12 Shows Like The Girlfriend You Must See

Prime Video’s ‘The Girlfriend’ chronicles the intertwining lives of lovers Cherry Laine (Olivia Cooke) and Daniel Sanderson (Laurie Davidson), and their complex emotional dynamics with Daniel’s mother, Laura Sanderson (Robin Wright), who suspects that her son’s new girlfriend might be hiding something. Based on the eponymous novel by Michelle Frances, and adapted for television by Gabbie Asher and Naomi Sheldon, it delves into the actions of the mother, who takes dangerous steps to protect her son from a woman she thinks is dangerous. The themes of love, family, lust, and obsession are portrayed in the psychological drama series. If the premise, characters, and the visual style of the narrative impressed you, these shows, similar to ‘The Girlfriend,’ will intrigue you.

12. Dead Ringers (2023)

Based on the eponymous film directed by David Cronenberg, Prime Video’s ‘Dead Ringers’ follows the story of twin sisters Beverly and Elliot Mantle (Rachel Weisz plays both), who are gynecologists intending to create a new system for women to give birth. The siblings try increasingly dangerous ways to achieve their goal, while also harboring dangerous and consequential secrets. The elements of love, loyalty, bodily autonomy, and lust are explored in the psychological drama thriller series created by Alice Birch, which is also inspired by the novel ‘Twins’ by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland. On the lines of ‘The Girlfriend,’ it deals with psychological issues, mistrust, and deception, while also navigating complex sexual-romantic and power-based connections between characters.

11. The Devil’s Hour (2022-)

Created by Tom Moran, Prime Video’s ‘The Devil’s Hour’ navigates the lives of a social worker named Lucy Chambers (Jessica Raine) and her son Isaac Chambers (Benjamin Chivers), who are both somehow connected to a spree of killings, and also get strange visions of events that have not transpired. The mystery thriller drama series is made more complex by the fact that Lucy happens to inexplicably wake up every morning during the so-called “hour of the devil,” while also communicating with a seemingly dangerous criminal named Gideon Shepherd (Peter Capaldi). The visual choices, the element of deception, and the mother-son relationship connect the series to the world of ‘The Girlfriend’ and its characters.

10. Tell Me Your Secrets (2021)

Prime Video’s ‘Tell Me Your Secrets,’ created by Harriet Warner, is a tale of secrets and suspicions narrated through complex characters. It explores the interconnected lives of a woman named Emma Hall (Lily Rabe), who crossed paths with a murderer in the past, Mary Barlow (Amy Brenneman), a mother looking for her daughter, and John Tyler (Hamish Linklater), a dangerous man looking for a second chance. The thriller mystery drama delves into the journeys of the three main characters as they encounter consequential challenges. Akin to ‘The Girlfriend,’ the elements of parent-child relationship and complex emotional dynamics play an important role in the narrative.

9. Sharp Objects (2018)

Based on the novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn, HBO’s psychological thriller series ‘Sharp Objects’ chronicles the journey of a reporter named Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), who has a tough relationship with her mother, Adora Crellin (Patricia Clarkson), and her half-sister Amma Crellin (Eliza Scanlen). As the protagonist goes home after a difficult time, she finds herself in the middle of a complicated investigation related to the killings of two young girls, which leads her towards greater challenges. The Marti Noxon creation, like ‘The Girlfriend,’ looks at psychological issues, difficult parent-child relationships, and the element of hidden truths, which connect them on a spiritual level.

8. Ripley (2024)

Created by Steven Zaillian, Netflix’s ‘Ripley,’ set in the 1960s, is the tale of a dangerous man named Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott), who attempts to bring home Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn), the profligate son of a millionaire, from Italy to New York. However, while he continues to serve under the orders of the millionaire father, he seems to be harboring dark secrets and intentions that could pose a risk to himself and the others around him. Based on the novel ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ by Patricia Highsmith, the thriller drama series, on the lines of ‘The Girlfriend,’ looks at deception, secrecy, and the curiosities surrounding rich people. Both stories feature characters who get involved in dangerous games, driven by obsession and control.

7. Wilderness (2023)

Prime Video’s ‘Wilderness,’ based on the eponymous novel by B. E Jones, follows a married couple comprising Liv Taylor (Jenna Coleman) and Will Taylor (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), whose lives are upended after Liv discovers that her husband is having an affair. In the British psychological thriller series, the woman, overwhelmed by the betrayal, agrees to go on a trip with her cheating partner, and plans to avenge the wrongs she faced. The Marnie Dickens creation, akin to ‘The Girlfriend,’ deals with elements of suspicion and betrayal, while also featuring characters who try to push past their psychological limitations to achieve their objectives. The elements of sex and manipulation are also important in both stories.

