“Shetland’s new rival”: 7 “outstanding” detective dramas to watch now on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more

If you’ve already watched all the classic detective dramas like Shetland, Sherlock and Endeavour and need some fresh inspiration, then you’ve found yourself in the right place. We’ve been doing some serious sleuthing work of our own to bring you the 7 outstanding detective dramas to watch now that may well have passed you by.

From Shetland’s new rival to one of the best page-to-screen adaptations we’ve seen in a while and a Channel 5 series that’s so good a follow-up is already in the works, we’ve got your next binge-watch sorted. So, remotes at the ready for our pick of the best detective dramas to watch now on ITV, Netflix, the BBC and more.

The Dark

Mark Mainz

Shetland’s new rival has recently arrived in the form of ITV’s The Dark, in which we follow detective Monica Kennedy (The Nevers’ Laura Donnelly) as she’s called upon to investigate a grisly murder in the Scottish Highlands. It soon becomes apparent that this isn’t a one-off – and that a whole string of murders has been carried out by a deeply disturbed killer. The question is, can she catch them before it’s too late? Deliciously dark and brilliantly addictive. Available to watch now on ITVX.

The Chelsea Detective

Sven Arnstein/AcornTV

One that has a cosier edge, The Chelsea Detective has already spawned three series and, with a fourth on the way, there’s no better time to catch up. The series introduces us to a dynamic duo in the form of Detective Inspector Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough) and Detective Sergeant Layla Walsh (Vanessa Emme) and the former’s living situation is, well, a little unusual. After a marital breakdown, he now resides on a tattered Thames houseboat but, fortunately, his unconventional living situation doesn’t deter him from cracking a slew of mystifying murder cases. Available to watch now on U.

Cooper & Fry

Channel 5

What do you get when you combine a perfectly mismatched detective duo, a glorious setting and a series of perplexing murders? Cooper & Fry, the Channel 5 drama that wowed viewers when it first aired last year. Set in the fictional Peak District town of Edendale, Ben Cooper (Robert James-Collier) and Diane Fry (Mandip Gill) are our mismatched detective duo who find themselves tasked with investigating a series of strange deaths in the Peak District, starting with a body found buried on a local farm. Excitingly, a second series is currently in the works. Available to watch now on Channel 5.

The Long Call

ITV

The rugged Devon coastline is the breathtaking backdrop to The Long Call, which ties together a fascinating social backdrop, family estrangement and riveting whodunnit. Adapted from Ann Cleeves’ much-loved novel of the same name, two deaths summon Detective Inspector Matthew Venn (Ben Aldridge) back to the oppressive evangelical community he ran away from 20 years prior. First, the death of his estranged father and second, an unidentified corpse washed ashore a beach – and it’s the start of a deeply compelling story. Available to watch now on ITVX.

Scrublands

BBC

The mysteries in Scrublands are plucked straight from Chris Hammer’s award-winning novels – and the result is extremely absorbing TV. Investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) finds himself in the drought-stricken Australian town of Riversend where a seemingly ordinary young priest has killed five parishioners totally out of the blue. A year on from the event, Martin is there to write a story about it, but he soon starts unravelling the mystery behind it. Available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

Collision

ITV/Shutterstock

Long before Douglas Henshall stepped into the shoes of Shetland’s DI Jimmy Perez, he played a detective of a different kind in Collision – and, in our humble opinion, it’s even better. The five-part series takes us to the scene of a tragic road accident and DI John Tolin (played by Douglas) is given the job of investigating. While DI Tolin has only just returned to work following a tragedy of his own, the lives of the many people involved provide more of a distraction than even he could have imagined. Available to watch now on ITVX.

Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole

Ronald Plante/Netflix

Adapted from Norwegian author Jo Nesbø’s bestselling Harry Hole book series, this fantastic nine-parter follows talented but troubled homicide detective Harry Hole (Tobias Santelmann), who’s on the hunt for a serial killer. On top of that, he’s also casually attempting to put a stop to the antics of his corrupt colleague, detective Tom Waaler (Joel Kinnaman), which is no small feat. A worthy adaptation that might even beat the books. Available to watch now on Netflix.