Crime shows are now a staple of television, and often make the best kind of TV. We love to see murders getting solved, police officers who do their job well (and some who do it terribly), and the lessons learned in a life of crime. It’s an escape for all of us who’d never dare do what they do on TV; a sort of guilt-free escape into some violence and an alternative lifestyle.
It’s hard to pick only ten when crime is such a widespread genre, but, truthfully, the ten best crime shows of the last 25 years have changed the game one way or another. There are plenty to watch, but these ten are the essential ones that marked a certain time period and stayed inspirational and influential all these years later.
10
‘Luther’ (2010–2019)
Luther is a bit underrated globally, though it was iconic in the UK. The series was meant to end several times yet still came back with its original cast over the course of almost a decade, showing that both those involved and those watching, weren’t completely ready to let it go. Netflix even ordered a feature film, Luther: The Fallen Sun, which was as creepy, unnerving, and gritty as the series. Luther is an award-winning series that might not fit the mold of a classic American crime show, but it’ll still be gripping and relevant whenever you decide to watch it.
Luther follows the titular character, a stoic and solitary detective, John Luther (Idris Elba). When he meets a woman, Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson), a suspect in her parents’ murder, Alice and John enter an unusual relationship where lines between good, bad, morally right and wrong are blurred. Luther is imperfect, but highly intelligent and street-smart, and his presence affects everyone around him. It’s a brilliant show you’ll love to watch and rewatch.
9
‘Dexter’ (2006–2013)
Dexter is a monumentally important series in the crime genre, but its current revival and spin-offs leave a little less to be desired, despite great impressions. That’s why plenty of OG fans observe the original series as a standalone concept, which is often part of “best of” and influential lists. Dexter was based on the first in a series of novels by Jeff Lindsay, titled Darkly Dreaming Dexter; it has seven iconic seasons, crazy plot twists and storylines, and brilliant and sometimes funny writing. The cast, led by Michael C. Hall, became global stars due to Dexter, and some of them have even returned to Dexter: Resurrection (most notably, the charismatic David Zayas).
Dexter is about the titular character, Dexter Morgan (Hall), who is a forensic expert by day at the Miami PD, and a vigilante serial killer by night. Dexter has a thirst for murder, and he quenches it by killing other known criminals. Over time, he is discovered by various enemies and killers, such as The Trinity Killer (John Lithgow), and narrowly escapes being discovered by his colleagues, including his adopted sister, Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter). Dexter marked the transition between the 2000s and 2010s and is often synonymous with those times for many people who love to reminisce.
8
‘Sherlock’ (2010–2017)
Sherlock became an international phenomenon after premiering on the BBC in 2010; the modernized version of Arthur Conan Doyle‘s legendary detective was on TV in most global households within that same year. Benedict Cumberbatch shows off brilliant acting chops by stepping into the role of the peculiar genius, though he infuses Sherlock Holmes with narcissistic traits. Was the character always like that? This modern one definitely knows he’s smarter than everyone else in the room. Martin Freeman steps into the role of John Watson, Sherlock’s assistant and war veteran with great mystery-solving skills.
Sherlock is set in 21st century London, at 221b Baker Street, where the private detective Sherlock Holmes lives and solves crimes. He meets and joins forces with Dr. John Watson, who also became his roommate in the process. Besides solving different cases in each episode, there’s an overarching plot that includes John Moriarty (Andrew Scott), Sherlock’s most dangerous archnemesis. Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat wrote and created Sherlock, and Gatiss can be seen starring as Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s older brother in the show, too.
7
‘Fargo’ (2014–2024)
Noah Hawley is currently enjoying hearing his name float around because of Alien: Earth, but until recently, he was mostly known for creating and writing Fargo, an anthology series that was expected to be a lesser version of the Coen Brothers‘ movie of the same name, but turned out to be one of the greatest crime shows ever made. Kudos to Hawley for having the vision; he seems to be skilled in reviving old movies with great TV show material. Fargo lives up to its reputation and delivers dark comedy, crime drama, and amazing performances all around.
Fargo is somewhat related to the film, with each season having a connection to it one way or another. Still, every season is a new story, and features desperate people doing crime pretty terribly and somehow getting away with it. Not everyone is clumsy in the series, though—there’s Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) from season one, a manipulative hitman; Floyd Gerhardt (Jean Smart), a crime family matriarch from season two; V. M. Varga (David Thewlis), a shady criminal from season three; Oraetta Mayflower (Jessie Buckley), a crooked nurse from season four; and Roy Tillman (Jon Hamm), a hard-boiled and cruel sheriff from season four.
6
‘The Shield’ (2002–2008)
Among several crime shows that aired during the 2000s, it’s hard to ignore The Shield as one of the greatest contributions to the genre. The Shield was based on the real-life uncovering of mass corruption in the Rampart Division in Los Angeles, with the show’s Strike Team being the most directly inspired by it. That’s right, if you haven’t seen The Shield, this essential crime show depicts corrupt police officers led by the hardened detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), and you won’t see heroism or honorable work—just detectives doing their job and a little something on the side to make ends meet (and potentially feel more powerful).
