Sure, we love a lesbian period drama as much as the next sapphic—but that’s not all. Sometimes we just want to giggle or have our hearts broken. Maybe we’re in the mood for romance, or something steamier. And then there are the times we want our spines tingled. After all, is there really anything more engrossing than a good lesbian or sapphic mystery or thriller?
Thankfully, there’s no shortage of streamable options with lesbian leads to settle in for a good binge. So grab a snack, tuck yourself under a blanket, pick up the remote, and get ready for an enthralling and mysterious time with these shows.
Deadloch
Dead Loch
Prime Video
This charming, hilarious, and very queer mystery series takes place in Tasmania and sees two very different detectives—the uptight Senior Sergeant Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) and the rebellious Detective Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami)—teaming up to solve the murder of a prominent man in their community.
Where to watch: NetflixThe Beast in Me
The Beast In Me
Netflix
Sapphics of a certain age, ahem, have been waiting decades for this moment: Claire Danes starring as a sapphic. It’s here—and thankfully, it’s worth the wait. Danes stars as Aggie Wiggs, an author who is grieving the loss of her child. She becomes increasingly obsessed with her new neighbor, Nile Jarvis (Matthew Rhys), who may have killed his wife.
The Hunting Wives
The Hunting Wives
NetflixThere’s a reason all your friends were suddenly obsessed with the steamy Southern thriller: it’s hot. But it’s also a really fun mystery series that is thankfully returning for a second season. In it, Sophie (Brittany Snow) moves to Texas with her husband and falls in with a group of gun-toting, girl-kissing women. Things take an even crazier turn when a young woman is murdered.
Where to watch: Netflix
Orphan Black
Orphan Black
BBC America
If you like your thrillers with a more sci-fi bent, then Orphan Black is a must-watch. In it, Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany) discovers that she is at the center of a shocking and widespread conspiracy when she happens upon someone who looks disturbingly like her. Without spoiling the plot, there is a sapphic character and love story at the heart of this twisty series.
Where to watch: Netflix
Wayward
Wayward
Netflix
While Mae Martin may be best known for their comedic chops, they also know how to create one heck of a thriller. In it, they play a trans police officer, Alex Dempsey, who, with his wife (Sarah Gadon), returns to her seemingly utopic small town—which just so happens to be run by a cult leader (Toni Collette) in charge of a camp for troubled youth. Queerness and intrigue abound, including a central character (Alyvia Alyn Lind) exploring her bisexuality
Where to watch: NetflixThe Better Sister
The Better Sister
Prime Video
Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks star as sisters with a fraught relationship, to say the least. One is married to the other’s ex-husband—awkward. But their lives collide once again when that man ends up murdered. On the case is lesbian detective Nancy "Nan" Guidry (Kim Dickens), who is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.Where to watch: Prime Video
One of Us is Lying
One of Us is Lying
Peacock
Even if you have a soft spot for YA mysteries, this one may have slipped under your radar. The series, which is based on the book by Karen M. McManus, follows a group of teens (including some queer ones) who find themselves in detention together when one of them is seemingly murdered, and they have to discover the culprit.
Where to watch: Peacock
Dead Ringers
Dead Ringers
Prime Video
This thriller features not one, but two Rachel Weiszs—what’s not to love? The miniseries is a gender-flip on the David Cronenberg film and follows twin gynecologists Beverly (who is queer) and Elliot Mantle, who dream of revolutionizing women’s fertility with their birthing center. But behind the brilliance lies darkness and blurred boundaries that take them in an increasingly darker direction.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Under the Bridge
Under the Bridge
Hulu
This thriller is based on a true story—and it will haunt you. It’s adapted from Rebecca Godfrey’s book about fourteen-year-old Reena Virk (Vritika Gupta), who went missing after leaving to join friends at a party. The series follows Godfrey (Riley Keough) and Cam, a local police officer (Lily Gladstone), as they delve into the hidden world of young girls who may have been responsible for a heinous crime. As the investigation unfolds, Cam and Rebecca also strike up a romance.
Where to watch: Hulu
Past Lies
Past Lies
Hulu
This Spanish-language thriller follows Rita (Elena Anaya), a lesbian director who returns home with her girlfriend after the passing of her mother, only to have her plans turned upside down when the body of a classmate who went missing 25 years ago is discovered. As her friend group comes back together, old secrets begin to come to light.
Where to watch: HuluI Know What You Did Last Summer
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Prime Video
No, we’re not talking about the movie from the ’90s, any of its sequels, or this year’s reboot—we’re talking about a sadly short-lived and underappreciated series that ran for just one season on Prime. But don’t let that fool you: this is fun lesbian chaos. In it, Madison Iseman stars as twin sisters. When one dies, the other takes her place—and her girlfriend (Brianne Tju)—only to be hunted down a year later by someone who knows too much.
Where to watch: Prime VideoTrue Detective: Night Country
True Detective: Night Country
HBO Max
Unlike the other shows on this list, True Detective: Night Country’s two lead characters are not textually queer. But we challenge you to watch it and not see it as the gayest show on this list. In it, out actors Jodie Foster and Kali Reis star as reluctant investigative partners when a group of scientists seemingly strip off their clothes and walks into the freezing night, only to die of exposure. It’s creepy, mysterious, and beautifully acted. This will absolutely stick with you—and Fiona Shaw also stars and, of course, steals the show.
Where to watch: HBO Max
