Special Report

The Best Detective Shows of All Time

The detective show genre is one of the most popular on television. Audiences love the suspense and intrigue of hard-working detectives doggedly searching for clues to hunt down criminals and bring them to justice.

There have been hundreds of detective shows over the years, some much better than others. Some of these shows ran for well over a decade, while others became cult classics after just a few seasons on the air.

To determine the 50 best detective shows in TV history, 24/7 Tempo considered audience reviews from the Internet Movie Database.

The best detective shows have redefined the genre, putting their own spin on what a detective show can be. Some are funny, some are dark and gritty, and some have psychologists, supernatural healers, and even murderers serving in the detective role.

The shows on this list are not just good detective series, many have gone down as some of the most popular and well-reviewed programs in all of television history. These are the 100 best TV dramas of all time.

Click here for the best detective shows of all time

Methodology

To determine the 50 best detective shows in TV history, 24/7 Tempo reviewed audience data from the Internet Movie Database. Television shows with the detective keyword tag or crime genre label on IMDb were ranked based on the average IMDb user rating. Only shows with at least 5,000 user ratings that have a rating from the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board were considered. We excluded shows that have detective characters but are not explicitly centered around detective or investigative work. Data was collected in November 2021.

Courtesy of BBC America

50. Ashes to Ashes
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 9,804
> Series run: 2008-2010
> Starring: Philip Glenister, Keeley Hawes, Dean Andrews, Marshall Lancaster

“Ashes to Ashes” is the sequel to another crime drama series on this list, “Life on Mars.” Similar to its predecessor, the main character, a London police detective, inexplicably wakes up in 1981 after being shot in 2008.

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Courtesy of Carlton International Media

49. Inspector Morse
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 11,246
> Series run: 1987-2000
> Starring: John Thaw, Kevin Whately, James Grout, Peter Woodthorpe

The British crime drama is based on a series of novels by Colin Dexter. Each episode is about two hours long and has Chief Inspector Morse solve intriguing cases with his partner.

Courtesy of Acorn TV

48. Murdoch Mysteries
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 12,337
> Series run: 2008-Present
> Starring: Yannick Bisson, Helene Joy, Thomas Craig, Jonny Harris

The Canadian drama series is based on the Detective Murdoch novels by Maureen Jennings. The show follows William Murdoch, who works as a police detective in Toronto in the late 19th and early 20th century and uses unheard of, for the time, forensic techniques.

Courtesy of BBC1

47. Shetland
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 13,666
> Series run: 2013-Present
> Starring: Douglas Henshall, Alison O’Donnell, Steven Robertson, Mark Bonnar

The Scottish crime drama follows a team of police detectives who investigate crimes in the famous archipelago of Shetland. All but the first season consist of six hour-long episodes.

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Courtesy of BBC America

46. Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 47,101
> Series run: 2016-2017
> Starring: Samuel Barnett, Elijah Wood, Hannah Marks, Jade Eshete

The two-season show, which is part drama, part comedy, centers on an eccentric detective who investigates cases involving supernatural beings.

Courtesy of American Movie Classics

45. The Killing
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 105,113
> Series run: 2011-2014
> Starring: Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman, Billy Campbell, Liam James

Based on the Danish series “Forbrydelsen,” “The Killing” is a crime show about the murder of a 17-year-old girl and the homicide detectives investigating it.

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Courtesy of USA Network

44. White Collar
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10
> IMDb user votes: 124,883
> Series run: 2009-2014
> Starring: Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Willie Garson, Tiffani Thiessen

“White Collar” centers on a highly intelligent con artist, forger, and a thief who helps the FBI catch other con artists, forgers, and thieves as part of a work-release program.

Courtesy of Entertainment One

43. Wire in the Blood
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 7,821
> Series run: 2002-2009
> Starring: Robson Green, Mark Letheren, Emma Handy, Mark Penfold

Unlike the majority of the TV shows on this list, the main character in “Wire in the Blood” is not a detective but a clinical psychologist who gets inside the heads of serial killers and helps the police solve crimes.

Courtesy of Acorn Media Group

42. Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 14,961
> Series run: 2012-2015
> Starring: Essie Davis, Nathan Page, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Ashleigh Cummings

Set in 1920s Melbourne, Australia, “Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries” follows a glamourous private detective known for her dagger-sharp wit and pearl-handled pistol.

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Courtesy of Public Broadcasting Service

41. Unforgotten
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 19,431
> Series run: 2015-Present
> Starring: Sanjeev Bhaskar, Jordan Long, Lewis Reeves, Nicola Walker

“Unforgotten” is a British crime drama that follows a team of London detectives who investigate crimes, usually about a missing person’s case or murder committed years, even decades, ago.

