7 good TV shows to watch if you like Presumed Innocent

Outside of House of the Dragon, The Boys, and Bridgerton, Presumed Innocent has been one of the most popular TV shows of the summer. 

The new series from David E. Kelley stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Rusty Sabich, a prosecuting attorney for the State of Illinois who is accused of murder after his colleague and lover, Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve). 

Presumed Innocent season 1 came to an end on July 23 when Apple TV+ dropped the season finale early. We know fans are probably missing Presumed Innocent right now. Luckily, there are a bunch of good shows like this one. 

We shared a list of seven TV shows to watch if you liked Presumed Innocent. Let’s get the list started with Big Little Lies, another series from Kelley. 

Big Little Lies 

Big Little Lies is based on the book of the same name by Liane Moriarty, and it’s also another series from Kelley.

The series is set in a small, affluent California city and follows a group of women with interconnected lives. I don’t know really how to describe the series without going into spoilers, but this series is very much like Presumed Innocent. It has a similar tone, vibe, and incredible cast. 

Nicole Kidman stars in Big Little Lies, along with Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Kravitz, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Katherine Newton, Adam Scott, Alexander Skarsgaard, Meryl Streep, and more! 

There are two seasons of Big Little Lies on MAX right now, and there’s reportedly a third season on the way. We’re still waiting to find out when that’s going to happen. 

The Undoing 

We have another Nicole Kidman series on the list! Oh, and it’s another series from Kelley, as well! 

The Undoing is based on the novel, You Should Have Known, by Jean Hanff Korelitz. The series tells the story of a married couple, Jonathan and Grace Fraser, played by Hugh Grant and Kidman, who get caught up in a murder investigation when a woman connected to the couple is killed. 

There are many similarities between Presumed Innocent, Big Little Lies, and The Undoing, although I will say that Presumed Innocent and The Undoing are definitely cut from the same cloth. 

Édgar Ramírez, Noah Jupe, Donald Sutherland, Lily Rabe, Matilda De Angelis, and Ismael Cruz Córdova also star in the series. 

There’s only one season of The Undoing on MAX, and it’s only seven episodes in the series. It’s a quick binge-watch, but it’s definitely worth it if you’re a fan of Presumed Innocent. 

The Night Of 

The Night Of is the first show on the list that’s not a series from Kelley. No, this series was created by Richard Price and Steven Zaillian. It tells the story of a young man, Naz, played by Riz Ahmed, who is accused of murdering a woman after a night out together. All the evidence points his way, but he has defense lawyer John Stone, played by John Turturro, in his corner. 

The Night Of premiered on HBO in July 2016, so it’s almost a decade old now, but it’s an incredible series. Ahmed and Turturro are so good in this series. Michael K. Williams, Bill Camp, Payman Maadi, Poorna Jagannathan, and Jeannie Berlin also star in The Night Of. 

The Night Of feels very different than Presumed Innocent, but the cases are very similar. Watch along as Naz and John Stone try to prove his innocence. 

You can watch all eight episodes of the series on MAX right now. 

Sharp Objects 

Sharp Objects premieres on HBO in 2018. It’s based on the book of the same name by Gillian Flynn, and the series tells the story of Camile, played by Amy Adams, after she returns to her hometown after two girls are murdered. Camile is a reporter covering the story, but her past that she tried to bury returns, as well. 

Chris Messina, Patricia Clarkson, Henry Czerny, Eliza Scanlen, Matt Craven, Madison Davenport, Taylor John Smith, and more star in the series. 

Tonally, Sharp Objects is definitely different than Presumed Innocent, but I feel like there’s enough here to keep Presumed Innocent fans happy and busy solving these crimes. 

There’s only one season of Sharp Objects, which consists of eight episodes. You can watch Sharp Objects on MAX right now. 

Mare of Easttown 

We’ve got another HBO series for fans of Presumed Innocent to watch right now. Mare of Easttown is quite different from Presumed Innocent. It’s not as buttoned-up, but there’s so much drama, a whirlwind of a mystery, and an incredible cast. It definitely deserves your attention. 

The series from Brad Inglesby premiered on HBO in 2021. Kate Winslet stars as the titular Mare, a detective from Easttown, who is trying to solve the murder of a teenager. We see how Mare navigates the case, shaped by personal experiences with a missing girl’s case and family tragedy. 

Mare of Easttown is probably the best show on this list, so if you haven’t seen it, you have to check it out! The series also has a ridiculously good cast, including Julianne Nicholson, Evan Peters, Cailee Spaeny, Jean Smart, Angourie Rice, David Denman, Guy Pearce, Sosie Bacon, Neal Huff, John Douglas Thompson, Joe Tippett, and James McArdle. 

Criminal Record

Criminal Record is the first Apple TV+ show on the list, and it’s a good one! The British series was created by Paul Rutman. It premiered on the streaming service on Jan. 10, 2024. It ran for eight episodes through February, so you’re only a bit behind on this series. 

It tells the story of two police detectives who are trying to find a mysterious individual who gives a tip about an old murder case. Is the wrong man behind bars? Is there a guilty person walking the streets? You’ll have to watch to find out! 

Cush Jumbo and Peter Kapaldi star in the series, and they are terrific! 

Overall, this series isn’t that similar to Presumed Innocent, but I know fans of Presumed Innocent are going to enjoy this series.  

The Lincoln Lawyer 

Of course, we had to cap this list off with another David E. Kelley series! The Lincoln Lawyer is based on the book series about lawyer Mickey Haller by Michael Connelly. In the series, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo stars as Haller, a defense attorney who does most of his work from his car. 

There are two seasons of The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix right now. The Lincoln Lawyer season 3 is coming to Netflix very soon. Plus, thanks to our friends at Netflix Life, it looks like The Lincoln Lawyer season 4 is already in the works, too! 

Neve Campbell also stars in this great series. It feels more like an old USA drama series than Presumed Innocent, but the law and crime aspects of The Lincoln Lawyer are very similar! 

That’s the list of good TV shows to watch if you like Presumed Innocent!