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| Best Shows Like A Couple of Lies. |
A Couple of Lies has the sort of premise that makes an ordinary holiday look like a terrible life decision. The Swedish psychological thriller follows two couples who exchange homes, only for their seemingly innocent arrangement to spiral into surveillance, financial secrets, marital betrayal and a carefully planned revenge plot. What begins as an opportunity to repair a relationship quickly becomes a dangerous game in which nobody seems entirely trustworthy. If you enjoyed its tense atmosphere, complicated relationships and revelations that change how you view the characters, there are plenty of other series worth adding to your watchlist.
From Nordic noir mysteries and twisted domestic dramas to holiday nightmares and stories about wealthy people hiding rather spectacular secrets, these 21 shows offer something for fans of A Couple of Lies. Some share its unsettling relationship dynamics, while others deliver the same suspicion, manipulation and unpredictable plotting that make psychological thrillers so difficult to stop watching.
Shows Like A Couple of Lies
1. The Couple Next Door (2023)
Genre: Psychological thriller, domestic drama
The Couple Next Door follows two couples whose lives become increasingly entangled after new neighbours arrive and boundaries that once seemed perfectly clear begin to disappear. Attraction, jealousy and personal secrets gradually undermine the relationships at the centre of the story, turning an apparently comfortable residential setting into a place filled with suspicion.
The similarities to A Couple of Lies are obvious in the way both series explore relationships that look stable from the outside but conceal much more complicated realities. Neither show treats domestic life as an automatic source of safety, and both use the tension between public appearances and private behaviour to drive the story. If you enjoyed watching Helene and Carl's marriage unravel under pressure, this is a natural next choice.
2. The Undoing (2020)
Genre: Psychological thriller, mystery
The Undoing stars Nicole Kidman as Grace Fraser, a successful therapist whose seemingly comfortable family life is thrown into turmoil after a violent crime draws her husband, Jonathan, into a police investigation. As the case develops, Grace discovers that the man she thought she knew may be hiding an entirely different side of himself.
Like A Couple of Lies, the series explores the collapse of trust within a privileged marriage. Wealth and social standing initially create an impression of security, but the characters gradually discover how little they understand about one another. The mystery also keeps viewers questioning which explanations can be trusted. If Carl's hidden past and Helene's growing doubts were your favourite parts of A Couple of Lies, The Undoing offers a similarly uncomfortable look at the consequences of discovering that a relationship was never quite what it seemed.
3. Behind Her Eyes (2021)
Genre: Psychological thriller, mystery
Behind Her Eyes follows Louise, a single mother who becomes involved with her married boss, David, while unexpectedly developing a friendship with his wife, Adele. What begins as a complicated romantic triangle soon becomes a much stranger mystery as Louise uncovers disturbing details about the couple's marriage and their personal histories.
The series shares A Couple of Lies' fascination with deception between people who appear to know one another intimately. David and Adele's relationship contains secrets that make it difficult to distinguish genuine affection from manipulation, while Louise becomes increasingly involved in a situation she does not fully understand. Both series reward viewers who pay attention to apparently insignificant details and enjoy discovering that the truth is considerably more complicated than the first few episodes suggest. Go in knowing as little as possible about its major revelations.
4. The Perfect Couple (2024)
Genre: Mystery, crime drama
The Perfect Couple centres on a wealthy family preparing for a wedding on Nantucket, where the celebrations are disrupted by a death that brings private tensions and long-standing secrets into the open. Nicole Kidman plays Greer Garrison Winbury, the formidable matriarch of a family whose glamorous image conceals plenty of complications.
Its resemblance to A Couple of Lies comes from the contrast between luxurious surroundings and deeply uncomfortable personal circumstances. Both series use wealth, attractive properties and carefully managed reputations to create a false sense of order before revealing what lies underneath. As the investigation progresses, the family members become increasingly difficult to read, and the question of who can be trusted becomes central to the story. If you enjoy mysteries where a beautiful location provides the backdrop for a spectacularly messy group of relationships, this one deserves a place on your list.
5. The White Lotus (2021)
Genre: Dark comedy, mystery, drama
The White Lotus follows wealthy holidaymakers and the staff at luxury resorts, examining the tensions that emerge when people with very different priorities are forced to share the same environment. Each season introduces a new group of guests, with their personal problems, social ambitions and questionable decisions gradually feeding into a larger mystery.
