Netflix Thrillers See Surge in Popularity as Viewers Revisit Classics

LOS ANGELES, CA — Thrillers are taking center stage in the streaming world, with two titles rapidly climbing Netflix’s Top 10 list. Both shows are thrilling viewers, despite one being nearly a decade old.

The older title, Absentia, originally debuted on Amazon Prime Video in September 2017. It tells the story of FBI agent Emily Byrne, who disappears while tracking a serial killer. Declared dead, she is found six years later in a remote cabin with no memory of her past. As she reintegrates into her life, she discovers her husband has remarried and her son is being raised by another woman. Emily soon becomes a suspect in a new string of murders.

The show gained renewed attention and has climbed to the number two spot on Netflix, with viewers expressing their enthusiasm online. One user tweeted, “I’m 25 minutes into Absentia and it might be the greatest show I’ve ever seen!” Another encouraged friends, saying, “Trust me, yall must watch it!” Viewers have praised the show’s gripping storyline and Stana Katic’s performance.

Meanwhile, another thriller, The Marksman, starring Liam Neeson, has taken the top spot on Netflix’s movie charts. The film, which came out in January 2021, follows a former Marine living on the Arizona-Mexico border. His life changes when he protects a boy fleeing from a dangerous cartel.

After arriving on Netflix on November 14, the film quickly shot to number one. Critics gave it a lackluster rating of 37 percent, but audience reactions have been much more favorable, with an 83 percent approval. Viewers have praised Neeson’s action-packed performance, with one saying, “Watching Liam kick ass never gets old.”

Both Absentia and The Marksman illustrate how classic and well-executed thrillers continue to engage audiences, proving that sometimes, the old is gold.