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Not into Valentine's Day? These 6 Netflix crime shows offer great "anti-romance" tales

If you're not in a mood to celebrate Valentine's Day, these six shows on Netflix offer darker tales of romance for crime show fans.

By Michael Weyer

You. (L-R) Charlotte Ritchie as Kate, Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg in episode 409 of You. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023
You. (L-R) Charlotte Ritchie as Kate, Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg in episode 409 of You. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023 /
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You and more anti-romance crime shows on Netflix for Valentine's Day

With Valentine's Day coming, folks are ready to enjoy a lot of TV shows that use romance. That includes a few on Netflix that can appeal with nice romantic turns, even some crime shows. However, some folks may not be in the Valentine's Day mood, so it's interesting how Netflix can boast a few shows with odd appeal there. 

They show the darker side of romance, with some supposedly good partnerships turning to darkness. There's also how the "love" only exists in someone's disturbed mind. True crime documentaries alone offer a lot, but these six Netflix shows can be fun to watch for those who hate the Valentine's Day schmaltz and want a darker crime drama. 

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You. Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg in episode 408 of You. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023 /

You

It's hard to get a darker romance than this Lifetime series that became a Netflix sensation. In his mind, Joe (Penn Badgley) is the classic nice guy in a rom com trying to woo the lovely Beck. The viewer sees the reality, which is that Joe is a sociopathic, murderous stalker. The series excels in showing how classic rom-com tropes can easily turn to horror.

Each season packs in some wild twists and turns, with the viewer often discovering they've fallen for Joe's tricks and his dark path to "true love." With a fantastic supporting cast, the series rests on a lead character who thinks he's the hero in the wrong story and that he's convinced this is all romance, which makes it all the more horrifying. 

Tequila Mockingbird
In The Dark -- ÒTequila MockingbirdÓ -- Image Number: ITD407a_0365r -- Pictured: Perry Mattfeld as Murphy Mason -- Photo: Marni Grossman/The CW -- © 2022 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved. /

In The Dark

This underrated CW series has likely the least likable heroine in CW history. Murphy Mason (Perry Mattfeld) is a blind, bed-hopping, drug-using, sardonic gal with no real responsibilities in her life. When she stumbles onto a friend's dead body, she feels the need to investigate, only to find herself in a deadly criminal conspiracy. 

The blind Murphy regularly cheats on her boyfriends, deals drugs and can be a selfish liar. Yet she's compelling to watch trying to investigate and, for all her horrible flaws, she does try to do the right thing. The series ended a bit too soon at four seasons, so while Murphy is hardly a classic romantic detective, her turn as this blind woman is worth watching. 

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