Shows Like Scarpetta to Stream Next: 10 Crime Dramas for Nicole Kidman Fans

Key Takeaways

• Scarpetta stars Nicole Kidman as forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Bobby Cannavale in supporting roles
• Ballard on Prime Video offers another detective-driven mystery from the creator of Bosch
• Nordic noir fans should check out The Åre Murders on Netflix for bleak Swedish crime drama
• When No One Sees Us on HBO Max brings Spanish thriller energy with a military investigation twist
• Get Millie Black from Booker Prize winner Marlon James tackles crime through themes of colonialism and discrimination

Look, we're living in the age of Nicole Kidman television domination. The woman simply cannot stop appearing in prestige limited series, and honestly? I'm not complaining. Her latest venture, Scarpetta, adapts Patricia Cornwell's massively popular book series about forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta. We're talking 29 books here, so there's plenty of source material to mine.

The show pairs Kidman with Jamie Lee Curtis playing her sister Dorothy, which is casting so perfect it feels almost unfair. Bobby Cannavale rounds out the main trio as a forensic operations specialist. That's apparently a real job title, though I'll admit I had to take the show's word for it.

So you've watched it. Maybe you loved it, maybe you found it a bit more procedural than expected. Either way, you're here because you want more shows that scratch that same itch. Good news: streaming services are absolutely drowning in crime content right now. Here's what deserves your attention.

Ballard: The Bosch Universe Keeps Expanding

If you're a Michael Connelly fan, you already know what's up. Ballard is technically a spinoff of a spinoff, branching off from the Prime Video Bosch series. Maggie Q stars as Detective Renée Ballard, and she's running an LAPD cold case unit that's understaffed and heavily dependent on volunteers.

The hook? Ballard's team is digging into decades-old crimes, and surprise surprise, they keep stumbling into police department corruption. I know, shocking stuff for a cop show. But the execution here is genuinely compelling, and Maggie Q brings real intensity to the role.

Stream it on Prime Video if you want to stay in the same ecosystem as Scarpetta. The connected universe aspect is a nice bonus if you've already invested time in Bosch.

The Åre Murders: Swedish Crime Done Right

Nordic noir has become such a defined genre that Disney+ literally did a parody episode of it in Agatha All Along. But when the format works, it really works. The Åre Murders adapts Viveca Sten's novels and delivers everything you'd expect from Swedish crime drama.

Carla Sehn plays Hanna Ahlander, a detective who's currently suspended and trying to decompress at her sister's place in remote Åre. Naturally, a missing girl case pulls her right back into action. The tension between her and local cop Daniel Lindskog drives a lot of the drama, since she can't quite bring herself to trust him.

This one's on Netflix. If you're into beautiful but depressing landscapes and characters who make questionable moral choices, Åre delivers exactly that vibe.

When No One Sees Us: Spanish Thriller With Military Intrigue

This one's a bit different. When No One Sees Us comes from Spain and stars Mariela Garriga, who you might recognize from Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning. She plays a Cuban-American special agent with the U.S. Army. Maribel Verdú, best known internationally from Pan's Labyrinth, co-stars as a Spanish Civil Guard sergeant dealing with some serious personal complications.

The central mystery involves a death on an air base during Holy Week. It looks like violent suicide, but obviously nothing is that simple. What sets this apart from typical crime fare is how much time the show spends on character development. The mystery matters, sure, but the performances carry the weight.

Find it on HBO Max. It's the kind of show that rewards patience and attention to detail.

Get Millie Black: Prestige Credentials Meet Caribbean Crime

Here's where things get really interesting. Get Millie Black comes from Marlon James, who won the Booker Prize for A Brief History of Seven Killings. The man knows how to write crime fiction with serious literary chops.

This miniseries digs into themes of bias, discrimination, and colonialism, all wrapped up in a crime investigation framework. It's not your standard whodunit, and that's exactly the point. James brings a perspective to the genre that you don't see often, and critics have been absolutely loving it.

“The emphasis on character over plot makes it a standout in a crowded field of crime dramas.”

— Early critical reception

Why Crime Drama Works So Well Right Now

There's something about prestige crime television that just hits different in 2025. Maybe it's the combination of puzzle-solving satisfaction and character depth. Maybe we all just want to watch complicated people make difficult choices. Or maybe Nicole Kidman has simply conditioned us to expect quality whenever she shows up on a streaming service.

The Scarpetta series in particular benefits from decades of source material. Patricia Cornwell has been writing these books since 1990, which means the character has real depth built in. Adapting established literary properties gives showrunners a roadmap that original series don't have.

The Nicole Kidman Effect

Real talk: Kidman's television run over the past few years has been remarkable. Big Little Lies, The Undoing, Nine Perfect Strangers, Expats, and now Scarpetta. The woman picks projects like she's building a portfolio of prestige limited series.

What makes Scarpetta interesting is that it leans more procedural than some of her recent work. This isn't the psychological thriller territory of The Undoing or the ensemble drama of Big Little Lies. Kay Scarpetta is a forensic pathologist doing forensic pathologist things, and the show commits to that framework.

Jamie Lee Curtis as her sister Dorothy adds some serious acting firepower to the supporting cast. The chemistry between them grounds the show when the procedural elements threaten to get too technical.

What To Watch First

If you're trying to prioritize, here's my take. Start with Ballard if you want something that feels most similar to Scarpetta's procedural DNA. It's on the same platform, it's got that detective-driven mystery structure, and Michael Connelly knows how to plot a crime story.

Go for The Åre Murders if you want a change of scenery and don't mind subtitles. Swedish crime drama operates on its own wavelength, and sometimes that European sensibility is exactly what you need after American procedurals.

When No One Sees Us is your pick if performances matter more to you than plot mechanics. And Get Millie Black is for when you want your crime fiction to actually say something about the world beyond 'murder is bad and we should solve it.'

The Bottom Line

Crime drama isn't going anywhere. If anything, the prestige television boom has made it better than ever. Shows like Scarpetta prove that you can do forensic procedural content with A-list talent and high production values, and audiences will show up for it.

The shows on this list represent the best of what's streaming right now in the crime thriller space. Some lean into police corruption. Others explore international settings. A few bring literary pedigree to the table. All of them offer that addictive quality that makes you say 'just one more episode' at 1 AM on a work night.

Happy streaming. Your sleep schedule can recover later.

Source: Lifehacker