The Shield has a great ensemble cast, brilliant writing, and memorable cinematography, yet it may still be a heavily underrated show. It aired during the same period as The Wire, so it could have been put to the side because of the more known HBO show. This FX series, regardless of viewership numbers, deserves to be placed among the best crime shows since the year 2000. Besides Chiklis, The Shield stars Glenn Close, Walton Goggins, and Michael Peña, among other greats.
5
‘True Detective’ (2014–)
Another show people often list among their favorites is True Detective, the anthology series that gave us a bit more than just a murder mystery to follow. At its core, True Detective is about how the life of a detective influences and changes those living it; whether it’s one case that haunts them for the rest of their lives or a massive pile-up of deaths they witnessed over the years, the mental and physical toll of it all is depicted quite well in this gritty crime drama. Though many people claim the first season, with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, is the best, the other three seasons are quite close to masterpieces, too.
True Detective is an anthology series and each season is a standalone story. All are set in gritty and obscure regions of America, from a Louisiana swamp town and a less-than-dreamy Californian town to the desolate Ozarks and cold edges of Alaska. Each follows a couple of detectives solving a difficult crime, often with larger implications. True Detective has exceptional actors and ensembles, and boasts beautiful cinematography. It’s a visually perfect show boosted in many ways by its exceptional script.
4
‘Line of Duty’ (2012–)
Line of Duty may be better known to people in the UK, but if you haven’t seen this crime procedural by now, you really are missing out on something special. Line of Duty is an icon of British TV; it aired on Tuesdays on BBC Two (and later BBC One), and the series finale was watched by a whopping 13 million viewers. The show will, to the joy of many of its fans, most likely return in 2026, but for now, there are six stunning seasons to watch and catch up on. Martin Compston, Vicky McClure, and Adrian Dunbar became household names thanks to the show, though Line of Duty can brag about having some bigger stars in each season, too.
Line of Duty follows the detectives of the fictional AC-12 unit, which stands for Anti-Corruption. They are the police that polices the police, to put it very bluntly, investigating corrupt police officers. The show also has an overlapping storyline with a mysterious crime figure known as “H,” and viewers begin to suspect everyone while watching. Even if it’s sometimes filled with dialogue alone, Line of Duty is suspenseful and intense; the writing is pretty much flawless and the performances are captivating.
3
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)
Breaking Bad is one of the greatest shows ever made, not just the past 25 years. It’s a visually stunning saga about the rise and fall of a drug lord, including the changes he goes through mentally and physically after gaining power and influence in the crime underworld. Bryan Cranston portrays him with intensity and brilliance, and because of this performance, he is often considered among the greatest actors of all time, which is a pretty flattering title; despite having massive shoes to fill, Cranston does that perfectly. Not to say he’s the only great performer in the show—Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Bob Odenkirk, and Dean Norris, among others, do a pretty bang-up job, as well.
Breaking Bad follows chemistry teacher, Walter White (Cranston), who finds out he has cancer. He becomes despondent and realizes he doesn’t have a lot to leave for his family after his death, so he recruits his old student Jesse (Paul) to make crystal meth. Unaware of the shift he made, White creates the best and purest drug around, slowly morphing into an influential drug lord. The saga follows how this changes him and his family, but also Jesse and his transformation. Breaking Bad isn’t just another lauded crime show—it really is everything it promises to be.
2
‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007)
Technically, The Sopranos began 26 years ago, but the show went well into the 2000s, marking the first half of the decade as unbeatable television. HBO was, at this point, the best network to turn to if people wanted to watch something with substance and style that they’ll remember long after the show has ended. The Sopranos was a game changer in terms of featuring seemingly untouchable characters grappling with their humanity and mortality, like any other person. However, these aren’t just any people—they’re the ones who decided to cross a line and live a life of crime, including the New Jersey mafia boss, Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini).
The Sopranos follows Soprano as the protagonist, but features an incredibly talented ensemble cast that delivers strong performances throughout. Soprano struggles with balancing his private and family life with making sure business is up and running. He suffers from anxiety and panic attacks and sees a psychiatrist for it, which is something people saw on TV for the first time—a mobster talking to a shrink. There’s loads of crime, though it’s an epic drama at its core, and it’ll move you like no other show. It’s not exactly binge-watching material, but it’ll fly by.
1
‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)
It’s hard not to put The Wire on top. It’s a quintessential crime drama full of impressive actors and moments, though The Wire‘s strongest suit is definitely its writing. David Simon and Ed Burns created the show after meeting in Baltimore PD, where Burns was a detective Simon shadowed for his book. After becoming friends and collaborators, Simon and Burns did the unthinkable—they wrote a realistic, gritty crime show that marked not only the 2000s, but the entire crime genre in general. This is another great HBO series that benefited from the network welcoming realistic and often difficult scenes and situations.
The Wire is set in Baltimore and follows the people working for the law—detectives, prosecutors, judges, the FBI—and the criminals with the same dedication. The criminals work under a set of their own rules and uphold an ecosystem that can be studied and dissected. The detectives set up a wiretap to listen in on the criminals’ activities, hence the name The Wire; it’s a show that creates greatness out of unlikely characters and grounds those we expect to adore. It’s the essential crime show.
