British crime dramas, particularly British detective shows, have a certain quality. Perhaps it’s the renownedly depressing English weather or the accents. In any case, one thing is certain: British mystery writers are skilled. Here are 30 of the top British detective (fiction or nonfiction) shows on Netflix, however, should dispel any doubts you may still have.
1. The Ripper
The murderer in this true crime tale earned his moniker because of the parallels between his atrocities and those of Jack the Ripper. The Yorkshire Ripper, who murdered more than a dozen women in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is the subject of this documentary series.
2. Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story
Decades of victims were exposed by the hundreds of assault claims that surfaced after the passing of this ostensibly popular television host.
3. Sophie: A Murder in West Cork
The murder of a French woman in Ireland is the subject of this British-affiliated documentary series. This took place in a coastal town that had never seen a significant crime of any type before, much like many of the fictional British crime thrillers we like.
4. Who Killed Jill Dando?
The actual and unsolved murder of a broadcaster who was killed in broad daylight is examined in this chilling documentary. Some say there are many similarities to Princess Diana.
5. You Don’t Know Me
A man chooses to fire his attorney and utilize the closing argument at his own murder trial to present his case after being accused of killing a drug dealer, and all the evidence points to his guilt. He maintains his innocence, but as we all know, the jury’s verdict is ultimately what counts.
6. Traitors
Imagine this: After World War II, you are a poor civil worker in 1945 in London when an American agent approaches you and asks you to spy on the British government in order to find any Russian infiltration. Feef Symonds, however, experiences it and ultimately consents to it. Even if regular crime shows are fantastic, there’s something particularly fascinating about crimes involving espionage.
7. The Serpent
This eight-episode series, which is based on the actual atrocities of serial killer Charles “the Serpent” Sobhraj, is set mostly in Thailand, but it still qualifies because it is a BBC program with a cast that includes many British actors. It recounts the horrifying atrocities committed by the Serpent and the tale of Herman Knippenberg, a former diplomat who became a detective and assisted in locating him.
8. Behind Her Eyes
This show is right up your alley if you like your British crime shows with a dash of mystical and psychological intrigue. The story revolves around Louise, a single mother, who, yeah, sounds quite messy, begins an affair with her new boss and befriends his wife. But she quickly discovers that she is entangled in a deadly web of secrets.
9. Anatomy of a Scandal
The wife of a British Member of Parliament (Sienna Miller) whose husband is arrested and put on trial for assault is the focus of this British miniseries, which is less detective fiction and more courtroom drama. However, was it an affair or a crime? The cast is A+, and Michelle Dockery, who you may know from “Downton Abbey” as Lady Mary, portrays the prosecutor.
10. Inside Man
“Inside Man” will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, despite only having four episodes. In addition to allowing you to completely swoon over Stanley Tucci, it also demonstrates how one encounter can completely upend your entire world.
11. Collateral
Collateral is a four-part television series that focuses on the death of a London pizza delivery guy. As Kip Glaspie, an Olympic pole vaulter who is now a detective, Mulligan is driven to uncover the truth.
12. Paranoid
Fans of Game of Thrones‘ Ellaria Sand can exhale with relief: The fictitious village of Woodmere is home to life outside of Dorne. Detective Sergeant Nina Suresh, played by actress Indira Varma, is entrusted with resolving the murder of a doctor who was stabbed in a playground.
13. Marcella
Detective Marcella rejoins the Metropolitan Police Department after quitting because of marital problems, and she looks into a string of killings in an attempt to find the murderer. With additional baggage and blackouts that make it difficult to distinguish between reality and Marcella’s inner thoughts, this is a cat-and-mouse formula.
14. Giri/Haji
“Giri/Haji” follows a Tokyo police officer who goes to London in search of his brother, a wanted murderer. The Japanese-English series blends police drama and family drama in a cross-cultural tale that is incredibly exciting.
15. White Lines
This show is very thrilling and insane at the same time. An English woman travels to Ibiza to look into her brother’s unexplained disappearance. Anyone who enjoys murder or who simply wants to temporarily escape reality should definitely watch “White Lines”.
