Purely English murders: 20 British detective series worth watching

British detective series are quite popular far beyond the United Kingdom. This country has long specialized in this genre: first in literature (it is worth remembering how many famous detective novels it has given the world), and now in cinema and TV series.

Like other genres, British detectives have their own personal style and are very different from the productions of the US and even other European countries. So if you are already tired of the monotonous American "police procedurals", pay attention to the high-quality British series mentioned in this selection.

Bodyguard

Release year : 2018 | IMDb : 8.0

And let's start with a not-so-typical series - Bodyguard is more of a political thriller than a classic detective story. A war veteran gets a job in the police, in a special department for the protection of high-ranking officials, where he is assigned to protect the Minister of Internal Affairs - and sees that this job can be even more dangerous than his service in the army.

Broadchurch

Release years : 2013–2017 | IMDb : 8.3

A popular crime drama, the events of which unfold around the investigation of the death of a boy in a small town. Broadchurch starred famous actors David Tennant and Olivia Colman, the series received seven BAFTA nominations. A total of three seasons were released, each with its own story: structurally it is a kind of "trilogy".

Death in Paradise

Release years : 2011- | IMDb : 7.8

An unusual series for the UK: the events in it unfold on… the tropical island of Sainte Marie in the Caribbean Sea. A detective is sent from London to the local police station - a typical Briton, who finds this whole tropical paradise absolutely unbearable. Death in Paradise is a light comedy series, built on the difference in the characters of the main character and his surroundings. It has already had 14 seasons, during which it has changed most of the cast (including half a dozen detectives). If that is not enough, you can pay attention to Beyond Paradise - a spinoff about one of these detectives who returned to the UK.

Endeavour​

Release years : 2012-2023 | IMDb : 8.6

A prequel to the popular series of the last century Inspector Morse, Endeavour tells the story of the beginning of Inspector Morse's career: its events take place in the 60s and 70s, when the young Endeavour Morse was just starting out as a detective constable. Endeavour became a very successful series and even received one more season than the original.

Father Brown

Release years : 2013- | IMDb : 7.8

The series is based on a series of detective stories by the famous British writer G.K. Chesterton about Father Brown, a priest who, in his free time from his main work, solves mysteries and crimes, using his intuition and subtle understanding of human nature. The series Father Brown is a very loose adaptation of the literary basis, from which, in fact, only the main character remains: the events are transferred to the times after World War II, and in terms of genre it is not a subtle psychological detective, but a light comedy.

Foyle's War

Release years : 2002-2015 | IMDb : 8.6

A historical detective drama set during World War II and the early post-war years. The main character, Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, investigates crimes on the south coast of England; in the final seasons, he retires and works for MI5 at the start of the Cold War. In 2007, the series was unexpectedly cancelled after the fifth season, but due to the high ratings of the final episodes, it was renewed – in the following years, three more seasons were released.

Grantchester​

Release years : 2014- | IMDb : 7.9

The series takes place in the eponymous Cambridgeshire town in the 1950s, where a local clergyman investigates a series of mysterious crimes – the description sounds a lot like Father Brown, doesn’t it? Additional similarities are added by the fact that Grantchester is also based on a series of short stories, namely The Grantchester Mysteries by James Runcie.

Happy Valley

Release years : 2014-2023 | IMDb : 8.5

A procedural drama about Yorkshire Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood. Happy Valley is one of those series that not only shows police work, but also seriously focuses on the personal lives of the main characters. In total, three seasons were released over 9 years, which received numerous nominations and awards.

Line of Duty

Release years : 2012-2016 | IMDb : 8.7

Line of Duty follows the work of AC-12, a fictional police anti-corruption unit tasked with bringing corrupt police officers to justice. The series has been a huge success, with the highest ratings of any British TV series since 2002.

Luther

Release years: 2010-2019 | IMDb : 8.4

A popular psychological thriller about John Luther, a brilliant detective with unconventional methods for investigating crimes. A fairly common approach among detective series, but if it works... The main role in Luther was played by the famous actor Idris Elba, who received a number of prestigious awards for it.

Midsomer Murders

Release years: 1997- | IMDb : 7.9

A classic British television detective drama, Midsomer Murders began airing in the late 1990s and continues to this day; the series has now aired for 24 seasons, each of which usually consists of four to six one-and-a-half hour episodes. The series takes place in modern-day England, in the fictional county of Midsomer, where a senior police inspector and his assistant investigate murders in the small towns of the county.

Miss Scarlet & the Duke

Release years : 2020- | IMDb : 7.7

A British-American historical detective series set in Victorian London at the end of the 19th century. The main character tries to work as a private detective - despite society's prejudice against women in this position. Miss Scarlet & the Duke is a light and unobtrusive series with good humor and a romanticized depiction of the "Victorian myth".

Poirot

Release years: 1989-2013 | IMDb : 8.6

As a kind of "honorary badge", we cannot help but mention this already old (the first season was released almost 40 years ago!), but classic British series. As you might guess, it is based on the novels of Agatha Christie and tells the story of one of the most famous literary detectives - the Belgian Hercule Poirot.

Sherlock

Release years : 2010–2017 | IMDb : 9.1

Perhaps the most popular adaptation of the series of books about the most famous detective in the world. The events of Sherlock take place in modern Great Britain, the main roles are played by famous actors Benedict Cumberbatch (who, by the way, received wide recognition precisely after this role) and Martin Freeman. The first three seasons were very highly rated by both critics and viewers (the last, fourth, turned out to be weaker), in total the series has 24 different awards and almost fifty nominations.

Shetland

Release years: 2013- | IMDb : 8.3

A Scottish crime drama, the first seasons of which are based on a series of novels by British author Anne Cleaves. Shetland tells the story of a local police force investigating crimes on the Shetland Islands, which are distinguished by their beautiful scenery and isolated and not always friendly community.

Strike

Release years: 2017- | IMDb : 7.9

Strike (also known as CB Strike) is a film adaptation of the series of detective novels about private detective Cormoran Strike by British author J.K. Rowling, which she writes under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The serial Strike very well conveys the spirit and characters of the literary basis, offers high-quality acting and is an excellent starting point for getting acquainted with British detective series.

The Capture

Release years: 2019- | IMDb : 8.0

A detective thriller in which crimes are covered up with "deepfakes": innocent people are accused of murders based on edited surveillance video. The series has two seasons so far, each with its own storyline, and has already been renewed for a third. The detective investigating these cases is played by actress Holliday Granger - she also plays Strike's partner in the aforementioned series.

The Fall

Release years: 2013-2016 | IMDb : 8.1

British-Irish crime drama starring Gillian Anderson. Best known for her role in the legendary X-Files, the actress plays a London police superintendent who travels to Northern Ireland to check on the progress of a long-running murder investigation. Unlike many other detective series, The Fall immediately shows a serial killer being hunted, telling the story of both characters – the killer and the detective.

Unforgotten

Release years: 2015- | IMDb : 8.4

The series follows London detectives as they solve old cases – crimes committed many years ago. Each season of Unforgotten focuses on a single case, which can make the plot feel a bit slow at times. It has already aired six seasons, and was renewed for another one earlier this year.

Vera

Release years: 2011-2025 | IMDb : 8.2

Another adaptation of the series of detective novels by Anne Cleaves, this time about Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, brilliantly played by British actress Brenda Blethyn. Vera is a prime example of a series whose central figure is the main character-detective, with a detailed depiction of his character and habits. Like some other British series, structurally Vera is more like a collection of full-fledged films, since each season consists of four one-and-a-half-hour episodes.