15 Best Shows To Watch If You Like Dexter Update 03/2024

Shows To Watch If You Like Dexter

Dexter is a unique crime drama, but once the series concludes, fans will be looking for something to take its place. These fantastic productions may be just what you’re looking for.

Fans of Michael C. Hall’s performance as Dexter Morgan, the unconventional hero, know that nothing will come close to it. There are many TV series that place emphasis on showing viewers what the antagonist thinks and feels, but Dexter does just the opposite. It focuses on how Dexter Morgan deals with his “dark passenger” and what he learns through forensic hookups and other sneaky ways of avoiding the law in an unconventional way.

While it’s entertaining, it also has a tendency to make viewers fall in love with one of the characters they’re following only to have that love snatched away. A love-hate relationship with someone who breaks the law is a strange feeling, but it works for some characters. Over the course of eight seasons, viewers got to see Dexter change and mature, fall in love, commit gory murders, and interact with the people closest to him on a daily basis.

Matthew Wilkinson made the following update on November 24th, 2020: Recently, the news that the popular series Dexter would be returning shocked and delighted fans. Even though the story appeared to be over, interest remains high. There are a lot of great crime shows that provide just as much suspense and excitement to keep viewers entertained until the next appearance of Dexter.

1. Top Of The Lake

Top Of The Lake

Elizabeth Moss previously played a detective assigned to a case involving a missing 12-year-old girl in New Zealand before making her iconic debut in The Handmaid’s Tale. Viewers are immersed in the mind of her character as a woman thanks to this show, which closely follows her character’s journey.

The flawed and human sides of the characters are revealed in this two-season series, making it even better.

2. The Following

Viewers were entertained by a story about an FBI agent and a cult of killers on The Following from 2013 to 2015. Cult members are drawn together by a common desire to kill and would otherwise be strangers.

Similarly to Breaking Bad and Dexter, law enforcement often appears to be lagging behind the true villain, and the various puzzles and pieces that must be put together to get there are always fascinating to watch. This one, which features Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy, is a must-see.

3. Homeland

Homeland

In contrast to other crime shows, this one features a lot of action, making it an engaging watch from beginning to end. There’s a lot of suspense in this one as a CIA agent tries to track down a prisoner who may have joined Al-Qaeda.

While Dexter Morgan isn’t the series’ standout anti-hero, there are plenty of twists and turns to enjoy, as well as plenty of moral questions to ponder, just like Dexter. Homeland is a thrilling show that is also a lot of fun to watch in general.

4. Breaking Bad

It’s extremely rare for a viewer to dislikeBreaking Bad. As with Dexter, this show has something for everyone and chronicles the rise and fall of Walter White, the show’s central character (Brian Cranston). White is a brilliant scientist with a natural aptitude for chemistry.

He’s dressed in a white hat, but in reality, he has a secret identity and is on the verge of becoming the bad guy. When paired with Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), he makes for a fantastic on-screen couple.

5. Line Of Duty

Line Of Duty

Line of Duty has quickly risen to prominence as one of the most popular crime shows on television, thanks in large part to the intense secrecy surrounding the production. As DS Steve Arnott joins the anti-corruption unit, he joins a team of specialists tasked with capturing the most dangerous criminals.

While trying to figure out who ‘H’ is, there are plenty of lies, secrets, and deceptions along the way from corrupt police officers who are secretly committing crimes. Like Dexter, nobody can be trusted on this show, and the characters are easy to identify with, which only serves to heighten the tension throughout the entire season!

6. The Killing (2011)

The Killing was a great show with a lot of depth, but it only lasted four seasons before it was cancelled. Investigative partners Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder of the Seattle Police Department try to find and apprehend serial killers in the story.

There are good, bad, and ugly sides to both of them, and viewers get to see it all. The acting is superb, and there is an air of mystery about it all.

7. The Fall

The Fall

Jamie Dornan was a serial killer in Belfast, Ireland, before he became Christian Gray in Fifty Shades of Grey. As a result of this role, fans will get to see a more nuanced side of Dornan and his range as an actor.

Like Dexter, Paul Spector’s (Jamie Dornan) life is brought to life for the audience, and they see the ups and downs, the scary moments, and the love-hate relationships that viewers will undoubtedly have with their favorite characters.

8. You

This is the perfect crime series for people to watch because of the similarities between You and Dexter. It also features a lead anti-hero character who justifies their crimes by invoking a convoluted moral code that they believe they are following.

Throughout the story, we follow Joe as he makes a series of disastrous attempts at finding love, leading to the injury of others. With Joe providing constant commentary, much like Dexter, and him portraying a cold and calculated killer, it’s clear that this is a show that any Dexter fan would enjoy.

9. True Detective

Each season of True Detective introduced new characters and a new approach to the story. Instead of concentrating on the assassin, the film explored the personal lives of the detectives.

The show, which features Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, is top-notch in terms of both acting and plot. The first season was the brightest and most popular, but there were two others.

10. Mindhunter

Mindhunter

Mindhunter immerses its viewers in the world of criminal research, infamous serial killers, and the lives of FBI agents who try to understand the reasoning behind these heinous acts, taking them back to a time when the term “serial killer” was new.

They are also working on other cases at the same time. Even though it moves at a slow pace, the excellent acting and gripping crime story make up for it.

11. American Crime Story

For many fans of crime shows, nothing beats seeing a true crime brought to light on television in the form of a drama. Most of the time, this is a documentary, but American Crime Story did an excellent job of turning the world-famous OJ case into a drama.

This show has a great ensemble cast, and every actor gives it his or her all. When it’s obvious how things will go in this show still pays attention to small details and how people interacted with each other back then, which makes for some tense moments in the story.

12. Hannibal

Anthony Hopkin’s portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs made him a household name in the horror genre. There’s no better way to honor the classic than to turn it into a television series. Lecter assists a criminal profiler in solving unsolvable crimes in this show, which is a departure from the norm.

However, Lecter’s goal is to destabilize the system rather than improve it, making him reminiscent of Dexter Morgan.

13. Criminal

Criminal

Fans of Dexter will love Netflix’s Criminal series, which is quite different from anything else on the network. Each episode of this series features a detective team questioning a different suspect about a different crime, which keeps the show fresh.

While the team remains the same, the dynamic between them is on display, and many of the answers as to whether or not certain people are guilty are left to the viewer’s discretion. Because the show never leaves the interrogation room, the focus is solely on the dialogue, making it an extremely tense experience to watch.

14. CSI: Miami

From 2002 to 2012, CSI: Miami delighted viewers with a plethora of cases while also remaining an engaging show to watch. Because it’s set in Miami, like Dexter, it’s a no-brainer. A core group of characters is tasked with locating and apprehending criminals.

While it won’t be a slow-burner or a hard-to-solve show, this is a show about crime, law enforcement, and gorgeous, sandy beaches.

15. Mr. Robot

Mr. Robot

Mr. Robot is a hybrid of a drama and a thriller about a computer genius who moonlights as a computer hacker in his spare time. Alderson is played by Rami Malek with the ease of a second skin, and the show only gets better with each passing season thanks to the growth of the characters and the situations they find themselves in.

Alderson, like Dexter, is a lone wolf who goes about his business undetected.