10 More Thrilling Action-Packed Shows
Who is Erin Carter? is the latest thrilling and action-packed show on Netflix. Spread over 7 episodes, this one makes for a highly enjoyable watch from start to finish. If you’ve finished watching this one and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing.
Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Erin Carter!
Mr. Mercedes
Similarities – Cat & Mouse Chase
Mr Mercedes is a well crafted, enjoyable thriller from start to finish, even if it is a little slow paced during the halfway point of the series. With a dual focus on the two excellent lead characters, culprit Brady and ex-Detective Bull Hodges, this character-driven romp is well worth checking out.
A shocking, gut wrenching opening immediately sets the tone and mood, giving Mr Mercedes a no-holds-barred feel. After this short prologue, the story officially picks up 2 years later. Bill, the lead investigator in the Mercedes case, is now retired from police work with the unresolved case still haunting him. A strange message on Bill’s computer though, reignites the chase for our culprit, setting up a dangerous game of cat and mouse as Bill and Brady attempt to outsmart and out-manoeuvre one another.
You can read our thoughts on Mr Mercedes in our full season reviews here!
The Terminal List
Similarities – Revenge & Action
The Terminal List has all the ingredients to be a sure-fire hit. High-octane action, twists and turns along with enough treachery and intrigue to keep you guessing.
Our protagonist here is a former Navy SEAL officer called James Reece (Chris Pratt). The story opens with a tense, covert mission deep in enemy territory that goes completely awry, leading to his team being slaughtered.
With the plan a bust, the soldiers head back to US soil and are debriefed. Mourning the loss of their brothers, Reece soon finds that the war has followed them home.
When his friends begin to die in mysterious ways, Reece quickly learns that there’s a conspiracy going all the way up the chain of command. Naturally, Reece begins to investigate further, setting up a kill list as he begins going after those responsible.
Bodyguard
Similarities – Action Thriller
As well as achieving the highest viewing figures for a new BBC drama at the time of release, Bodyguard boasts an impressively aligned cast with an adrenaline fuelled story split across 6 parts.
The first 20 minutes of Bodyguardare excellent and dripping in tension. This memorable segment is enough to set the mood and tone for the rest of the series to follow. For the first 3 episodes at least, Bodyguard maintains this level of adrenaline-fuelled action, before the second half exposes a much more archetypal investigative drama with a political conspiracy at its heart.
However, it’s undeniably a fun ride and fans of Erin Carter should be in their element with this one!
Slow Horses
Similarities – Revenge & Action
Billed as a “darkly funny espionage drama”, Slow Horses essentially takes a motley band of misfits, throws them together and allows them to explore the dark underbelly of London in a series of cases that span each season’s run-time. It’s not particularly imaginative, but it is very effective when it comes to getting the job done.
The story follows River Cartwright, who conducts a big operation early on that goes completely awry. Off the back of this, he’s dumped from the MI5 ranks and thrown into Slough House, the proverbial dead-end for a career-ending mistake. There, he meets the notorious, no-nonsense Jackson Lamb. Joined by several other rejected agents and scruffy characters, the group are thrown into the middle of a big mission involving a terrorist group known as the Sons of Albion.
Determined to “keep Britain British”, they kidnap a British Muslim by the name of Hassan Ahmed and threaten to behead him live on-air at 6am. As a race against time ensues, Jackson butts heads with the current leader of the MI5, Diana Taverner, as the pair work to track down the Sons of Albion before a botched operation and a very public tragedy causes a potential war.
Absentia
Similarities – Mystery Drama
Absentia is a show full of plot twists, although one could argue that this show throws up one too many twists into the fold. Still, Absentia’s conclusive three-season run is helped by a really gripping plot that ends on a suitable high note.
The story revolves around FBI agent Emily Bryne who is found alive six years after her disappearance. Hampered with amnesia, Emily is forced to try and piece together her past, with specific emphasis on her time while kept in captivity.
To give much more away would be a disservice to this one but there’s a lot to like with this thriller.
