Every once in a while, people find themselves in the mood for murder most foul – the need to dive into a good fatal mystery and possibly resolve a complicated case before the detectives do.
Crime dramas can be more than just police procedurals. There’s a whole genre of shows about crime, corruption, and the sorts of moral questions people probably don’t ask themselves often enough.
To compile a list of the 30 most popular crime shows right now, 24/7 Tempo reviewed rankings from IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon. The popularity measure is based on several factors, including the show’s traffic from search engines and mobile apps users. The average IMDb user rating and number of votes are as of Aug. 2, 2022.
The shows on the resulting list hardly fall into the trap of predictable storytelling or have a cast that changes so often that the audience loses its connection to the characters. Even in the few comedies fans are basically riding shotgun with detectives as they follow leads and try to solve a crime. (These are the best detective shows of all time.)
30. The X-Files (1993-2002, 2016, 2018)
> IMDB quality score: 8.6/10
> Cast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, William B. Davis
The series that coined the phrase “The truth is out there” starred David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as FBI agents investigating unexplained phenomena. The show built a strong fan following and ran for 11 seasons on Fox and over that time hauled in 15 Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes.
29. Law & Order (1990–2010, 2022– )
> IMDB quality score: 7.8/10
> Cast: Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin, Dennis Farina, S. Epatha Merkerson
The police procedural and legal drama “Law & Order” premiered in 1990, launching an entire franchise of crime dramas. It was canceled in 2010, but revived this year. Set in New York City, it typically divides each episode into the police investigation of a crime, followed by an arrest and the courtroom prosecution of the accused by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
28. Fargo (2014–)
> IMDB quality score: 8.9/10
> Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks
“Fargo” is a dark anthology series in the same vein as the Coen Brothers film of the same name. It follows Midwestern crooks, cops, and the civilians who get caught in the middle of their schemes.
27. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–2021)
> IMDB quality score: 8.4/10
> Cast: Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero
One of the few comedies on this list, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” follows the daily lives of the NYPD’s 99th Precinct. Andy Samberg stars as the precinct’s lovable but goofy detective.
26. Evil (2019–)
> IMDB quality score: 7.7/10
> Cast: Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson
In this supernatural drama, a forensic psychologist who doesn’t believe in the supernatural partners up with a Catholic seminarian and a technology contractor as they investigate purported supernatural events, including people being possessed by demons.
25. Riverdale (2017–)
> IMDB quality score: 6.6/10
> Cast: Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, K.J. Apa
The teen drama, based on characters from Archie Comics, centers on a group of friends who navigate love, school, and the pursuit of their dreams as they get entangled in the recent death of a boy from town.
24. Reacher (2022– )
> IMDB quality score: 8.1/10
> Cast: Alan Ritchson, Malcolm Goodwin, Willa Fitzgerald, Hugh Thompson
“Reacher” is the story of Jack Reacher, a former military police investigator who travels light around the country. In the first season, he is falsely accused of murder, but as the show progresses, the police find themselves in need of his help in finiding the real culprit.
23. Bones (2005–2017)
> IMDB quality score: 7.8/10
> Cast: Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, T.J. Thyne
The comedy/drama crime show “Bones” on Fox paired cocky FBI agent Seeley Booth and forensic expert Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan, a pair who investigate murders together. Their professional relationship becomes a romantic one and they eventually get married.
22. Midsomer Murders (1997–)
> IMDB quality score: 7.9/10
> Cast: John Nettles, Jane Wymark, Barry Jackson, Neil Dudgeon
“Midsomer Murders” is a British crime drama in which a senior police detective and his young sergeant investigate crimes in the seemingly quiet fictional English county of Midsomer. There have been two leads since the start of the show in 1997 — John Nettles as DetectiveChief Inspector Tom Barnaby and Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby (Tom’s cousin in the series).
21. The Lincoln Lawyer (2022–)
> IMDB quality score: 7.7/10
> Cast: Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Neve Campbell, Becki Newton, Angus Sampson
Based on Michael Connelly’s bestselling novels, “The Lincoln Lawyer” is a legal crime drama about a defense lawyer in L.A. who works out of his Lincoln car instead of an office. The Netflix show was renewed for a second season after receiving positive reviews from both critics and fans.
20. True Detective (2014–2019)
> IMDB quality score: 8.9/10
> Cast: Vince Vaughn, Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch
“True Detective” is an anthology series that follows different heinous crimes and the police departments that investigate them. Over its run, it has featured A-list stars like Mahershala Ali, Matthew McConaughey, Rachel McAdams, and more.
19. The Blacklist (2013–)
> IMDB quality score: 8.0/10
> Cast: James Spader, Megan Boone, Diego Klattenhoff, Ryan Eggold
“The Blacklist” follows a former Navy officer turned master criminal who surrenders to the FBI and begins helping them catch dangerous spies, mafia bosses, and terrorists.
18. Barry (2018–)
> IMDB quality score: 8.4/10
> Cast: Bill Hader, Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, Anthony Carrigan
“Barry” is a dark comedy from SNL alum Bill Hader. The show centers on a trained hitman with PTSD who tries to leave his violent past behind by becoming an actor. In its first two seasons, the show scored six Emmy wins, including two for Hader as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and one for Henry Winkler as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
17. Dark Winds (2022–)
> IMDB quality score: 7.7/10
> Cast: Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon, Jessica Matten, Deanna Allison
“Dark Winds” is a psychological thriller that follows two Navajo cops in the early 1970s Navajo reservation. They investigate seemingly unrelated crimes that force them to challenge their own beliefs.
