Detectives Mostly~with a few exceptions.
No formulas. No endless predictable procedure sessions. No blockbusters. Nothing simple minded. Humor of certain sorts. More than a little stress.
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- StarsShin Ha-kyunYeo Jin-gooChoi Dae-hoonThe story of two fearless men who are willing to go through extreme lengths in their pursuit of a returning serial killer. To uncover the murderer's identity, the two are forced to look deeper than what the evidence seems to suggest.IMDb description hardly gets at the surface of this very complex multilayered drama which requires full attention from start to finish.
- StarsAhn Bo-hyunKwon Hae-hyoPark Ji-hyunA fun-loving rich chaebol gets entangled in an incident and joins a violent crime investigation team. By mobilizing his wealth and personal connections, the third-generation chaebol catches criminals beyond the reach of police.Comic fresh air relief!!! This is having a lot of fun with all things class status--and more. Our leading man has quite the great face for comedy--and probably other genres as well. The rat scenes are priceless. LOL. On the flip side, in keeping with Kdramas there's a dark side to balance things. Nope, not even hinting here. Give it a chance to grow on you. Or drive you totally to the dark side--> The Worst of Evil serves that very well.
- CreatorJ.T. RogersStarsAnsel ElgortKen WatanabeRachel KellerA Western journalist working for a publication in Tokyo takes on one of the city's most powerful crime bosses.Journalist plus detective. Based on 'memoir'. Westerner in Japan--enjoyable. Can season two maintain the quality of season one? Am watching and hoping so.
- CreatorRian JohnsonStarsNatasha LyonneBenjamin BrattSimon HelbergCharlie has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can't help but investigate and solve.Human lie detector. Not quite a detective, but she does solve crimes.
- CreatorFabien NuryStarsJérémie LaheurteEvelyne BrochuThibaut EvrardParis, France, 1899. The corpse of an unknown woman is found in the river Seine. The investigation will push a young ambitious inspector to discover a heavy state secret.Domestic violence with some twists.
- StarsJi Chang-wookWi Ha-joonIm She-miIn the 1990s, a police officer goes undercover to infiltrate a mega crime syndicate that distributes illegal drugs across South Korea, China, and Japan. His wife, a narcotics officer, is also involved.Perhaps the best take on undercover work ever on a psychological level. It doesn't just take a toll on our leading man as he literally fights for his life while establishing 'trust' with a gangster who has an exit strategy. The squad has a very steep learning curve--and that's not a good thing. Forewarning--there are hatchets, knives, bats, poles etc put to violent use-ie, it gets bloody--often.
- CreatorKate AtkinsonHelen GregoryAllan HeinbergStarsMireille EnosPeter KrauseJay HaydenFollows a female private investigator whose career specialty is exposing fraud for a living. She is drawn to a man whose career appears to be committing fraud for a living.Spanky flashy sexy --sly.
- CreatorJ.H. WymanStarsKarl UrbanMichael EalyMinka KellyIn a not-so-distant future, a human cop and an android partner team up to serve and protect.So much to love. And oh the eye candies.
- CreatorGraham YostStarsJeff GoldblumMatt CravenNicole SullivanA brilliant police detective has a unique gift - he can revive victims in his mind.Why this "failed" is a mystery. Goldblum is an absolute delight.
- CreatorMatthew GrahamTony JordanAshley PharoahStarsJohn SimmPhilip GlenisterLiz WhiteAfter a near-fatal car accident, smart, savvy, sharp-suited detective Sam is mysteriously transported back to 1973. Confused by his new surroundings, Sam tries to return to the present, but the police force of long ago needs his help.A little mind bending running amok by detectives of a certain time and place.
- StarsKim Hyun-jooAria SongHao FengA story in which ominous things continue and the secrets of the family are revealed as they suddenly inherit the family mountain from their uncle, whom they had forgotten.Spills over into the horror genre at times. Watch at night with the lights out. Yes, one extremely well working mind makes a huge difference. Cast makes the most of the script.
