Netflix’s most iconic thriller isn’t only bingeable, it has a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. Some of Netflix’s best series are of the thriller genre, and it all started with Lilyhammer. While not technically a thriller, Netflix’s first-ever original series, Lilyhammer, followed a New York mob boss who testified against his associates.
Lilyhammer is categorized as a crime dramedy, but what makes it stand apart from other Netflix series is its humanization of an otherwise unruly, untrustworthy character: a mob boss. Like Netflix’s 89% Rotten Tomatoes thriller, Lilyhammer proves that they are among the best in the business at turning even the most suspenseful of genres into something much more profound.
Netflix’s You Is A Thriller Show That Even Newcomers To The Genre Should Watch
One of Netflix’s most iconic original series, You, ended with its fifth and final season on April 24, 2025. Unlike most other series, You switches up its overall tone throughout each of its five seasons, as well as its central characters, meaning the series is perfect for newcomers who haven’t followed the story from the beginning.
You season 1 remained mostly accurate to the original thriller novel by Caroline Kepnes, while season 2 had a much darker, grittier feel to it. Season 4, on the other hand, was much more of a detective mystery, and was set in the United Kingdom versus the United States.
You’s prolific use of flashbacks also makes it easy for newcomers to jump right into the series. For fans new to the thriller genre, You incorporates elements traditionally characteristic of dramas and character studies. For example, Joe’s relationship with his son and father provides viewers a look into his twisted behavior, humanizing yet another morally ambiguous character, just like Lilyhammer.
You Is More Than A Thriller Series & That’s Why Everyone Should Watch It
You is so much more than just another thriller series; it’s a social commentary that challenges Hollywood’s ideas about romance, yearning, and relationships. You’s first season, in particular, could be viewed as a satire poking fun at romantic comedies. What is typically considered romantic or endearing in feature films is shown in a fresh, thought-provoking light in You.
Penn Badgley, who plays Joe Goldberg in You, shared his thoughts regarding the series’ message and underlying themes of love, societal roles, and cross-genre elements in an exclusive interview (via TheNerdsofColor):
“At the end of the day, he’s not real, and it’s like, actually, it is about you. It’s about us because we’re the ones who were thinking about this, and you think about it, any show that’s really successful has to be about something that’s culturally relevant. It has to be. Otherwise, it just wouldn’t be successful, even if it’s layered by horror, any genre, whatever. So this one is about what we all think about love, it’s about what women and men think of each other, I think, in particular, it’s really about what men think about themselves, the role of man as a protector.”
You follows Joe as he navigates a string of toxic relationships that send him spiraling into a state of obsession. It dives into the roles of men and women in relationships, co-dependency, and the lasting effects of familial trauma. Netflix’s You is the perfect series for viewers new to the thriller genre, crime-drama enthusiasts, and fans of gritty character studies.
Source: The Nerds of Color
You
7/10
- Release Date
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2018 – 2025-00-00
- Showrunner
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Sera Gamble, Greg Berlanti
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Penn Badgley
Joe Goldberg
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Elizabeth Lail
Guinevere Beck