16. Lucifer (2016–2021)
> IMDB quality score: 8.1/10
> Cast: Tom Ellis, Lauren German, Kevin Alejandro, D.B. Woodside
“Lucifer” is based on a DC comics character. It’s the story of Lucifer Morningstar — the Devil — who abandons hell for Los Angeles. It originally aired on Fox but was canceled after three seasons. Netflix picked it up for a fourth season and got it high ratings.
15. The Wire (2002–2008)
> IMDB quality score: 9.3/10
> Cast: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce
With an IMDb user rating of 9.3/10, “The Wire” ranks as the best detective show in TV history. The HBO drama follows Baltimore detectives as well as the drug dealers they pursue.
14. Banshee (2013–2016)
> IMDB quality score: 8.4/10
> Cast: Antony Starr, Ivana Milicevic, Ulrich Thomsen, Frankie Faison
Cinemax’s “Banshee” is another gripping series that received increasingly positive reviews over its four-season run. The series tells the story of a criminal, who pretends to be the murdered sheriff of the small town of Banshee, Pennsylvania.
13. Daredevil (2015–2018)
> IMDB quality score: 8.6/10
> Cast: Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson
Though this may not be a traditional detective show, “Daredevil” does feature people doggedly pursuing criminals. Matt Murdock is a lawyer by day and a superhero vigilante by night.
12. Criminal Minds (2005–2020)
> IMDB quality score: 8.1/10
> Cast: Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness, A.J. Cook, Joe Mantegna
In this police procedural drama, a group of FBI agents who work as profilers investigate heinous crimes using behavioral analysis.
11. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–)
> IMDB quality score: 8.1/10
> Cast: Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Ice-T, Dann Florek
Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni play specially trained detectives Benson and Stabler, who investigate sexually related crimes in New York City and have each other’s backs in their private lives. Theirs is a complicated relationship that remained platonic during the course of the long-running NBC show, which has won six Emmys.
10. Harley Quinn (2019–)
> IMDB quality score: 8.5/10
> Cast: Kaley Cuoco, Lake Bell, Alan Tudyk, Ron Funches
The only animated series on this list, “Harley Quinn” is a black comedy superhero show based on the DC characters. The series follows Quinn after leaving the Joker, her boyfriend, and on her way to make it as a criminal queenpin.
9. NCIS (2003–)
> IMDB quality score: 7.8/10
> Cast: Mark Harmon, David McCallum, Sean Murray, Pauley Perrette
“NCIS” (an acronym for Naval Criminal Investigative Service) is a military crime procedural that follows the major case response team of special agents who investigate crimes, including murder and terrorism, in the D.C. metro area.
8. Ozark (2017–2022)
> IMDB quality score: 8.5/10
> Cast: Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner
“Ozark” is about a financial planner from Chicago who takes his family to the Missouri Ozarks to launder money for a Mexican cartel. He buys various businesses to launder the cash and in the process pulls members of his family into the scheme.
7. Animal Kingdom (2016–2022)
> IMDB quality score: 8.2/10
> Cast: Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole
The show revolved around a family in Southern California that makes a living by carrying out armed robberies and other crimes.
6. The Sopranos (1999–2007)
> IMDB quality score: 9.2/10
> Cast: James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli
For six seasons between 1999 and 2007, audiences were riveted by one of the most highly praised and groundbreaking TV dramas, “The Sopranos.” Each week they tuned in as Tony Soprano dealt with both his dysfunctional New Jersey crime family and his real family, which sometimes intersected.
5. Peaky Blinders (2013–2022)
> IMDB quality score: 8.8/10
> Cast: Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, Helen McCrory
“Peaky Blinders” is a crime drama about a powerful gangster family based in Birmingham, England. The series shows how the Peaky Blinders make their way from a street gang to an international criminal organization.
4. Breaking Bad (2008–2013)
> IMDB quality score: 9.5/10
> Cast: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt
“Breaking Bad” is about a high school chemistry teacher who produces and sells methamphetamine to help his family financially after learning he has cancer, while keeping his side job secret from his family, and evading law enforcement and drug gangs. The series is one of the most critically acclaimed television series of all time. It won 16 Emmys over its five seasons.
3. Only Murders in the Building (2021–)
> IMDB quality score: 8.1/10
> Cast: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Amy Ryan
“Only Murders in the Building” is a combination of crime, mystery, and comedy. The show’s first season followed three strangers who get caught up in a murder that was committed in their apartemnt building and that they are trying to solve.
2. The Boys (2019–)
> IMDB quality score: 8.7/10
> Cast: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty
Based on a comic book of the same name, the show follows a group of vigilantes trying to catch rogue superheroes who abuse their powers.
1. Better Call Saul (2015–2022)
> IMDB quality score: 8.8/10
> Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks, Michael Mando
Before he was Saul Goodman, counselor to Walter White, he was James McGill, known as Slippin’ Jimmy for his love of con games. This prequel to “Breaking Bad” traces Jimmy’s trajectory from fun-loving, unconventional lawyer seeking justice for the underdog, to hard boiled legal representative for drug lords and brutal gangs.