Knives Out totally revitalized the whodunnit genre, but despite the long wait between Benoit Blanc mysteries, there are plenty of shows like Knives Out to fill the gap. Somehow, Knives Out manages to take one of the most enduringly popular narratives--a locked-room murder that is solved by a brilliant detective--and make it fresh, exciting, and new. A lot of this stems both from Rian Johnson's direction and its cast, which is an embarrassment of riches and features some of the finest actors and actresses working in Hollywood.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery received a limited theatrical run and is available to stream on Netflix. The much-anticipated sequel is just as good if not better than the first movie, and Daniel Craig's return as detective Benoit Blanc is wholly satisfying. Unfortunately, the problem is that it's so good and there's little else on the movie landscape like it, and those who enjoyed it would find undoubtedly themselves yearning for something similar. Luckily, tons of murder mystery shows like Knives Out are out there that fill a similar niche. Whether they're about detectives or characters just acting as them, these shows fill the void until Knives Out 3.
20 Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (2012-2015)
- Stream on Prime Video
What viewers take comfort in knowing about murder mysteries is the sense that, in the end, everything will be restored once the murderer is revealed. In that sense, many whodunnit shows are the television equivalent of comfort food, and series like Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is very much in keeping with that. Just like Knives Out, the Australian series has a compelling and quirky lead with unique eccentricities at the center of every murder. A large part of the series’ appeal stems from the star, Essie Davis, as well as the sets and costuming which help to evoke 1920s Australia and show that Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries is historically accurate.
19 One Of Us Is Lying (2021-2023)
- Stream on Peacock
One of Us Is Lying is based on the young adult novels by Karen M. McManus and follows a group of teenagers who are accused of murdering their classmate Simon Kelleher. They know that they didn't do it, yet no one else believes them, which forces them to connect with each other while attempting to locate the actual killer. Out of all the shows like Knives Out, One of Us Is Lying isn't as outright wacky. However, the show has a sharp sense of humor, much like Knives Out, and both feature characters who are as compelling as the mystery at hand. It's also fun seeing high schoolers play detective.
18 The Flight Attendant (2020-2022)
- Stream on Max
In season 1 of The Flight Attendant, Cassie Bowden finds herself in a hotel room with someone who has died, and she doesn't know why she is there. The show is part mystery, part character study, as Cassie wants to figure out the truth so that she isn't implicated in the murder. Cassie is someone who has to become her own detective since she feels that it's up to her to solve the mystery that she is now part of. The Flight Attendant is similar to Knives Out, as the series is full of clues and has audiences trying to figure out the puzzle before the answer is revealed.
17 The Sinner (2017-2021)
- Stream on Netflix
Like the Knives Out series has Benoit Blanc looking into a different case in each film, The Sinner is about Detective Harry Ambrose, who has different cases every season. The show is different from other thrillers because, at the beginning of each season, viewers find out which character is guilty, making it a "howdunnit." The series then delves into why they did what they did and what their reasoning was. Of all the shows like Knives Out, The Sinner best explores the ins and outs of a detective's investigation. In this case, The Sinner is unique since viewers are already aware of who committed the crime.
16 Midsomer Murders (1997-Present)
- Stream on The Roku Channel
It says something about a television series when it survives the retirement of its main character, which is exactly what Midsomer Murders did. The show is one of the best British crime dramas, and its longevity speaks volumes about the continuously compelling tales it offers. Unlike some of the other popular shows of its ilk, Midsomer Murders actually focuses on of the police department. Despite Midsomer Murders focusing on murder, it actually has quite a lot of humor, once again separating it from many of its contemporaries. As Johnson has cited many British influences on Knives Out, Midsomer Murders is likely one of them too.
15 Agatha Christie’s Marple (2004-2013)
- Stream on BritBox
While not as unequivocally successful as Poirot, Agatha Christie's Marple focuses on Agatha Christie’s other great creation, Miss Jane Marple. This series takes more liberties with the source material, and it has not one but two actors who played the titular character. Nevertheless, it still manages to capture the sensibility of these Agatha Christie's charming novels, and the series is great for regular doses of old-fashioned English mystery. While the character is a derivative of Hercule Poirot, the show still delivers on the mystery and an engaging lead character, and as Poirot was a huge influence on the creation of Benoit Blanc, by extension, Miss Jane Marple was too.
14 Lie To Me (2009-2011)
- Stream on Hulu
Benoit Blanc takes a protege under his wing in each movie, and they each have a weird skill, or in Marta's case, a shortcoming. Marta throws up every time she lies, and Helen becomes a more skillful detective the drunker she gets. Lie to Me has a similar novelty, as Dr. Cal Lightman can tell whenever someone's lying instantly due to "microexpressions," and with that skill, he solves a different crime in each episode. However, Lightman is based on a real-life person, which makes it one of the most unique shows like Knives Out. The series is loosely based on Paul Ekman who is an advisor to anti-terrorism groups.
13 Rosemary And Thyme (2003-2006)
- Stream on BritBox
There’s an unspoken rule that some of the best murder mystery shows come from UK television, and series like Rosemary and Thyme demonstrate why. The series focuses on two middle-aged British women who, unsurprisingly, engage in a bit of sleuthing in order to determine who committed various murders. It’s an undeniably charming series that doesn’t really try to be anything that it isn’t. Although the subject matter is quite serious, the characters and format give this series a pleasantly lighthearted tone similar to that of Knives Out. It's easy to imagine either one of the main characters being Benoit's protégé in Knives Out 3.
12 Broadchurch (2013-2017)
- Stream on Prime Video
Broadchurch is another testament to the fact that the UK is the best at developing tightly woven and absolutely compelling crime dramas. However, one of the major draws of this particular series is the presence of Academy Award-winning actor Olivia Colman, who plays one of the two police detectives that do the bulk of the investigating. She and David Tennant make for an incredible leading duo. The series is more serious than Knives Out, but Broadchurch is a great slow burn that'll have audiences racing to solve the case before the police detectives.
11 The Mentalist (2008-2015)
- Stream on Max
There is no novelty to The Mentalist other than that the lead character Patrick Jane is impossibly smart. The procedural show follows the independent consultant working with the California Bureau of Investigation to help solve crimes, and he's simply extremely well observant, just like Benoit. Jane is just as fun to watch as Benoit too, though they couldn't be more different. Where Benoit is a little goofy and not very self-aware, Jane couldn't be more charming and charismatic, but he's just as much of a show-off. The Mentalist is not only one of the best shows like Knives Out, but with more than 150 episodes, it's the most binge-able too.
