The concept of a psychological thriller is complicated from the start, and it often starts with a traumatic experience, drug abuse, or other unpleasant experiences. HBO Max has an impressive library of thrillers in the realm of psychological horror, one example being Made For Love, a story about a woman who tries to escape a toxic marriage despite the chip her abusive husband has implanted in her brain.
Any show about psychological horror is going to have a script filled with abstract ideas and images that don't follow more conventional storytelling, like non-linear timelines, dream states, and magical realism. The settings can get pretty creative too, including everything from virtual reality to artificial intelligence, since the genre isn't bound by rules like reality, gravity, science, or even the color spectrum. What are some great series like Made For Love?
7 Maniac, Netflix
A psychological drama that also doubles as a dark comedy, the plot follows protagonists Annie Landsberg and Owen Milgrim as they take part in a pharmaceutical trial involving psychotropic drugs. The tone is somehow equally serious and funny, which show's wider appeal, making it more accessible than a straight horror series.
The star-studded cast includes Jonah Hill, Emma Stone, and Sally Field, among others, and the show has been recognized for its unique visuals and style. The setting is intended to be a retro-futuristic version of New York, right down to the attire.
6 The X-Files, Star+
Remember a time when conspiracy theories were just good clean fun? Both the classic X-Files that ran on Fox TV in the 1990s and the reboot that ran from 2016 to 2018 are ideal examples of thrillers that play with reality, and the show is easier to appreciate now that its lasting influence is more obvious.
Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny will always be famous for bringing the dynamic duo of Dana Scully and Fox Mulder to life, with episodes that included comedy, drama, mystery, and psychological horror. ​​​​​​​The popularity of the show made it a cultural icon, and it's currently part of a franchise that also includes movies and video games.
5 Fringe, HBO Max
The writers of Fringe took their inspiration from shows like The Twilight Zone, mixing fantasy, science fiction, and altered reality. The storyline revolves around the daily exploits of the Fringe Division, a fictional branch of the FBI, as they investigate the sordid and grotesque events related to the existence of a parallel universe.
After a slow start, the show became more popular as the seasons progressed, and currently, it enjoys a cult following. Fringe also inspired a series of comic books, three novels, and an alternate-reality game for those interested in other media.
4 Squid Game, Netflix
This is a show not for the faint of heart, and one that has very little to offer in the way of comedy or emotional relief, so buckle up. Squid Game doesn't just use the angle of psychological drama but also body horror, and despite the visceral subject matter, fans have spoken by making this the most-watch series in Netflix history.
In South Korea, "squid game" is something played by children, using shapes or cute figures, and the deadly games featured in this show mimic these same kids' activities. Every time a contestant dies, the amount of prize money increases; naturally, competitors start to form alliances and fight each other.
3 Devs, Star+
Classified as a science fiction thriller, Devs is also a murder mystery that touches on deeper issues like determinism and free will. The story is set in Silicon Valley and received praise for its soundtrack, cinematography, writing, and visual design.
Lily Chan's boyfriend Sergei thinks he's landed a dream job when he's hired to work on a secret quantum computing team. On his first day, however, his new boss catches him copying lines of code, accuses him of theft, and murders him. As the rest of the season unfolds, Lily has to crack codes and deal with altered reality in order to discover what happened.
2 Severance, Apple TV
Severance is a science fiction and psychological thriller, co-directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle. The premise seems a bit absurd and dull at first, telling the story about a futuristic company called Lumon Industries that uses a process called "severance" to mess with the memories from the minds of their former employees. The medical treatment specifically separates work memories from non-work ones, and reality isn't all that it seems in this environment.
The first episode demonstrates how this works by opening with a scene featuring a woman who wakes up in a strange room with no memory of who she is. She takes a survey and learns she's a new employee, and she's undergone a procedure that makes a separate version of herself that only exists at work.
1 Foundation, Apple TV
​​​​​​​Anyone interested in the lore of Star Wars needs to look at Foundation, a show based on the novels of the same name by Isaac Asimov, which inspired George Lucas to create the Jedi Order. Asimov got the idea from studying the fall of the Roman Empire, and the real-life mad dash to preserve the knowledge of the imperial scholars before their civilization fell apart.
The series consists of one season so far, and focuses on the preservation and acquisition of knowledge, and what psychological effect this has on both society and individuals.