Courtesy of AcornMedia

40. Life on Mars
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 29,993
> Series run: 2006-2007
> Starring: John Simm, Philip Glenister, Liz White, Dean Andrews

“Life on Mars,” titled after David Bowie’s famous 1971 song of the same name, is a detective show that combines science fiction with police crime drama. The main character is a detective who wakes up in 1973, after being in a car accident in 2006, and works as a detective at the same police station.

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Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

39. Columbo
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 31,814
> Series run: 1971-2003
> Starring: Peter Falk, Mike Lally, John Finnegan, Bruce Kirby

“Columbo” aired for 13 seasons between 1971 and 2003, producing more than 60 episodes. The crime drama centers on LA homicide detective Columbo. He is known for often leaving the room only to return and say, “Just one more thing”.

Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

38. Life
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 33,457
> Series run: 2007-2009
> Starring: Damian Lewis, Sarah Shahi, Adam Arkin, Brent Sexton

Running for only two seasons, the crime drama follows a police detective who — now very rich because of a settlement after serving 12 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit — returns to the police force.

Courtesy of American Broadcasting Company

37. Pushing Daisies
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 55,437
> Series run: 2007-2009
> Starring: Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Jim Dale

“Pushing Daisies” is about a baker who has the ability to bring dead people back to life just by touching them. He uses this ability to help the police solve murder cases.

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Courtesy of United Paramount Network

36. Veronica Mars
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 69,934
> Series run: 2004-2019
> Starring: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni, Percy Daggs III

“Veronica Mars” is a teen mystery drama that follows a high school — and later college — student who is a private investigator in her spare time. After the show was cancelled, money was raised through Kickstarter for a movie, which was released in 2014.

Courtesy of USA Network

35. Psych
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 90,786
> Series run: 2006-2014
> Starring: James Roday Rodriguez, Dulé Hill, Timothy Omundson, Corbin Bernsen

“Psych” is a part detective, part comedy show about a young crime consultant who gets hired by the police after convincing them he can solve cases using his psychic abilities — which in reality are a very good memory and heightened observational skills.

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Courtesy of A+E Networks

34. Cracker
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 6,136
> Series run: 1993-1996
> Starring: Robbie Coltrane, Geraldine Somerville, Kieran O’Brien, Barbara Flynn

“Cracker” is a British crime drama that follows an antisocial and arrogant, but also brilliant, criminal psychologist, who works as a consultant for the police.

Courtesy of BBC4

33. State of Play
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 9,594
> Series run: 2003
> Starring: John Simm, David Morrissey, Kelly Macdonald, Bill Nighy

“State of Play” tells the story of a journalist’s investigation into a murder of a political researcher who was the assistant and mistress of a famous politician. The TV show was adapted into a motion picture in 2009, starring Russell Crow and Ben Afleck.

Courtesy of Animax

32. Detective Conan
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 12,055
> Series run: 1996-Present
> Starring: Minami Takayama, Wakana Yamazaki, Hoang Khuyet, Akira Kamiya

One of three animated detective shows on the list, “Detective Conan” is a Japanese manga series that centers on a detective transformed into a child while investigating a mysterious organization. He goes on to solve many cases while impersonating other people.

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Courtesy of Public Broadcasting Service

31. Foyle’s War
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 13,878
> Series run: 2002-2015
> Starring: Michael Kitchen, Honeysuckle Weeks, Anthony Howell, Ellie Haddington

“Foyle’s War” is a British detective drama set during and after World War II. The show follows Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle and the cases he solves. In the seasons taking place after the war, Foyle is a counterintelligence agent.

Courtesy of American Broadcasting Company

30. Police Squad!
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 17,281
> Series run: 1982
> Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Alan North, Rex Hamilton, Ed Williams

Even though “Police Squad!” aired for only one season — a total of six episodes — it was so popular that it was turned into the Naked Gun film franchise. The crime comedy is basically a parody of police crime stories.

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Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

29. Southland
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 25,554
> Series run: 2009-2013
> Starring: Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy, Regina King, Ben McKenzie

“Southland” is an American crime TV show that tells the story of several people working for the Los Angeles Police Department, including a rookie cop, detectives, and a woman trying to join the elite SWAT team.

Courtesy of Topic

28. Forbrydelsen
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 26,209
> Series run: 2007-2012
> Starring: Sofie Gråbøl, Morten Suurballe, Lars Mikkelsen, Bjarne Henriksen

“Forbrydelsen,” meaning “the crime” in English, is a Danish police drama that follows a female detective inspector and the difficult cases she is trying to solve. Each episode covers 24 hours of the investigation.

