Are you ready for New Year’s Eve? It’s okay if you don’t want to watch the Ball Drop. There’s plenty other things to watch, and we have some great TV crime dramas to choose from.
Our list is made up with something for everyone. If you want a dramedy or you need something more gritty, we have you covered. And yes, we’re aiming for shorter shows that you can binge-watch throughout New Year’s Eve and into New Year’s Day. After all, there isn’t that much time available!
That means you won’t see the likes of NCIS or Blue Bloods on the list—although we do love them! We’ve included the streaming platforms the shows are on so you’re ready to cue things up so they’re ready to go.
Based on a True Story
For those who love dramedies, Based on a True Story is a must-watch. There are two seasons on Peacock, and both seasons have eight episodes that are just 30 minutes each. This format is what makes the series so bingeable in the first place.
Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina play Ava and Nathan, a couple who move to a new neighborhood and want to find a way to fit in. They have financial issues, though, and they need to find a way to add more money to the pot. What about starting a true crime podcast? This one is with a twist as they figure out who a murderer is and want to get him to confess on the podcast.
That goes as well as you would think. The second season brings new twists and turns with the serial killer still on the loose and now in full control.
Based on a True Story is on Peacock.
Reacher
With the third season of Reacher arriving in 2025, you’ll certainly want to check out the series on New Year’s Eve. This is still bingeable thanks to only having eight episodes and there only being two seasons. The episodes are an hour long, though.
The series follows the Lee Child novels. We follow Jack Reacher as he ends up in a town where he’s accused and arrested for murder. Only, it turns out that he didn’t do it. He can help to figure out who did, and the first season helps him uncover a town conspiracy and get answers on a personal case in the end. In the second season, his past in the military is brought up when he has to team up with the remaining members of his unit to solve a conspiracy.
Reacher is available to stream on Prime Video.
Cross
Amazon has had some great crime and spy thrillers over the years. Many of them are adapted from books, and we’ve got the adaptations that we’ve long needed. Cross is one of them, and it’s a must watch instead of the Ball Drop.
The first season gives us two cases for Alex Cross to solve. The first is a serial killer in the neighborhood, who happens to be killing the doppelgangers of famous serial killers. There’s a twisted story to this one, making it dark and gritty for those who need it. Then there’s the case that involves the death of his wife, that he can’t stop thinking about.
Cross is available to stream on Prime Video.
High Potential
Do you need quirky but without too many episodes to get through? Do you want something that also makes you think and brings the old-school cases of the week format? It’s time to turn to High Potential for New Year’s Eve. Get caught up before the show returns in January.
High Potential follows Morgan, a cleaner at a police precinct with an IQ and skill to solve crimes. She can see things others can’t, and that helps to save lives and get to the bottom of conspiracies. She becomes a consultant for the police department, but she also has a request. She needs help finding out what happened to her eldest child’s father from 15 years earlier.
High Potential is available to stream on Hulu.
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