10 Best TV Shows Like Smoke

True crime has quickly become one of the biggest, most popular genres of entertainment, and it's not just movies and TV shows, as true crime podcasts are also taking audiences by storm. Amateur investigators around the world have launched entire careers examining some of the most heinous and often overlooked crimes around — the kind that seem to get swept under the rug. One such podcast, "Firebug," about a convicted serial arsonist named John Leonard Orr, has been adapted into an Apple TV+ drama.

"Smoke" retells the true story of Orr, an arson investigator who moonlighted as a serial fire-starter. As the series shows, he worked alongside police to track down the person responsible for the blazes he would set with the intent of throwing authorities off his scent. It stars Taron Egerton as Orr, who, over the course of some 30 years, set nearly 2,000 fires, killing four people along the way.

The brainchild of writer and producer Dennis Lehane, "Smoke" was met with strong reviews for its haunting portrayal of a devious sociopath who works with investigators to "solve" the very crimes he's perpetrating. A slow burn of a series — pun definitely intended — "Smoke" was praised by the Guardian, who declared that "no TV show has ever been worth sticking with more." Once you've finished it, though, you're probably eager to find something else like it, whether it's a similar story or another series that evokes the same grim feeling of a true crime story. Well, no need to pull the fire alarm, because we've put together a list of the 10 best shows like "Smoke" to watch next.

After watching "Smoke," the first show you should tune in to is "Black Bird." Not only is it also an Apple TV+ series — which makes it easy to pop on with a few clicks of the remote if you've just finished "Smoke" — but it's another production from the team of Dennis Lehane and Taron Egerton. Like "Smoke," it's based on a true story, this time adapted from the book "In with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption," an autobiography by former FBI informant James Keene.

In the mid-1990s, Keene (Egerton) is involved in the marijuana trade when he's busted as part of a sting operation. Sentenced to 10 years in prison, he's offered a deal by the FBI to become an informant in exchange for his freedom. The Bureau is after Larry Hall, a convicted serial killer who is being housed at a facility for the mentally insane. Hall is fighting his conviction, and the FBI believes that Keene's charming, smooth-talking demeanor could be just what they need. If Keene can befriend Hall, they hope that they can nail the madman for a dozen other killings and ensure he spends the rest of his life behind bars.

Like "Smoke," "Black Bird" tells a gripping true story, and while the plot may differ, it shares the same edge-of-your-seat drama, with another understated performance from Egerton. Co-star Paul Hauser compared the series to "A Few Good Men," and with plenty of surprises and a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, it might be the best series on Apple TV+.

"Smoke" is based on a podcast about an arson investigator who turns out to be the man behind the very gruesome crimes he's investigating. A similar story plays out in "The Thing About Pam," another miniseries adapted from a podcast that chronicled a true crime; in this case, the baffling murder of Betsy Faria, who had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. At first, her husband, Russ, is accused of the crime, but in time, evidence turns up that one of Betsy's co-workers, Pam Hupp, may have been involved.

When Betsy Faria's body is discovered strangled and stabbed to death, authorities immediately zero in on her husband, Russ Faria (Glenn Fleshler), as the prime suspect in the murder. But the two investigating detectives are confounded when they discover that Betsy's life insurance beneficiary was recently switched to her co-worker Hupp, the very woman who was repeatedly implicating Russ as the killer. Did Russ murder his wife in retaliation, or did Pam do the deed to get the life insurance payout while pinning the crime on Betsy's husband?

Renee Zellweger's portrayal of Pam Hupp demonstrates just how far she's come since "Bridget Jones' Diary," as she provides a mesmerizing central performance. It all adds up to a captivating true crime mystery that follows the criminal investigation into both Russ and Pam, as well as the media circus that followed. Though it has a more sensationalistic tone than "Smoke," "The Thing About Pam" provides audiences with stirring performances, a riveting mystery, and dramatic reveals.

In "Smoke," the audience is presented with the disturbing case of a serial arsonist and the investigators who are determined to solve the mystery of who is behind them. The culprit, of course, turns out to be much closer to home than anyone expected, and a similar story plays out in "Deadwater Fell," a drama about a deadly fire that kills a family — and the search for the person responsible that leads to a disturbing truth.

In the sleepy Scottish town of Kirkdarroch, a horrific tragedy shakes the community to its core when the home of the Kendricks, a respected family in the village, burns to the ground. The fire takes the lives of the entire family — except for husband and father Tom Kendrick (David Tennant). But as the people of Kirkdarroch try to rebuild, it becomes increasingly clear that the fire that claimed the lives of Tom's family was most likely not an accident. Worse still, anyone and everyone is a potential culprit in the crime, with even Tom himself being suspected of playing a part in his family's deaths.