The Capture
Similarities – Conspiracy & Mystery
BBC drama The Capture is an intriguing drama let down by a cliffhanger ending that (at the time anyway) was uncertain to return for a second season. Well, thankfully BBC have renewed this which makes recommending it a lot easier. The show centers around a big conspiracy that sometimes gets a little too big for the 6 episodes on offer but it just about holds it together until the end.
When a British soldier called Shaun Emery is arrested, CCTV footage shows him assaulting a young woman he met the previous night. Only, Shaun Emery is adamant he didn’t do it. Tenacious young detective DI Rachel Carey then starts to look into his case in more detail, finding a shocking multi-layered conspiracy that challenges everything we know about security and surveillance.
If you don’t mind an open-ending, The Capture is certainly worth checking out.
You can read our thoughts on The Capture in our episode recaps here!
Rabbit Hole
Similarities – Conspiracy & Mystery
Starring Kiefer Sutherland in the main role, Rabbit Hole is a fitting title for this series, which sees our titular character tumble down the proverbial rabbit hole into a world of conspiracies, half-truths and big data being used to manipulate the masses. Paramount’s original is not just a twisty-turny thriller, it’s also a thought provoking and eye-opening assessment of just where we are as a society right now.
The story centers on John Weir, a private espionage operative who finds himself in the battle of his life as he works to preserve democracy as everything he ever knew is thrown into disarray. It’s hard to explain the main plot here without diving into spoiler territory but the gist sees John framed for the death of an influential senator called Edward Homm.
Returning to his office, John’s building is blown up, killing his entire team, while an impending Shared Data Act is trying to be passed in Congress, allowing private companies to access millions of people’s personal data. There’s someone at the top of all this, orchestrating everything, but can John actually trust anyone in his life? And can he stop the US from slipping into becoming a controlled dictatorship?
The Night Agent
Similarities – Action & Thriller
The Night Agent is an espionage thriller that follows Peter Sutherland who monitors the emergency line for FBI agents in trouble. One fateful night, he gets a call from Rose who claims to be in danger. The call leads Peter to uncover a deadly conspiracy plan in the White House. He teams up with Rose to find the mole and ends up unravelling more than they expected.
From the start, the show wastes no time captivating the audience with its political thriller plotline. As a viewer, you find yourself invested in what will happen to Rose and also going through the mental loops trying to figure out who the traitors are. The twists are well-executed and hit just right. Although the plotline can be a bit complicated at times, the writers manage to keep it interesting and tight. The story doesn’t feel dragged out and as long as you follow it keenly, you won’t get lost.
The Night Agent is a great show to binge-watch, and while it’s unlikely to win any points for originality, it’s still gripping and intense.
The Old Man
Similarities – Action & Thriller
The Old Man on FX has finished airing its season one. Seven pulsating episodes, each woven with intricate care and perfection, offer us a peek into Dan Chase’s life.
Jeff Bridges stars as Chase, while John Lithgow (Harold), Alia Shawkat (Emily/Angela/Parwana), and Amy Brennaman (Zoe) played supporting roles. But really though, the plot and story are the real heroes here. Creators Robert Levine and Jonathan Steinberg adapt the Thomas Perry novel of the same name with some dramatic and geographic changes.
In essence, this is a riveting spy thriller whose tense narrative is not as tightly wound as its genre peers but touches upon fascinating existential questions of identity, human connection, and the absolute truth that is forever deceiving.
Hanna
Similarities – Mystery & Thriller
The events of Hanna follow closely to the plot of the movie sporting the same name. At the heart of this one lies Hanna, a young girl whose upbringing consists of hunting, training and living in isolation with her Dad after being taken from a secret facility as a baby.
Tirelessly hunted by the Government, Hanna finds herself in a fight for her life as the authorities eventually find her and her Dad, with the ensuing chaos that follows, paving the way for the drama in this series. As the action spills over to the civilized world, Hanna meets British teenager Sophie and experiences the true thrills of adolescent life.
Torn in her desire to fit in with other teenagers whilst living up to her true potential as a well-trained operative, Hanna’s Father’s past is slowly revealed, unveiling layers of the puzzle and just why the authorities are hunting them in the first place.
So there we have it, our 10 TV show alternatives to watch when you’re finished watching Who is Erin Carter?
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!