The stylish and thrilling Money Heist became a global phenomenon after it landed on Netflix in 2017. 

Created by Álex Pina, the Spanish crime drama series (alternately titled La Casa de Papel) tells the story of two ambitious heists led by the meticulous and enigmatic Professor (Álvaro Morte). First targeting the Royal Mint of Spain, he assembles a motley crew of misfits and criminals to carry out his plan, who hide their identities by using city names as code names. Dressed in matching red jumpsuits and Salvador Dalí masks, the robbers take 67 hostages, planning to print €2.4 billion and evade capture through a self-built escape tunnel. Meanwhile, the Professor orchestrates events from afar and plays mind games with the authorities pursuing the group, including police inspector Raquel Murillo (Itziar Ituño). 

However, despite the Professor's precision, the characters can't help but be swayed by love and passion. Money Heist often plays with typical heist genre conventions. Heightened emotions and instances of comedy add to the expected twists and turns. 

The show first premiered on a Spanish network before being acquired by Netflix for a global audience. Money Heist soon became one of the platform's most-watched series of all time. Its fourth season is currently Netflix's second most-watched non-English language series (based on hours viewed during its first 28 days on the platform), surpassed only by Korean thriller Squid Game. The show received awards acclaim in Spain and also earned an International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series. A Korean adaptation, titled Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area, premiered in June 2022. 

Money Heist's fifth and final season aired earlier this year. If you're struggling with the void that it left behind, you're not alone. Fortunately, Metacritic has compiled a list of other crime dramas with thrilling capers and complex characters to check out next. 

Here, Metacritic highlights 10 shows to watch after Money Heist. 

Sherlock

Metascore: 88
Best for: Sherlock Holmes fans, suspense drama lovers
Where to watch: 

, Google Play, iTunes,
Seasons: 4

Benedict Cumberbatch's breakout role had him essaying the iconic British sleuth in modern-day London, with Martin Freeman as his sidekick John Watson. Whether you are a purist or a fan of contemporary thrillers, Sherlock has the wit, suspense, and humor to keep you glued to the seat. The audacious attempt at blending a classic with modern storytelling proved to be an exhilarating watch for viewers of all ages, giving us a glimpse into the mind of the eccentric detective and the human side to him. 

"Sherlock is an electric marriage of great writing with great performances." — David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle

Better Call Saul

Metascore: 86
Best for: Crime dramedy fans
Where to watch: 

, , , Google Play, iTunes, Netflix, 
Seasons: 6

Better Call Saul is the prequel to the revolutionary Breaking Bad, the story of dinky lawyer Jimmy McGill (Odenkirk) and his transformation into Saul Goodman, the attorney for Albuquerque meth kingpin Walter White (Bryan Cranston). The Emmy-nominated series ticks all the right boxes, including brilliant dialogues, complex characters, a thrilling storyline, and nods to the original show. It is not a mere crime drama, it is a dark and intriguing study of morally ambiguous characters that can exist without being clouded by the predecessor. If Breaking Bad changed how you view TV, its successor will redefine it all over again. 

"Breaking Bad's spin-off Better Call Saul feels like some kind of brilliant first cousin." — Mark Dawidziak, The Plain Dealer

Fargo

Metascore: 85
Best for: Fans of dark comedies
Where to watch: 

, Google Play, , iTunes,
Seasons: 4 (so far)

If you have watched and enjoyed the Oscar-winning movie Fargo by the Coen brothers, there is little doubt that you will also like the TV show. Each season follows a different story and protagonist, with the first one telling the story of Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) and how his arrival to a small Minnesota town affects the lives of a string of people — from insurance agent Lester Nygaard (Freeman) to deputy Bill Oswalt (Bob Odenkirk). Showrunner Noah Hawley and his team take the spirit, thrill, and cleverness of the movie and turn it into TV gold, capturing the essence of different periods, black humor, and a small-town atmosphere. The gruesome violence may not be for the faint-hearted, but there is wry cynicism in that too, perfectly complemented by the chilling soundtrack and the superb acting. 

"A dark tide of inventive quirkiness." — Matt Roush, TV Guide Magazine

Lupin

Metascore: 81
Best for: Action thriller enthusiasts
Where to watch: Netflix
Seasons: 2 (so far)

Based on master thief Arsène Lupin, the creation of author Maurice LeBlanc from the 1900s, this French series follows the adventures of Assane Diop (Omar Sy) as he seeks revenge for the crime his father was wrongfully accused of. Lupin is well-paced and exciting, full of twists and turns like a Hollywood flick but set in the City of Lights. Sy shines in the lead role, and the beautiful portrayal of Paris may leave you awestruck, but each moment is packed with such suspense that you remain on the edge of your seat with a wide, unblinking gaze, too immersed in the thrill to look away.