Clocking in at just four episodes, "Deadwater Fell" manages to lay out a commendable level of atmosphere and tension, as both the audience and the people of Kirkdarroch unravel the truth of what really went on that night. With stellar performances from series leads Tennant and Cush Jumbo (whose appearance here is something of a "Doctor Who" reunion since she had a stint on the spin-off series "Torchwood"), "Deadwater Fell" tackles complex themes of grief and abusive relationships. It's a grim story that, while not based in truth like "Smoke," has a similar premise delivered in a decidedly British style that gives Tennant one of his best-ever roles.

When it comes to true crime dramas based on true stories of the worst criminals hunted by law enforcement, the closest match to "Smoke" might be the David Fincher series, "Mindhunter." Its suspenseful story follows the efforts of a small group of investigators who believe they have a new way of catching criminals using an emerging new field of behavioral analysis and psychological profiling.

Set in the late 1970s, "Mindhunter" introduces us to a trio of FBI agents, Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff), Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), and Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) — fictionalized versions of real agents from the era. They're studying the concept of behavioral analysis to see if they can use it to identify criminals by learning how the mind of a killer works. Their research leads them into interviews with some of the nation's worst and most notorious serial killers, including Ed Kemper (Cameron Britton), Charles Manson (Damon Herriman), and Richard Speck (Jack Erdie).

Season 2 of the series sees the agents using their research during their hunt for the killer responsible for the 1981 Atlanta child murders. Dark and gloomy, the series offers a chilling insight into the world of serial killers and the disturbing work that had to be done to develop methods of catching them before they can strike again. Nominated for a pair of Prime Time Emmys, the series was a smash hit, and though fans have been waiting years, there's sadly unlikely to be a third season, though Fincher is reportedly interested in returning to the show via a trio of two-hour Netflix movies.

When a deadly crime hits a small, close-knit community, it can have devastating repercussions that affect people beyond those directly involved. That's exactly what happens in "Smoke," and it's also the focal point of "Mare of Easttown," a gloomy police drama set in the titular fictional suburb located in the region on the outskirts of Philadelphia known as Declo.

The HBO crime drama stars Academy Award nominee Kate Winslet, who works with a stellar supporting cast that includes Julianne Nicholson, Guy Pearce, Cailee Spaeny, and Evan Peters. Winslet plays beleaguered detective Mare Sheehan, a woman haunted by her son's suicide. She is battling for custody over her grandchild while in the midst of an acrimonious split from her husband, and her police career isn't doing much better, as she's often shunned for her failure to solve a high-profile case. When a teenage mother is tragically found dead, it gives Mare a chance at redemption.

A series that puts as much focus on the lives of its characters as it does on the crime itself, "Mare of Easttown" explores the harsh realities of crime in small-town America, particularly the type of community where everyone knows everyone, but secrets are still somehow swept under living room rugs. The series was an instant critical darling upon its premiere, snagging multiple Emmy wins across its two seasons, with Winslet herself picking up a trophy for her performance as Mare, while it ranks high on Looper's list of best crime shows of all time.

Sometimes it takes more than one agency to solve a heinous crime. We see this in "Smoke," where an arson investigator must work with a Metro police officer to track a pair of criminals setting deadly fires in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Likewise, "Untamed" involves a pair of investigators from different agencies who must work together to solve a murder in the wilderness at Yosemite National Park.

In the series, Eric Bana plays Kyle Turner, a homicide investigator and special agent for the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch. He's also a troubled soul; a man struggling to cope with the death of his son, Turner has had a hard time keeping it together and often uses his work to avoid dealing with his problems. He has a tougher job than most law enforcers, tasked with overseeing crimes that occur across the vast stretches of wilderness at Yosemite. With miles upon miles of forest and uncivilized land — with scant officers to patrol it — the region is the perfect place to get away with murder. So when a body turns up after falling from a rocky summit, Turner must work with Naya Vasquez (Lily Santiago), a young, fresh-faced park ranger, to get to the bottom of what really happened.

With a brutal crime, a mystery with few clues, and a haunted investigator played by a big-screen star, "Untamed" has many of the hallmarks of "Smoke." Its wilderness setting offers something different, though, making the series a nice change from crime dramas set in the city and suburbs.

The often uncomfortable dynamic between "Smoke's" two investigators is integral to the series' nail-biting suspense. While the reasons for their animosity aren't the same, the tension found between the two lead coppers in 2011's "The Bridge" creates a similar kind of suspense. The series is adapted from a book by Hans Rosenfeldt, who'd previously been a contributing writer on "Wallander" and whose later work included episodes of "Marcella" and "The Burning Girls."

