When The Blacklist first aired in 2013, it captured our attention by ramping up the thrill and suspense of existing procedural police dramas. More importantly, the series also introduced two fascinating characters who turned their unlikely partnership into a dynamic duo. It’s no mystery that fans are searching for more shows like The Blacklist.
The series kicks off when Raymond ‘Red’ Redmond, the FBI’s most-wanted fugitive, turns himself in. Red agrees to cooperate with the FBI and bring down criminals and terrorists at large on the condition that FBI rookie Elizabeth Keen acts as his handler. Though the partnership starts on shaky ground, they soon discover that they are more suited to working with each other than they initially thought and their first assignment ends in success. Just when their work together appears to be done, Red reveals ‘The Blacklist’, a compilation of the deadliest and best-hidden criminals; this takes Red and Keen’s unlikely partnership to a whole new level.
Why We Want More Shows Like The Blacklist
The Blacklist employed a formula of bringing unpredictable twists and exciting new villains to viewers each week. Even so, it was the complex and ever-evolving relationship between Red and Keen that really kept viewers coming back for more.
James Spader led the series as Red after a four-year run on ABC’s Boston Legal as Alan Shore. He slipped seamlessly into the crime thriller genre with this spellbinding performance. Other credits include The Office, Lincoln, and Avengers, Age of Ultron. As Red, Spader portrays a character you love to hate and hate to love.
Megan Boone stars as Elizabeth Keen, an FBI profiler who proves to be as determined as she is inexperienced when she first meets Red. She also played Keen in two episodes of The Blacklist: Redemption and has also appeared in other TV series such as Blue Bloods, Robot Chicken, and Law & Order: LA. Boone brings great strength and resilience to the role of Elizabeth Keen.
If you are searching for more shows like The Blacklist to watch before Season 6 airs in 2019, be sure to check out these great series—each a thrilling and suspenseful crime drama with a dynamic duo at the helm.
Hannibal
A gifted profiler by the name of Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) partners with a master of deception, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) and two brilliant minds team up to solve a bad case of cannibalism. Catch Hannibal if dark psychological thrillers are your thing (and if you can stomach some harrowing visuals).
Synopsis: Explores the early relationship between the renowned psychiatrist and his patient, a young FBI criminal profiler, who is haunted by his ability to empathize with serial killers.
Hannibal was created by Bryan Fuller and aired on NBC from 2013 to 2015. It is available on Netflix and Sky Box Sets.
Person of Interest
This opposites-attract duo features a genius and reclusive billionaire and a burned CIA operative played by Emmy Winner Michael Emerson (Lost) and Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ), respectively. Talented performances are backed by established creators JJ Abrams (Star Trek, Star Wars, Westworld) and Jonathan Nolan (Westworld, Interstellar, The Dark Knight). Check out Person on Interest if a thrilling world of heroes, villains, and artificial intelligence appeals to you.
Synopsis: An ex-assassin and a wealthy programmer save lives via a surveillance AI that sends them the identities of civilians involved in impending crimes. However, the details of the crimes—including the civilians’ roles—are left a mystery.
The CBS show ran from 2011 to 2016. It was recently available on Netflix, but no longer is. It is available to purchase on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.
Sherlock
Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman give superb performances in this contemporary take on the Conan Doyle classic. The series’ feature-length episodes re-invent those from Doyle’s books and make many clever nods to the source material. Catch Sherlock if you’re a fan of anything and everything Holmes.
Synopsis: A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.
Sherlock first aired in 2010 and has returned at irregular intervals, meaning an air date for the next season is difficult to predict. As we wait, existing seasons are available on Netflix.
Elementary
Jonny Lee Miller’s Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu’s Dr. Joan Watson bring yet another modern twist to the classic crime-solving partnership. It aired two years after Sherlock and despite initial criticism for being a “copycat” show, Elementary proved itself to be an entertaining watch and eventually won back skeptics and critics alike. This version introduces new archetypes to the Holmes canon. The series depicts Holmes as a recovering addict and Watson as a woman. Binge this series if you’re curious to see how an adventure across the pond goes for Holmes and Watson.
Synopsis: A modern take on the cases of Sherlock Holmes, with the detective now living in New York City.
The CBS series, created by Robert Doherty, launched in 2012 with Season 7 (currently in production) expected in April 2019. At the time of writing there is one season available on NOW TV, although this is expiring on 7th November. Episodes of Elementary tend to come and go fairly regularly on NOW TV.
Mindhunter
Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany co-star in this Netflix original series as partnered FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench. Produced and partially directed by David Fincher (Se7en, Zodiac), the series’ 10-episode arc unfolds like a well-crafted film. Moreover, it takes a binge-worthy look at the origin of the criminal psychology and methodology developed in the 1970s. Watch Mindhunter if psychological crime dramas pique your interest.
Synopsis: Set in the late 1970s, two FBI agents are tasked with interviewing serial killers to solve open cases.
The Netflix series was created by Joe Penhall. Season 1 aired last year with a follow-up season ordered six months before the show even premiered. Season 2 is due to arrive in 2019 while the first installment is currently available via Netflix.
The Americans
The Americans is a Cold War espionage series that adds a domestic twist to the crime genre. Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell) and her “husband” Philip (Matthew Rhys) demonstrate how faking married life and raising two kids adds a challenging new dimension to spycraft. Catch this series if a balancing act with high stakes appeals to you.
Synopsis: At the height of the Cold War, two Russian agents pose as your average American couple, complete with family.
The series aired for six consecutive seasons between 2013 and 2018. The first 5 seasons are available to watch on Amazon Prime Video for free if you are a Prime subscriber.
The Blacklist: Redemption
Finally, there’s The Blacklist: Redemption, a spin-off following Tom Keen from the original series. The series stars Famke Janssen, Ryan Eggold, and Edi Gathegi. Unfortunately, Redemption was canceled after one season.
Synopsis: Covert operative Tom Keen joins forces with Susan “Scottie” Hargrave, the brilliant and cunning chief of a covert mercenary organization that solves problems that are too dangerous for the government.
The single season, which launched in 2017, is available on NOW TV.
And if you’ve made it through this list of shows like The Blacklist, there’s always the option of binge-watching it all over again. The first 4 seasons of the Blacklist are available to watch on NOW TV here until the 1st October 2019.
Now there is going to be Series 7 of The Black List , when are we getting series6 in U K !!!! ….?….
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Hey! We’re still awaiting the air date to be announced. It’s looking likely to come out in Summer.