- DirectorCarl SchenkelStarsDenzel WashingtonRobert TownsendJames FoxWhen police officer Xavier Quinn's childhood friend, Maubee, becomes associated with murder and a briefcase full of ten thousand dollar bills, The Mighty Quinn must clear his name. Or try to catch him, which could be even trickier.Denzel Washington SHINES.
- CreatorZal BatmanglijBrit MarlingStarsEmma CorrinBrit MarlingHarris DickinsonDarby Hart, a Gen Z amateur sleuth, attempts to solve a murder at a secluded retreat.
- StarsTom BurkeHolliday GraingerKerr LoganWar veteran turned private detective Cormoran Strike solves brutal murders with the help of his trusted partner Robin Ellacott.Has its elements of interest, depending on your tastes.
- StarsTakehiro HiraKelly MacdonaldYôsuke KubozukaA detective from Tokyo scours London for his missing brother, who's been involved with the Yakuza and accused of murder.An unexpectedly highly satisfying drama. Watch.
- DirectorKim Seong-hunStarsLee Sun-kyunCho Jin-woongJeong Man-sikAfter trying to cover up a car accident that left a man dead, a crooked homicide detective is stalked by a mysterious man claiming to have witnessed the event.Darkly FUN. The comic timing is impeccable-for my humerus bones. Oh the joys of electronic toys...hmm.
- StarsLee Dong-wookHan Ji-EunCha Hak-yeonA mysterious, justice-seeking entity throws chaos into the life of a cop who's willing to overlook ethics and corruption for a promotion.One hell of a headcase. What's your alter ego been up to?
- CreatorPaul RutmanStarsPeter CapaldiCush JumboAysha KalaFollows two brilliant detectives in a tug of war over a historic murder conviction and the quest to find common ground in a polarized Britain.Currently airing. Decided to watch because of the extremely talented Cush Jumbo. Story line is becoming increasingly creepy regarding police corruption--which is very believable. Unlike Korean dramas which often tackle corruption of all varieties head on, this employs it in what seems very manipulative ways. Unfortunately just about every character on the roster is unlikable at this point--with exception of June's 12 year old son. Race issues deeply embedded and operating, so far, with negative impacts. A rather psychologically painful viewing engagement as Jumbo's character is constantly stressed. And all the white men are--well, the usual white men--patronizing, denigrating, lying bullies. Hmm, this may well have turned any reader off from watching. Or not. Might revise after series concludes. Or not. Update after episode 8: this is an all too common horror story. It's a painful watch--violence against women and every one else via the the authority of the police. Definitely worth watching.
- CreatorGreg RuckaStarsCobie SmuldersJake JohnsonTantoo CardinalA sharp-witted Marine veteran becomes a private investigator in Portland, Oregon, where she takes care of her brother who has Down syndrome.Who knew Portland could be so much 'fun'?
- CreatorLucas TaylorStarsTravis FimmelJemmason PowerTalijah Blackman-CorowaIn 1994, seventeen-year-old Isabel Baker was murdered. The crime shocked the small town of Ashford and devastated the Australian South Sea Islander community of Elizabeth.Curiosity got episode one viewed--and then couldn't cease and desist watching.
- StarsLee Yeong-aeKim Hye-junKim Hae-sookA reclusive ex-cop reenters the game as an insurance investigator, searching for clues in crime scenes perfectly staged by a serial killer in her midst.Aka Inspector Koo. Have fun.
- CreatorPatrizia RinaldiStarsMaria Chiara GiannettaGiuseppe ZenoEnzo PaciBlanca, a blind profiler, comes back to Genova, her hometown. A difficult case forces her to remain and to face with her mysterious past. Based on books by Patrizia Rinaldi.Great location setting. Great dog. Great role for a woman. Very entertaining.
- CreatorVince GilliganDavid ShoreStarsJosh DuhamelDean WintersAubrey DollarTwo detectives with different views on the world team up and using cynicism, guile and deception, they clean up the streets of Battle Creek.Get your dark ironic humor fix. This really deserved a far far longer run. Years and years worth of raw material from reality for script writers.
