TL;DR
Popular Recommendations
"Mare of Easttown" has been frequently mentioned as a standout crime drama, praised for its gripping narrative and strong performances [5:3]. Similarly, "Mindhunter" is celebrated for its portrayal of the FBI's early efforts to understand serial killers, offering a mix of historical intrigue and psychological depth
[5:3]
[5:6].
Series with Strong Storylines
"Gangs of London" is noted for its intense action and complex storytelling, making it a favorite among viewers looking for a dynamic crime drama [5:1]. "Bosch," based on Michael Connelly's novels, is another series that consistently receives praise for its compelling lead character and intricate plots
[4:1]
[4:2].
Critically Acclaimed Shows
"Broadchurch" stands out as a critically acclaimed series, especially for its emotional impact and the shocking reveal of the killer [1:1]
[1:3]. The show is often recommended for those who appreciate a well-crafted mystery with deep character development
[4:4].
Other Noteworthy Mentions
Several other shows have been highlighted across discussions for their unique contributions to the crime drama genre. "True Detective," particularly its first season, is lauded for its atmospheric storytelling and philosophical undertones [3:1]
[2:6]. "Gomorrah" is repeatedly recommended for its gritty depiction of organized crime
[5:4]
[5:5].
Recommendations Beyond Discussions
While these series are popular among viewers, it's worth exploring newer releases or lesser-known gems that might not have been mentioned. Streaming platforms often update their catalogs with fresh content, so checking out recent additions could lead to discovering your next favorite crime drama.
Maybe it hasn’t been on Netflix and prime or just has gone under the radar.
Can range from mini series or limited series to longer shows like Line of Duty (the pinnacle for me if this helps)
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"The Night Of" (HBO, 2016)
"The Sinner" (USA Network, 2017)
"Sharp Objects" (HBO, 2018)
"Bodyguard" (BBC One, 2018)
"Safe" (Netflix, 2018)
"The Stranger" (Netflix, 2020)
"Giri/Haji" (BBC Two/Netflix, 2019)
The Devil's Hour (Netflix, 2022)
"The Undoing" (HBO, 2020)
"Unbelievable" (Netflix, 2019)
"The Spy" (Netflix, 2019)
"Alias Grace" (Netflix, 2017)
"The Outsider" (HBO, 2020)
"The Little Drummer Girl" (AMC/BBC, 2018)
"The Serpent" (BBC One/Netflix, 2021)
Legend!
It hasn't been mentioned but Broadchurch if you haven't seen it is a fantastic, gut wrenching crime series from the UK. The reveal of the killer has been the only time I've ever watched a show and was physically affected when I discovered who the killer was.
Broadchurch is an amazing show! Especially the first 2 seasons.
I’m giving it a go now! It’s currently available for free with Roku. Thank you 😊
It's definitely worth finishing, I know a lot of people stopped after the end of series 1, but I feel like the other series absolutely are worth finishing
As someone who has seen a lot of true crime series bc my mom absolutely loves them, by far my favorite true crime EVER is “the chestnut man” on Netflix, very terrifying
Mare of Easttown
Marcella
Secret City
Paranoid
The Frozen Dead
Witnesses
Trapped
Case
Follow the Money
Quicksand
Bordertown
Deadwind
Following.
I’m looking for a good crime drama series to watch. My top 7series are - Prison break The shield Boardwalk empire Breaking bad Narcos The sopranos The wire
Also really enjoyed peaky blinders, the Americans, mindhunter, start up, band of brothers and the pacific.
Any recommendations I would be grateful, thanks .
Since you mention The Americans, try to find a way to watch Homeland (Hulu/Showtime). Totally worth using a trial to binge.
I have heard good things about the first half of homeland but not the 2nd, would u say it’s good all the way through?
The last few seasons of Homeland are superior to the earlier seasons. Finished off strong. Glad I watched it all, after sticking through S02 and 03.
It's a smart show all the way through. I can't say anything bad about it.
Once you get over the Brody arc in homeland it really picks up and gets even better. There’s just a brief lull when it’s making that transition but it really pays off well. Totally worth it. Great show.
