There’s something about watching Detective Inspectors and Chief Constables go about their jobs that’s simultaneously engrossing and comforting. The combination of the bowler hats, the checked cravats and the baffling lingo along with pulse-pounding tension and clever sleuthing proves there’s nothing like a British crime series for sheer bingeing delight.

With generally top-flight production values, clever writing and crackling casts, these series are as well-made as they are fun to watch. And they’re a great place for spotting talent that’s about to get a bigger profile. American audiences were first introduced to the perfection of Olivia Colman in “Broadchurch” and “The Night Manager,” and Richard Madden impressed in “Bodyguard” and “Game of Thrones” before moving into the Marvel world as Ikaris in “Eternals.” James Norton starred in “Happy Valley” before starring in “Grantchester” and “Rogue Agent.”

These series range from a tight six or eight episodes (“River,” “The Stranger”) to several satisfyingly bingeable seasons (“Line of Duty”), and from the pulse-pounding suspense and violent action (“Bodyguard”) to more sedate procedural pleasures (“DCI Banks), so whatever flavor of crimes you’re in the mood for, there’s bound to be something new to discover on this list. (Lovers of “cozy” crime shows, however, will find this list skews toward the darker, adults-only side of the spectrum, and most of these series have been released in the past decade.)

Now that the third season of “Happy Valley” has dropped and the fifth season of “C.B. Strike” has been released, it’s time to get up to date on all these shows. And don’t forget to check out this list’s latest addition, Apple TV+’s “Criminal Record,” starring “Doctor Who” actor Peter Capaldi.

But first, you might need to bone up on your British crime vocab. After all, you wouldn’t want to get the gaffer confused with the grass! Here’s a guide to some of the terms used on “Line of Duty,” while this glossary can help with general police slang terms.



Source link

By f5mag

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *