The best thrillers to watch online
Some adrenaline junkies jump out of planes to get their fix. Others, they just need to put on a top quality thriller and that’ll do the trick! If you want to watch thrillers online rather than getting your heart pounding IRL, Showmax has a great selection of thriller series and movies! Take a look at some below.
Strap in for pulse-pounding suspense, heart-stopping twists, and nail-biting tension as you immerse yourself in the captivating world of thrilling entertainment.
Insomnia S1
Emma fears losing her mind after suffering from sleep deprivation two weeks before turning 40. Only by confronting her past can she find the answers.
Your Lucky Day (2023)
The late Angus Cloud (Euphoria) drives this gritty, tension-filled heist thriller about a dispute over a winning lottery ticket.
Eileen (2023)
In this period thriller, a woman working at a prison has her dull life change when she befriends the new prison counsellor.
Inside (2023)
When his heist goes wrong, an art thief gets trapped in a penthouse, and he must use all his cunning and ingenuity to survive.
Knock at the Cabin (2023)
A holidaying gay couple and their daughter are taken hostage by four strangers who demand an unthinkable sacrifice.
The Black Phone (2021)
A young boy is abducted by a sadistic killer and kept in a basement, where he gets calls from the killer’s past victims on a broken phone.
Desert Rose S1
An M-Net Original family crime thriller following the Greyling family, crippled by debt and haunted by their father’s actions.
The Beta Test (2021)
An engaged Hollywood agent’s life is upended when he accepts an anonymous invitation to a no-strings-attached sexual encounter.
Fall (2022)
After climbing an abandoned 2000-foot radio tower, best friends Becky and Hunter find themselves trapped at the top with no way down.
The Fear Index S1
A genius scientist-turned-Wall-Street-tycoon becomes the target of a plot to destroy the world’s financial markets in this tense thriller.
Nope (2022)
Two siblings (Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya) discover a mysterious otherworldly phenomenon in the skies above their horse ranch.
Gold (2022)
Zac Efron stars in this survival thriller about gold and greed. When two men find a gold nugget in the desert, one guards it while the other gets equipment to excavate it.
Beast (2022)
In this action-packed movie shot in South Africa, Idris Elba fights for his family’s survival as a rogue lion hunts a father and his teenage daughters.
DAM S2
Rain has finally come to Fischerhaven – but Yola has no memory of anything since her return for her father’s funeral. Will she ever put the missing pieces together?
Made in South Africa
Kimi (2022)
This thriller from Steven Soderbergh stars Zoë Kravitz as an agoraphobic woman who finds evidence of a crime.
The Ipcress File
As the Cold War rages, an ex-smuggler turned spy is drawn into a dangerous undercover mission to locate a missing British nuclear scientist.
Diiche
When her fiancé is found dead, celebrated actress Diiche must confront her dark side and the secrets of her past.
Made in NigeriaZeros and Ones (2021)
In post-apocalypse Rome, the Vatican is blown into the sky – and it’s up to one American soldier to expose the true terrorists to the world.
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin
A new generation of teens is tormented by an unknown assailant determined to make them pay for the sins of their parents.
The Rising
A woman realises that she has been murdered and seeks out her killer and justice in this thriller based on the original Belgian series.
Looking for something lighter?
Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking (2024)
Late Night host Seth Meyers ditches his political jokes and focuses on his family life and fatherhood in this refreshing and hilarious stand-up special.
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Get your ice and aloe gel ready: we’ve scooped just 25 of the best burns from Laugh Africa Presents: The Showmax Roast of Helen Zille.
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Laugh Africa Presents: The Showmax Roast of Helen Zille
South African comedy royalty Tumi Morake and Trevor Gumbi take the reins as Roast Masters. With Helen Zille in the hot seat and a cross-section of South African voices – anything can happen.
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Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die
In her hilarious, unapologetic, and brutally honest style, Nikki Glaser tackles a wide range of taboo topics, including why she doesn’t want kids.
Wicked Little Letters (2023)
Set in the 1920s, this witty comedy-drama is based on the true story of a rowdy Irishwoman who is accused of sending letters full of hilarious profanities to her English neighbours.
Helen Zille on her Showmax Roast and a legacy of laughter
Helen Zille shares her thoughts on her Showmax Roast and her reasons for agreeing to it. Stream from Friday, 16 May on Showmax.
South African
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (2024)
Bridget’s back, and ready to start dating again as a single mom and widow in her 50s. She finds herself pursued by a younger man, and (maybe?) her son’s science teacher.
Want shows for adults only?
The White Lotus S1-3
Follow the outrageous exploits of the employees and guests of an exclusive resort in this buzz-worthy HBO comedy drama.
The Sex Lives of College Girls S1-3
This fun series follows four freshmen roommates trying to balance their newfound independence with the challenges of college life.
Adulting S1-3
Adulting follows four varsity friends on their journey to find love and success in modern-day South Africa. Adulting S1-3 is ready to binge on Showmax.
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After We Fell (2021)
Tessa and Hardin face another test when Tessa makes a life-changing decision and shocking revelations threaten everything they’ve built.
Wyfie S1-2
An edgy, youthful and urban Afrikaans drama that follows four friends as they navigate the complicated world of university life.
Made in South Africa
Fellow Travelers S1
Follow the decades-long chronicle of the risky, volatile and steamy relationship between the charismatic and ambitious Hawk and the pious and idealistic Tim, who fall in love at the height of the 1950s Lavender Scare.
Koek S1
A despondent housewife, convinced her husband is having an affair, is inadvertently thrust into the underbelly of a crime syndicate.
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SWAT S1-8
Follow a SWAT sergeant and his team of highly trained men and women as they solve crimes in Los Angeles in this fan-favourite crime series.
The Bachelor S29
This season of the ultimate reality dating show features Grant Ellis, who left the previous season of The Bachelorette with his hopes dashed. Will he find his future wife this time round?
Ama Grootman S1
Six friends confront the challenges of fixing relationships and making pivotal choices in this reality show about Port Shepstone’s elite.
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