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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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Dirty John - Season 2
DIRTY JOHN -- "Marriage Encounter" Episode 203 -- Pictured: (l-r) Christian Slater as Dan Broderick, Amanda Peet as Betty Broderick -- (Photo by: Isabella Vosmikova/USA Network) /

Dirty John

This fantastic series brings to life two crimes that put most TV melodramas to shame. The first season focuses on John Meehan (Eric Bana), who seduces Debra Newell (Connie Britton), only for her to realize too late he's a twisted psychopath. The season flows nicely, showcasing the dark sides of this marriage. 

Season 2 tells the wilder tale of Beth Broderick (Amanda Peet), whose picture-perfect marriage to Dan (Christian Slater) turns so ugly she ends up shooting him and becoming a national sensation. Both seasons are wild dives into how love can turn so ugly and match nicely for the anti-romance crowd. 

Ep. 1 - TheStranger-05.04.19-1-07A-32
The Stranger - Richard Armitage and Hannah John-Kamen - Credit: VISHAL SHARMA/Netflix /

The Stranger

Harlan Coben has an entire mini-hub of shows on Netflix that specialize in featuring the dark sides of seemingly perfect families. This 2020 series has Adam (Richard Armitage) rocked when a mysterious woman (Hannah John-Kamen) tells him a dark secret about his wife. This same Stranger soon reveals other secrets to the people of this quiet village that threaten to tear the hamlet apart. 

The eight episodes weave a dark story of this Stranger upending lives, uncovering secrets, and how so many seemingly great romances are built on deceit. The twists flow nicely and showcase another great adaptation of Coben's works. 

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