7 thrilling crime dramas to watch if you loved ‘The Last Frontier’

The Last Frontier is a new action-packed drama series from Apple TV+, co-created by Jon Bokenkamp and Richard D’Ovidio, and starring Jason Clarke, who also serves as executive producer.

Set in the remote wilderness of Alaska, the 10-episode thriller premiered globally on October 10, 2025, with new episodes released weekly through December 5. The series also features Dominic Cooper, Haley Bennett, Simone Kessell, Dallas Goldtooth, Tait Blum, and Alfre Woodard.

The Last Frontier follows U.S. Marshal Frank Remnick, tasked with protecting a small Alaskan town after a prison transport plane crashes, releasing violent inmates into the wilderness.

As he investigates, Remnick suspects the crash was no accident but part of a larger, dangerous scheme, setting off a tense battle for survival in the unforgiving Alaskan landscape.

For viewers who enjoyed watching The Last Frontier for its themes of law enforcement and intense investigations, here are seven other thrilling crime dramas with similar elements.

Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.

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Spiral, Ozark, and 5 other thrilling crime dramas to watch if you loved The Last Frontier

1) The Killing

The Killing is a crime drama based on the Danish television series Forbrydelsen (Image via Apple TV+)

The Killing is an American crime drama that first aired on April 3, 2011, and is adapted from the Danish series Forbrydelsen. The show is set in Seattle, Washington, and centers on homicide detectives Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman) as they investigate challenging murder cases.

Each season builds on the last, with new cases and personal challenges testing the detectives and those connected to the crimes, creating a tense, character-driven crime drama that keeps viewers engaged without giving away key resolutions.

Like The Last Frontier, The Killing focuses on law enforcement handling cases in a tense, atmospheric setting.

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2) ZeroZeroZero

ZeroZeroZero is an Italian crime drama (Image via Apple TV+)

ZeroZeroZero is an Italian crime drama based on Roberto Saviano’s book about the global cocaine trade.

Starring Andrea Riseborough, Dane DeHaan, and Gabriel Byrne as the Lynwood family, the series follows their shipping company acting as brokers between Mexican and Italian organized crime. Its title refers to the purest form of cocaine.

The story tracks a cocaine shipment from Mexico to Italy, involving Mexican drug lords, the Italian 'Ndrangheta, and the Lynwoods as intermediaries. Conflicts within the 'Ndrangheta force the shipment to be rerouted to Morocco, leading to dramatic consequences for all parties involved.

Similar to The Last Frontier, ZeroZeroZero depicts a sprawling criminal network and the people caught in its crossfire. Both series emphasize the consequences of organized crime and the dilemmas faced by those trying to maintain control.

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3) The Wire

The Wire is an American crime drama created by David Simon (Image via Apple TV+)

The Wire is an American crime drama created by David Simon, running from 2002 to 2008 across five seasons and 60 episodes.

Set in Baltimore, the series explores different city institutions each season, including the drug trade, the port system, government, education, and the press, while retaining characters and storylines from previous seasons.

Inspired by Simon’s collaboration with former homicide detective Ed Burns, the show features fictional storytelling alongside insights drawn from real-life experiences in law enforcement and urban life.

The Wire, like The Last Frontier, explores the systemic challenges of law enforcement. It follows characters who must operate within flawed institutions and confront moral and ethical dilemmas in demanding environments.

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4) Tokyo Vice

Tokyo Vice is an American crime drama based on Jake Adelstein’s 2009 memoir (Image via Apple TV+)

Tokyo Vice is an American crime drama based on Jake Adelstein’s 2009 memoir, created by J. T. Rogers and starring Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe.

The series follows Adelstein, an American journalist investigating the yakuza in Tokyo, as he explores the city’s criminal underworld while working for a major Japanese newspaper.

Set in 1999, the series explores Adelstein’s journey as he becomes the first foreign journalist at the newspaper, guided by a veteran detective in the organized crime squad. As he enters the dangerous world of the yakuza, he confronts the tension between Tokyo’s official image and the violent realities beneath.

Like The Last Frontier, Tokyo Vice examines crime through the eyes of a central outsider who faces personal risk while pursuing justice in a city filled with criminal networks.

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5) The Fall

The Fall is a crime drama starring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan (Image via Apple TV+)

The Fall is a crime drama set and filmed in Northern Ireland, created by Allan Cubitt and starring Gillian Anderson as Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson and Jamie Dornan as serial killer Paul Spector.

The series focuses on the tense dynamic between Gibson, a skilled investigator, and Spector, whose calculated crimes disrupt the city of Belfast. It follows Stella Gibson, a senior investigating officer brought in to review a stalled murder investigation.

As it becomes clear that a serial killer is targeting young professional women, Stella and the local detectives work tirelessly to build a case against Paul Spector, facing numerous challenges within the police force and the wider community.

Similar to The Last Frontier, The Fall presents a tense struggle between law enforcement and a dangerous criminal, emphasizing strategic investigation and the personal toll of police work.

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6) Spiral

Spiral (French: Engrenages) is a French police procedural and legal drama (Image via Apple TV+)

Spiral (French: Engrenages) is a French police procedural and legal drama that follows the professional and personal lives of Parisian police officers, lawyers, and judges.

Created by Alexandra Clert, the series explores criminal cases while revealing the inner workings of the French justice system and the interplay between law enforcement, politics, and corruption.

Known for its realistic portrayal of crime and legal processes, Spiral examines the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by its characters and the personal consequences of investigations.

Spiral and The Last Frontier both depict intricate investigations within a legal and criminal system, showcasing the challenges faced by officers and lawyers as they confront dangerous situations.

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7) Ozark

Ozark is an American crime drama created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams (Image via Netflix)

Ozark is an American crime drama created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams, starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney as Marty and Wendy Byrde.

The series follows the couple as they relocate their family to the Lake of the Ozarks to expand their money-laundering operations for a Mexican drug cartel. It explores the Byrdes’ entanglement with local criminals and organized crime, including the Langmore and Snell families and the Kansas City mafia.

Like The Last Frontier, Ozark centers on ordinary people thrust into dangerous criminal scenarios, where survival, strategy, and moral compromise define the characters’ battles against organized crime.

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Interested viewers can watch The Last Frontier on Apple TV+.

Edited by Moakala T Aier