- CreatorJane CampionGerard LeeStarsElisabeth MossDavid WenhamPeter MullanObsessed with the disappearance of a 12-year-old pregnant girl near a freezing lake in New Zealand, a brave detective will find herself up against small-town secrets and a side of herself that was meticulously kept at bay.Explore unknown territory--yeah, you ought to go to the lake.
- StarsRen HanamiSteven LimKyung Soo-jinDetective Taekrok is ready to retire after an illustrious career in the police force, but one day he awakens to discover that he has been framed for a murder he didn't commit, and the real murderer blackmails him.Pay attention and never let your guard down. Seriously.
- CreatorCyrill BossPhilipp StennertStarsMatthias HackJulia JentschNicholas OfczarekEllie Stocker and Gedeon Winter have become bitter enemies. A ritual murder leads to the formation of a German-Austrian Soko and forces the two opponents to investigate together.Stunning visuals. Crazy complex script. Excellent performances.
- StarsYoon Shi-YoonKyung Soo-jinLee Hang-naA sci-fi melodrama about a man who tries to protect his beloved from a serial killer in a parallel universe.Mixed genres--and it works. Just stick with it for satisfaction. Destination unpredictable. Side plus is all the art in the background.
- CreatorHans RosenfeldtNicola LarderStarsAnna FrielRay PanthakiJack DoolanMarcella Backland left the Metropolitan Police for the sake of her family, only to have her husband leave her. She returns to her job on the murder squad, investigating a case that seems disturbingly familiar to her.Not my favorite but interesting in many ways.
- CreatorSøren SveistrupStarsSofie GråbølMorten SuurballeLars MikkelsenPolice detective Sarah Lund investigates difficult cases with personal and political consequences.Note, while the American remake is much the same for the first season these story paths seriously diverge. And the leading ladies evolve in drastically different ways. Hint--guns.
- CreatorMiikko OikkonenStarsVille VirtanenMatleena KuusniemiAnu SinisaloQuirky police detective, in Finland, delves into his memory palace to solve despicable crimes all the while trying to keep his family together. If Sherlock was based in Finland this would be it.Give it a chance and it might not leave you any time soon.
- CreatorMåns MårlindHans RosenfeldtBjörn SteinStarsSofia HelinRafael PetterssonSarah BobergWhen a body is found on the bridge between Denmark and Sweden, right on the border, Danish inspector Martin Rohde and Swedish Saga Norén have to share jurisdiction and work together to find the killer.The ONE from which remakes flow.
- CreatorTrygve Allister DiesenStarsSven NordinThea Green LundbergMads OusdalHomicide detective William Wisting struggles with the two toughest cases of his career. His serial killer investigation crosses paths with his journalist daughter's news story, putting her in grave danger.Some very strange goings on here. And that's very good.
- StarsTim RothGenevieve O'ReillyAbigail LawrieEx undercover UK cop turned police chief of a small town in the Canadian Rockies does what he must to defend his family from those in power whether it's the oilmen, the preachers or the gangsters.Admittedly here because of Tim Roth's depiction of a man often totally off the rails while the story arc reveals why.
- CreatorGeorge AdamsTony WrightStarsNadine GarnerCraig McLachlanCharlie CousinsDr Lucien Blake left Ballarat as a young man. But now he finds himself returning, to take over not only his dead father's medical practice, but also his on-call role as the town's police surgeon.Just different enough, partly due to Blake's gradually revealed unusual back story, to attract attention. Another plus is the interesting Blake household that develops--among other things. A very different time and place with particular social issues in play.
- CreatorTom FontanaScott FrankStarsClive OwenCara BossomDenis MénochetThe famous detective Sam Spade is now 60 and living as an expat in the south of France in 1963.See Clive Owen swim naked.
- StarsRichard HarringtonMali HarriesAlex HarriesA noir crime drama set in Aberystwyth, Wales, where troubled DCI Tom Mathias solves murders while searching for redemption.Who knew Wales was such a "harsh" place?
- CreatorDanny ArnoldTheodore J. FlickerStarsHal LindenAbe VigodaMax GailThe Captain of the NYPD 12th Precinct and his staff handle the various local troubles and characters that come into the squad room.No high gloss. Just quality scripts and fine performances. Old but quite engaging.