16. Peaky Blinders
This show truly lives up to the hype (and comes under “crime,” even if that crime is outdated). So, leave your bunker and start watching “Peaky Blinders” as soon as possible if you haven’t heard of the show or the viral haircut trend.
17. Safe
A tragic drama-slash-thriller about a father whose daughter vanishes in a neighborhood that is meant to be guarded and secure. He realizes that what he believed to be safe is far from it as he frantically looks for her. This is the type of show that will make you wonder if your roommate is truly a buddy or if they are just a crazy person attempting to get close to you in order to murder your whole family.
18. Criminal
Seasons of the Netflix original detective series “Criminal” are set in France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom, and they heavily emphasize police interrogations. The three-episode seasons allow you to experience the inquiry from three distinct points of view: the police interrogation room, what goes on behind the one-way mirror, and the space outside the two rooms.
19. Top Boy
The narcotics trade isn’t exactly concealed in the East End of London. Ra’Nell, whose father passed away after Ra’Nell killed him and whose mother was recently sent to a mental health facility, is attempting to make sense of everything.
20. The Irregulars
Since this show is a fresh interpretation of the traditional Sherlock stories, fans of this iconic British detective will adore it. In Victorian England, a motley crew of teenagers band up to assist a menacing Dr. Watson and his enigmatic sidekick, Sherlock Holmes, in solving paranormal murders.
21. The One
This show is a must-watch if you enjoy British criminal fiction with a dash of science fiction, or even if you don’t. A DNA researcher creates a dating service to assist people in finding their soul mates after she thinks she has discovered a method to genetically match you with your ideal companion. Until someone is found dead, everything appears to be fantastic and thrilling.
22. The Stranger
Adam Price (Richard Armitage) is sent down a rabbit hole as he attempts to find the truth after a complete stranger (Hannah John-Kamen) confronts him and divulges a secret about his wife in “The Stranger”, a British crime drama based on a Harlan Coben book.
23. Stay Close
An investigator from her past goes in search of answers after a man goes missing, revealing a number of dark secrets about a picture-perfect soccer mom (Cush Jumbo). Stay Close, a gripping detective series based on Harlan Coben’s book, will keep you on the edge of your seat.
24. Bodyguard
Richard Madden plays protection officer David Budd, a war veteran sent to a security detail for a conservative parliament member (Keeley Hawes) in this sensual thriller. There will be a lot of twists, jaw-dropping action, and Madden saying “Mum” (which is an accented version of “Ma’am”).
25. Kiss Me First
The show never gets dull since it alternates between an animated virtual reality realm and the real world. It centers on Leila, who discovers a hidden paradise behind one of her favorite video games. However, when her friend from the game disappears, Leila learns that things might not be as ideal as they seem.
26. Get Even
At a prestigious private school, a group of girls creates a club called DGM (short for Don’t Get Mad) with the intention of retaliating against their bullies. However, they discover that someone has a genuine vendetta against them, even going so far as to attempt to frame them for murder when one of their targets is killed and discovered in possession of a note that reads DGM.
27. Requiem
Crime, supernatural excitement, and that excellent BBC production quality are all present in this six-part series. The narrative goes as follows: a successful cellist’s mother commits herself, and her daughter discovers a strange connection between the death and the disappearance of a little girl over two decades prior.
28. Who is Erin Carter?
Has it ever occurred to you that one of your regular teachers might be hiding something? Well, you never know, according to Who is Erin Carter? In this show, a British teacher who relocates to Spain causes mayhem by acting like Jason Bourne during a robbery, drawing unwanted attention and bringing to light a past she would prefer to keep secret.
29. Dracula
Mark Gatiss and Stephen Moffat, who you may know from co-creating the television series “Sherlock”, developed this series. Fans of the whodunit should be pleased with this show, which is more of a supernatural crime thriller than a detective series.
30. Bodies
This intriguing new British crime drama on Netflix is attracting more and more viewers every second. The plot involves London detectives in several eras who all find and look into the same man’s death. How could that be? You’ll have to watch to find out.