Although the series leans more heavily into satire than A Couple of Lies, the two share a fascination with privileged people whose comfortable lifestyles cannot protect them from their own behaviour. Holidays are supposed to provide an escape, but here they become pressure cookers for jealousy, dishonesty and resentment. The luxurious locations are part of the appeal, yet the scenery rarely makes the characters' problems any less ridiculous. If the Sicilian villa in A Couple of Lies made you suspicious of expensive holidays, The White Lotus will probably finish the job.
6. The Stranger (2020)
Genre: Mystery, crime thriller
Based on Harlan Coben's novel, The Stranger begins when a mysterious woman approaches Adam Price and reveals a secret about his wife. That single conversation sets off a chain of events involving missing people, concealed identities and disturbing discoveries about people who once seemed entirely trustworthy.
The connection with A Couple of Lies lies in the way one revelation can destabilise an entire family. Adam's search for answers exposes a wider network of secrets, and the story repeatedly demonstrates that the people closest to us may know more than they are willing to admit. Both series also build suspense by allowing apparently separate mysteries to intersect as the characters investigate their own circumstances. If you like thrillers in which a relationship problem quickly becomes something much larger, The Stranger delivers plenty of reasons to keep watching.
7. The Couple (2020)
Genre: Romantic drama, psychological thriller
The Couple is not the most suitable choice if you are looking for an exact plot match, but viewers drawn to relationship-centred suspense may appreciate another drama built around the tension between intimacy and uncertainty. The title is also used by multiple productions, so check the release year and country when searching for it to avoid confusing it with similarly named series.
For a closer match to A Couple of Lies, however, consider prioritising the other entries on this list, particularly The Undoing and The Couple Next Door. Those series have clearer similarities in their treatment of marital secrets, emotional manipulation and the unsettling gap between how couples present themselves and how they behave in private.
8. The Chestnut Man (2021)
Genre: Nordic noir, crime thriller
The Chestnut Man is a Danish crime thriller following detectives Naia Thulin and Mark Hess as they investigate a series of disturbing crimes connected by a small chestnut figurine. Their investigation leads them into a complicated case involving missing people, hidden connections and secrets that reach far beyond the immediate crime scenes.
Its relationship to A Couple of Lies comes primarily through its Nordic noir atmosphere and the steady unravelling of a mystery. Both series use European settings to establish a distinctive mood, with seemingly ordinary environments gradually becoming more unsettling. The Chestnut Man is more focused on police investigation than marital deception, but viewers who enjoyed the Swedish thriller's darker tone and layered revelations should find plenty to appreciate. It is particularly suitable for anyone who prefers mysteries that reward patience rather than explaining everything immediately.
9. Deadwind (2018)
Genre: Finnish crime drama, Nordic noir
Deadwind follows detective Sofia Karppi as she investigates a murder that becomes connected to a wider web of personal and professional secrets. Balancing the demands of police work with the difficulties of her private life, Karppi must navigate a case in which the apparent explanation is rarely the whole story.
Like A Couple of Lies, Deadwind benefits from a distinctly Nordic atmosphere, using cool colours, restrained performances and unsettling surroundings to build tension. Its central mystery is more procedural, but the emotional consequences of concealed information remain important throughout the story. If you enjoyed the Swedish series for its mood as much as its twists, this Finnish drama offers another compelling example of Scandinavian crime storytelling. It is a good choice for viewers who want a slower, more investigative thriller rather than another relationship drama.
10. The Killing (Forbrydelsen) (2007)
Genre: Danish crime drama, Nordic noir
The original Danish series The Killing follows detective Sarah Lund as she investigates a murder that draws multiple families, political figures and investigators into an increasingly complicated case. Each development reveals new information, while the investigation exposes personal conflicts and institutional problems that extend far beyond the initial crime.
The connection to A Couple of Lies is its willingness to let suspicion grow gradually. Both series depend on the idea that the first version of events is rarely sufficient, and that apparently separate decisions can become connected in unexpected ways. The Killing is more firmly rooted in traditional crime investigation, but its atmosphere and emphasis on concealed motives make it an excellent choice for fans of Nordic noir. If you appreciate stories that take their time establishing characters before delivering major revelations, this classic is well worth exploring.
