TV

10 great mystery shows like Amazon’s ‘Homecoming’

What to watch after you finish the psychological thriller!

Here’s a few suggestions of interesting mystery shows to watch while you wait for season two!

The Haunting of Hill House

Image: Netflix

The show, created by Mike Flanagan (Gerald’s Game and Hush), is about a family growing up in a strange house, until something terrible happens one night, causing everyone, except for the mother, to flee. Years later, they all are forced back together to face the damage that’s been haunting them ever since the night they left Hill House. Beautifully shot, with great acting, this show is amazing, and even if you don’t love horror, it’s worth watching.

Where to watch: Netflix

Over the Garden Wall

Image: Cartoon Network

This animated limited series, about two brothers getting lost in the woods, may not seem so complex at first glance. But Patrick McHale’s Emmy-winning series, starring Elijah Wood as the voice of Wirt, is multi-layered, heartwarming, and extremely funny, and the strange things Wirt and Greg encounter in the woods will have you questioning what’s really happening until the last episode.

Where to watch: Hulu

Big Little Lies

Image: HBO

Big Little Lies on HBO is about a group of moms living in an idyllic seaside town, until a murder unravels their seemingly perfect lives. The show has a star-studded cast, featuring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley, and over the course of the first season, it slowly reveals who was murdered and how it came to happen.

Where to watch: HBO GO/ HBO NOW

The OA

Image: Netflix

About a girl who returns home no longer blind after missing seven years, The OA is a huge mystery, with every small detail important in figuring it out. Prairie Johnson (Brit Marling), the now returned young woman, brings together a group of strangers to tell them what happened during those seven years she was gone. Her tale is weird and far-fetched, and you will be constantly questioning whether she’s making this all up or actually telling the truth.

Where to watch: Netflix

The Keepers

Image: Netflix

The only nonfiction show on this list, The Keepers is sad and enraging, but it brings to light some very real horrors of our world. This docuseries is an investigation into the unsolved murder of Sister Cathy Cesnick, by two of her former students. What they uncover goes so much deeper, exposing a multitude of crimes committed fifty years earlier, and how far the Catholic Church went to cover them up.

Where to watch: Netflix

The Sinner

Image: USA

Now on season two, The Sinner is an anthology-style series about figuring out why ordinary people commit horrible crimes. In season one, Jessica Biel stars as Cora Tannetti, a woman who stabs a random man to death and confesses to the crime, but has no memory of why she did it. Bill Pullman stars the detective on her case, and in season two, his character investigates a different case, about a thirteen-year-old boy who poisoned his parents.

Where the watch: Netflix and USA

American Vandal

Image: Netflix

Completely opposite in tone, American Vandal is a mockumentary series about high school crimes. The first season follows the investigation of a high school prank where someone drew phallic images on twenty-seven teachers’ cars. The school expels the class clown, Dylan Maxwell, but he swears his innocent. It’s a hilarious show, but also a very smart satire and exploration of our fascination with true-crime.

Where to watch: Netflix

The Leftovers

Image: HBO

The Leftovers is set in a small town, three years after an unexplained event resulted in two percent of the world’s population disappearing. Those who are left try to live a normal life while wondering why they were left behind. The show has three seasons, and the characters’ lives get slowly stranger as Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux), Chief of Police, tries to keep his town, and family, together.

Where to watch: HBO GO/HBO NOW

Lost

Image: ABC

Most people have heard of Lost, the show created by J.J. Abrams about a group of people whose plane crashes on what seems to be a deserted island. It quickly gets strange and a little bit confusing, veering into science-fiction and supernatural elements, but with a strong focus on the characters and their development. There’s six seasons, a huge, talented cast, and the show continues to have a cult-like following even now, almost nine years later.

Where to watch: Hulu

Mr. Robot

Image: USA

Mr. Robot, Sam Esmail’s other show, is about Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), an extremely smart cyber-security engineer who works as a vigilante hacker in his spare time. Diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and depression, Elliot is recruited by “Mr. Robot” (Christian Slater), the leader of a group of hackers called “fsociety,” who plan to destroy all debt by attacking one of the largest corporations in the world.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime and USA

(Featured Image: Netflix/USA/ABC)

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Devon Forward

Devon is an artist, writer, and current student of film/television development. She loves anything science fiction or fantasy, and her favorite show is Charmed, which kick-started her obsession with powerful yet imperfect female characters. You can usually find her somewhere analyzing a tv show or reading a good book. On Twitter @dev4wrd

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