The latest Netflix series that’s currently trending is Ratched, a prequel of sorts to One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, focusing solely on its dreaded antagonist, the titular Nurse Mildred Ratched. Developed by TV titan Ryan Murphy and written by Evan Romansky, the psychological thriller series stars Sarah Paulson as the nurse and depicts her dark rise to success in a psychiatric hospital in the 1940s.
While the show appealed to several fans of Murphy and Paulson with its extravagant production design, score, and performances, Ratched drew polarizing critical acclaim. Here are a few other shows similar to Ratched in their tone or setting.
Feud: Bette And Joan (2017)
Aging actresses Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange) and Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon) battle each other for a film role that would propel their comeback in the final years of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Feud: Bette and Joan is one of Ryan Murphy’s finest miniseries, bolstered by its lead performances that tell a dramatic yet moving story of two artists who might be polar opposites but still face the same sexist discrimination in the film industry.
Apart from the exceptional titular performances, the supporting cast, including Alfred Molina and Stanley Tucci, also bring their A-game.
Bates Motel (2013 – 2017)
Bates Motel is a classic reinterpretation of the legend of the notorious killer Norman Bates, the primary antagonist in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Just like Ratched, the show functions as a prequel to the original film, attempting to expose the inner workings of Bates’ mental health, as well as his extremely close relationship with his mother.
The horror show ran for five seasons and has acquired cult status in recent times. A different avatar from his usual ‘good boy’ roles, Freddie Highmore received acclaim for playing Norman, while Vera Farmiga proved her prowess in the horror genre by playing his mother, Norma Bates.
Criminal: United Kingdom (2019 – )
With two extremely short and binge-worthy seasons, Criminal: United Kingdom has a unique approach to building suspense. The entirety of the show takes place within the boundaries of a police interview room. The suspects and the police officers engage in a battle of wits with constant back-and-forth dialogue that exposes the mental vulnerabilities of both sides.
While David Tennant and Hayley Atwell are the standout performers of the first season, a post-Game of Thrones Kit Harrington and Himesh Patel also have a memorable run in the sophomore season. The show was released alongside three other foreign-language spinoffs following the same format in Spain, France, and Germany.
Hannibal (2013 – 2015)
Another reworking of a classic horror character, Hannibal finds reputed Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen taking up the mantle of the cannibalistic doctor on the silver screen. This version of Hannibal Lecter is a forensic psychiatrist who shares a teacher-student relationship with a young FBI criminal profiler. As his protégé suffers from an ability to empathize with serial killers, Hannibal not only functions as the only person who can understand him, but turns into his biggest enemy, too.
Garnering a cult following, like similar reinterpretations of classic films like Bates Motel, the series fully displayed Mikkelsen’s haunting screen presence.
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2016)
The first season of American Crime Story, featuring another great performance by Sarah Paulson, functions as a sharply-written legal thriller. The second season, on the other hand, feels more intimate as a human drama in its handling of Andrew Cunanan, the enigmatic killer of the fashion designer Gianni Versace.
It’s evident from the show’s title that the narrative is based on an assassination, but through a series of extremely conflicting and emotional flashbacks, one gets an idea of the causes that might have driven the youngster to such an extreme step. Writing and aesthetics aside, it was Darren Criss’ star-making lead performance that makes the series one of the best miniseries in recent history.
Castle Rock (2018 – )
Based on the various short stories by horror and thriller maestro Stephen King, Castle Rock is an acclaimed mystery anthology series that mostly takes place in the fictional town of the same name, often referencing iconic gloomy settings from the author’s universe, like Shawshank Prison.
Mysterious nurses, prison guards, psychotic killers, this show has it all. In terms of performances, it stars several promising young faces, like Andre Holland, and Bill Skarsgård, who already proved his mettle as as Pennywise in It.
Hollywood (2020)
A part of Ryan Murphy’s high-profile Netflix deal, Hollywood is a fictional tale of Tinseltown set around the same time as Feud. But unlike the latter, Hollywood tends to lend a more melodramatic and soapy approach to its content, as it covers several artists trying to make it big in LA.
Despite its minor flaws, the show boasts of great performances from newcomers like Jeremy Pope, as well as veterans, like Patti LuPone. The miniseries also touches upon the social issues of the time and gives it an escapist Hollywood-like makeover. Like any other high-profile Ryan Murphy creative project, one can expect exceptional production design, too.
The Haunting Of Hill House (2018)
Inspired by Shirley Jackson’s novel of the same name, The Haunting of Hill House redefined modern TV horror under the aegis of present-day horror icon Mike Flanagan, who created and directed each episode. The show proved to be a game-changer for Netflix, with critics and audiences praising its imagery and suspenseful build-up.
The series focuses on two sibling ghost-hunters who are reconnected in a haunted house where they once shared a tragic history. They have to confront ghosts of their past, as well as new ones. The series’ success has led to the release of a follow-up called The Haunting of Bly Manor, which is due to arrive on Netflix this October.
The Exorcist (2016 – 2017)
At the time of its release, The Exorcist was a groundbreaking horror film that set a precedent for the future of the genre. The film’s legacy was slightly tarnished by some embarrassingly bad sequels. The show of the same name attempts to erase this and functions as the film’s standalone sequel.
The Exorcist ran for only two seasons, but makes for a compelling watch, as viewers are dragged into the world of two priests who take it upon themselves to fight demonic spirits. The premise might feel familiar, but the show does try its best to offer a fresh spin to its source material.
The Sinner (2017 – )
The Sinner is a crime mystery anthology series with just Bill Pullman recurring in every season. Pullman stars as Harry Ambrose, a detective investigating various heinous crimes and understand the reasons behind ordinary people committing them.
Darkly compelling and terrifying, the show was praised for its dark themes, compelling whodunit (or even ‘whydunit’) plotlines, and for tackling issues like toxic masculinity in its current three seasons.