11. The Valhalla Murders (2019)
Genre: Icelandic crime thriller, Nordic noir
The Valhalla Murders follows Icelandic detective Kata and profiler Arnar as they investigate a series of killings linked to a former children's home. As the case develops, the investigators uncover a painful history and a network of connections that complicate their understanding of the crimes.
Although its plot differs from A Couple of Lies, both series explore how events from the past can return to disrupt the present. The characters must question what they know, reassess the people involved and confront the consequences of information that has been concealed for years. The Icelandic setting also provides the cold, atmospheric backdrop that fans of Scandinavian thrillers often enjoy. If Carl's past and its eventual consequences were central to your interest in A Couple of Lies, this series offers another mystery in which buried history becomes impossible to ignore.
12. The Woods (2020)
Genre: Polish mystery thriller, crime drama
The Woods is a Polish adaptation of Harlan Coben's novel about a prosecutor whose life is shaped by the disappearance of his sister many years earlier. When new evidence emerges, he begins to suspect that the truth about the past may be very different from what he has believed.
Its similarities to A Couple of Lies come from the slow exposure of secrets and the way unresolved events continue to influence the present. Both stories show characters attempting to maintain ordinary lives while carrying information that could change everything. The Woods is less concerned with luxury and marital conflict, but it offers the same appeal for viewers who enjoy mysteries that connect personal relationships with a larger hidden story. The investigation also raises questions about memory, loyalty and how easily people can misunderstand the people closest to them.
13. Safe (2018)
Genre: Mystery, psychological thriller
Safe stars Michael C. Hall as Tom Delaney, a widowed surgeon whose teenage daughter disappears from a seemingly secure gated community. His search for her exposes secrets involving neighbours, families and people who have worked hard to preserve respectable public images.
The series shares A Couple of Lies' interest in the hidden lives behind comfortable homes. Both stories suggest that proximity does not guarantee honesty, and that communities which appear safe can conceal complicated relationships and troubling decisions. Tom's investigation becomes increasingly personal as the people around him reveal information he never expected to uncover. If the surveillance and suspicion in A Couple of Lies appealed to you, Safe offers another mystery in which the familiar surroundings of domestic life become the starting point for a much larger investigation.
14. Clickbait (2021)
Genre: Mystery thriller, crime drama
Clickbait begins with the disappearance of Nick Brewer, a family man who appears in a disturbing online video that quickly attracts public attention. As his relatives and the authorities try to understand what happened, the investigation exposes hidden identities, private grievances and the gap between a person's public image and their actual life.
The similarity to A Couple of Lies lies in the role of technology and concealed information. Both series use digital access and the exposure of private details to create suspense, while their characters struggle to work out whom they can trust. Clickbait also explores how quickly assumptions can become accepted as facts when people see only fragments of a situation. For viewers interested in the surveillance angle of A Couple of Lies, this is a particularly relevant follow-up, even though its focus is on online exposure rather than a house swap.
15. The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022)
Genre: Mystery, psychological thriller, dark comedy
Kristen Bell stars as Anna, a woman whose quiet routine is disrupted when she believes she has witnessed a crime across the street. As she tries to work out what happened, uncertainty about the people around her becomes mixed with her own fears and personal struggles.
This series is a much more comedic take on the unreliable perspective found in psychological thrillers, but it shares A Couple of Lies' fascination with what people think they see versus what is actually happening. Neighbours, homes and apparently ordinary routines become sources of suspicion, while the story plays with familiar thriller conventions. If you enjoyed trying to work out whether a character was telling the truth, this offers a lighter, deliberately exaggerated alternative. Just expect a very different tone from the serious Scandinavian drama.
16. The Night Manager (2016)
Genre: Spy thriller, crime drama
The Night Manager follows Jonathan Pine, a former British soldier working in the hotel industry who is recruited to infiltrate the world of international arms dealer Richard Roper. To gather evidence, Pine must enter an environment built on wealth, influence and carefully maintained appearances.
Its connection to A Couple of Lies is the theme of deception within privileged circles. Both series feature characters who use status and access to protect themselves, while other people work to uncover their secrets. The Night Manager is more focused on espionage than relationships, but its luxurious locations and tension around concealed identities make it a strong choice for viewers who enjoy stories about people operating behind polished façades. It also offers a more international thriller experience, with a larger conspiracy driving the suspense.
