Netflix’s 6-Part Crime Thriller With 100% RT Score Is One Of Its Best

One of the best Netflix original crime thriller series ever made earned a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, but it is surprisingly streaming on a rival platform. This series was originally a co-production between Netflix and BBC One in 2015 and still holds up to this day.

Starring Stellan Skarsgård, the renowned actor who is nominated for a 2026 Academy Award for his role in Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, and Oscar-nominated actress Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread), this 6-part miniseries is a must-watch for all crime thriller fans.

River Has A Perfect 100% Score On Rotten Tomatoes

River is an outstanding 6-part crime thriller and psychological drama series that earned a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score following its release in 2015. The series originally aired on BBC One in October 2015 before making its international debut on Netflix one month later.

The series follows a masterful police inspector named John River, played by Skarsgård, who is gifted and haunted by the murder cases he investigates. Unable to rest until the victims’ killers are brought to justice, River goes to extreme lengths and uses extraordinary measures to quiet his mind and solve these mysteries.

River, which takes place in London, begins with Skarsgård’s Swedish-born protagonist as he copes with the loss of his detective partner. As he investigates her murder, he is visited by “manifests”, or the ghosts of victims and criminals, which help and haunt him consistently.

River Is A Great Show To Binge In Just One Weekend

John River (Stellan Skarsgård) in BBC River

River is truly a can’t-miss series, praised for its enjoyable blend of dark crime drama and supernatural fantasy. The series benefits from its intriguing premise, but is elevated thanks to Skarsgård’s talents. If you have enjoyed him in any of his great movies like Good Will Hunting or acclaimed series like Andor, consider River among his very best performances.

River’s universal critical acclaim was also met with widespread approval from audiences based on its 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The New York Times wrote in its review, “[The premise] might sound hokey, but this series, created and written by Abi Morgan, is anything but that, growing deeper, darker and more intricate with each episode.” Morgan is a celebrated writer and producer, known for The Hour, Shame, and The Iron Lady.

River is surprisingly no longer available to stream on Netflix, but can be watched on either Amazon Prime Video or Peacock Premium. Each of River’s six episodes is less than an hour, ranging from 44 to 58 minutes, resulting in a total runtime of roughly 5 and a half hours. If you’re looking for something truly great to watch this weekend, River is an excellent choice.