They say revenge is a dish best-served cold. In the case of television, revenge can be a delicious theme for writers to indulge in, especially in the thriller genre. It makes for great storylines and automatically draws the viewer into a world very different from everyday life. Audiences love protagonists with a chip on their shoulder, and it can be so satisfying to see that character get revenge on the enemies that have wronged them.
So many movies over the years have tackled the theme of revenge, mostly to great success. Movies like Kill Bill, The Revenant, and John Wick have done a great job of giving viewers a hero to root for and rewarding them with satisfying endings. But revenge storylines have also made their way to television. These shows are the ones that are the best at showing audiences what it means to get even.
Updated September 14, 2024: This collection of revenge-themed television shows has been updated with additional information, including where to stream each of the shows featured.
10 The Glory (2022–2023)
Netflix’s hit show The Glory is an excellent example of how revenge themes can work on TV. It’s a show that was released in two parts in 2022 and 2023, and it focuses on a teenage girl named Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) who is bullied at school. When Dong-eun grows up, she becomes a school teacher herself and uses her position to exact revenge on her childhood bullies, one of whom has a child in her class. Park Sung-hoon co-stars in this chilling series, with Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon, and Yeom Hye-ran making up the rest of the ensemble cast.
Inspired by Real Events
Though The Glory isn’t directly based on any specific real-life story, it’s partially inspired by several real-life events that give its themes of revenge some palpable weight. Even without this crucial detail, however, this series was nothing short of a critical success. It would win three awards at the Baeksang Arts Awards, including Best Drama, and lead actor Song Hye-kyo would gain international recognition for her powerhouse performance here. It’s a series that’s as brief as it is powerful, melding incredible performances with a thrilling plot progression — even if things were pretty shocking behind-the-scenes. Stream The Glory on Netflix.
9 Alias (2001–2006)
The 2001 TV show Alias is a cult favorite for several reasons. For five seasons, fans were engrossed in the world of Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner), a CIA agent secretly infiltrating the criminal organization known as SD-6. After SD-6 murders her fiancé, Danny (Edward Atterton), Sydney is forced to maintain a series of elaborate aliases to keep her personal and professional lives separate, all while a rotating cast of spies and close friends keep in touch with her day-to-day operations. The series was famously created by J.J. Abrams, with Bradley Cooper, Ron Rifkin, Michael Vartan, and Merrin Dungey being just a handful of famous names attached to the cast.
Action, Science Fiction, and Revenge
This acclaimed series joined the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and La Femme Nikita in presenting a compelling and confident female lead, played magnificently by the talented Jennifer Garner. Her breakout lead role in this series was instrumental for her future success in Hollywood. It was this performance that truly elevated Alias above its contemporaries, as the series’ gradual shift from episodic storytelling to serialized stories makes its ample focus on revenge all the sweeter. It would go on to earn over a dozen separate Emmy nominations throughout its run, including Garner’s Outstanding Lead Actress nomination at the Emmys. Stream Alias on Hulu.
8 The Punisher (2017–2019)
It’s hard to picture a better revenge-themed TV show than Marvel’s The Punisher. Jon Bernthal stars as Frank Castle, a former Marine who turns into a renegade vigilante after his family is murdered. However, his violent and thorough methods may put him in the crosshairs of more than just the criminal underworld. The show is a spinoff from another Netflix favorite, Daredevil, and continues Frank’s journey as he unravels his grief throughout New York City. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ben Barnes, Amber Rose Revah, and Daniel Webber co-star.
The Punisher Embodies Revenge
As a military veteran, The Punisher is a master of marksmanship and skilled at hand-to-hand combat. Although his methods are extreme, fans love the grittiness, unpredictability, and violence of this thrilling series, with Jon Bernthal’s performance as Frank Castle balancing genuine grief and suppressed rage beautifully. Like its associated comic series, this series revels in confronting the ethics of lethal crime-fighting, even going on to earn an Emmy nomination for its impressive stunt work. Though this series was originally canceled by Netflix, it’s now available to stream on Disney+, with Bernthal reprising his role as Frank Castle in the upcoming series Daredevil: Born Again. Stream The Punisher on Disney+.
7 Revenge (2011–2015)
Revenge is a show that aired on ABC for four seasons from 2011 to 2015. Taking inspiration from the classic Alexandre Dumas novel The Count of Monte Cristo, Revenge follows a woman named Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp), who moves back to the Hamptons on Long Island after many years away. She’s not quite who she seems, though. Her real name is Amanda Clarke, the daughter of a man who died during a lengthy false prison sentence. Amanda is determined to get even with the families that double-crossed her father, and she uncovers lies, deception, and hidden motives along the way.
Aptly Titled
Revenge was nothing short of a hit when it debuted in 2011, quickly racking up impressive viewership numbers that rivaled those of Lost. Of course, this popularity would be accompanied by a myriad of award nominations, including several Teen Choice Award nominations and a win for Outstanding Drama at the Gracie Allen Awards. Madeleine Stowe, who plays Victoria Grayson, would even go on to earn a Golden Globe nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2012. Stream Revenge on Hulu.
6 Scandal (2012–2018)
Scandal is an excellent show created by legendary TV producer Shonda Rhimes. Kerry Washington plays Olivia Pope, a White House crisis management aide who works with the President of the United States (Tony Goldwyn) to control the narrative that comes out of his office. However, when Olivia learns about the mysterious presence of a woman named Amanda Tanner (Liza Weil) with the President, she’s determined to get to the bottom of the case. Henry Ian Cusick, Columbus Short, Darby Stanchfield and Katie Lowes co-star.
