7 Shows Like ‘Hijack’ to Watch if You Love Heist Thrillers

The high-octane real-time drama Hijack on Apple TV+ has landed with a thrilling finale. But if you're still chasing the high of Sam Nelson (Idris Elba) thwarting a local terrorist plot, you've come to the right place. Hijack made a high-stakes situation even more intense by putting a seven-hour clock on the crisis. Some of The Messenger's recommendations for what to watch after Hijack will follow the same ticking-clock formula. Others take on different (but equally stressful) heists, introduce you to new morally gray protagonists or simply give you more clues to solve over the course of a season.

Here's what you should watch next after you've finished Hijack.

If you like real-time crime dramas: '24'

If having a countdown clock for your dramas is what revs your engine, you need to check out the show that patented the genre. Kiefer Sutherland stars as Jack Bauer, a counterterrorism agent who each season has 24 hours to stop a horrific crime from occurring. Each episode follows Bauer in real time as he investigates and takes down the bad guys.

Rotten Tomatoes: 87% critics; 87% audience

Watch on Hulu

If you like following a criminal master plan: 'Money Heist'

If the hijack planning intrigued you the most, then hop over to Netflix for Money Heist. The Spanish thriller follows a gang of professionals named after world cities as they plan and execute an elaborate scheme. The series, which is one of Netflix's most popular series not in English, has the same claustrophobic, stressful feeling as Hijack. Money Heist spends more time exploring the backstories that led the thieves to a life of crime than Hijack, but it has an even more ingenious, unorthodox heist. You thought stock price manipulation was clever? Wait until you what they do when they take over a mint.

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% critics, 80% audience

Watch on Netflix

If you love morally gray schemers: 'Leverage' and 'Leverage: Redemption'

Elba's character Sam makes it seem like he's willing to cross lines to return to his family, but he ultimately does what's best for the greater good. The same can be said for the Robin Hood-inspired thieves in Leverage. The show falls more into the dramedy category, so be prepared for some jokes, but it's great for fans who like guessing which side their heroes are going to end up on. Enjoy the original series and then check out the revival series for more well-intentioned looting.

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% critics, 88% audience

Watch on Prime Video/Freevee

If you like heists but want something a little less stressful: 'Lupin'

If you want to see a good heist but don't want to worry about your blood pressure every episode, add the French sensation Lupin to your queue. Omar Sy plays the titular thief and master of disguise. Sy is just as charming as Idris Elba is in real life and definitely more charming than Sam is in Hijack, which makes watching Lupin so much fun.

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% critics, 79% audience

Watch on Netflix

If you like political intrigue with your heist plans: 'Prison Break'

Halfway through Hijack, you discover the hijacking plot is way more complex than you originally thought. The same is true for Prison Break, which centers on two brothers who devise many schemes to break out of prison only to find themselves involved in a massive political conspiracy. It's another show that isn't just about how the crime happens, but why.

Rotten Tomatoes: 61% critics, 78% audience

Watch on Hulu

If you like morally gray people-readers: 'Elementary'

The most intriguing thing about Sam Nelson is his ability to read people and use what he gleans to gain the leverage he needs to negotiate the hijacking. Do you know who the OG people-reading detective was? Sherlock Holmes. There are many interpretations of Arthur Conan Doyle's famous creation, but the CBS take starring Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Watson really emphasizes Holmes' ability to read his suspects. If seven seasons feels daunting, we recommend narrowing in on Season 2, which features Game of Thrones' Natalie Dormer as Sherlock's nemesis Moriarty. It'll give you the same tension as Sam and the hijackers.

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% critics, 88% audience

Watch on Hulu

If you like hunting for clues in every episode: 'The Afterparty'

Hijack and The Afterparty have nothing in common from a tone perspective, but part of what makes Hijack so fun is watching for clues that indicate what will happen in the next episode. The Afterparty is a murder mystery/comedy that works the same way. Clues are given in each episode that don't seem obvious until the final episode. If you love being the one to yell, "Called it!" when you finish a show, then The Afterparty might be a fun next binge for you.

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% critics, 72% audience

Watch on Apple TV+

Hijack is now streaming on Apple TV+.