'The Widower' Isn't Primed For Season 2

PBS' chilling show The Widower was a retelling of the real crimes of Malcolm Webster, a man who was convicted of killing his first wife and attempting to kill several other women. And while the series was a slow, quiet standout, a second season for The Widower probably isn't going to happen. First of all, the miniseries was produced overseas in 2014 for New Zealand television, and there's been no moves from ITV to commission more. And The Widower tells a complete story, which begins with Webster's marriage to Claire, and concludes when he's arrested for attempting to murder Felicity Drumm. It's a conclusion that proved pretty final for Webster, who has remained in prison since his conviction in 2011. Perhaps there could be a short followup special about his life in prison, but that seems more appropriate for a documentary than another narrative retelling.

But if you're still curious about murderers and want to see an equally chilling miniseries about people who may have committed devious crimes, there are many you can choose from. And there are also plenty of miniseries out there that have the same quiet, foreboding air that The Widower does. So whether you're curious about more killers, real or fake, or just admired the filmmaking, there's no reason to be disappointed that there probably isn't going to be a second season. Here's what you can check out, instead.

The Jinx

The masterfully short documentary series became an enormous success because audiences were compelled and fascinated by Robert Durst, the son of a New York City real estate scion who has allegedly committed several gruesome murders over the past 30 years. I don't want to give away the ending; you just need to watch this HBO true-crime series. Durst, for his part, has long denied his connection to Susan Berman's death or his wife's disappearance.

Top Of The Lake

Jane Campion's series might have a vast conspiracy at its core, but for most of the runtime it's more of a quiet, intimate look at what a single girl's disappearance can do to a small community in New Zealand.

The Staircase

This documentary about an author who is pinned for his wife's murder despite compelling evidence on both sides is a fascinating look at the process of a murder trial and has similar marital themes to The Widower.

The Fall

Easily watched on Netflix, this atmospheric series about a serial killer and the female detective who's taking him down stars Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan, two very pretty people making even the most disgusting crimes look seductive.

Hannibal

Now that the series has sadly been cancelled, this Gothic horror mixed with procedural is a commitment. And while the show is far more lurid than The Widower, it dives into the psychological underpinnings of criminals like Malcolm Webster. (And it's not as formulaic as NBC's first trailer makes it seem.)

Love, Lies, And Murder

If you're curious about what The Widower would have looked like in the early '90s, look no further than Love, Lies, and Murder about another real-life man David Brown, who convinced his daughter to kill his wife in order to get insurance money. Thankfully, Brown was eventually exposed as the mastermind, so, like The Widower, the story has something of a happy ending. Image: Courtesy of ITV