What are the best crime dramas?
Crime is big business – there’s a whole catalogue of dramas based around police, murder, mobs and robberies available to watch at the moment.
But what to choose? Well, we’ve been through the case files and picked you out our list of prime suspects. Whether juicy murders float your boat, or gangster wars are your thing, or maybe you like a good detective drama, well we’ve got something here for you…
'The Sopranos'
Generally considered the daddy of all crime dramas – with many lauding it as the best TV show ever made – The Sopranos sees James Gandolfini lead the cast as a man juggling family life with the life of crime as a mob boss.
Bringing a psychological twist to mob dramas, we examine Tony’s innermost thoughts through his therapy sessions. However, there’s plenty of violence, betrayals, affairs and shocking events to keep crime drama fans happy, alongside some darkly comic moments.
A huge hit, this should be on everyone’s must-see list. A prequel film – The Many Saints of Newark – starring James’ real-life son, Michael Gandolfini, as the young Tony, aired this year.
Number of seasons: 6
Episodes: 86
Average episode length: 45 minutes
Where to watch: US: HBO Max UK: Sky
'Breaking Bad'
Another one often hitting the top spot in the ‘best TV of all-time’ lists, this follows schoolteacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston, Your Honor) as he turns to drug manufacturing following a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Teaming up with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul, Westworld), together they produce and distribute crystal meth in New Mexico, to allow Walter to raise money for his family’s future.
However, his journey from mild-mannered teacher to drugs lord is not without its problems with family, work, and the underground drugs world to negotiate.
The show has won a cabinet full of awards, with Cranston universally applauded. It’s also one of the few series in this genre that critics agree doesn’t go awry as the show continues.
Meanwhile, its sequel – Better Call Saul – has also been a huge hit as well as the one-off film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.
Number of seasons: 5
Episodes: 62
Average episode length: 45 minutes
Where to watch: Netflix
'Peaky Blinders'
Peaky Blinders is a bit of a phenomenon. If you've somehow not caught up in this BBC gangster drama just yet, it follows Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and the rest of the Irish-Romani Shelby family as they slowly but surely expand their criminal operations beyond the city of Birmingham.
As you might expect, this attracts the attention of plenty both from rival gangs, government officials, and police officers who all either want a slice of the action or to take the Shelby gang out of the picture entirely.
Watching Tommy and the gang grow their influence and take on their enemies across the country is brutal but utterly compelling, so it's easy to see why Peaky Blinders has won plenty of awards and garnered celebrity fans including the likes of Samuel L. Jackson and Brad Pitt.
With a final sixth season ongoing right now and a movie on the way, the Shelby saga is sure to be going out with a bang very soon, too.
Number of seasons: 5
Episodes: 30
Average episode length: 55-65 minutes
Where to watch: US: Netflix UK: BBC iPlayer
'The Wire'
Set in Baltimore, USA, each season of The Wire examines a different aspect of the city through the eyes of the police, including drugs, education and the press. The series was created by former journalist David Simon, who has spent many years working in and reporting on the city.
While each season explores a different world, we follow characters and storylines throughout the run. The show has been praised for its accurate portrayal politics, and its painting of institutions and the system as the true villains, rather than individuals.
Not a huge hit on its first airing, The Wire has since been lauded by critics and viewers alike. The show launched Idris Elba (Luther) to superstardom alongside fellow brit Dominic West (The Affair).
Number of seasons: 5
Episodes: 60
Average episode length: 60 minutes
Where to watch: US: HBO Max UK: Sky
'Line of Duty'
The biggest TV show of recent years in the UK, Line of Duty follows AC12, a police department that investigates corruption within their own ranks. While each season has its own story – and some fantastic guest turns including Thandiwe Newton (Westworld) and Keeley Hawes (Ashes to Ashes) – the threads begin to connect as the show progresses.
Famed for its twisting plot and killer cliff-hangers, the series is so tense that right to the final episode, you’re still unsure if you can even trust the regulars – Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) and gravelly Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar).
With the final series the highest-rating drama in the UK for over a decade, there are still hopes for Line of Duty season 7, despite the last episode having an air of finality about it.
Number of seasons: 6
Episodes: 36
Average episode length: 60 minutes
Where to watch: US: Hulu UK: BBC iPlayer
‘Fargo’
Inspired by the hit 1996 Coen brothers' movie, this series brings us a different story set in a different era each season, all of which somehow connect back to the town of Fargo, North Dakota.