17. Doctor Foster (2015)
Genre: Psychological drama, domestic thriller
Doctor Foster follows Gemma Foster, a respected doctor whose suspicions about her husband's behaviour lead her to investigate whether he is having an affair. What begins as a personal concern soon becomes an increasingly consuming struggle involving family, reputation and the future she thought she understood.
Few series are as closely aligned with A Couple of Lies' exploration of a marriage falling apart under the weight of hidden truths. Both place a relationship at the centre of the drama and show how the discovery of deception can transform ordinary decisions into emotionally charged confrontations. Gemma's response to her suspicions is often unpredictable, which keeps the tension high even when the conflict appears straightforward. If Helene's journey from trying to save her marriage to confronting its reality resonated with you, Doctor Foster is an especially strong recommendation.
18. Big Little Lies (2017)
Genre: Mystery, psychological drama
Big Little Lies centres on a group of women in a wealthy California community whose seemingly comfortable lives become connected to a mysterious death. As the story unfolds, the series explores complicated marriages, friendship, family pressures and the secrets people conceal to protect their reputations.
Like A Couple of Lies, the show uses affluent surroundings to contrast with the difficult realities of private life. Its characters may appear to have everything under control, but their relationships reveal emotional strain and competing versions of the truth. The mystery gradually exposes how small decisions and hidden conflicts can have much larger consequences. Viewers who enjoyed the combination of domestic tension, wealth and an unfolding investigation in A Couple of Lies will find plenty to appreciate here. It is also more interested in character psychology than simply delivering one twist after another.
19. The Flight Attendant (2020)
Genre: Mystery thriller, dark comedy
The Flight Attendant stars Kaley Cuoco as Cassie Bowden, a flight attendant who wakes up in a hotel room beside a dead man and struggles to reconstruct the events of the previous night. Her attempt to understand what happened pulls her into an investigation involving secrets, dangerous connections and her own unreliable recollections.
The series is more energetic and comedic than A Couple of Lies, but both use luxurious travel settings to introduce a situation that becomes increasingly difficult to control. Cassie finds herself surrounded by questions about identity, motive and trust, while each new discovery complicates her understanding of the people involved. If you enjoy thrillers that combine international settings with personal secrets and a protagonist who cannot simply walk away from trouble, this offers a lively alternative to the more restrained Nordic noir approach.
20. The Couple Next Door (2023)
Genre: Domestic thriller, psychological drama
The Couple Next Door earns another mention for viewers who particularly enjoyed the relationship drama in A Couple of Lies. Its story examines the tensions that develop between neighbours whose personal lives become increasingly intertwined, with attraction and curiosity leading to choices that threaten the stability of their relationships.
What makes this kind of drama work is the way ordinary interactions gradually acquire a different meaning. Characters may begin with apparently harmless intentions, but their decisions create consequences that are difficult to contain. That dynamic is central to A Couple of Lies, where a house swap that initially seems practical becomes the entry point for a much more complicated plan. If you prefer the intimate, relationship-focused side of psychological thrillers over police investigations and serial mysteries, this is a suitable option to keep on your list.
21. The Girlfriend (2025)
Genre: Psychological thriller, domestic drama
The Girlfriend is a psychological thriller centred on a mother who becomes increasingly suspicious of her son's new partner. As their relationship develops, the mother begins to question the young woman's intentions, and the resulting conflict creates a tense struggle over trust, influence and family loyalty.
Its appeal for fans of A Couple of Lies comes from the uncertainty surrounding the characters' motives. Rather than presenting relationships as straightforward, the series encourages viewers to question whether the people involved are acting out of genuine affection, self-interest or a desire for control. The tension grows as the characters interpret the same events differently, making it difficult to settle on a single version of the truth. If you enjoy dramas in which private relationships become psychological battlegrounds, The Girlfriend is a strong modern addition to your watchlist.
A Couple of Lies works because it takes an ordinary idea, exchanging homes for a holiday, and turns it into a story about how little people can know about the lives they think they understand. These 21 series explore similar territory, from marriages undermined by deception to investigations that expose secrets hiding behind respectable public images.
For the closest matches, start with The Undoing, Doctor Foster, The Couple Next Door and Big Little Lies. If you would rather lean into the Nordic noir atmosphere, The Chestnut Man, Deadwind and The Killing are excellent choices. Which show would you watch first after A Couple of Lies, and did your favourite thriller make the list? Share your picks and recommendations with other fans.