7 crime TV shows that are as good as BBC Sherlock, if not better

Crime television series have been gaining a lot of attention from viewers lately, with decades-old shows continuing to be praised as some of the best yet. While there are other star-studded names on the list, Benedict Cumberbatch’s all-time best performance as fan favorite Sherlock Holmes in BBC’s is critically and widely praised Sherlock is still considered one of the best crime series.

And yet that’s just the beginning of the list. While fans are still smitten with the mysteriously immersive element of this respective show, several other additions to the genre provide stiff competition for Cumberbatch’s British mystery crime saga. The seven crime TV shows mentioned in this list might as well be considered good Sherlockif not better.

7 must-watch crime TV shows that will keep you enthralled

Of course, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock – who is not a traditional superherofor the record, even though his extraordinary powers may make him appear that way; he simply has an IQ level of 190 and occupies a special place among fans precisely because of this element. This is especially true when you consider how showrunner Steven Moffat went above and beyond in adapting the mystery, suspense, thriller and crime elements from John Radford’s 1999 book into the BBC series released in 2010.

Honestly, this series (currently available to stream on Disney+) is worth all the appreciation it’s getting, including a stunning critical score of 78%, supported by an 83% audience rating on RT, coupled with multiple Emmy, BAFTA, Golden Globes , and Critics Choice Television Awards nominations and wins. At the same time, many other non-superpowered crime heroes and villains also deserve this praise; Below are the top seven shows – exclusively from the crime, thriller and mystery genres – listed. Dig in!

1. Break bad (2008 – 2013)

To say you didn’t expect to see this name on this list would be an absolute lie – unless you’ve never heard of it or just aren’t a big enough crime nerd. Easily one of the best entries in the crime drama genre, Break bad perfectly captures Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul’s excellent skills as actors and Vince Gilligan’s even better skills as show creator and runner.

Set in the world of high school chemistry teacher Walter White (Cranston), the series follows the story of how the struggling, frustrated protagonist turns into a criminal in the local meth industry to provide for his family after discovering that he has been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. He is joined on this mission by Jesse Pinkman (Paul), who helps him produce and distribute crystal methamphetamine drugs for the trade.

On Rotten Tomatoes alone, this series, which lasted five seasons and spawned 62 episodes, has a whopping 96% score on the Tomatometer, along with an average Popcornmeter score of 97%. Backing this up are its 16 Primetime Emmy wins out of 169 total wins and 269 total nods for multiple awards, making it a worthy contender on this list.

Breaking Bad is currently available to stream on Netflix.

2. Right (2006 – 2013)

Adapted from Jeff Lindsay’s 2004 novel Dark dreaming Dexter by showrunners Clyde Phillips, Chip Johnsonsen and Scott Buck, Right is one of the darkest crime dramas made to date.

The series, centered around the story of a man with murderous tendencies, starred Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter expert who leads a double life: he not only solves murders, but also commits them in mysterious ways. During the day he is a forensic technician for the police, and when the sun sets he steps outside to kill the gruesome perpetrators in his spare time.

But there’s a plot twist here: he only deals with the guilty, so his idea of ​​his crime feels justified because of his lifestyle choices.

An epic tale of twisted justice that Dexter simply feels a psychological hunger for. Right has a critical score of 71% and an audience score of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, while IMDb gives it an 8.6 out of 10 and Common Sense Media assigned it a score of 4/5. Plus, it has won 4 Emmys and 7 Golden Globes out of 35 total wins and 109 major awards nods, so viewers might as well deem it worthy.

Dexter is currently streaming on Netflix.

3. Fargo (2014 – 2024)

A black comedy crime drama TV series, Fargo It might as well be a standout item on this list, but it’s interesting nonetheless. Starring big names like Martin Freeman and Bob Odenkirk, it’s an anthology series created and primarily written by mastermind showrunner Noah Hawley, enough to absolutely blow your mind.

Set in multiple different time periods, Fargo is inspired by the 1996 film of the same name, and each new season establishes the storylines of a largely new cast of characters involved in murder investigations in various Midwestern cities. And even though their crimes are seemingly unrelated, they couldn’t be more connected because they are still connected somehow.

