15 Psychological thrillers you must watch

Psychological thrillers are always interesting to watch. They not only keep you on the edge of your seats till the very end but have a climax that one would have never even thought of. A good psychological thriller, often, starts where our imagination stops.

Dark secrets, mind games, untrustworthy characters, suspense, blood and gore, and many untold twists and turns. A psychological thriller has it all.

And this is why psychological thrillers are one of the most flourishing and loved genres. After all, who doesn’t love to watch something full of action, and thrilling scenes that too with extraordinary screenplay and direction? We are now ready to dive into these must-awaited and captivating psychic shows that are an absolute must-watch this weekend. Are you ready?

Clinical

Release date: 13 January 2017

Rating: 5.1/10

Cast: Vinessa Shaw, Aaron Stanford, Dion Basco, Kevin Rahm and others

If you are searching for a good psychological thriller, then this should top the list. Directed by Alistair Legrand, the story follows the life of a traumatized psychiatrist who was attacked by a violent patient. When she was slowly and steadily getting back to her normal life, she encountered another mentally unstable patient who had his own horrific history. Furthermore, there could be no more title appropriate than this title itself.

The Call

Release date: 27 November 2020

Rating:7.1/10

Cast: Park Shin Hye, Jun Jong Seo, Kim Sung Ryung, Lee El and others

The dark, bloody psychological thriller “The Call’ directed by Chung-Hyun Lee, is all about the story of two individuals living in different times. When the girl from the present (Seo Yeon) lost her phone in the train, she had to run to her house to grab a telephone for some urgent reason. But soon she was getting many paranormal calls from Young Sook, who was living 20 years back when Seo Yeon’s father died. Now two people from different times belong to the exact same situation and Young Sook offered to save her father and reset the reality. 

Safe

Release date: 27 April 2012

Rating – 7.2/10

Cast – Michael C. Hall, Amy James-Kelly, Amanda Abbington and others

This is the story of a widowed man who is a surgeon by profession. His daughter goes missing randomly and that leads him to look for clues to sort out the mystery. She goes missing with his teenage boyfriend. He talks to her best friend and hires a detective to find them out.  Eventually, he uncovers many dark and unusual secrets that are related to his own close ones. Mainly his new interest. This series was created by mystery novelist Harlan Coben. This is an underrated psychological mystery thriller that will hook you till the end.

Black Earth Rising

Release date: 10 September 2018

Rating – 7.5/10

Star Cast – John Goodman, Michaela Coel, Noma Dumezweni and others

“Kate Ashby” the main character was rescued from a genocide in her childhood. She was born in Rwanda but was raised by her adoptive mother Eve. She works as a legal investigator for Micheal Ennis. As she chooses a case that involves an African militia leader, her story takes a new turn. It is a psychological thriller that takes place in the US, UK, Africa, and Europe. This has mainly dealt with issues like race, justice, personal integrity, and self-determination. It has portrayed the political influence that takes place when dealing with such scenarios. This unique yet underrated series was created by Hugo Blick, an award-winning person with several impactful stories like this.

Top Boy: Season 3

Release date: 7 September 2023

Rating: 8.5/10 

Cast: Kano, Ashley Walters, Jasmine Jobson, Little Simz and others

Created by Ronan Bennett, “Top Boy” is one of the most popular British crime thrillers based on two drug dealers who were practically involved in drug dealing and violence. Viewers all around the world are eagerly waiting for the premiere of the third season for the one last time. Similar to the previous seasons which we have already witnessed some mind-blowing thrilling scenes, nonetheless, this season also continues with violent encounters, horrifying prison experiences, disputes between rival groups, and excessive tragic moments.

When They Cry

Release date: 12 April 2006

Rating: 7.8/10

Cast: Mai Nakahara, Satsuki Yukino, Soichiro Hoshi

The anime “When They Cry” is set in the serene village of Hinamizawa. But as the narrative goes on, sinister secrets and riddles start to come to light. Several terrifying incidents, including eerie deaths and bizarre happenings, involve a group of friends, including the main character, Keiichi. The drama examines themes of paranoia, psychological torment, and the protagonists’ frantic searches for the truth about the sinister occurrences in their idyllic-seeming community. Prepare for a tense and terrifying adventure into the unknown.

The Platform

Release date: 8 November 2019

Rating: 7/10

Cast: Iván Massagué, Alexandra Masangkay, Zorion Eguileor and others

The Spanish horrifying thriller, “The Platform” directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, already made a special place in the top psychological thrillers to date. The story revolves around city life where people used to live in a tower-like structure ‘Vertical Self-Management Center’, and they were fed with a platform that begins at the top of the residential building and slowly decreased with the tower’s level. Soon this system results in conflicts for inequality in the distribution of food and next what happens you need to watch it out. 

