Top 10 British Crime TV Shows

[@sallytaitt6204]

How on earth could you not include A Touch of Frost? One of the absolute best written programs ever.

[@cjscrubs]

List is invalid bc Life on Mars isn't on there.

[@carlbirtles4518]

Ashes to Ashes Dempsey and Makepeace

[@plicketyplunk]

Inspector Lynley And how can you leave off Sherlock Holmes?

[@Miaheleneart]

Yes and Ashes to ashes

[@joeyjojoshabadoo3148]

Line of Duty should be number one IMO. Just fantastic.

[@kreehomel]

Broadchurch, Sherlock, Foyle's War, Shetland, and Inspector Morse's prequel, Endeavour would have made my list. Though, I'll grant that I've yet to see some of the classics that made this list.

[@leann848]

You forget Lewis!

[@kreehomel]

@@leann848 I hadn't actually seen Lewis yet when I made the previous comment, but now that I have, yes, it absolutely would make my list! Also, Life on Mars, which I forgot to mention for some reason.

[@LemonTree9280]

I'm a 44 yr old American and loooove midsomer, and poirot so much. Seen every episode numerous times. And my mom , or mum, loves Dr Blake

[@clearlycarol6058]

Dr. Blake is a Aussie production. 🙂I like the production too! 😊

[@lindabarnhouse3724]

Scott and Bailey and Prime Suspect?? Should definitely be on this list.

[@alyzu4755]

I love "Midsomer Murders". How can you you NOT love a show that kills of a character with a wheel of cheese? 😊

[@elizabethroberts6215]

……or a trebuchet?……

[@ShunsuiHitsugaya]

Surprised that Shetland, Endeavour, Broadchurch, and Life On Mars/Ashes to Ashes are not on the list.

[@matthewbright773]

Wire in the blood ???

[@richardsharpe2966]

Taggart's first name was Jim not John

[@frankbrodie5168]

Just think yourself lucky that he didn't refer to the show's main actor as 'Mick McManus' lol. But yes indeed. Pretty crappy to get his name wrong if the show was indeed one of the best ever.

[@darkwingdave79]

Shocked that Gangs of London wasn't on this list. Maybe it's too violent for the BBC people.

[@tfe1788]

Touch of Frost, Broadchurch, Sherlock and Death in Paradise!!!

[@indubitablysoyall]

Um....Prime Suspect? THE WIDOWS TRILOGY? The three Widows series deserve more love

[@albertmotbey1128]

I know it wasn't on the list but I loved A Touch of Frost. Sir David Jason was amazing in that show!

[@LemonTree9280]

Poirot is the best British mystery series, 100% hands down full-stop

[@ashleyw6728]

Where the fuck is Sherlock Holmes

[@generalpranko5773]

221B Baker Street?

[@CitiesForTheFuture2030]

UK does crime drama best - a top 10 doesn't allow for all the great crime drama shows to come out of the UK. I think all the series listed are the intense crime dramas. But the UK, but especially ITV, have some really excellent long running detective series that are family favourites - they keep you guessing with a neat little twist at the end... Not a crime drama, but I enjoyed The Thin Blue Line with Rowan Atkinson. I also enjoyed Jonathan Creek & Blue Murder. Two spin offs from Morse - Endeavour (Morse prequel) & Lewis (post Morse). There was also a very unusual & clever crime drama with time travel - Crime Traveller. A touch of Frost was also excellent. And I adored Sherlock & Shetland, and (of course) Vera. Both Shetland & Vera based on books by Anne Cleeves. Her third series The Long Call was also adapted for tv (only 1 season though). The PD James adaptations were also very well done. Midsomer Murders is excellent (except by the end of the show almost half a village has been murdered - it seems the murder rate in small villages in rural UK is very high!). The Ruth Rendell Inspector Wexford dramas were also pretty good. Other - MacDonald & Dodds - The Chelsea Detective - Professor T - Foyle's War - Father Brown - Sister Bonniface Mysteries - Inspector George Gently - Inspector Lynley (the posh detective) There are also UK crime series based outside the UK - Death in Paradise (set in the Caribbean) - the Majorca Files (set in Majorca) I think you might need to do a UK Top 50 Crime & Police Series!

[@rebeccabennett8188]

What about Frost brilliant drama with a touch of comedy thanks to David Jason

[@tonymil7319]

I agree A Touch of Frost should've been on there.

[@tonhuu6804]

great video! really enjoyed the list and the insights you shared. however, i gotta say, i believe some of the shows on this list are a bit overrated. like, while "Sherlock" is clever, i think it gets way more praise than it deserves compared to lesser-known gems like "Broadchurch." just my opinion!

[@AdiPullen]

No a touch of frost Or heartbeat Life on Mars ashes to ashes

[@carlbirtles4518]

Not even Dempsey and Makepeace.

[@raven_canopy8195]

You forgot Lewis And a touch of frost with David Jason

[@The.Magnificent.one.2025]

They didn't forget it. They just didn't pick it.

[@rebeccabennett8188]

Not a fan of midsummer murders but the uk make cracking police dramas and thrillers a fan from Australia grew up watching the bill one of my favs

[@bowski477]

I kept waiting for Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes to appear on the list.

