What if your next binge could teleport you from the comfort of your sofa into a world of global intrigue, clever thrills, and unmissable storytelling? Welcome to the wild ride of international drama, carefully curated and brilliantly addictive. Whether you're craving mind-bending thrillers, dystopian worlds, or edge-of-your-seat crime, we’ve rounded up the best from across the globe to go straight on your My List.
And when it comes to discovering international drama, we have to shout out Channel 4’s Walter Presents. Every show is carefully hand-picked for maximum “just one more episode” energy, shining a light on subtitled gems that might otherwise slip under your radar. This is the team that brought you gripping hits like Astrid: Murder in Paris and Sløborn—and trust us, those shows are only the beginning.
Crime dramas
From Nordic noir to Mediterranean mysteries, crime dramas are where international TV really is at its greatest! Expect devious detectives, cases with twists after twist, and crimes that’ll have you guessing until the credits roll! Here’s your line-up of must-watch international crime dramas!
Astrid Murder in Paris
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: France
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Head to Paris in this French drama, where Astrid Nielsen (Sara Mortensen) has a mind built for solving puzzles. Living with autism and working in the police archives, she’s drawn into the field when Detective Raphaëlle Coste (Lola Dewaere) realises her unique skills could crack cases no one else can. Together, the pair unravel the city’s most baffling murders, all while navigating the complexities of friendship, neurodiversity, and justice!
It’s quirky, it’s fun and it’s oh soooooo French!
Arctic Circle
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of Origin: Finland
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Get your parka at the ready! Filmed before COVID, this series ventures into the frozen wilderness of Lapland, where detective Nina Kautsalo (Iina Kuustonen) stumbles upon a woman infected with a deadly virus. As local authorities and international agencies clash, Nina races against time to uncover the truth.
Prepare to be amazed by the incredible cinematography with some scenic shots on par with The Revenant!
Sambre - Anatomy of a Crime
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer
Country of origin: France
After a series of attacks against women in Northern France over 30 years, Sambre explores the slow awakening of society to the problem of sexual violence with each episode focusing on the different perspectives of victims, law enforcement, and officials highlighting their struggles in the search for justice against the serial rapist.
If you love a show that’s so powerful and engaging that you can’t stop watching, then this is it!
The Sketch Artist
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Canada
Follow talented sketch artist Ève (Rachel Graton) as she helps the police reconstruct crimes from witness memories. Each case tests her skill and intuition, leading her into investigations with secrets farrrrr beyond what appears on the surface!
Full of so many twists and turns that you’ll be doubting everything you think you’ve learnt, if you’re a fan of mysteries then The Sketch Artist is an absolute must see!
Inspector Gerri
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Italy
Gregorio “Gerri” Esposito (Giulio Beranek) is a sharp but restless inspector of Roma origin, solving tough cases in Puglia. When a set of bones is found in a countryside cave, Gerri is thrown into a chilling case that links to the disappearance of local children, years earlier. Enter Deputy Inspector Lea Coen (Valentina Romani), fresh from Rome and not exactly charmed by Gerri’s unconventional ways. Together, they have to untangle decades of secrets, face ghosts from Gerri’s past, and catch a killer before more lives are lost.
If you want a classic crime drama with an Italian twist then make sure to watch Inspector Gerri
Cold Summer
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Italy
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It’s Bari, 1990s. The air is heavy, the streets are tense, and Sergeant Pietro Fenoglio (Alessio Boni) can sense a clan war is about to erupt. When a golden rule of the Mafia is broken, Fenoglio dives deep into the city’s underworld to uncover the truth before violence spirals out of control. But with loyalties shifting and danger closing in, he must work out who he can trust, and how far he’s willing to go to stop the bloodshed.
Interested in the Italian mafia? This Italian drama dives right in!
Memento Mori
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Spain
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In Valladolid, Inspector Ramiro Sancho (Francisco Ortiz) investigates a mysterious murder where unusual clues are left behind. As he digs deeper, he uncovers a pattern that points to a clever and elusive killer, Augusto (Yon González). Assisted by psycholinguist Martina (Manuela Vellés) and criminal psychologist Carapocha (Juan Echanove), Sancho must decipher the messages and stop the murderer before they strike again!
Watch this if you enjoyed Dexter.
Bordertown
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Finland
This Nordic noir transports you to a quiet border town where Detective Kari Sorjonen (Ville Virtanen) moves to in a bid for a peaceful life with his family. However, he soon finds crime creeping in around him… Using his incredible talent for spotting patterns (we’re getting Ludwig vibes here), Kari tackles a network of disturbing cases all while managing family life!
Be sure to have a cosy blanket at the ready for Bordertown!
Crá
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer
Country of origin: Ireland
When a body is discovered in a Donegal bog, Garda Conall Ó Súilleabháin (Dónall Ó Héalai) is devastated to learn it’s his mother, missing for 15 years. Officially, he’s not allowed on the case—but walking away isn’t an option. With the help of Ciara-Kate (Hannah Brady), a relentless podcaster chasing the story, Conall digs into the town’s long-buried secrets. What they uncover shakes the entire community, forcing everyone to confront their past in this haunting, atmospheric Gaelic noir that’s impossible to look away from.
If you want to explore Irish cinema at it’s finest, then CRÁ is a must- watch!
Secrets, lies and espionage
Betrayal, intrigue, and undercover operations—these series are all about hidden agendas and high-stakes deception. From secret agents to double lives, international espionage keeps you guessing until the very end.
Dark Hearts
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer
Country of origin: France
It’s 2016, and the battle for Mosul is looming. French Special Forces are sent on a high-risk mission: rescue the daughter and grandson of a powerful Daesh leader who promises crucial intel if they succeed. Commander Martin Manzard (Nicolas Duvauchelle) leads his tight-knit team through war zones, double-crosses, and moral dilemmas, where one wrong move could cost them absolutely everything.
Full of action and unmissable war moments, this is a war drama at its finest!
Deutschland
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Germany
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Imagine this: It’s 1983, and the Cold War is at its peak. The world is grooving to 99 red balloons with their Walkmans, but behind the Iron Curtain, nerves are frayed, fingers hover dangerously close to the nuclear button… and one unsuspecting East German soldier is about to be thrown very deep into the Western fire. Martin Rauch (Jonas Nay) is plucked by the Stasi and sent undercover as a NATO aide. His mission? Steal secrets, sabotage plans, and stay alive—all while maintaining a fake identity and deceiving everyone around him.
High-stakes, tense, and full of twists, this is Cold War drama at its veryyyyyy best.
The Bank Hacker
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Belgium
Inspired by true events, The Bank Hacker follows con man Alidor Van Praet (Gene Bervoets) who’s fresh out of prison and looking for a plan to restore his fortune. When he sees 20-year-old hacker Jeremy Peeters (Tijmen Govaerts) at a hacking competition, he pulls him into his high-stakes scheme! Together, they attempt to pull off a daring cyber heist that could either make them rich or land them both behind bars!
Full of so many twists, this Belgian drama is impossible to stop watching!
Pandora
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Belgium
Judge Claire Delval is rocked when a high-profile corruption case leads to her own father. As protests erupt after a political activist is brutally attacked, an ambitious MP seizes the moment to push his own agenda. Torn between duty and loyalty, Claire is drawn into a dangerous game of power, secrets, and betrayal.
Give this a try if you enjoyed The Good Wife.
Historical/ period dramas
Step back in time and dive into worlds shaped by secrets, ambition, and the weight of history. These dramas mix real events with gripping personal stories, letting you experience eras and moments that changed everything.
Seaside Hotel
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Denmark
Set in 1920s Denmark, Seaside Hotel offers a viewing into post-war Europe following the staff of a seaside hotel where guests’ lives intertwine with scandal, romance, and ambition. As families arrive and secrets surface, the hotel becomes a stage for love, betrayal, and society’s shifting expectations.
Fans of Ten Pound Poms you will love this!
State of Happiness
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer
Country of origin: Norway
Put on your warm jackets as State of Happiness transports us to Norway in the late 1960s. In the small fishing town of Stavanger, international oil companies are pulling out after years of drilling with nothing to show. Then, just when hope seems lost, Phillips Petroleum makes one last attempt—and strikes the largest underwater oil basin in history! Suddenly the citizens of the town and an American lawyer are swept up in a wave of opportunity, conflict, and transformation that will reshape their town and themselves!
Nordic noir lovers, don't miss State of Happiness!
Faking Hitler
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of Origin: Germany
It’s the 1980s, and journalist Gerd Heidemann (Lars Eidinger) is desperate for the story of a lifetime. When art dealer Konrad Kujau (Moritz Bleibtreu) claims to have discovered Adolf Hitler’s long-lost diaries, Heidemann jumps at the chance to make history. But when fellow journalist Elisabeth Stöckel (Sinje Irslinger) begins digging deeper, she uncovers cracks in the story that could bring the whole scandal crashing down. Part newsroom drama, part thriller, this German series charts one of the biggest media hoaxes in history.
Satire and comedy collide in this (kind of) historical drama!
Sci-fi, dystopian and supernatural
These series throw you into worlds where danger, mystery, and mind-bending twists are just the beginning. From climate disasters to futuristic experiments, dystopian societies, and supernatural shocks, get ready to binge the unexpected.
Promethea
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: France
Seventeen-year-old Promethea (Fantine Harduin) wakes up after a car crash with no memory and soon discovers she has strange visions and unexplained powers that hint at a dark mystery tied to a murdered high school girl. As those around her try to help, they soon realise Promethea’s awakening might be more supernatural than human.
Part crime thriller and part supernatural thriller, Promethea is guaranteed to have you on the edge-of-your-seat!
Families Like Ours
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer
Country of origin: Denmark
In an all-too-real near future, Families Like Ours sees Denmark thrown into chaos when the government orders the entire country to evacuate due to rising sea levels. What follows is tension, heartache, and impossible choices as families are torn apart, friends are scattered across the globe, and children of divorced parents are forced to pick which parent to follow. It’s emotional, it’s tense — and in today’s climate, so very real!
Watch Families Like Ours if you enjoy all-too-real dystopian dramas.
Arcadia
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Belgium
In a near-future Belgium, every citizen is constantly monitored and scored for their behaviour with your score determining the job you do, where you live and how you are treated. When a seemingly perfect family is caught bending the rules, their scores fall, throwing them into a dangerous spiral of suspicion, secrets, and survival. As loyalty is rewarded and stepping out of line can cost everything, the family must navigate a society where Big Brother isn’t just watching—he’s controlling your future!
If you want to find out more, we've got youuu!
Sløborn
Where to watch: Channel 4
Country of origin: Germany and Denmark
Life on the remote island of Sløborn is quiet and peaceful, until a deadly virus arrives on its shores. As the infection spreads, panic takes hold, and the tight-knit community begins to unravel. At the heart of it all is teenager Evelin Kern (Emily Kusche), whose own life is already complicated enough without a pandemic tearing through her home. As the island is cut off from the mainland, neighbours turn against each other, secrets come to light, and surviving becomes the only goal. It’s gripping, emotional, and hits closer to home than you might expect.
Watch this if you enjoy a blend between reality and fantasy.
If you're enjoying the subtitled dramas why not check out our Walter Presents interview to find out how the shows are curated! Or maybe dive deeper into the plot of Arcadia with out deep dive article!