An all-out mystery crime drama spread over five seasons of ten episodes each, the series captivated critics and general viewers alike, with a 93% and 85% rating on RT, 8.9/10 on IMDb and an 84% approval rating respectively on TV Guide. Moreover, it has also won 51 awards from 233 nominations, including 3 Golden Globes and 6 Emmys, adding to its star status.

Fargo is currently available to stream on Hulu.

4. The sopranos (1999 – 2007)

The sopranos is another hugely favorite addition to the crime genre, with themes of serial drama, psychological drama and black comedy. Starring James Gandolfini, the film tells the story of Tony Soprano – an ironically not-so-family man who gets stuck juggling the problems of his troubled family with those of a mafia family.

Throughout the series, Tony goes back and forth between his professional and personal problems, often leaving him prone to panic attacks and the like. And amid all the fights, affairs, brutality, the threat of vulnerability and betrayal, and a whole group of people being beaten, he tries to regain his peace of mind with a therapist.

Perfectly brought to life by David Chase, the HBO series has received tremendous critical acclaim, including a critical score of 92% and an overall audience score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. Add to that the 9.2 stars IMDb gave it out of 10, as well as the 126 wins out of 312 nods, so this drama could be considered as good if not better than Cumberbatch’s. Sherlock.

The Sopranos is currently available to stream on Hulu.

5. Tulsa King (2022 – )

A perfect story about the crowd in the wild, Tulsa King Sylvester Stallone not only gave Sylvester Stallone the ultimate story in the mafia world that he had wanted for years, but also added another star to showrunner Taylor Sheridan’s commendable line of works.

Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the series sees Stallone’s New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi finally get out of prison after 25 years, but only to be banished by his boss to open a store in Tulsa. to put. But this turn of events doesn’t turn out all bad for Dwight, as he slowly—and very carefully—begins to build a crew after encountering an important realization: his mafia family might as well not have his best interests at heart.

Considering that Sheridan was the one to tame the series, the series was naturally loved by fans and critics alike, as the series averaged 88% and 89% on RT and 8/10 stars on IMDb, respectively.

Tulsa King is currently available to stream on Paramount+.

6. Prison break (2005 – 2017)

Another masterpiece released in the early 2000s: Prison break It may not have won over all the critics, but it certainly touched the hearts and minds of many fans. With a compelling plot from creator Paul Scheuring, the series was a commendable addition to the serial drama genre as all the elements of action, thriller, mystery and crime came together impeccably.

Starring Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell as brothers Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows, the series was an intricate compilation of twists. This started when structural engineer Michael propped up a bench to lock himself in with his brother after Lincoln was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and placed on death row.

After getting past this first phase, Michael sets in motion the next phase: help Lincoln escape from prison and prove his own innocence to get out of trouble together. Little do they know, getting out won’t be so easy, as the brothers must flee to avoid recapture and fight a complex political conspiracy that puts everyone’s lives in danger.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the 5 seasons and 90 episodes that produce an incredibly compelling show have an average Tomatometer rating of 61%, versus a higher average Popcornmeter score of 77%, while IMDb rates it at 8.3 stars out of 10.

Prison Break is currently available to stream on Hulu.

7. The mentalist (2008 – 2015)

Starring fan favorite Simon Baker, The mentalist is yet another master pick for crime drama lovers. The series, co-created and run by Bruno Heller before passing responsibility to several others including Chris Long and Ashley Gable, featured the story of Patrick Jane (Baker), an independent consultant for the CBI with the most unusual methods and disregard for protocol.

Formerly known for his career as a “psychic”, Baker had used some of these highly acquired qualities during his tenure as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation to hunt Red John, the serial killer behind his wife’s murder. and daughter. While the nerve-wracking, mysterious element of this crime thriller perfectly draws the audience in, the only downside to this show was that it felt like it had a rather abrupt ending.

To date, the CBS series The mentalist has an impressive 8.2 out of 10 stars on IMDb, combined with an 89% on the Popcorn Meter on Rotten Tomatoes, making it an easy fan favorite among viewers.

The Mentalist is currently available to stream on Hulu.