"An action blockbuster for grownups." — Judy Berman, Time

Mr. Robot

Metascore: 80
Best for: Cybercrime thriller fans
Where to watch: 

, Google Play, iTunes, 
Seasons: 4

Cybersecurity engineer Elliot (Rami Malek) doubles as an ethical hacker at night, but when he is hired by an underground group of hackers — run by the mysterious Mr. Robot — to overthrow multinational corporations, he is torn between his profession and his personal beliefs that urge him to take down corporate America. The riveting show blends elements of computer programming, cybercrime, suspense, and mental illusions to create a thrilling masterpiece.

"Mr. Robot is like a computer virus that will worm its way into your consciousness if you're not careful." — Mark Perigard, Boston Herald

Narcos: Mexico

Metascore: 80
Best for: Lovers of biographical crime drama
Where to watch: Netflix
Seasons: 3

The story of Narcos carries on in this sequel that traces the origin and rise of the Mexican drug empire in the 1980s, under the leadership of Felix Gallardo. (Diego Luna plays the real-life crime boss.) Money, cocaine, and power lead to violence, war, and the loss of half a million lives, and co-creators Carlo Bernard, Chris Brancato, and Doug Miro have constructed it all in a gritty tale that earned higher critical acclaim than its flagship series. (Narcos has a 77 Metascore). 

"Sweeping in scope, the series remains as addictive as ever in chronicling the bleak history of the drug war, delivering a drama so crisp and smartly executed as to provide its own kind of high." — Brian Lowry, CNN

Peaky Blinders

Metascore: 77
Best for: Fans of crime dramas with a historical setting
Where to watch: Netflix
Seasons: 6

Peaky Blinders begins in the aftermath of World War I in Birmingham, England and follows the violent exploits of the Shelby crime family and their eponymous street gang, loosely inspired by a real-life group. Cillian Murphy stars as the gang's brutal leader Tommy Shelby, who desires to expand their criminal enterprises beyond their hometown. However, Tommy must wrestle with rival gangs and the authorities, like Chief Inspector Chester Campbell (Sam Neill). Created by Steven Knight, the show also explores the class divide and harsh economic conditions that incite the working-class Tommy's ambition to climb the social ladder. 

"Steeped in blood, sopped in whiskey, and lit in brooding pools of yellow and gray, Peaky Blinders is mood TV escapism with a satisfying historical bent." — Johnny Loftus, Decider

Killing Eve

Metascore: 75
Best for: Fans of cat-and-mouse dynamics and spy thrillers
Where to watch:

, , , , , iTunes,
Seasons: 4

For those fascinated by the initial cat-and-mouse relationship between the Professor and Raquel in Money Heist, this British spy thriller revolves on a similar dynamic. Based on the Villanelle novel series by Luke Jennings, Killing Eve stars Sandra Oh as Eve, a desk-bound intelligence operative bored with her life. She gets a sudden change of pace when she's recruited for an undercover division at foreign intelligence agency MI6 to help pursue Villanelle (Jodie Comer), a ruthless international assassin with mysterious ties. However, as Eve finds herself more and more drawn to Villanelle, the two develop a charged and obsessive connection. 

"Sandra Oh brings a funny, funky vulnerability to this stylishly surprising and wildly entertaining spy thriller." — Matt Roush, TV Guide Magazine

Ozark

Metascore: 69
Best for: Fans of crime dramas and anti-heroes
Where to watch: Netflix
Seasons: 4

This intense and grim crime drama is told from the perspective of a Mexican drug cartel's money launderer. After his business partner steals millions from their boss, Chicago-based financial advisor Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) saves his skin by proposing he sets up a bigger operation by the Lake of the Ozarks, a rural area in Missouri that's far from the FBI's radar. This means abruptly relocating his family too, including his wife Wendy (Laura Linney), who's been having an affair. However, Marty learns his new home already hosts a number of criminal enterprises and won't be an easy mark. 

"Twists and turns abound everywhere, and even when those twists and turns defy plausibility, it's still entertaining as hell." — Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

Prison Break

Metascore: 59
Best for: Fans of thrilling heists and crime dramas
Where to watch:

, , , ,
Seasons: 5 plus a revival season

Much like Money Heist, this action thriller revolves around a high-stakes and elaborate heist — only its main character initially wants to go to prison. Created by Paul Scheuring, Prison Break follows structural engineer Michael (Wentworth Miller), a brilliant creative thinker who shares more than a few characteristics with the Professor. After his brother Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) is sentenced to death for a murder he didn't commit, Michael purposefully gets himself arrested in order to infiltrate the prison. Once inside, he sets his rescue plan into motion. The series received higher critical acclaim at its onset, with the first season having a Metascore of 65. 

"Like any over-the-top, conspiracy-laced concept, Prison Break will only work if viewers are giddily enticed to jump aboard the Willing Suspension of Disbelief Express." — Mike Duffy, Detroit Free Press