- StarsTrond Espen SeimBjørn FlobergEndre HellestveitPrivate detective Varg Veum and police inspector Hamre located in Bergen, Norway work closely together in solving crimes and murders. Showing us how cruel humans are.Something a little different. There are a number of series featuring Varg--who may grow on you or not.
- CreatorBrad IngelsbyStarsKate WinsletJulianne NicholsonJean SmartA detective in a small Pennsylvania town investigates a local murder while trying to keep her life from falling apart.Jean Smart has quite a 'nice' role.
- DirectorNa Hong-jinStarsKim Yoon-seokHa Jung-wooSeo Yeong-hieA disgraced ex-policeman who runs a small ring of prostitutes finds himself in a race against time when one of his women goes missing.In a class by itself for depicting one man's determination totally outclassing his former peers. It's one hell of an intense chase.
- DirectorCarl FranklinStarsDenzel WashingtonTom SizemoreJennifer BealsA Black war hero is hired to find a mysterious woman, and gets mixed up in a murderous political scandal in 1948 Los Angeles.When it comes to corruption, some things never seem to change.
- StarsAlison O'DonnellSteven RobertsonLewis HowdenA local police team investigate crimes within the close knit island community of Shetland.Made this list partly because of the issues it raises with each case. Partly because of the great handling of an unexpected rape --I know of nothing better done in this genre. Partly because of the strong partnership between DI Perez and DS "Tosh".
- StarsBilly CampbellKarine VanasseKristen ThomsonDetectives John Cardinal and Lise Delorme investigate the murder of a young girl, while Cardinal struggles to right past wrongs that could derail the investigation and end his career, as the case grows more violent and twisted.Another COLD setting for crazy criminal deeds.
- StarsLino GuancialeAntonio MiloEnrico IannielloEnigmatic police inspector Ricciardi has a curse upon him: he can see the ghosts of people who have died violently and listen to their last thoughts.Visual treat.
- DirectorJuuso SyrjäStarsVille VirtanenAnu SinisaloSampo SarkolaWhen the imprisoned serial killer Lasse Maasalo's face and a text "Let's make the world a better place" are painted to an underpass with blood, Kari Sorjonen is forced to confront the most difficult case of his career.Is he or isn't he still playing with all his marbles?
- CreatorBaltasar KormákurStarsÓlafur Darri ÓlafssonIlmur KristjánsdóttirBjörn Hlynur HaraldssonIn a remote town in Iceland, police desperately try to solve a crime as a powerful storm descends upon the town.Cold blooded in so many interesting ways.
- CreatorRichard WarlowStarsMatthew MacfadyenAdam RothenbergMyAnna BuringThe streets of Whitechapel are the haunt of Detective Inspector Edmund Reid and his team of officers, who aim to maintain law and order in a place once terrorized by Jack the Ripper.Grim, gritty, gutsy historical drama.
- CreatorChris BrandonStarsJames NesbittLorcan CranitchCharlene McKennaNorthern Irish police officer DCI Tom Brannick investigates crimes while trying to hide a dark secret from his past.Increasingly dark as hidden personal history surfaces. Nearly a horror story of sorts.
- CreatorBarry SimnerRob PurseyStarsOwen McDonnellDavid HerlihyRuth McCabeJack Driscoll moves back to the town on the west coast of Ireland where he was born. He takes over his retired father's Garda post, and solves different cases.Either the land and man hook you or they don't. Nothing flashy but a solid drama.
- CreatorSimon DonaldStarsRichard DormerBjörn Hlynur HaraldssonSienna GuilloryPerched on the edge of the Arctic Circle, Fortitude is one of the safest towns on earth. There has never been a violent crime here. Until now.The weather is frightful and the humans are not quite delightful.
- StarsKim Nam-gilJin Seon-kyuRyeounA crime thriller drama based on a web novel of the same name that contains the field experience of Kwon Il Yong, Korea's No. 1 profiler.