Courtesy of Netflix

27. Happy Valley
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 36,672
> Series run: 2014-2022
> Starring: Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, Charlie Murphy, James Norton

“Happy Valley” is a British crime drama that revolves around the strong-willed police sergeant Catherine Wood, who lives with her recovering alcoholic and heroin addict sister.

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Courtesy of Amazon Instant Video

26. Bosch
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 59,426
> Series run: 2014-2021
> Starring: Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Lance Reddick

In “Bosch,” an LAPD detective works to solve complicated cases while struggling with the stress of the job.

Courtesy of BBC America

25. Broadchurch
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 104,152
> Series run: 2013-2017
> Starring: David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan

“Broadchurch” follows the investigation of a young boy’s murder and the effect is has on the town and everyone in it.

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Courtesy of BBC America

24. Luther
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 128,762
> Series run: 2010-2019
> Starring: Idris Elba, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley, Warren Brown

Idris Elba plays the titular “Luther,” a detective chief inspector who is one of the best criminal investigators, but he does not always play by the rules and is haunted by his tragic past.

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Television

23. Person of Interest
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 169,266
> Series run: 2011-2016
> Starring: Jim Caviezel, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman, Michael Emerson

In “Person of Interest,” a former CIA agent and a programmer team up to use surveillance and artificial intelligence to prevent crimes before they happen.

Courtesy of Fox Network

22. Fringe
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 229,305
> Series run: 2008-2013
> Starring: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Jasika Nicole

Sci-fi series “Fringe” was a cult classic that ran for five seasons. It follows an FBI agent, an eccentric scientist, and his son who all team up to investigate unexplained phenomena.

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Courtesy of Fox Network

21. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10
> IMDb user votes: 270,666
> Series run: 2013-2021
> Starring: Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero

One of the few comedies on this list, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” follows the daily lives of the NYPD’s 99th Precinct. Andy Samberg stars as the precinct’s lovable but goofy detective.

Courtesy of CANALPL

20. Spiral
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,786
> Series run: 2005-2020
> Starring: Caroline Proust, Audrey Fleurot, Thierry Godard, Philippe Duclos

The French show “Spiral” tracks criminal investigations not just from the viewpoint of the detectives, but also of the victims and the criminals themselves.

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Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

19. Hannibal
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10
> IMDb user votes: 240,613
> Series run: 2013-2015
> Starring: Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen, Caroline Dhavernas, Laurence Fishburne

Set before the events that take place in the 1991 movie “Silence of the Lambs,” the show “Hannibal” is the story of a young Hannibal Lecter and his relationship with an FBI criminal profiler.

Courtesy of A&E Home Video

18. Homicide: Life on the Street
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
> IMDb user votes: 12,251
> Series run: 1993-1999
> Starring: Richard Belzer, Clark Johnson, Yaphet Kotto, Kyle Secor

“Homicide: Life on the Street” is a classic police procedural about a fictional version of the Baltimore Police Department’s Homicide Unit.

Courtesy of Public Broadcasting Service

17. Endeavour
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
> IMDb user votes: 22,269
> Series run: 2012-Present
> Starring: Shaun Evans, Roger Allam, James Bradshaw, Sean Rigby

“Endeavour” is an origin story of sorts for one of the U.K.’s most popular tv crime fighters — Inspector Morse. The show is set in his early years as a police officer in the 1960s and 1970s.

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Courtesy of Chiller

16. Monster
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
> IMDb user votes: 24,654
> Series run: 2004-2010
> Starring: Hidenobu Kiuchi, Liam O’Brien, Mamiko Noto, Karen Strassman

“Monster” is an anime series about a neurosurgeon whose life is altered when he gets involved with a former patient and all his superiors are found dead.

Courtesy of Public Broadcasting Service

15. Poirot
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
> IMDb user votes: 41,407
> Series run: 1989-2013
> Starring: David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Pauline Moran

This British show follows Agatha Christie’s great fictional detective Hercule Poirot as he solves various crimes.

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Courtesy of Filmlance International AB

14. The Bridge
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
> IMDb user votes: 63,509
> Series run: 2011-2018
> Starring: Sofia Helin, Rafael Pettersson, Sarah Boberg, Dag Malmberg

“The Bridge” is one of the top foreign detective shows ever. After a body is found on the border of Sweden and Denmark, detectives from both countries must work together to solve the murder.

Courtesy of Disney-ABC Domestic Television

13. Daredevil
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
> IMDb user votes: 383,948
> Series run: 2015-2018
> Starring: Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson

Though this may not be a traditional detective show, “Daredevil” does feature people doggedly pursuing criminals. Matt Murdock is a lawyer by day and a superhero vigilante by night.