Calibre

Release date: 22 June 2018

Rating: 6.8/10

Cast: Jack Lowden, Tony Curran, Martin McCann, Kate Bracken and others

The British thriller film “Calibre” was directed by none other than the famous filmmaker Matt Palmer, and had already made its place in the Edinburgh International Film Festival. The story follows Vaughn and Marcus, two childhood best friends, who planned a hunting trip to a faraway destination somewhere in Scotland Highlands. But soon the plot takes a mysterious turn and shows how their friendship and bonding got into trouble while they face many paranormal and thrilling situations which they were never prepared for. 

Fractured

Release date: 22 September 2019

Rating: 6.4/10

Cast: Sam Worthington, Lily Rabe, Lucy Capri, Adjoa Andoh and others

The American psychological thriller “Fractured” is about horrifying scenes, thrilling activities, and cruelty. While traveling cross country, Ray’s daughter fractured her arms and they immediately rushed to the nearest hospital. After many hours of distressed moments and a clash with the check-in nurse, when they finally rushed towards the ERI room, Ray got exhausted and passed out there in the room. After he got his senses back, the hospital staff tried every way to convince him that his family never visited the hospital. Hook on to the movie to find out the actual truth behind the disappearance of Ray’s family. 

Fatal Affair

Release date: 16 July 2020

Rating: 5/10

Cast: Nia long, Omar Epps, Stephen Bishop, KJ Smith and others

Directed by Peter Sullivan, “Fatal Affair” is an American psychological thriller that marked its existence in the year 2020 on Netflix. As per the synopsis of IMDb, the story is all about a woman who was trying hard to mend her marriage after a brief encounter with an old friend. But soon the plot takes an interesting turn when she realizes that her ex-lover is more dangerous and unstable than she had thought. 

Who is Erin Carter?

Release date: 24 August 2023

Rating: 7/10

Cast: Evin Ahmad, Sean Teale, Denise Gough, Indica Watson

This television mini-series is produced by Left Bank Pictures and features a young British school teacher who lives in Spain and gets trapped in a robbery. The show has some jam-packed thrilling scenes of the woman in the lead character, for whom family is everything to her and she can go to any extent to protect them. The series has created an inspiring sensation among young independent women.

Dark

Release date: 1 December 2017

Rating: 8.7/10

Casting: Louis Hofmann, Karoline Eichhorn, Lisa Vicari, Maja Schöne

You have to watch it to believe how mind-boggling it is. The series is a crafty weave of time travel, family mysteries, and interwoven characters. The story begins with the disappearance of two children, and that sets a series of events unraveling secrets of the dark past of a town called Winden. As the story moves ahead, the tale turns into a psychology of suspense and they get immersed in intricate details and well-bred characters. If you are craving an intellectual adventure, this show is for you.

Muted

Release date: 19 May 2020

Rating: 5.6/10

Cast: Arón Piper, Almudena Amor, Cristina Kovani, Manu Rios and others.

The classic psychological mini-series “Muted” directed by Aitor Gabilondo and starring Arón Piper, is one of the mind-blogging thrillers shows on Netflix. The story revolves around the life of a minor boy who murdered his parents when he was a little child and he didn’t speak a single word at that time. Soon the tale took a mysterious twist when he got himself released from prison, and encountered a beautiful lady who disclosed many untold confidential matters. The show is filled with suspense and thrills. The fan following of this show ranges from young adults to middle-aged people.

Anatomy of a Scandal

Release date: 15 April 2022

Rating:7/10

Cast: Sienna Miller, Rupert Friend, Michelle Dockery, Naomi Scott and other

If you are in a thrill-loving period, then this mini-series is the best one to choose. Directed by S.J. Clarkson, “Anatomy of a Scandal” is a British psychological thriller which reveals the sex scandals of a famous politician, who was in an affair with his assistant. When the news went viral, they blasted out their lives and the situation forced his wife to face several consequences of her husband’s evil deeds.  

Behind Her Eyes

Release date: 17 February 2021

Rating: 7.2/10

Cast: Eve Hewson, Simona Brown, Tom Bateman, Tom Bateman and others

This one is a supernatural and psychological thriller that had already aired back in the year 2021 with an approximate count of 6 episodes. The plot of this British supernatural thriller runs behind a love triangle between Louise, a single mother, her boss, and his beloved wife. The affectionate tale soon changed to a dark love story, when Louise finds herself in between dark secrets. Sounds tantalizing? Watch it out for some real thrill.