The show has attracted major movie stars each year such as Ewan McGregor, Billy Bob Thornton, and Kirsten Dunst over its four seasons – with murder, greed, and organized crime fuelling the stories.
Winning awards galore during its run, creator Noah Hawley has expressed a desire to produce a fifth and final season.
Number of seasons: 4
Episodes: 41
Average episode length: 40 minutes
Where to watch: US: Hulu UK: Netflix
'True Detective'
Another anthology series with bona fide film stars, each season of Fargo brings us a different cast and story – the run kicking off in style in the first season with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson taking the lead roles.
Colin Farrell (The North Water) and Mashershala Ali (Moonlight) take the lead in the next two series.
With a dark tone and a focus on the psychological anguish of the detectives as they are drawn into the world of murder, this makes for gripping viewing. Season one was universally critically acclaimed, and although reaction to seasons two and three was a little more lukewarm, this is still a real cut above.
Number of seasons: 3
Episodes: 24
Average episode length: 55 minutes
Where to watch: US: HBO Max UK: Sky
'Sherlock'
This contemporary take in the famous stories sees Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange) take on the role of the detective with Martin Freeman (The Hobbit ) as Dr Watson.
The modern, fast-moving reimaginings are inspired by the original stories, and see Holmes helping out a reluctant Metropolitan Police on cases, as well as the ongoing arc of his battle with archenemy Moriarty (Andrew Scott, His Dark Materials).
The show’s 90-minute, single story format gives each episode a movie-like feel, while the series has gained Emmy Awards for both Cumberbatch and Freeman, as well as a Bafta for Best Drama Series, among many others.
And if you miss the tradition of the original stories, there’s even a special one-off episode, The Abominable Bride, set back in the Victorian era to enjoy.
Number of seasons: 4
Episodes: 13
Average episode length: 90 minutes
Where to watch: US: Amazon UK: Britbox
'Narcos'
Narcos explores real-life drug lord Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura), who from his beginnings as a smuggler rose to become the world’s biggest drug lord, until his eventual death at the hands of police.
We follow US drugs agent Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook, The Fugitive), who has been sent to Columbia, and teams up with local police to try and bring down Escobar.
The drama is as much about the toll the drug wars took on both the criminals in Colombia and the US authorities, as it is about Escobar himself. It mixes real-life news footage with the drama for a unique feel.
The third series is set in the wake of Escobar’s death, and sees the rise of a new cartel. Meanwhile, a new series Narcos: Mexico, profiling the trade in that country, has also run for three seasons.
Number of seasons: 3
Episodes: 30
Average episode length: 45 minutes
Where to watch: Netflix
'Death in Paradise'
Your crime viewing can’t be all dark, moody tales with terrible acts investigated by tortured-but-brilliant detectives – we just won’t allow it. So let us bring a bit of sunshine into your life by introducing you to Death In Paradise.
A huge hit in the UK, the jolly series sees murders solved on the fictional British Overseas Territory of Saint Marie in the Caribbean. The lead detective has moved on several times over the years, but the cast of supporting characters has helped viewers weather the change.
Ben Miller (Bridgerton) is the original lead, followed by Kris Marshall (Sanditon), Ardal O’Hanlon (cult sitcom Father Ted) and most recently Ralf Little has taken on the role – with much made of the fish-out-of-water British lead struggling to adjust to the Caribbean life. Homicide has never been such fun.
Number of seasons: 10
Episodes: 80
Average episode length: 60 minutes
Where to watch: US: BritBox UK: BBC iPlayer
'Lupin'
Lupin is a French crime thriller that sees Omar Sy playing Assane Diop, a modern-day professional thief attempting to avenge his father, Babakar.
Assane’s father took his own life in a prison cell out of shame after being framed for the theft of an expensive necklace by his employer, Hubert Pellegrini. 25 years later, Assane forms a plan to reveal Hubert’s crimes inspired by a book about the gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin that his father had given him for his birthday.
Lupin was a colossal hit for Netflix when the first part came out in 2021; the streaming service claimed it had been watched by 70 million people within 28 days’ of the first part’s release, making it the most-watched show on the platform (before Squid Game came along, that is). If you’re looking for a new mystery to get drawn into, Lupin might be just the show for you.
Number of seasons: 1
Episodes: 10
Average episode length: 41-53 minutes
Where to watch: Netflix
