While Sherlock Holmes is the most famous detective of all, when it comes to TV detectives, there are some who are actually better. Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes made his debut in 1887 in A Study in Scarlet, and went on to star in a total of four novels and 56 short stories.
Of course, such a popular character has been adapted to all types of media for decades. Some of the most popular adaptations of Sherlock Holmes have been on TV, with the most notable ones to date being the BBC’s Sherlock and CBS’ Elementary, both modern adaptations of Conan Doyle’s characters.
Although they changed some elements of the detective, they were loyal to his core traits, such as his incredible deductive skills and extensive knowledge. However, and as great as he is, there are better TV detectives than Sherlock Holmes, whether because of their personalities, shows, or skills that the Great Detective doesn’t quite have.
Jessica Fletcher
Murder, She Wrote
One of the best TV detectives of all time, but also an underrated one, is Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury). Fletcher was the star of Murder, She Wrote, a crime drama TV series created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson, and William Link. Murder, She Wrote aired on CBS from 1984 to 1996 for a total of 12 seasons.
Murder, She Wrote followed Fletcher, a widowed and retired English teacher who became a mystery writer. Fletcher was also an amateur detective, and she solved murders in her town of Cabot Cove, Maine, as she was a lot more perceptive and thus skilled than the investigators in charge. Fletcher had her own style of solving crimes, doing so in a calm and thoughtful manner.
Fletcher was a good balance between compassion, warmth, ability to read people, and great perception, making her a relatable and fun detective to watch. She might not have the deduction skills and knowledge of Sherlock Holmes, but she relied on her human side, while Holmes often suppressed his.
Patrick Jane
The Mentalist
In 2008, the world met Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), the lead character of The Mentalist, a procedural drama TV series created by Bruno Heller. The Mentalist follows Jane, a fake psychic medium who works as an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation. Jane uses his “psychic abilities” to solve crimes, which are a combination of his genius and knowledge of psychology.
Although Jane takes part in the investigation of different crimes, he’s main goal is to find Red John, the murderer of his wife and daughter. Jane wants to kill Red John rather than put him in jail, adding a layer of complexity and conflict to the detective. Sherlock Holmes clearly inspired Patrick Jane, but they are also different.
What makes Jane so fascinating to watch is his use of psychology to pass off as a psychic medium, as well as how he deals with the trauma of his past. Red John is the Moriarty to Jane’s Holmes, offering a similar dynamic but with an actual investigation and process in which Jane tries to find the man who killed his family.
Adrian Monk
Monk
Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is the lead character of Monk, a mystery comedy-drama TV series created by Andy Breckman. Monk follows the title character, a private detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder and many different phobias. Monk was a homicide investigator at the San Francisco Police Department until his wife was murdered.
This event had a heavy impact on his OCD and depression, leaving him out of the force. With the help of his nurse and assistant, Sharona (Bitty Schram), Monk begins to work as a P.I. and consultant for the police, while he continues to investigate his wife’s murder. Later on in the series, Monk finds a new assistant in Natalie (Traylor Howard).
Along the way, Monk also undergoes therapy to overcome his grief, trauma, and control his phobias and disorder. Like many other detectives on this list, Adrian Monk has a heavy Sherlock Holmes influence, but his mental health struggles and trauma are what make him a lot more relatable and human than Holmes, who often comes off as cold.
Hercule Poirot
Various
Hercule Poirot is a character created by Agatha Christie, as well as her longest-running one, appearing in 33 novels, two plays, and 51 short stories. As such, Hercule Poirot has been adapted to other media for years, including many TV projects. No matter which version you choose, the character itself is what we are taking into account here.
Hercule Poirot is a Belgian detective, and he uses his “little grey cells” to solve different cases, prioritizing psychology, logic, and human nature rather than relying on physical evidence. Poirot is meticulous, not just in his job but also in his appearance, and has a unique sense of humor and charm that help him stand out from other detectives.
Poirot is also a character that makes the audience root for him as he’s often underestimated by those around him, so every time he solves a mystery, you can’t help but feel proud of him and his achievements – Holmes, on the other hand, is always expected to win.
Frank Columbo
Columbo
Frank Columbo (Peter Falk) is the star of the crime drama series Columbo, created by Richard Levinson and William Link. Columbo is a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department, and as such, he investigates murders committed by wealthy and clever suspects. The particularity of Columbo is that it began with how the murder happened and the reveal of the killer.
By focusing on “how” the killers are caught rather than on who did it, Columbo lets its title character shine. Columbo is observant and throws everyone off with his demeanor, though that’s a key part of his charm. Columbo is a lot more casual than Holmes, but that doesn’t make him less smart, though it does make him more approachable and relatable.
Kurt Wallander
Various
One of the most underrated TV detectives (and detectives in fiction, in general) is Kurt Wallander. Created by Henning Mankell, Wallander is the protagonist of various mystery novels, which follow him as he investigates murders in and around the Swedish city of Ystad. Wallander has been adapted to TV more than once, most notably with Kenneth Branagh as the detective.
Kurt Wallander carries a lot of trauma, and his personal struggles more often than not impact his work as a detective. Wallander deals with substance-use disorder and can be very grumpy sometimes, as he’s a solitary man. Still, all this doesn’t take away from his great detective skills and empathy towards the victims.
Wallander has a lot more heart than Holmes, but also a heavier emotional load than the Great Detective. In many ways, Wallander is a much deeper character than Holmes, even if he isn’t necessarily smarter or more skilled than him.
John Luther
Luther
Sherlock Holmes’ biggest competition on TV is definitely Idris Elba’s John Luther. Luther is a psychological crime thriller TV series created by Neil Cross. It follows Detective Chief Inspector John Luther, who, after a confrontation with a serial killer gone wrong, caused him a nervous breakdown, returns to active duty.
Luther’s first case is a double murder, with the couple’s daughter, Alice (Ruth Wilson), being the prime suspect. Alice is a brilliant psychopath, and she doesn’t make Luther’s investigation any easier. On top of that, Luther carries a lot of demons due to repressed anger and violent impulses, and he often uses unorthodox and sometimes illegal methods.
Luther is a lot more realistic than Holmes, both as a person and a detective, and is a more complex character, as well. Luther isn’t as recognizable and popular as the many different versions of Sherlock Holmes, but he’s a better detective than Conan Doyle’s famous character.