- CreatorOlivier MarchalStarsJean-Hugues AngladeJoseph MalerbaKarole RocherA dark realistic cop series follows a squad of Paris cops who exist in the blurred boundaries at the very edge of the law, often using violence and intimidation to get the job done.Wild and crazy on your agenda? Hmm?
- CreatorPaul AttanasioStarsRichard BelzerClark JohnsonYaphet KottoAn American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Police Department's Homicide Unit.Based on David Simon's nonfiction book "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets"-it's an often harrowing and disturbing drama. Several excellent performances up the quality bar.
- CreatorPip HallPhilip SmithStarsDominic Ona-ArikiPhoebe McKellarJoel TobeckDuring a murder investigation at Queenstown's infamous One Lane Bridge, ambitious young Maori Detective, Ariki Davis, inadvertently reawakens a spiritual gift that endangers the case, his career and his life.That spiritual angle is probably not what you might think it is. Very interesting character profiles that sometimes clash hard and at others mesh.
- CreatorMark GatissSteven MoffatStarsBenedict CumberbatchMartin FreemanUna StubbsThe quirky spin on Conan Doyle's iconic sleuth pitches him as a "high-functioning sociopath" in modern-day London. Assisting him in his investigations: Afghanistan War vet John Watson, who's introduced to Holmes by a mutual acquaintance.Can't not have some version of Sherlock represented.
- CreatorStephen CarpenterDavid GreenwaltJim KoufStarsDavid GiuntoliRussell HornsbySilas Weir MitchellA homicide detective discovers he is a descendant of hunters who fight supernatural forces.There are detectives and then there are "detectives". And a long range story arc that delivers all along the way.
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsHarrison FordKelly McGillisLukas HaasWhile protecting an Amish boy - who is the sole witness to a brutal murder - and his mother, a detective is forced to seek refuge within their community when his own life is threatened.
- CreatorFabien NuryStarsJérémie LaheurteEvelyne BrochuThibaut EvrardWhen the Paris police's vice squad - on the orders of Police Chief Lépine - begin to clean prostitutes off the city's streets, a man's body is found in the Bois de Boulogne. Inspector Antoine Jouin is entrusted with the investigation.
- CreatorTom FontanaWill RokosStarsTom Weston-JonesKyle SchmidAnastasia GriffithIn the 1860s, an Irish-American Civil War veteran joins the New York City police force.
- DirectorYimou ZhangStarsZiyi ZhangTakeshi KaneshiroAndy LauA romantic police captain breaks a beautiful member of a rebel group out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem.Police Captain of a different era. Hmm...
- CreatorNic PizzolattoIssa LópezStarsVince VaughnColin FarrellRachel McAdamsAnthology series in which police investigations unearth the personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within and outside the law.Something to be said for each different season--what's appreciated depends on viewer's tastes. They're all disturbing in certain ways.
- CreatorChris ChibnallStarsDavid TennantOlivia ColmanJodie WhittakerThe murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart.An unflinching view of a homicide investigation.
- DirectorShane BlackStarsRobert Downey Jr.Val KilmerMichelle MonaghanAfter being mistaken for an actor, a New York thief is sent to Hollywood to train under a private eye for a potential movie role, but the duo are thrown together with a struggling actress into a murder mystery.Slightly weird comic relief.
- CreatorMelissa RosenbergStarsKrysten RitterRachael TaylorEka DarvilleFollowing the tragic end of her brief superhero career, Jessica Jones tries to rebuild her life as a private investigator, dealing with cases involving people with remarkable abilities in New York City.While I generally steer clear of adding superhero anything to lists, because there's so damn much of them, this one's mental issues ground it in a gritty reality --and that adds appealing substance.
- CreatorChuck MacLeanStarsKevin BaconAldis HodgeLauren E. BanksIn early 1990s Boston, ADA, Decourcy Ward, forms an unlikely alliance with a corrupt venerated FBI veteran, Jackie Rohr. Together, they take on a case that changes the city's entire criminal justice system.Here in part for Kevin Bacon's outstanding performance as a primo ass, among other interesting time period elements. Great cast performances all around.