The worst part of watching a new binge-worthy series is figuring out what to watch next. Especially when there’s only one season.
Netflix’s addictive teen mystery series “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” debuted in the top ranks of the streaming charts in August and has held steady for weeks, but Netflix has yet to announce a second season. Which means a whole lot of folks have tuned in and might be looking for another great mystery series. Not to worry, we’ve got a curated list of shows like “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” to watch while you wait for that Season 2 renewal.
“Veronica Mars”
“Veronica Mars” is the undisputed GOAT of teen detective shows. In her breakout role, Kristen Bell plays the title sleuth, daughter of former sheriff turned private investigator — and one of TV’s all-time great dads, Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni). Witty, fearless and endlessly frustrating (hey, it’s part of what makes her so compelling), Veronica solves weekly episodic high school mysteries while investigating the much darker, more complex matter of who killed her best friend. From there, we got three seasons, a movie and a divisive Hulu revival, all of which are worth watching — though your mileage may vary on that divisive revival. The first two seasons, though? YA mystery perfection, led by one of TV’s greatest gumshoes — not just in teen TV, but the whole history of the genre. — Haleigh Foutch
“Under the Bridge”
This limited series is more in the “true crime” vein but appeals to “Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” fans in that it’s about how sometimes teenagers are living completely different lives than the ones they show to their parents and friends. Based on a real case, the story takes place in the aftermath of the murder of high school student Reena Virk. Riley Keough is a journalist interviewing her friends to find out what happened while Lily Gladstone plays the local cop on the case. The story unfolds in the present day but also through extensive flashbacks that reveal what happened in the lead-up to Reena’s murder. – Adam Chitwood
“Cruel Summer”
“Cruel Summer” has a lot in common with “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,” from the contained, one-season mystery to the throwback setting and jam-packed soundtracks. Freeform’s anthology series unfolds a new mystery with each season, told through overlapping timelines through multiple character perspectives. The Freeform series is full of twists and turns on the journey to the truth, revealing the twisted tangle of secrets throughout a small town and the complex social dynamics of teenage girls — yet another similarity it shares with “A Good Girl’s Guide.” — HF
“Sherlock”
A classic, but if the British mystery vibes are what you’re seeking, “Sherlock” does the trick. Benedict Cumberbatch is Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman is Dr. James Watson in this modern twist on the Arthur Conan Doyle book series, which tackles a new mystery in each of its 13 feature-length episodes. Andrew Scott makes a devilishly good Moriarty, and Cumberbatch is brilliant in his portrayal of an emotionally stunted detective. – AC
If you don’t mind a bit of a fantastical flair, “Wednesday” is a logical next step for any “Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” fan who hasn’t already seen it — and not just because it also stars Emma Myers. Netflix’s mega-hit “Addams Family” adaptation brings a teen mystery slant to the iconic character of Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), dropping her at the otherworldly Nevermore Academy, where her psychic powers help her thwart a murder spree and solve a mystery centuries in the making. Executive Produced by Tim Burton, who also directed several episodes, the series co-stars Myers as Wednesday’s bubbly roommate and unlikely partner in crime-solving, the young werewolf Enid. – HF
“School Spirits”
Another option for folks who aren’t opposed to a bit of the supernatural in their mystery, “School Spirits” stars Peyton List as a teenage girl who has to investigate her own disappearance when she wakes up in the afterlife, trapped in her high school. A Paramount+ original, which found a bit of a second life after it started streaming on Netflix, “School Spirits” is a bit like if “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” and “Ghosts” had a binge-worthy baby. – HF
“Broadchurch”
What makes “Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” stand out is how seriously it takes the loss of life at its center, and if you ramp that up to an 11, you get “Broadchurch.” The series opens with an emotionally devastating case: An 11-year-old boy is found dead at the base of cliffs overlooking a beach. Olivia Colman is the local detective on the case, while David Tennant plays an experienced detective who recently relocated to Broadchurch. There’s an intense focus on the devastating impact that this murder has on the boy’s family left behind (Jodie Whittaker is tremendous as his mother), and while the three subsequent seasons fail to reach the heights of the first, Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a terrific turn in Season 2 that put her on many folks’ radars for the first time. — AC