Broadchurch is absolutely fantastic
Ozark has that thing that Sopranos had where you're worried that someone is going to get shot in the head in the next scene.
Yeah good show, only thing I would say is it's a bit slow to get started (vs ones like Peaky Blinders that start with a bang)
Yeah I enjoyed ozark, looking forward to new one in couple weeks
True Detective. S01 and S03.
I have seen the first season and a bit of the 2nd but got put off as wasn’t enjoyable, might go watch season 3 then.
If you’re never watched Sons of Anarchy, give it a shot.
Justified
Bosch
White Collar
Burn Notice
Haven
The Mentalist
Monk
Bosch - Prime Video
Deadwind - Netflix
The Fall 2013-16
Wentworth
Defending Jacob🍎
Black Bird🍎
Your Honor, S1 (Showtime)
American Crime Anthology (2015)
American Crime Story-S1, 2
Brotherhood
Feel free to list more than one, but in order. No comedies, just dramas. I'm a big fan of the genre, but have run out of shows to watch. I've been through The Wire, The Shield, Southland, Animal Kingdom, Secret City, True Detective, Ozark, The Bureau, Preacher, The Sopranos, Peaky Blinders, Fauda and Breaking Bad. Now I'm Jonesing for something as tight and heavy.
Also, I'd like to hear what other people think of the shows.
Have your say.
Bosch on Amazon Prime. A cop drama about a guy with a bit of a dark side.
Based on the book series by Michael Connelly who wrote Lincoln Lawyer.
Among current shows, nothing comes close for me. Bosch is great.
The actor does a phenomenal job, it's like he was made for the part.
My problem is I can't always keep the time lines straight because the show is out of order from the books and I have read all the books out of order.
A couple that should be on Netflix that don't get talked about: Intelligence from Canada, and Babylon from the UK. I'm in the middle of the second season of Intelligence and it's really become great. Babylon is partially satire, but it's still definitely a drama.
Brotherhood on Showtime is another underappreciated great.
Also pretty much every Nordic show.
Line of Duty
The Fall
Broadchurch
Homicide: Life on the Street
Bosch should be your next watch.
I hate to be picky about it but if the show doesn’t grab my attention in the first 2-3 episodes then I’m done with it. I know not every show will be a masterpiece but I love crime dramas with great stories and cinematography. Any you can recommend that’s really worth the time?
Below is the list of shows I’ve seen.
Note: im currently watching squid game and I like it so far.
Also don’t recommend slow horses that thing couldn’t get my attention for the life of me.
House of Dragon
Succession
The Blacklist
The Wire
The Shield
Breaking bad
Better call Saul
Tokyo Vice
Mayor of Kingstown
The last of us
Jack Ryan
Justified
Justified city primeval
Burn Notice
24 (stopped on season 6)
Penguin
The Agency
Landman
Dune prophecy
Cross
Bosch
Dexter
Banshee (stopped on season 3)
Dexter resurrection
Daredevil
Reacher
Ray Donovan
Snowfall
Homeland
All the narcos
Top Boy (stopped on season 2)
Mobland
SOA
True Detective
Sopranos
Prison Break (stopped on season 3)
Peaky Blinders
Animal kingdom
Edit: I forgot to add some of my favs ever Gomorrah, Ozark, zero zero zero, Mr robot, and love/hate.
ZeroZeroZero, Underbelly, Kin or black snow
you're missing 3 great shows from your list:
The Gentleman (Guy Ritchie created british mafia show based on the movie of the same name)
Mare of Easttown (Kate Winslet stars as head detective in a small Pennsylvania town)
Mindhunter (David Fincher's show on netflix portraying the FBI in the 1970s and how they came to catch a lot of real serial killers)
OMG yes MINDHUNTER!!
Gomorrah
Gomorrah
Gomorrah
Gomorrah
Gangs Of London
Deadwood -a premier HBO series from around 2000 and one of the shows to put HBO on the map. It's an old West show starring Timothy Olyphant and Ian Mc Shane.
Justified -small town KY crime show with Walter Goggins as the main villain and Timothy Olyphant as the Marshall.