6. Losing Alice (2020)

‘Losing Alice’ is an Israeli show that follows the complexities of the life of a middle-aged film director named Alice Ginor (Ayelet Zurer), who crosses paths with a young writer called Sophie (Lihi Kornoeski), for whom she develops sexual feelings, which take her on a chaotic and dangerous path traversing family, morality, and identity. The arrival of the new individual in her life leads to unexpected scenarios where even death looks like a possibility. The psychological thriller show, created by Sigal Alvin, shares similarities with ‘The Girlfriend,’ as it looks at sexual obsession and secrets, while also dealing with familial ties that are threatened due to a stranger’s involvement in inner circles.

5. Gypsy (2017)

Netflix’s ‘Gypsy’ chronicles the journey of a psychologist named Jean Holloway (Naomi Watts), who attempts to fulfill her inner desires by developing relationships with her clients that push the boundaries of professionalism, while also being privy to their personal lives. Due to her hidden side, she faces familial troubles, especially with her husband, Michael Holloway (Billy Crudup), who questions her motives and nature. Created by Lisa Rubin, the psychological thriller drama series is connected to ‘The Girlfriend,’ due to its portrayal of familial ties and sexual complexities. Both shows feature characters that deal with and engage in secrets and deception.

4. Behind Her Eyes (2021)

Based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Pinborough, ‘Behind Her Eyes’ navigates the life of a woman named Louise (Simona Brown), who works as a secretary for a married psychiatrist called David (Tom Bateman). What begins as a professional relationship turns into an affair, which gets more complicated due to the protagonist’s friendship with Adele (Eve Hewson), who is David’s wife. The lives of the three intertwine in dangerous ways, hiding deeper mysteries that threaten them. Netflix’s British psychological thriller series, created by Steve Lightfoot, deals with the complexities of intimate relationships in ways similar to ‘The Girlfriend.’ Both stories feature characters who are secretive, while they also deal with familial ties that are based on insecurities and manipulation.

3. The Undoing (2020)

‘The Undoing’ follows the lives of the members of a rich family, which includes a sought-after psychologist called Grace Fraser (Nicole Kidman), her husband Jonathan Fraser (Hugh Grant), and son Henry Fraser (Noah Jupe), as they deal with unexpected issues. In HBO’s psychological crime drama series created by David E. Kelley, the psychologist tries to save the lives of herself and her son, after realizing that her husband is missing and that she is somehow connected to a murder. Based on the novel ‘You Should Have Known’ by Jean Hanff Korelitz, it resembles ‘The Girlfriend’ due to its exploration of secrets and betrayals in the world of rich people, which become more complicated due to the involvement of family members. Both shows feature mothers who try to control and save the lives of their sons in their own twisted ways.

2. Fatal Attraction (2023)

Created by Alexandra Cunningham and Kevin J. Hynes, Paramount+’s ‘Fatal Attraction’ chronicles the experiences of Dan Gallagher (Joshua Jackson), a deputy district attorney in LA, who is accused of killing a woman named Alex Forrest (Lizzy Caplan), with whom he had an affair. As he desperately tries to prove his innocence in court, the narrative also looks at the complicated and inexplicable relationship of the protagonist with his lover, and how it affected his marriage to Beth (Amanda Peet). The erotic psychological thriller series, based on the eponymous film directed by Adrian Lyne, looks at ideas of intimacy, family, lust, and manipulation through the lens of power, in ways that resemble the world of ‘The Girlfriend’ and its characters.

1. The Affair (2014-2019)

Showtime’s ‘The Affair’ deals with the complex lives of a married teacher named Noah Solloway (Dominic West) and a waitress named Alison Bailey (Ruth Wilson), who begin an affair with each other under difficult circumstances, which leads to unexpected challenges. The nucleus of the show lies in its exploration of extramarital intimacy and the ways in which it complicates familial ties, especially between Noah and his wife Helen Solloway (Maura Tierney). The drama series created by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi delves into themes of love, sex, and loyalty, which forge a spiritual connection with ‘The Girlfriend.’ Both shows deal with the dangerous consequences of intimacy and also the complexities of familial ties, including parent-child relationships. The similar visual styles of the shows also connect them on a greater level.