10 Shows Like You to Watch After the Series Finale

Key Takeaways

• You concluded after five seasons in April 2025, pulling 94 million views in its final run
• The Fall, Ripley, and Dexter lead the list of series featuring charismatic but dangerous protagonists
• Most recommended shows are available on major streamers including Netflix, Peacock, and Prime Video

Penn Badgley's Joe Goldberg stalked, manipulated, and murdered his way through five seasons of Netflix's You before the series reached its planned conclusion in April 2025. The final season pulled 94 million views and debuted at number one in 37 countries. Now that Joe's story is over, where do you go for your fix of charming, dangerous protagonists you know you shouldn't root for?

The appeal of You was never subtle. A handsome bookstore manager who murders the women he becomes obsessed with shouldn't be sympathetic. And yet the show forced viewers into Joe's headspace, making them complicit in his crimes through his internal monologue. It's a formula that works because it taps into something uncomfortable about how we consume stories about bad people.

“Joe Goldberg is a great cultural touchpoint to say, 'We still have a lot of work to do' regarding the standards and norms of who we find likable.”

— Penn Badgley, Lead Actor in You

Here are 10 series that deliver similar psychological thrills, moral ambiguity, and protagonists you'll love to hate.

The Fall (2013-2016)

Jamie Dornan plays Paul Spector, a Belfast family man who moonlights as a serial killer targeting professional women. He's not technically the protagonist. Gillian Anderson's Superintendent Stella Gibson co-leads as the London detective sent to crack the stalled investigation. But Dornan's Spector gets the same treatment as Joe Goldberg: we see his normal life, his family, his charm. Then we see what he does when no one's watching.

The series runs three seasons and balances procedural investigation with psychological cat-and-mouse. Gibson knows she's hunting a clever predator. Spector knows someone's closing in. Stream it on Peacock or Prime Video.

Chloe (2022)

Erin Doherty stars as Becky Green, a woman who becomes obsessed with her estranged childhood friend Chloe after Chloe dies by apparent suicide. Becky creates a fake identity to infiltrate Chloe's social circle. She starts an affair with Chloe's widower. She finds her new fabricated life far more fulfilling than her real one.

The show flips the gender dynamics of You while keeping the obsession, deception, and slow revelation of darker truths. Stream it on Prime Video.

Ripley (2024)

Andrew Scott plays Tom Ripley in this Netflix adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel. The story has been filmed before, most famously in Anthony Minghella's 1999 film with Matt Damon. This version spreads the narrative across eight episodes, shot in black and white, letting the tension build slowly.

Poor, orphaned Tom ingratiates himself with wealthy Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) and girlfriend Marge (Dakota Fanning). His desire for their lifestyle becomes indistinguishable from his desire for them. Scott's performance keeps you watching a man you know will do terrible things. Stream it on Netflix.

Dexter (2006-2013)

Before Joe Goldberg, there was Dexter Morgan. Michael C. Hall plays a Miami blood spatter analyst who kills people in his spare time. The twist: he only kills other killers, following a moral code instilled by his adoptive father. Eight seasons explored whether a serial killer could be a hero, or at least a vigilante with a twisted sense of justice.

The original series ended controversially in 2013. Showtime revived it with Dexter: New Blood in 2021 and the prequel Dexter: Original Sin in 2024. Start with the original if you've never seen it.

Hannibal (2013-2015)

Mads Mikkelsen's Hannibal Lecter is charming, cultured, and genuinely helpful to FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy). He's also a cannibal who serves his victims to dinner guests. The NBC series lasted three seasons before cancellation, building one of TV's most disturbing relationships between a killer and the man hunting him.

Bryan Fuller's show pushed broadcast TV violence boundaries while maintaining an almost romantic aesthetic. It's gorgeous and horrifying in equal measure.

The Glory (2022)

This Korean drama takes a different approach to the morally gray protagonist. Song Hye-kyo plays Moon Dong-eun, a woman who was brutally bullied in high school. As an adult, she becomes a teacher at the school where her main tormentor's son is enrolled. Her revenge plan unfolds methodically over two parts.

The show asks how far revenge can go before the victim becomes the villain. Stream it on Netflix with subtitles.

Candy (2022)

Jessica Biel plays Candy Montgomery, a Texas housewife who killed her neighbor Betty Gore with an axe in 1980. This Hulu miniseries recreates the true crime case, exploring how a seemingly normal suburban woman committed such a violent act and was ultimately acquitted on self-defense grounds.

Unlike fictional killers, Candy Montgomery was real. The show examines how she presented herself versus what happened in that utility room.

Bates Motel (2013-2017)

Freddie Highmore plays young Norman Bates in this prequel to Psycho. Vera Farmiga co-stars as his mother Norma. The A&E series ran five seasons, tracing Norman's psychological deterioration from troubled teenager to the killer we know from Hitchcock's film.

The show updates the setting to the present day while keeping the gothic sensibility. It's a tragedy about mental illness, toxic family dynamics, and inevitability.

The Devil's Hour (2022-)

Peter Capaldi plays Gideon, a man who seems to know details about crimes before they happen. Jessica Raine is Lucy, a social worker whose young son exhibits disturbing behavior. The Prime Video series blends serial killer thriller with supernatural mystery, keeping viewers uncertain about who to trust.

The first season ended with major revelations. Season 2 is confirmed. Stream it on Prime Video.

The Creep Tapes (2024-)

Mark Duplass returns to the character he created in the Creep film series. This anthology show on Peacock follows his unnamed serial killer as he records his encounters with victims. Each episode is presented as found footage from his camera.

The format is uncomfortable by design. You're watching through the killer's lens, complicit in what's about to happen. It's the most direct translation of You's voyeuristic approach.

Why We Watch

Penn Badgley has been vocal about the disconnect between Joe Goldberg's actions and audience reactions. During the show's run, he repeatedly reminded fans that Joe is a murderer, pushing back against the romanticization of his character.

“Now, to be fair, with our show you're meant to fall in love with him. That's on us. Ted Bundy? That's on you! Jeffrey Dahmer? That is on you—that is on Netflix.”

— Penn Badgley

The shows on this list all play with that discomfort. They make killers sympathetic, or at least comprehensible. They force viewers to examine why they keep watching, what they're rooting for, and what that says about storytelling and morality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is You coming back for Season 6?

No. Season 5, which premiered in April 2025, was the planned conclusion. Penn Badgley and showrunner Sera Gamble have confirmed the story is complete.

Which show is most similar to You?

The Fall shares the most DNA with You: a charming male serial killer, a focus on his psychology, and tension between his public persona and private actions. The Creep Tapes also uses first-person perspective like Joe's internal monologue.

Are all these shows about serial killers?

Most feature killers, but the focus varies. Chloe centers on obsession and identity theft rather than murder. The Glory is about revenge. Ripley is about a con artist whose crimes escalate.

Where can I watch these shows?

Netflix has Ripley, The Glory, and You itself. Prime Video has Chloe, The Fall, and The Devil's Hour. Peacock has The Fall and The Creep Tapes. Hulu has Candy. The streaming landscape varies by region.

How many seasons does each show have?

The Fall has 3 seasons. Dexter has 8 plus spinoffs. Hannibal has 3. Bates Motel has 5. The others are limited series or ongoing with 1-2 seasons released.

Source: Lifehacker