13 Shows Like 'Presumed Innocent' That Will Have You Playing Detective
Rusty Sabich thought he had it all under control—until a shocking crime turned his life into a courtroom battle. Jake Gyllenhaal brought the suspense to life in Presumed Innocent's season 1, a thriller in which guilt and innocence blur with every new twist. Shows like Presumed Innocent live on these high-stakes trials, where attorneys, detectives, and suspects all have something to hide.
The evidence? Never as clear as it seems. The verdict? Never what you expect. While fans eagerly wait for Season 2, the biggest mystery remains—who will step into the spotlight next? Until then, this lineup of thrilling courtroom dramas, mind games, and dark secrets is just what you need to keep the suspense going.
From the spooky small-town mystery of Broadchurch to Better Call Saul's genius cons, these shows keep the suspense alive. Sugar adds a noir touch, while Goliath brings the heat with courtroom battles that pack a punch. Each show on this list has a mystery worth solving- so start counting down the best!
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13 series like Presumed Innocent and where to stream them now
13. Sugar
Cast: Colin Farrell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Amy Ryan
Release Date: April 5, 2024
Genre: Neo-noir, Mystery, Thriller
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
In Sugar, Colin Farrell is a private investigator digging into the disappearance of a Hollywood titan’s granddaughter, but nothing is as it appears. The show marries retro noir with a surprising sci-fi twist, keeping audiences on edge—just like in Presumed Innocent, where the truth is never quite as simple as it seems.
Both shows thrive on the ambiance: while Presumed Innocent unfolds behind the shadows of Chicago's counsel, Sugar bathes in the golden glow of Hollywood, concealing darkness under the glamour. With a lead investigator who is more than meets the eye and a case that gets darker by the minute, this series like Presumed Innocent will have you second-guessing everything.
12. Broadchurch
Cast: David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker
Release Date: March 4, 2013
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
A young boy's body washing up on the beach shatters a quiet coastal town, launching an investigation that exposes all the buried secrets. This gripping thriller about crimes and community and more unravels in Broadchurch, where David Tennant and Olivia Colman are two detectives investigating a crime that leaves no stone unturned—much like the debacle that consumed Presumed Innocent’s Rusty Sabich.
Just as Rusty’s personal life crumbles under suspicion, Broadchurch explores how trust shatters when everyone becomes a suspect. If you are looking for TV shows like Presumed Innocent which have as much character-drama as thrills, try this one!
11. The K—ing
Cast: Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman, Billy Campbell
Release Date: April 3, 2011
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Where to Watch: Netflix
Seattle’s relentless rain sets the perfect stage for The K—ing, where detectives Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder investigate a teenager’s homicide that spirals into a deep, dark scheme. With its slow-burning suspense, it is perfect for anyone with an obsession with crime thrillers. Like Presumed Innocent, this show is not only about the crime or justice but it dissects how it takes a toll on those caught in its grip.
Both shows strip away layers of deceit, and it turns out the actual story is never simply one of guilt or innocence. As in Presumed Innocent, where Rusty is trapped in an official maze, The K—ing gets its characters caught in a web of lies where even the victims have secrets.
10. Fatal Attraction
Cast: Joshua Jackson, Lizzy Caplan and Amanda Peet
Release Date: April 30, 2023
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Drama
Where to Watch: Paramount+, Prime Video
One night. One mistake and a lifetime of consequences. Fatal Attraction reimagines the classic thriller with Joshua Jackson as a married attorney whose affair with Lizzy Caplan’s character spirals into obsession and revenge. Like in Presumed Innocent, the series explores how lust, lies, and a single and a single choice can turn life into a nightmare.
Much like Rusty’s affair in Presumed Innocent, Dan Gallagher’s infidelity in Fatal Attraction becomes a trap he cannot escape. With the walls closing in, both men are faced with the paralyzing truth that the past never stays buried.
9. Suspicion
Cast: Elizabeth Henstridge, Kunal Nayyar, Georgina Campbell
Release Date: February 4, 2022
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Crime
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When a billionaire’s son is kidnapped, five strangers become the prime suspects and they must prove their innocence as the world watches. Suspicion thrives on paranoia, and lies, and lives out the question that haunts the Presumed Innocent: what if you are accused of something you did not do- or worse, something you did?
As in Presumed Innocent, when Rusty battles to be free, the characters in Suspicion battle to clear their names. If shows like Presumed Innocent that keep you guessing until the very end are your thing, this show is worth watching.
8. Your Honor
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Hunter Doohan, Hope Davis
Release Date: December 6, 2020
Genre: Crime Drama, Thriller
Where to Watch: Netflix, Paramount+ with Showtime
In Your Honor, Bryan Cranston plays a respected judge who makes one desperate decision after his son gets caught up in a hit-and-run. Much like Rusty Sabich in Presumed Innocent, his world comes crashing down as lies pile up, turning a man sworn to uphold justice into someone who must break it to survive.
Both series explore the suffocating weight of guilt, power, and the court’s ability to destroy even those who serve it. As the mystery unfolds and choices spin out of hand, Your Honor will keep you questioning just how far someone will go to save their skin. This thriller movie on Netflix is sure to leave you stunned as the tension builds with every twist.