Courtesy of CBS

12. Dexter
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
> IMDb user votes: 683,551
> Series run: 2006-2013
> Starring: Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, David Zayas, James Remar

In “Dexter,” a serial killer channels his dark urges for good, pledging to only kill other murderers — all while hiding in plain sight as a member of the Miami Police Department. The show was recently rebooted for 2021, picking up 10 years after where the original show ended.

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Courtesy of A+E Networks

11. The Return of Sherlock Holmes
> IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
> IMDb user votes: 11,481
> Series run: 1986-1988
> Starring: Jeremy Brett, Edward Hardwicke, Rosalie Williams, Colin Jeavons

“The Return of Sherlock Holmes” follows additional cases from the famous fictional detective. The revival series was very popular, though not quite as popular as its original iteration.

Courtesy of A+E Networks

10. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
> IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
> IMDb user votes: 21,150
> Series run: 1984-1985
> Starring: Jeremy Brett, David Burke, Rosalie Williams, Eric Porter

“The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” is one of the best-reviewed detective shows of all time, following one of the greatest fictional sleuths ever — Sherlock Holmes. The show ran for two seasons in the 1980s.

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Courtesy of Acorn Media Group

9. Line of Duty
> IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
> IMDb user votes: 50,539
> Series run: 2012-2021
> Starring: Martin Compston, Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar, Craig Parkinson

“Line of Duty” is a series about AC-12, a police anti-corruption unit. The British series broadcast its sixth season in 2021.

Courtesy of Columbia TriStar Domestic Television

8. The Shield
> IMDb user rating: 8.7/10
> IMDb user votes: 76,705
> Series run: 2002-2008
> Starring: Michael Chiklis, Michael Jace, Jay Karnes, CCH Pounder

A gritty portrayal of a corrupt police officer in Los Angeles, “The Shield” was an incredibly popular show for its seven-season run. Michael Chiklis won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Vic Mackey.

Courtesy of Court TV

7. Forensic Files
> IMDb user rating: 8.8/10
> IMDb user votes: 5,846
> Series run: 1996-2011
> Starring: Peter Thomas, Tom Bevel, Skip Palenik, Lowell Levine

“Forensic Files” is a docu-series that ran for over 400 episodes. The program covers real-life crimes and how forensic science was used to crack the case.

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Courtesy of American Broadcasting Company

6. Twin Peaks
> IMDb user rating: 8.8/10
> IMDb user votes: 186,233
> Series run: 1990-1991
> Starring: Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook

“Twin Peaks” is a much-loved but short-lived detective show from David Lynch that lasted just two seasons in the early 1990s. It tells the story of an FBI agent who investigates a murder in a very strange town.

Courtesy of FX Network

5. Fargo
> IMDb user rating: 8.9/10
> IMDb user votes: 349,276
> Series run: 2014-Present
> Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks

“Fargo” is a dark anthology series in the same vein as the Coen Brothers film of the same name. It follows Midwestern crooks, cops, and the civilians who get caught in the middle of their schemes.

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Courtesy of HBO

4. True Detective
> IMDb user rating: 8.9/10
> IMDb user votes: 526,637
> Series run: 2014-2019
> Starring: Vince Vaughn, Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch

“True Detective” is an anthology series that follows different heinous crimes and the police departments that investigate them. Over its run, it has featured A-list stars like Mahershala Ali, Matthew McConaughey, Rachel McAdams, and more.

Courtesy of Adult Swim

3. Death Note
> IMDb user rating: 9.0/10
> IMDb user votes: 274,862
> Series run: 2006-2007
> Starring: Mamoru Miyano, Brad Swaile, Vincent Tong, Ryô Naitô

“Death Note” is one of the most popular anime series of all time. It follows a high school student who finds a notebook that allows the user to kill anyone whose name is written in the book. The student then decides to use the notebook to take out criminals.

Courtesy of HBO Max

2. Sherlock
> IMDb user rating: 9.1/10
> IMDb user votes: 857,750
> Series run: 2010-2017
> Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs, Rupert Graves

“Sherlock” is the BBC’s modern adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective series. It follows an eccentric but brilliant sleuth and his partner as they seek to solve the most difficult cases.

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Courtesy of Home Box Office

1. The Wire
> IMDb user rating: 9.3/10
> IMDb user votes: 308,603
> Series run: 2002-2008
> Starring: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce

With an IMDb user rating of 9.3/10, “The Wire” ranks as the best detective show in TV history. The HBO drama follows Baltimore detectives as well as the drug dealers they pursue.

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