The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting darker. What better way to spend those dark nights, than binge-watching some great thrillers? Here are 5 shows on Netflix that will help you get your “chill” on right in time for Halloween!
Side note: I love foreign movies and TV, as you will see from my list below. Most of these shows have subtitles, although with some you can choose the dubbed English version in your Netflix settings. If you are not used to subtitles, don’t worry! These shows are so good, you will forget you are reading the dialogue and just get lost in the stories.
Tabula Rasa – 9 episodes (Belgium)
As the story opens, the main character, Mie, is in an asylum because she can’t remember anything that happened after her accident. Her husband, Benoit, is as supportive as he can be but Mie can’t help but feel that something is wrong. On top of that, a detective keeps visiting her at the asylum asking her about the disappearance of Peter vanGeest. Mie has no recollection of him at all, except for a portrait that she drew of him in her diary.
This story takes us back and forth between present time with Mie at the asylum, to the months before her accident, in the old home that her family moved into. Something is wrong in that old house, and it’s affecting all of them, especially her daughter, Romy. Are there dark forces at play, or is Mie’s terror closer to home? And will Mie be able to face her past long enough to remember it?
This is a suspenseful story that will have you hooked from the tragic beginning to the shocking twist at the end. A perfect fall binge!
The Forest – 6 Episodes (France)
The Forest is a story of a small village in France whose world is rocked when a teenage girl disappears. Her last contact was with her teacher, who immediately went to the police when she realized that the girl was in trouble. The new police chief finds that it’s hard to run an investigation when the locals in his office keep evidence from him. Things take a turn for the worse when two more girls go missing. Is this a case of rebellious teenage runaways? Or is there something more sinister lurking in the forest?
This is a great small town mystery story, where everyone knows everyone else and everyone has something to hide. It will keep you guessing until the very end!
Dark – 10 episodes (Germany)
This story takes place in the small village of Winden, near a dark forest. Children are disappearing into the woods, never to be seen or heard from again. Strange noises come from the forest and electrical shortages are common. On top of it all, a hooded figure keeps showing up around the town, someone who seems to know what is going on. Is he responsible for the disappearances? This is an interwoven tale of three different time periods: 1953, 1986, and 2019, and without giving too much away, time travel is involved.
This series has been compared with the popular American Netflix series, Stranger Things because of the supernatural forces at work. I highly recommend watching this show. My husband and I were hooked!
LaMante – 6 Episodes (France)
LaMante, or Praying Mantis, is the name that the French police gave to the female serial killer that preyed on men. She was able to kill eight of them before she was finally caught 25 years earlier. Now, police are finding the bodies of men killed in the same style as the Mantis, which can only mean one thing. There is a copycat killer on the loose and the police turn to LaMante for help in tracking him down. She, however, will only agree to help if she can work with a young police detective named Damien, her estranged son. Hearing of his mother’s request, Damien is torn between having to see her again – the person he has deemed a monster his whole life – and wanting to stop the murderer before she strikes again.
LaMante has been compared to Silence of the Lambs, and for good reason! It gives an inside look into the brain of a serial killer, which is chilling to say the least. Watch with caution! There is a lot of gore in this one.
The Lava Field – 4 Episodes (Iceland)
In this story, police detective Helgi Runarsson is called in to help investigate the suicide of a prominent banker. He quickly realizes that it could not have been suicide and begins to suspect there is a lot more going on there than meets the eye. His investigation leads him right into the middle of an international drug ring. Things get really ugly when his own family is put into danger. Will Helgi be able to bring down the gang that is wreaking havoc on the town? And will he be able to do that in time to save his daughter?
The Lava Field was my first foray into Icelandic detective stories and was well worth the watch. I am now a big fan! Grab a blanket, a cup of tea, light the fire and enjoy!
Let me know if you have any other thrillers to watch this Halloween season. I am always looking for suggestion!
That’s all for now. Until next time, happy reading!
Great list. I haven’t watched any of these and need something to binge watch!
Let me know which one you start with. I suggest Tabula Rasa!