Carried by Kerry Washington
Washington carries the show with her impressive performance as Olivia, so much so that she was nominated for several Outstanding Actress awards at the Emmys, the Golden Globe Awards, and the SAG Awards. That’s not to suggest that the show itself didn’t receive general praise, however. The series received a Peabody Award for Excellence in Television as well as an Outstanding Drama Series award at the Image Awards. Though Scandal had some mixed critical reviews during its run, there were definitely huge fans that were sad to see it go. When Scandal ended in 2018, it blew up on social media. Stream Scandal on Hulu.
5 My Name (2021)
My Name is another South Korean show that made its North American debut on Netflix. It centers around a young woman named Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee) who starts working for a criminal organization called Dongcheon to find out who is responsible for her father’s sudden and senseless death. Ji-woo teams up with the crime gang’s leader, Choi Mu-jin (Park Hee-soon), to invade the police force and try to find out the truth. The series was directed by Kim Jin-min, who previously directed the Netflix series Extracurricular.
A Murder Most Foul
My Name has astonishing reviews, holding an impressive 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes in addition to its placement on NME’s collection of the best Korean dramas from 2021. With only eight episodes, this series condenses its tense tale of revenge into a noir-tinged mystery with plenty of action to boot. It’s also one of the best Korean dramas to watch on Netflix right now. Stream My Name on Netflix.
4 Dexter (2006–2013)
Through eight seasons and 96 episodes, the Showtime mystery/drama series Dexter has become a dependable fan favorite. Michael C. Hall plays Dexter Morgan, a forensic scientist for the Miami Metro Police Department who secretly leads a double life. During the day, he helps the police solve crimes. But at night, he plays the part of a vigilante serial killer, targeting other serial killers in a bid to avenge their numerous victims. The show is derived from the novel Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay.
An Incredibly Strong Start
While most would agree that Dexter loses steam towards the end of its run, everything leading up to that was outright incredible. Michael C. Hall is iconic in the role of the emotionally-detached Dexter, with the role netting him several Emmy nominations in addition to a Golden Globe Award. For a time, Dexter was even a cultural phenomenon, inspiring a sequel series, prequel series, and a limited series that picked up after its original controversial ending. It’s also worth mentioning that Dexter was an instrumental series in keeping Showtime going as a premium streaming service, joining the likes of Weeds and Homeland in its modest original programming library. Stream Dexter on Netflix.
3 Killing Eve (2018–2022)
Killing Eve is a great revenge-themed show that aired on BBC America from 2018 to 2022. The show’s first season was co-written and produced by the brilliant Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Killing Eve follows Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), an analyst with MI5 who is bored with her current position. After overstepping her boundaries on a witness protection job, Eve decides to join MI6. Eve is then tasked with following a secret assassin named Villanelle (Jodie Comer) who works for a deadly organization called The Twelve. The two women become obsessed with each other, leading to a tumultus push-and-pull relationship that ends in a violent bid for revenge.
Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer Shine
Praise for Killing Eve often falls squarely on the shoulders of Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, and for good reason. Sandra Oh would win a Golden Globe for Best Actress, whereas Comer would win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress for their respective performances. While its later seasons would see more mixed critical reception, its first two seasons were nothing short of critical marvels, earning praise for its intense examinations of relationships and thrilling action sequences. Stream Killing Eve on Netflix.
2 How to Get Away With Murder (2014–2020)
How to Get Away With Murder stars Viola Davis as Annalise Keating, an attorney and law professor who, along with a group of her students, gets caught up in a murder investigation. Annalise chooses five of her students to intern at her law firm. When Annalise’s husband Sam is murdered, she’s unsure of who did it or exactly what happened. Through flashbacks, the audience is pulled into a fascinating story of jealousy, revenge, and betrayal. The show is another murder mystery/drama produced by Shonda Rhimes through her Shondaland production company. How to Get Away with Murder was mostly filmed on location in Philadelphia, with ABC airing the show from 2014 to 2020.
Shondaland Does It Again
This thrilling revenge series had a career-defining performance for Viola Davis, who walked away with an incredible number of accolades after the series wrapped up. Notably, Davis would become the first Black woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series on top of a plethora of other accolades. Under the direction of Peter Nowalk, who created the series in addition to serving as showrunner, she presents an incredibly nuanced character whose past traumas make for a fascinating drama. Likewise, the supporting cast (featuring the likes of Billy Brown and Aja Naomi King) provide plenty of exciting contrast to the tension unfolding on-screen. Stream How to Get Away with Murder on Netflix.
1 The Terminal List (2022–Present)
Prime Video’s war series The Terminal List stars Chris Pratt as Lieutenant Commander James Reece, a US Navy SEAL who is looking to uncover a conspiracy. After his team is killed in a sudden ambush, Reece returns home only to find a harrowing realization. Not only does his family suspect he may be involved with the violent attack, but they’re in immediate danger themselves. The show is based on Jack Carr’s novel of the same name and explores Reece’s battles with himself as he seeks revenge in the name of his colleagues.
Jack Carr’s Book Comes to Life
While critics weren’t too kind to this series, general audiences found this revenge thriller to be an incredibly visceral experience. Chris Pratt is effective as always, but the surrounding supporting cast is what really elevates this series. Constance Wu, Riley Keough, Taylor Kitsch, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Jai Courtney are just a handful of the big names attached to this series. Doubly worth mentioning is the involvement of composer Ruth Barrett, who earned an Emmy nomination for their work on Victoria. The Terminal List was a big hit and Pratt says season two is on the way. Stream The Terminal List on Prime Video.