The Godfather of Harlem - crime show that takes place in the 70s that weaves actual historical figures Into the drama. This stars Forrest Whitaker and several of the mob guys from the Sopranos.
Fargo- an anthology series of small town murders.
I am about to start this show and I would like to know where would you put it in this crime drama tv shows list:
Snowfall, Ozark, Narcos, Narcos Mexico, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Power, Animal Kingdom, Peaky Blinders, Boardwalk Empire and Sons of Anarchy
So where would you put Snowfall in this list? The best? Top 3? Top 5?
On your list I would put it second only to Better Call Saul.
But on my own list I would have The Sopranos, The Wire, True Detective season 1, and The Mare Of Easttown all above it.
I haven't seen Sopranos or Wire yet(I sure will) but the shows I have listed are both crime and action-suspense. But as far as I know, The Sopranos and The Wire are crime drama shows but there are not really any action and suspense like the other shows here. Or I am wrong?
True Detective season 1 I have seen already, one of my favorites for sure!
The Mare of Easttown looks good I will add it to my list, thanks
I mean I would put The Wire and The Sopranos in the same kind of category as Boardwalk Empire. But they’re much better. Boardwalk Empire is good though. Mare Of Easttown I highly recommend it is most similar to True Detective. More crime/mystery than crime/drama or suspense.
the fact that the sopranos wasn’t mentioned is criminal in and of itself.
I haven't seen Sopranos or Wire yet(I sure will) but the shows I have listed are both crime and action-suspense. But as far as I know, The Sopranos and The Wire are crime drama shows but there are not really any action and suspense like the other shows here. Or I am wrong?
i can’t speak for the wire but as far as the sopranos goes, it gets a fair bit of action, not AS MUCH suspense but still a decent bit. 10/10 worth the watch though.
my first thought 😭 OP if this is a list of shows you’ve seen then you should def watch the sopranos
Sopranos shits on everything you mentioned except the wire
I haven't seen Sopranos or Wire yet(I sure will) but the shows I have listed are both crime and action-suspense. But as far as I know, The Sopranos and The Wire are crime drama shows but there are not really any action and suspense like the other shows here. Or I am wrong?
sopranos and the wire top 2
I haven't seen Sopranos or Wire yet(I sure will) but the shows I have listed are both crime and action-suspense. But as far as I know, The Sopranos and The Wire are crime drama shows but there are not really any action and suspense like the other shows here. Or I am wrong?
Ozarks ending was complete ass tho. Pissed me off.
I'm finishing up watching Animal Kingdom and it's literally one of my favorite series. I like everything, the level of acting, the plot, the characters.
Other series that I also really liked are BB and Ozark.
Always themes in which a family is involved in crime. I would be curious to discover other similar series, perhaps with more seasons or even just well-made crime genre TV series.
Better Call Saul
Sneaky Pete
The Americans
Fargo
Bloodline
Boardwalk Empire
Peaky Blinders
Deadwood
The Riches
The Wire
The Sopranos
Narcos
Sons of Anarchy
Justified
The Shield
Luther
Harrow
Succession
The Imposters
Hustle
I included some obvious, and some less obvious, shows.
No Justified?
I forgot. Will add it somewhere between Deadwood and Luther.
The Fall (BBC) only has 3 seasons, but it's brilliant TV.
The Fall is excellent.
I ran out of the traditional crime series we see listed here all the time. Branched out and found quite a few great series from BBC and other sources in Scandinavia, etc.
Currently watching Unforgotten, and it's really good. The Bridge, Trapped, Bordertown.... there's a bunch of them.
Seen all of those except Bordertown. Loved Unforgotten, up to date on that one. The original Bridge was brilliant too, didn't like the remake at all. Trapped I've seen a couple of times.
I don't know where you are and what the availability is like there, but there's another older (early 2000s) BBC show called "Messiah" that I really loved too. It was a miniseries with a couple of film-length episodes per season. I didn't bother with the later seasons because the main cast had all left by then, but the first few were brilliant. Solid, grounded acting and some freaky twists and turns. If you liked The Fall I'm pretty sure you'd like this too.
