The Doctor Will See You Now
Prodigal Son is a deliciously twisted episodic crime thriller that manages to combine some interesting cases with an eclectic group of characters. While there is a larger story going on here, it’s the individual mysteries that keep this one so enjoyable. If you’ve finished watching this one and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing. To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have. Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with. So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Prodigal Son.
La Mante
Similarities – Serial Killer In Prison, Cat & Mouse Chase
Split across six episodes, La Mante (The Mantis in English) is a French crime thriller boasting a well written script and decent acting. The violence is brutally depicted and some of the scenes are genuinely cringe-inducing. Set in France, a series of brutal murders lead to a notorious serial killer known as The Mantis captured and jailed for life. When a copycat killer surfaces years later and continues the reign of terror she started, the police are at a loss for leads. This is a simple series in truth but one that holds a decent mystery at the heart of it. You can read our thoughts on La Mante in our season review here!
Hannibal
Similarities – Unsettling Atmosphere
If you’re looking for a deliciously sinister thriller that hits all the right notes, look no further. The story of Hannibal predominantly revolves around two key characters; the calculated cannibal Hannibal Lector and criminal profiler Will Graham. Interestingly, Will can “see” crimes as they happen which gives him an edge while out in the field. Each episode has a different case to deal with but an overarching story tackles one murder in particular that brings both these characters together. Mads Mikkelsen does an incredible job portraying Hannibal Lector and the chemistry between these two leads is enough to make for a unique offering in the crime drama genre. You can read our thoughts on Hannibal in our full season review here!
Killing Eve
Similarities – Characters & Action
Playing on the archetypal tropes you’d expect to see in the spy genre, Killing Eve confidently walks a fine line between dark comedy and gritty drama. The story predominantly revolves around two women; bored, excitement-starved MI6 agent Eve and illusive assassin Villanelle. Their stories run parallel to one another during the opening few episodes before converging together in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Across three seasons, some excellent acting make this a unique slice of the crime drama pie. It’s not perfect, and at times the story does suffer from some serious contrivances. Despite that though, Killing Eve is a great option for anyone after a lively and dramatic crime drama. You can read our thoughts on Killing Eve in our full season review here!
Sherlock
Similarities: Mystery, Plot Twists & Characters
Adapting a classic novel and making it contemporary and relevant whilst maintaining the essence of the original is no easy feat. It’s something we’ve seen many shows and films struggle to achieve. Steven Moffat’s modern adaptation of Sherlock is one that bucks the trend for the most part, nailing the feel and authenticity of the book and its characters. The natural chemistry between the two lead characters, John Watson and Sherlock Holmes, is ultimately what makes this show so appealing and together they elevate this show into one of the best in recent memory. The cases themselves are pretty good and while the later seasons do career off into the usual convoluted Moffat plots, the opening two seasons are absolutely fantastic and enough to recommend this one. You can read our thoughts on Sherlock in our full season reviews here!
Fringe
Similarities – Sci-Fi & Mystery
Fringe feels like a modern day X-Files, taking what made that show so great and adding a scientific edge to proceedings. The later seasons are absolutely fantastic and add some really shocking twists to the fold too, breathing new life into this show. Fronting these various cases is F.B.I. agent called Olivia Dunham, who’s forced to work with an institutionalized scientist named Walter Bishop. Together with Walter’s estranged son Peter, they start to uncover various strange phenomena. These episodic cases are mixed in with a larger conspiracy that engulfs the series. Fringe expertly blends these two narrative arcs together and tops it off with an excellent dynamic between the characters, growing and evolving over time to produce a really gripping sci-fi series. You can read our thoughts on Fringe in our full season review here!
The Mentalist
Similarities: Tone & Backstory
Patrick Jane works as an independent consultant for the CBI (California Bureau Of Investigation) with an impressive track record for solving serious crimes thanks to his observation skills. On top of that, he also makes frequent use of his mentalist abilities to lead witnesses and offenders into divulging facts known only to them. Split across 7 seasons, The Mentalist adds this hook across a number of different episodes, chock full of plot twists and interesting cases to boot. There’s also an intriguing long-form story about Patrick trying to find a madman called “Red John” who killed his wife and daughter. If you liked the tone of Prodigal Son, you should be in your element with this one.
Lie To Me
Armed with a surprising amount of humour and a premise that feels quite similar to The Mentalist, Lie To Me puts its unique hook to great use across its 3 seasons. The story here revolves around Dr Cal Lightman who teaches a course in body language and makes a fortune exploiting it. Using his skills, Cal has an equally adept best friend in Dr. Gillian Foster. She’s a behavioral psychologist and together they create The Lightman Group. This freelance consulting firm is then hired by various different high-profile clients including the FBI and secret service. Intriguing, well written and packed full of interesting cases, Lie To Me is certainly worth checking out.
Dexter
Before the show went completely off the rails with an incredibly polarizing ending, Dexter trail-blazed its way into small screen infamy. With an interesting plot, some devious narration and a lot of compelling cases across its 8-season run, Dexter is an incredibly unique series. The story itself revolves around a man named Dexter Morgan. Working for the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood spatter analyst, on the surface he seems like an ordinary guy. Only, off the clock he spends his time hunting and killing bad guys that slip through the justice system. A serial killer that only goes after the wicked, Dexter is a show that mixes an uncomfortable level of dread with a lot of compelling cases. If you can forgive the final season blunders, this one serves up a lot of enjoyment.
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is a longstanding crime drama with a lot of memorable cases. Of course, with any show that runs for this long, the earlier seasons are far superior to what comes later on, but there’s certainly a lot to like here. Based in Quantico, Virginia, Criminal Minds revolves around the Behavioral Analysis Unit (B.A.U) of the FBI. This team is then called in to assist with solving extremely violent or serial cases where the perpetrator is unknown. Using all the profiling tricks in the book, the team work together to solve various different cases before the killer(s) can strike again. While a lot of these episodes tend to fall into cliched stand-offs and hostage situations, the personal lives of the main ensemble helps to give this a bit more depth and keep you sticking around for the long haul.
The Alienist
Similarities – Period Drama & Tone
Gritty melodrama The Alienist is a stylishly produced detective series set in the late 19th Century. Boasting impressive cinematography, realistic costume design and a host of well written characters, The Alienist is essentially a blend of police procedural and psychological thriller. At the center of this show is newspaper illustrator John Moore, who meets with a criminal psychologist (see: Alienist) called Dr Laszlo Kreizler. Together, they team up with the help of childhood friend Sara Howard to get to the bottom of a gruesome and mysterious murder. The second season then switches things up to see Sara Howard as the central protagonist, with another season-long mystery and a lively pace. Bloody, tense and full of fascinating psychological developments, The Alienist is well worth checking out. You can read our thoughts on The Alienist in our full season review here! So there we have it, our 10 TV show alternatives to watch when you’re finished with Prodigal Son on Fox/Sky. What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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