6 Intense Spanish Thrillers Better Than Netflix’s ‘The Final Problem’

A storm traps thirteen people at an island hotel in Netflix’s Spanish thriller series The Final Problem. The series has a classic Agatha Christie schtick: a bunch of suspicious strangers trapped in an isolated environment. When one of them dies, the others turn to Basil (José Coronado) for help. Basil is an actor, but he has played Sherlock Holmes for so long that everyone seems to think he can solve a real murder. And by the end of The Final Problem, it turns out he can!

I liked that idea. And Coronado is very good in the role. I gave The Final Problem 7/10 in my review. The case, unfortunately, is less interesting than the man investigating it. In case you enjoyed it but wanted more from the mystery, there are plenty of Spanish thrillers to try next. These six kept me more invested in what would happen next.

1. The Innocent Turns One Phone Call Into a Nightmare

Mateo (Mario Casas) has put his life back together since being imprisoned due to an accidental killing. He’s gotten married and now expects a baby and finally is able to envision the future without being confined in the past. Suddenly, a call from wife’s phone throws everything into question for him.

The Innocent relishes uncovering one secret beneath another. Some of the twists in this thriller series may seem ridiculous, but this series is paced well enough and is relentlessly gripping to the point that you want to know where it all goes. Mateo doesn’t even have the time to process one twist before another makes things worse for him. It’s easily the best among Harlan Coben mysteries on Netflix.

2. The Asunta Case Makes a Family the Focus of a Murder Investigation

When the young 12-year-old daughter of Rosario (Candela Peña) and Alfonso (Tristán Ulloa) disappears, soon the couple find themselves in trouble. This TV show is based on a horrifying true story and portrays how the investigation progresses and brings more and more facts about the marriage of this couple and about Asunta herself (via Tudum).

Peña and Ulloa have a remarkable chemistry, especially in the scenes where Rosario and Alfonso seem to need different things from one another in spite of the identical tragic questions they are facing. The Asunta Case demonstrates how easily a family turns into a piece of public domain after a crime becomes a hot topic in the media.

3. The Snow Girl Follows a Disappearance That Won’t Let Go

Five-year-old Amaya disappears during a Christmas parade in Málaga. Journalist Miren (Milena Smit) becomes caught up in the search, and years later she is still looking for answers. When a video of Amaya appears, it brings the family hope while reminding them how little they know about what happened to her.

The time jumps give The Snow Girl much of its weight. Miren changes over the years, as does the investigation, but she cannot leave the case alone. The show understands why a lead can be both a gift and a fresh ordeal for people who have spent years waiting.

4. Money Heist Makes Every Stage of Its Robbery a Crisis

The Professor has a plan for robbing the Royal Mint of Spain. He has chosen his crew, worked out how they will get inside, and thought through what the police might do. Unfortunately for him, he has to rely on a building full of people to behave as expected.

Hostages panic. Robbers argue. A decision made inside the Mint forces the Professor to improvise outside it. That constant trouble makes Money Heist hard to stop watching, even when its characters make you want to shout at the screen. The thriller series later moves to a second heist at the Bank of Spain, but the Mint is where it first proves how entertaining a plan falling apart can be.

5. Locked Up Turns Prison Survival Into a Ruthless Power Struggle

Macarena (Maggie Civantos) goes to prison after committing financial crimes for her boyfriend. She arrives badly prepared for life inside and soon learns that being harmless will not keep her safe. Every alliance comes with a price, and she cannot always tell who intends to collect it.

Watching Macarena adapt is the draw of Locked Up. She makes mistakes, learns from some of them, and faces people who know the prison far better than she does. Zulema (Najwa Nimri) is especially frightening because Macarena cannot predict what she wants from her. Their conflict gives the series a personal edge amid the larger struggle for control.

6. Criminal: Spain Builds Tension Across the Interrogation Table

Each of Criminal: Spain’s three episodes puts detectives across from a different suspect. They have questions to answer and limited time to get someone talking. The suspects, of course, have their own reasons to choose their words carefully.

Most of the action happens in the interrogation room, which makes small changes matter. A suspect grows too comfortable. A detective presses a point too hard. In one case, the questioning gets uncomfortably personal for the officers themselves. The show is brief, but it makes good use of its limits: there is nowhere else for anyone in that room to hide.

Which Spanish thriller gripped you more than The Final Problem? Let us know in the comments.