[@celticwolff5429]

You have Morse but no mention of Lewis?

[@Cng0308]

10. The Bill 9. Taggart 8. Luther 7. Midsommer Murders 6. Line of Duty 5. Vera 4. Happy Valley 3. Pirro and Marble 2. Inspector Morse 1. The Sweeney

[@RedX101]

Top 20 British crime TV shows?

[@michelduthin5053]

Life on Mars?

[@frankbrodie5168]

More time traveling/supernatural than procedural police show tbh. And personally I preferrred the sequel Ashes To Ashes. (though it's a 9.5/10 compared to a 9.4/10 if I'm being honest.)

[@carlbirtles4518]

@@frankbrodie5168 What about Dempsey and Makepeace?

[@frankbrodie5168]

@@carlbirtles4518 Well... Now you're talking.. I've watched the entire thing this year again. About 3-4 months ago over a bored weekend. That's an easy 9.9/10 show any day of the week. The characters all work. The stories work. And what a pair to front the show! Michael Brandon is my favourite American actor ever.

[@nickjohnson6237]

Who tf put midsummer murders in front of the Bill 😂

[@leann848]

Longevity?

[@Jesus_H._Tap-DancingChrist]

The Shadow Line?

[@spandanroy7783]

A touch of Frost is a great series

[@Stalaxian]

The Bill will always be number one for me, I fell in love with crimes shows because of it

[@The.Magnificent.one.2025]

Lol. I bet you like marvel powdered milk instead of real milk don't you?

[@shakilarossi2150]

FYI - the woman in the interrogation room in The Sweeney clip is Benedict Cumberbatch’s mother!

[@cedgson91]

Expected the bill to be higher up the list

[@Cristinact]

I've watched 7 of these but Morse is at the top of my list.

[@TheYoungDoctor]

Glad The Sweeney is number one but its Regan not Reagan.

[@GaryJohnWalker1]

Hosts of 70s shows worth a mention, not just Sweeney. Special Branch for one. And the stalwarts of the 60s and 70s - Z Cars and Softly Softly. And yes, Sherlock was great and didn't overstay its welcome.

[@nicoladale1668]

I have to admit I didn't expect The Bill, my favourite TV show of all time, would make it onto the list.

[@freedompaisley]

Taggarts first name was Jim, not John

[@rducky136]

still love the bill

[@olliesmith2890]

Is this in order, if so Line Of Duty and Luther should both be sitting at the top here.

[@elizabethroberts6215]

……’Inspector Morse’ was the best! But many of the others’ are also excellent………

[@sammic7492]

Seriously where was Frost?

[@stephenhawke6324]

how do you not even mention ' touch of frost ' ??????

[@richardsharpe2966]

Morse then Frost then Poroit then Shirlock Holmes

[@StevieboyLondon]

What about Dempsey and Makepeace?

[@The.Magnificent.one.2025]

It was sh!te.

[@cristinabuffington9659]

I thought Scott and Bailey and No Offense were great as well. However, I grew up on Poitrot tv show

[@timsamanthony]

Personally I love the show Grace

[@hayleydouglas]

What about Wire In The Blood, A Touch of Frost, Broadchurch, Sherlock, Touching Evil

[@rebornitsybitsy7515]

Err "a touch of frost" ?

[@joannechurch123]

scott and bailey 😮

[@victorwinters36]

No Law and Order: UK?

[@cherylphillips3146]

Midsummer murders is shit❤

[@GaryJohnWalker1]

Great for the export trade apparently. Like the Christie stuff - stereotypical boring Brit imagery

[@plicketyplunk]

So what do you think is good? It's all opinion but I am just curious.😊

[@patmazzotta868]

to many to mention.

[@plicketyplunk]

Absolutely! No one does it better than the Brits.😊

[@shockedbythepower]

Silent Witness? Grantchester?

[@cotybowman8825]

I'm American and I watch most of these shows. My personal favorite police show is Whitechapel. I guess that would count as a creepy police show.

[@Tommy-s9n]

Broadchurch, Shetland???.

[@anthonymaughan6103]

Worst one yet - this is crap fella ??

[@michaelwalton7776]

Father Brown? Prime Suspect?

[@carlbirtles4518]

What about Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes or Dempsey and Makepeace?

[@The.Magnificent.one.2025]

Lol. What about them?

[@carlbirtles4518]

@@The.Magnificent.one.2025 Why didn’t they get included?

[@The.Magnificent.one.2025]

@@carlbirtles4518 I would hazard a guess and say the person who put this video together didn't like those programmes as much as the ones included. I also think there is a bit of box ticking going on here. Picking programmes because they have lots of diversity etc instead of just being great programmes. I mean the professionals isn't on this list and when surveys are done with the public (the people whose opinions actually matter) the professionals is always in the top 3. Even if it is never actually in mine.

[@ewenhutchison841]

Disappointed a touch of frost,rebus,life on mars to name but a few never featured.

[@The.Magnificent.one.2025]

Are you? 😂

[@The.Magnificent.one.2025]

Another crap list. Another thumbs down.

[@apatel478]

Unforgotten is yet again underrated/left off a best list