The series Fargo is an adaptation of the Academy Award-winning film of the same title. Set in Minnesota, this crime drama first premiered in April of 2014 on FX tv. The first season consisted of 10 episodes and continued due to the series doing well with audiences. Currently, the show has 4 successful seasons. The story revolves around the lives of manipulative hitman Lorne Malvo and insurance salesman Lester Nygaard.
Their initial encounter in episode 1 of the first season sets in motion a domino effect of crimes and murders. On the other end are deputy Molly Solverson of Bemidji and officer Gus Grimly of Duluth, who attempt to solve multiple crimes that could trace back to Lester and Lorne in some way. The series holds a steady plot with enough dark humor, murders, and mysteries to keep the viewers engaged through and through.
If you have enjoyed watching Fargo, here are some other series under the genre of crime, drama, and mystery you do not want to miss out on.
Sherlock
Sherlock is a British crime drama that easily makes its way to the top of the list. This series is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s book, Sherlock Holmes, and first aired on BBC back in 2010. The show has 4 seasons of 3 episodes each plus a special episode making a total of 13 episodes.
The show follows the life of “consulting” detective Sherlock Holmes who assists local law enforcement in various cases with his new flatmate, Dr. John Watson, by his side. Set in modern-day London, the duo solves mysteries that leave the mind of the common man in tangles, all the while battling enemies and overcoming obstacles of a personal nature. The method used and deductions made by Sherlock to uncover the mysteries are mind-boggling and leave the audience in awe. With a cleverly written script, a wide array of characters, and shocking discoveries from the past, this show is a must-watch for those who enjoy crime-related dramas.
Cast- The characters are brought to life by Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock Holmes) and Martin Freeman (Dr. John Watson) who also plays Lester on Fargo.
Mindhunter
This psychological crime thriller set in the late 1970s follows FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench as they interview notorious serial killers. The first season debuted on Netflix on October 13, 2017, and the show currently has 2 complete seasons.
With a new dangerous type of killer emerging, FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench of the Behavioural sciences unit (BHU), assisted by psychologist Wendy Carr, interview and study the minds of previously incarcerated serial killers to find out what triggers them, their behavior, thought processes and more. During this study, they begin to develop the modern system of serial-killer profiling.
Cast- The cast includes Holt McCallany as Bill Tench, Jonathan Groff as Holden Ford, and Anna Torv as Wendy Carr.
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The Blacklist
This show kicks off uniquely in that the criminal actually gives himself up at the beginning itself and then proceeds to assist law enforcement. First premiering on NBC in 2013, this show runs for a total of 9 seasons (180 episodes), which is impressive in itself since not many shows go on this long.
The Blacklist opens with the surrender of high profile criminal Raymond “Red” Reddington, who was a former US Naval officer. With a vast accumulated knowledge of other high-profile criminals, their operating networks, plans, and contacts, Raymond turns himself over to the FBI and asks for immunity in exchange for his information. There’s only one catch, he will exclusively deal and speak to a rookie agent, Elizabeth Keen, with whom he seems to have a connection, though she has no idea who he is.
The show follows Raymond and Elizabeth as they untangle criminal networks, foil plans, and bring in the FBI’s most wanted. Along the way, trust is built, relationships are forged and secrets of everyone’s past are uncovered.
Cast- James Spader as Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington, Megan Boone as Elizabeth Keen, Diego Klattenhoof as agent Donald Ressler and Ryan Eggold as Elizabeth’s husband Tom Keen, a simple yet mysterious teacher.
Ozark
Ozark is a Netflix Original show about money laundering and the repercussions and problems that arise when an individual gets involved in it. Initially launching in 2017, this crime drama now has four complete seasons.
Marty Byrde is a financial advisor who relocates his family from Chicago to a resort community in the Ozarks as a result of a money-laundering scheme gone wrong. Here, he ends up having to face a Mexican drug cartel and has to pay them big money to keep himself and his family safe from harm. He now has to set up an even bigger money laundering operation to keep the cartel at bay and at the same time navigate rough waters with his own family and his business partners, the Snells.
Cast- Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde, Laura Linney as Wendy Byrde, Lisa Emery as Darlene Snell, and Felix Solis as Omar Navarro as the cartel leader.
Better Call Saul
The spin-off and prequel to the popular show Breaking Bad, this American crime series has won four Golden Globes and 21 Primetime Emmy Awards. When Better Call Saul first aired on AMC, it held the record for the highest-rated cable show and capped at 6.9 million viewers.
The protagonist is James “Jimmy” McGill, an ex-con who plans to turn his life around by becoming a well-respected lawyer under the guise of a personality he made up named ‘Saul Goodman’. The show depicts Jimmy’s journey from working in a mailroom to being inspired to complete law school. Though he does obtain a degree and admission to the bar, he does not land a job at the giant law firm HHM, where his brother is a name partner. He then goes on to practice law for lower-paying clients and even does work as a public defender. His journey then gets entangled with the narcotics trade which then continues into the series Breaking Bad, whose events take place about 6 years after season 1 of Better Call Saul.
Cast- Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman, Michael McKean as Chuck McGill, Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, Jimmy’s romantic interest, and Jonathan Banks as Mike Erhmantraut, a former police officer who gets involved in some low-level crime.
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The Alienist
Based on the book, ‘The Alienist’ by Caleb Carr, this TNT psychological thriller takes us to 1896 New York, amid emerging technological innovations. The Alienist is a ten-episode limited series that first premiered on January 22, 2018.
Due to the rise of a new ritualistic killer that seems to target boys on the streets of the city, police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt puts together a team to track him down and put him away. This team includes Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a criminal psychologist, newspaper illustrator John Moore, and Sara Howard, who is Roosevelt’s secretary.
The title of the show refers to Dr. Kreizler, a specialist who studies mental pathologies and the deviant behaviors of those who are alienated from society.
This show makes an interesting watch for those who enjoy the ‘detective’ and ‘thriller’ genres.
Cast- Daniel Bruhl as Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, Dakota Fanning as Sara Howard, Luke Evans as John Moore, and Brian Geraghty as Theodore Roosevelt.
Designated Survivor
In the US, a designated survivor is an individual who is the president’s chosen successor during gathering events like the State of the Union addresses. This individual is kept safe at an undisclosed location till the official event is over. This show follows the story of one such individual and initially aired on ABC for the first two seasons and the third and final season being exclusively on Netflix.
The basic plot of the show is that the whole of the Capitol building is destroyed in an explosion during the State of the Union, killing everyone inside, including the president. This leaves designated survivor Thomas Kirkman, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, as the new President of the United States. The show follows along with the challenges and obstacles he has to face being thrown suddenly into such a high position while also unearthing interconnected criminal plots by people wanting to rebel against the government.
Cast- Kiefer Sutherland as Thomas Kirkman, Natascha McElhone as Alex Kirkman, Tom’s wife, Adan Canto as national security advisor Aaron Shore, and Italia Ricci as Emily Rhodes who is the Chief of Staff.
Narcos
Set in Colombia, the American crime drama Narcos tells the story of infamous drug cartel boss Pablo Escobar and is narrated from the point of view of a DEA agent, who also appears in the show. It was released in 2015 as a Netflix exclusive and is the prequel to Narcos: Mexico.
Seasons 1 and 2 show us the rise and eventual fall of Pablo Escober, a cartel leader in Colombia who made a fortune from the cocaine trade. It shows his personal life, his interactions, and his involvement with politics and even the DEA. An entire task force is assigned to bring down Pablo and his vast cocaine operation does not come down easy.
Season 3 picks up after Pablo Escobar’s death. Now, the Cali Cartel has taken over the cocaine business and is going about things in a more discreet way than Pablo. That does not stop the DEA from tracking and putting down their operation of smuggling drugs across the border into the US.
Cast- Boyd Halbrook as DEA agent and narrator, Pedro Pascal as Javier, another important agent, Wagner Moura as Pablo Escobar, and Damian Alcazar as Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela (Cali Cartel).
Where to Watch These Shows?
All the shows on this list are available to stream on Netflix, except Sherlock, which is available on Prime Video.
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