7. Perry Mason
Cast: Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk
Release Date: June 21, 2020
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Where to Watch: HBO Max, Prime Video
Before Perry Mason was this iconic defense attorney, he was a private investigator down on his luck, drowning in personal demons while chasing cases no one else would touch. In Perry Mason, the 1930s Los Angeles judicial world is shady, corrupt, and full of secrets—just like the world Rusty Sabich faces in Presumed Innocent.
As Mason digs into the horrific case, he learns just how powerful those in the shadows really are. With tense courtroom showdowns, shocking surprises, and a hero who will not give up, Perry Mason is a must-watch for fans searching for what to watch after Presumed Innocent.
6. Damages
Cast: Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Tate Donovan
Release Date: July 24, 2007
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Where to Watch: Hulu, Prime Video
If you thought Rusty's case was a mess, just wait until you get to know Patty Hewes. Damages throws you straight into the ruthless world of high-stakes litigation, where justice and personal ambition get lost in a haze. Glenn Close's Patty Hewes is a powerhouse attorney who will stop at nothing to win, even if it means destroying the lives around her—including that of her young protégé, Ellen Parsons.
Much like Presumed Innocent, this show is not just about the cases—it is about the people behind them. Secrets unravel in flashbacks, betrayals cut deep, and every character is hiding something.
Do not stop here, these 5 series are the ultimate what to watch after Presumed Innocent picks
5. Defending Jacob
Cast: Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, Jaeden Martell
Release Date: April 24, 2020
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
A respected attorney, a shocking homicide, and a family on the verge of collapsing—sounds familiar? In Defending Jacob, Assistant District Attorney Andy Barber played by Chris Evans sees his world fall apart when his teenage son Jacob is charged with the homicide of a classmate. The case shakes their quiet town and forces Andy to face the impossible question: What if his son is guilty?
The deeper Andy digs, the more disturbing truths he discovers leaving viewers questioning if innocence is ever as clear-cut as it seems. If you were wondering what to watch after Presumed Innocent, this tense family-driven thriller is the perfect next pick.
4. Goliath
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Nina Arianda, Tania Raymonde
Release Date: October 13, 2016
Genre: Crime, Drama
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Once a top-tier attorney, now a washed-up underdog, Billy McBride (Billy Bob Thornton) spends more time at the bar than in court—until a case pushes him back into the fight of his life. Goliath is all about the struggle between the powerful and the powerless, a theme that echoes deeply with Presumed Innocent’s Rusty Sabich as he fights against a system determined to bury him.
McBride takes on the corrupt firm that ruined him, exposing cover-ups and betrayals at every turn. The tension builds with every episode, making this a must-watch for those searching for series like Presumed Innocent that are based on court battles and personal redemption.
3. How to Get Away with M-----
Cast: Viola Davis, Billy Brown, Jack Falahee
Release Date: September 25, 2014
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Where to Watch: Netflix, Hulu
Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) is not just a brilliant attorney, but she is a force of nature. In How to Get Away with M—--, students who are aspiring advocates get more than they bargained for when their professor pulls them into a real-life homicide cover-up. Much like Presumed Innocent, this show lives and dies on suspense, changing timelines, and gray-area choices that haunt the players.
With shocking twists, layered narratives, and courtroom fights that could make or break lives, this show has all the high-stakes court drama enthusiasts want. If you want TV series like Presumed Innocent with surprises jumping out till the end, Annalise Keating's world of crime and deception is the perfect choice.
2. Better Call Saul
Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn
Release Date: February 8, 2015
Genre: Crime, Drama
Where to Watch: Netflix
Before he was Saul Goodman, he was Jimmy McGill—a struggling attorney trying to do the right thing society that rewards corruption. Better Call Saul is a textbook example of slowly building tension, much like Presumed Innocent, where one wrong decision can destroy an entire life.
As Jimmy becomes this ethically flexible attorney you probably recognize from Breaking Bad, the show continues blurring the delicate line between justice and survival. If you are a fan of courtroom dramas that show how good people make bad choices, this series is a must-watch after Presumed Innocent.
1. Luther
Cast: Idris Elba, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley
Release Date: May 4, 2010
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Where to Watch: Hulu, Prime Video
Detective John Luther played by Idris Elba is no attorney, but he knows the price of obsession better than anyone. In Luther, justice is expensive, and the more deeply he becomes involved in his cases, the more he risks losing himself.
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Just like Rusty in Presumed Innocent, Luther is torn between doing his job and dealing with personal stuff that threatens to consume him. With chilling villains, edge-of-your-seat surprises, and a hero who never plays by the book, Luther is perfect for fans of intense crime thrillers.
Some shows pull you in with action, but the best ones make you think, question, and second-guess everything. These shows like Presumed Innocent do just that—turning every clue into a puzzle and every character into a suspect. While some stories expose corruption, others go deep into personal shame, but they all leave you with one burning question: Who can you really trust?
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Have a favorite mystery thriller that keeps you guessing? Share your recommendations in the comments below!
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Edited By: Hriddhi Maitra
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