I’ll second The Fall and Unforgotten
The Shield
Banshee
Banshee is so good I bought the DVD set. Highly highly recommend.
The Killing
Babylon Berlin
A relatively unknown one and we don't watch a lot of subtitled stuff but my husband and I loved this!
Here are those I liked best so far: The Sopranos, The Wire, OZ, Narcos, Narcos Mexico, El Chapo, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Fargo, Mindhunter, True Detective.
Any other recommendations along those lines?
Thanks!
Ozark
Bosch
The Killing
The Night Of
Justified
Peaky Blinders
Gangs of London
Warrior
Mare of Easttown
Bloodline a must-see thank me later
Good recco!
Hello! I'm a Yank in the UK on a job for 6 months — the best part? I can watch UK TV before it comes out in the States!
Thus, I'm hoping you all can help me with any good crime series that have come out this year that I might not know about. My husband and I cannot wait to binge them all.
Speaking as a Yank at home in the States, I would recommend checking out Grace on ITV. Stars John Simm in the lead role, set and filmed in Brighton (which lends a unique atmosphere to the cases). The third season/series was announced yesterday to come out on March 19th, so it could be fun to binge through the previous two seasons, which are fairly short.
The new series of Unforgotten is getting some good reviews. The past series were great.
LOVE Unforgotten and so excited to watch it as it airs in the UK! On the list
A new series is out? Back later
Final series of Endeavour is airing now - on ITVX which is free if you don’t mind watching adverts. I’d recommend watching the earlier seasons if you haven’t seen them already.
Final season! Wow, what a ride.
I’d recommend The Gold. I’m usually not one for “true crime”, but I think this one is quite different from the usual fare.
OK! I've heard of it — will look into it.
Not really about crime at all, but there aren't many British TV series better than Happy Valley
The final season just aired, but all three seasons are up on iPlayer
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b06zqjpj/happy-valley
I can’t get i player to work in the states
No particular order but these are some of my favs.
Dexter, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Power (Books 1-4), Wu Tang Clan, Snowfall, BMF, Atlanta, Dave, Vince Staples Show, Euphoria, Shameless, Psych, White Lotus, Poker Face, Prison Break, Bates Motel, You, Orange is the New Black, Black Mirror, Nine Perfect Strangers, Flatbush Misdemeanors
Felt like I’ve seen everything good so let me know your favorite shows under these genres please :) Or a similar vibe to these shows. Thankyouuu
Patriot (Prime)
Dark humor and a weirdly therapeutic feel.
Just try the first 5 mins.
Severance
The night of
Dark
Narcos
Hannibal
Mr inbetween
Luther
Top boy
The night of
Ramy
Escape from Denemorra
best crime drama series 2023
Key Considerations for Choosing a Crime Drama Series:
Plot Complexity: Look for series with intricate plots that keep you guessing. A good crime drama often includes twists and turns that engage viewers.
Character Development: Strong character arcs can enhance the viewing experience. Series that delve into the psychology of characters often resonate more with audiences.
Critical Acclaim: Consider shows that have received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. Awards and nominations can be indicators of quality.
Cultural Relevance: Some series tackle contemporary issues or reflect societal themes, making them more engaging and thought-provoking.
Production Quality: High production values, including cinematography, sound design, and direction, can elevate a series.
Recommendations for 2023:
"The Night Agent" (Netflix): A gripping political thriller that follows an FBI agent who uncovers a conspiracy while on duty. It has received praise for its fast-paced storytelling and engaging characters.
"Mare of Easttown" (HBO): Although it premiered in 2021, its impact continues into 2023. This limited series features Kate Winslet as a detective in a small town, blending personal struggles with a compelling murder investigation.
"The Outsider" (HBO): Based on Stephen King's novel, this series combines crime and supernatural elements, offering a unique twist on the genre.
"Bosch: Legacy" (Amazon Prime): A continuation of the beloved "Bosch" series, it follows the titular character as he navigates new challenges in his career and personal life.
These series have garnered attention for their storytelling, character depth, and overall production quality, making them standout choices in the crime drama genre for 2023.
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