mr. Robot” has a 94% approval rating from critics and audiences alike on Rotten Tomatoes and the series holds an 8.5 rating out of 10 among more than 314,000 IMDb users.
10. Justified (2010-2015)
> Total No. of seasons: 6
> Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, Joelle Carter
> Available on: Redbox, Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Hulu, Microsoft Store
With a cast lead by Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, and Joelle Carter, FX Network’s “Justified” won two Primetime Emmy awards and was a critical hit throughout its six seasons. The show, about U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) who is relocated to his rural Kentucky hometown, is violent, slick, and highly binge-worthy.
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9. The X-Files (1993-2018)
> Total No. of seasons: 11
> Starring: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Hulu, Microsoft Store, fuboTV, DIRECTV
The series that coined the phrase “The truth is out there” starred David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as FBI agents investigating unexplained phenomena. The series built a strong fan following and ran for 11 seasons on Fox and over that time hauled in 15 Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes. “The X-Files” has an 8.6 rating out of 10 among nearly 192,000 IMDb users.
8. Dexter (2006-2013)
> Total No. of seasons: 8
> Starring: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Showtime Amazon Channel, Netflix, Showtime, Microsoft Store, fuboTV, DIRECTV
“Dexter,” which ran for eight seasons on Showtime before concluding in 2013, is about a forensics expert in Miami who moonlights as a vigilante and kills those who have evaded justice. The series won four Emmys and two Golden Globes. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave “Dexter” a Freshness rating of 72%, and 80% of audiences like the show, which holds an 8.6 rating out of 10 from among more than 623,000 IMDb users.
7. Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014)
> Total No. of seasons: 7
> Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Mark Boone Junior
> Available on: Redbox, Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Hulu, Microsoft Store, DIRECTV
The FX series about members of an outlaw motorcycle club was hugely popular during its seven-season run, earning an IMDb rating of 8.6 out of 10 with nearly 245,000 users giving their opinion. The show also received a Golden Globe in 2011. In a review of the show’s second season, Entertainment Weekly’s Ken Tucker described it as “a fast-paced, well-acted, profanely funny fantasy.”
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6. Oz (1997-2003)
> Total No. of seasons: 6
> Starring: Ernie Hudson, J.K. Simmons, Lee Tergesen
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, HBO Now Amazon Channel, Google Play Movies, HBO Now, HBO Go, DIRECTV, HBO Max
“Oz” was hailed by critics for its envelope-pushing depiction about the grim life in an experimental correctional facility. Buoyed by an acclaimed cast that included Ernie Hudson, J.K. Simmons, and Rita Moreno, “Oz” holds a Freshness rating among Rotten Tomatoes critics of 89%, and 91% of audiences liked the gritty drama. The six-season drama that appeared on HBO has an 8.5 rating out of 10 among IMDb users.
5. The Shield (2002-2008)
> Total No. of seasons: 7
> Starring: Michael Chiklis, Catherine Dent, Walton Goggins
> Available on: Redbox, Apple iTunes, Vudu, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Hulu, Microsoft Store
This gritty cop drama about a corrupt L.A. detective running his squad outside the rules of the law is “seldom less than riveting,” according to Rotten Tomatoes. During its seven-season run, the show took home two Golden Globes — one for Best Television Series – Drama and one for actor Michael Chiklis — and an Emmy award, also for Chiklis.
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4. Narcos (2015-2017)
> Total No. of seasons: 3
> Starring: Pedro Pascal, Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook
> Available on: Netflix
The riveting three-season series is about cocaine kingpins, including Pablo Escobar, whose corrupting influence permeated all levels of Colombian society in the 1980s. The series is unsparing in the culpability of the United States regarding the ineffectual attempts to defeat the drug lords. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the series a Freshness rating of 89%, and 94% of audiences like the gripping and often violent account of the drug saga. “Narcos” holds a rating of 8.8 out of 10 among nearly 333,000 IMDb users.
3. The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
> Total No. of seasons: 5
> Starring: Rod Serling, Robert McCord, Jay Overholts
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Netflix, Hulu, Microsoft Store, CBS, CBS All Access Amazon Channel
The five-season series of tales of the macabre and the unexplained remains the gold standard for thought-provoking and innovative television. The Golden Globe and Emmy-Award winning series, “an excursion into the odd” as intoned by host and master storyteller Rod Serling, has a Freshness rating among Rotten Tomatoes critics of 82%, and 96% of audiences enjoyed the series. IMDb users gave “the Zone” 9.0 out of 10.
2. The Wire (2002-2008)
> Total No. of seasons: 5
> Starring: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, HBO Now Amazon Channel, HBO Now, HBO Go, Microsoft Store, DIRECTV, HBO Max
“The Wire,” which ran for five seasons, is a highly praised series about the impact of drugs on Baltimore, as experienced through various segments of the city’s society — law enforcement, the media, and narcotics dealers. The 60-episode series has a score of 9.3 out of 10 among more than 268,000 IMDb users, making it the sixth top rated show on the site.
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1. Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
> Total No. of seasons: 5
> Starring: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn
> Available on: Redbox, Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Netflix
“Breaking Bad” is about a high school chemistry teacher who produces and sells methamphetamine to help his family financially after learning he has cancer, while keeping his side job secret from his family, and evading law enforcement and drug gangs. The series is one of the most critically acclaimed television series of all time. It won 16 Emmys over its five seasons, which culminated in its finale, which was the most-watched original broadcast in television history at the time. “Breaking Bad” currently has a rating of 9.5 out of 10 on IMDb with more than 1.3 million ratings, and a Freshness rating of 96% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and 98% from users on the site.
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