Top 10 British Crime TV Shows

You're nicked, mate! For this list, WatchMojoUK counts down the Top 10 British Crime TV Shows. We're looking at British police procedurals and mystery shows that have captured the nation for decades. What, in your opinion, personifies the British crime drama? Let us know in the comments!

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WatchMojoUK is your source for British Top 10s, covering popular shows like Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing, Great British Bake Off, Coronation Street, This Morning, Good Morning Britain, The Graham Norton Show, Sherlock, and more! We also cover the latest in British Movies, Music and Pop Culture - We Top 10 it all!

#CrimeShows #AgathaChristie #InspectorMorse #TheBill #TheSweeney

[sallytaitt]

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.

[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.

[joeyjojoshabadoo]

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

[LemonTree]

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

[alyzu]

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

[lindabarnhouse]

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

[tfe]

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

[ShunsuiHitsugaya]

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

[albertmotbey]

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

[CitiesForTheFuture]

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!

[AdiPullen]

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

[darkwingdave]

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

[richardsharpe]

Taggart's first name was Jim not John

[bowski]

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

[rebeccabennett]

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

[Cng]

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

[rebeccabennett]

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

[LemonTree]

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

[Stalaxian]

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