"The Bridge" is a joint production between networks in both Sweden and Denmark, a team-up that's mirrored in the series' narrative. The story revolves around two detectives, one from each country, as they're forced to work together to solve a murder that occurs right on the border between them. It all starts with the discovery of a dead body on Øresund Bridge, the main road that connects Copenhagen to the Swedish city of Malmö. Because the body is found precisely at the midpoint of the bridge, Swedish investigator Saga Norén (Sofia Helin) is assigned to the case alongside Danish detective Martin Rohde (Kim Bodnia, better known as Vesemir on "The Witcher").

If you enjoyed "Smoke" and don't mind subtitles, then "The Bridge" might be the best foreign crime drama for you. If you're someone who can't handle reading while watching your entertainment, there's always the American remake, which changes the case to a serial killer and shifts the setting to the region along the Texas-Mexico border.

While you've got Apple TV+ up and running after bingeing "Smoke" and "Black Bird," check out the 2022 series, "Suspicion," from British screenwriter Rob Williams. Adapted from an Israeli production called "False Flag," like "Smoke," "Suspicion" involves a sinister crime, the perpetrator of which may be closer than anyone imagines. Here, though, it's not the investigator who's behind it, but one of a group of people who are suspected of being involved in a shocking, high-profile kidnapping.

The story kicks off with the disappearance of Leo Newman (Gerran Howell), the son of American businesswoman Katherine Newman (Uma Thurman), who runs a highly respected PR agency. After her son is abducted by five masked individuals in London, in short order, the perpetrators begin peppering social media with video of the kidnapping in an apparent effort to expose the dirty dealings of Katherine's agency. Desperate to find the culprit, British authorities make a series of arrests, but each suspect insists on their innocence. Despite their protests, British agents of the National Investigative Service — in coordination with the American Federal Bureau of Investigations — are certain that at least one of them is involved.

A conspiracy thriller that will have you pointing fingers in every direction, the mystery surrounding the abduction will have you just as confounded as "Smoke," wondering just who the killer could be.

What happens when a suspicious crime is committed at home — and there are few places to look for the perpetrator but within its walls? Like "Smoke," the 2018 Netflix series "The Staircase" is based on true events. Adapted from a 2004 documentary of the same name, the story chronicles the mystifying case of Kathleen Peterson, a woman whose husband, Michael, claimed to have discovered her dead after falling down the stairs.

In this dramatic retelling, Colin Firth and Toni Collette play Michael and Kathleen. Following Kathleen's death, Michael is immediately arrested, as evidence suggests that he may have beaten her to death and staged the fall down the stairs. As Michael maintains his innocence, revelations about infidelity within his marriage — and a similar incident revealed to have taken place years earlier — cause questions to swirl about whether he could have really done it. As the family finds themselves divided in Michael's defense, a bitter trial ensues with prosecutors believing that he murdered his wife in a fit of rage and hatched a bold plan to cover up his crime ... but their case hinges on questionable testimony.

With compelling evidence coming from both sides, the question of who killed Kathleen Peterson lingers to this day. If you're not familiar with the case, you may want to watch the series first, as it's even more enthralling if you don't know what's going to happen. A deeper dive into the case with the 2004 documentary is recommended as a follow-up, as it offers additional insight that will have you questioning everything you've already learned.

If you're looking for another series that revolves around a deadly fire and the ensuing investigation — and is based on a true story, like "Smoke" — then look no further than "Burning Body," a Spanish-language thriller produced by Netflix in 2023. The series tells the story of the so-called 'Guardia Urbana crime,' an incident that occurred in 2017, in which a local police officer was found dead, his body burned to a crisp and left in the trunk of a car that had been set aflame.

Úrsula Corberó stars as Rosa Peral, a cop who is dating a fellow officer, Pedro Rodríguez (José Manuel Poga), while dealing with a custody battle involving Rosa's daughter and her ex-boyfriend, Javi (Isak Férriz). When Pedro is found dead in the trunk of a burned-out car, Javi becomes a suspect, while there are also questions regarding recent scandals within the police department. But before long, evidence of a love triangle emerges, and the subject of Rosa's romantic life becomes a focal point of the investigation, with evidence pointing to the possible involvement of a fellow officer, Albert López (Quim Gutiérrez).

With a broader story that goes beyond the murder itself, "Burning Body" explores the corruption, lies, and betrayal that can happen behind closed doors. It's also an unexpectedly steamy erotic thriller, with a real-life love affair that fuels a grisly murder.