Shubhabrata Dutta
Detective shows have garnered a huge demographic thanks to the advent of OTT. An exploration of the human mind and its complexities as showcased effectively through crimes and the investigations to solve the crimes, such shows offer a satisfaction that comes not just with the subject but also with their episodic nature that allows us to breathe, analyze, and assess the case in our own ways. In other words, detective shows are a lot of fun to watch. So, here we bring you the best detective shows available on Amazon Prime.
23. The Mallorca Files (2019- )
Created by Dan Sefton, ‘The Mallorca Files’ focuses on the dynamic between two opposing detectives from different countries, Miranda Blake (Elen Rhys), from England, and Max Winter (Julian Looman), from Germany, as they investigate complex cases in the Spanish island of Mallorca. From murders to kidnappings to thefts to arson, the unlikely duo has to deal with the most complicated crimes and each other, although they know that working together is the only way to track down the criminals. The breezy series offers an upbeat vibe and can be addressed as a family-friendly show, save for some swearing here and there. You can stream ‘The Mallorca Files’ here.
22. Citadel (2023)
Starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Richard Madden, Stanley Tucci, Ashleigh Cummings, Lesley Manville, and Roland Møller, ‘Citadel’ is a spy action thriller created by Josh Appelbaum, Bryan Oh, and David Weil and executive produced by the Russo brothers of ‘Avengers’ fame. The series follows Mason Kane (Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Jonas), both members of an elite spy organization called Citadel, who are ambushed by the agents of the crime syndicate Manticore and presumed dead. Eight years later, when spymaster Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci) learns that Kane is alive, he is forced to bring Kane back in and get him to find Sinh, as Manticore has resurfaced and needs to be stopped. However, there is one catch. Kane’s memory has been wiped out, and he doesn’t remember anything about his days as a Citadel agent. How things turn out for Orlick, Kane, and Sinh and whether Citadel is able to stop Manticore is what the series entails. You can watch the series here.
21. Sherlock Holmes (1955)
Based on the Sherlock Holmes detective stories of Arthur Conan Doyle, the 39 half-hour episodes are directed by Steve Previn, Sheldon Reynolds, and Jack Gage. Each episode follows a new and peculiar case that Ronald Howard’s Sherlock Holmes and Howard Marion Crawford’s John Watson take on, sending the duo on thrilling adventures that require the equal contribution of mind and body. The series co-stars Archie Duncan as Inspector Lestrade. He is joined by Eugene Deckers, Paulette Goddard, and Mary Sinclair. ‘Sherlock Holmes’ won the Best New Mystery in the non-network film series category at Billboard’s 3rd Annual TV Film Program and Talent Awards. You can stream the series here.
20. Psych (2006–2014)
A detective comedy-drama created by Steve Franks, ‘Psych’ follows young crime consultant Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez), who seems to have psychic abilities. Along with his best friend Burton “Gus” Guster (Dulé Hill), he helps the Santa Barbara Police Department solve complex cases. While the two promote Shawn’s abilities as a psychic, his talent to notice and observe the smallest of details is something he honed as a kid under the guidance of his father, Henry (Corbin Bernsen), who is a former policeman/detective who also served at the Santa Barbara Police Department. In the show, we see how the duo helps the cops solve cases using their intelligence. You can watch it here.
19. Chuck (2007-2012)
An action comedy series created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak, ‘Chuck’ follows geek Chuck Bartowski, played by Zachary Levi, who inadvertently gets a lot of classified government information embedded in his brain thanks to an encoded e-mail. Now, it is up to Major John Casey (Adam Baldwin) of the NSA and Officer Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) of the CIA to ensure Chuck’s safety while taking him along on high-stakes missions, not because they want to but because they have no choice. As Chuck tries to keep this secret-agent life of his a secret from his family and friends, he finds himself surrounded by crimes and conflicts of the most unexpected kind. To find out how he deals with it all, you can watch the show here.
18. Dahaad (2023- )
Created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, ‘Dahaad’ takes place in a small village in Rajasthan wherein the mysterious disappearance of multiple women who ended up dead brings in sub-inspector Anjali Bhaati (Sonakshi Sinha) into the investigation. While facing discrimination and prejudice (due to her womanhood) from the backward village, she slowly connects the murders, all of which were the result of cyanide poisoning, and it leads her to suspect that there is a serial killer on a spree. How she and her team find the culprit is what follows. Alongside Sinha, the cast includes Vijay Varma, Gulshan Devaiah, and Sohum Shah. You can stream ‘Dahaad’ here.
17. Three Pines (2022)
Based on Canadian author Louise Penny’s novel series surrounding Chief Inspector Armand Gamache as he looks into various cases in the idyllic town of Three Pines in Quebec, Canada, ‘Three Pines’ is created by Emilia di Girolamo. It follows Armand Gamache (Alfred Molina) of the Sûreté du Québec police force as he looks into a series of strange and mysterious murders while being perplexed by the town locals who seem to be carrying secrets of their own. Dark, complex, and intriguingly baffling, ‘Three Pines’ brings together elements of horror, but not really, and crime in a most appealing manner. Gamache’s team includes Sargent Jean-Guy Beauvoir (Rossif Sutherland), Sargent Isabelle Lacoste (Elle-Maija Tailfeathers), and rookie Agent Yvette Nichol (Sarah Booth). You can watch the series here.
16. Line of Duty (2012–2021)
This British police procedural series looks into police corruption and its connection with organized crime. Created by Jed Mercurio, ‘Line of Duty’ centers on the fictional Anti-Corruption Unit 12 (AC-12), led by Superintendent Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar). Under his tutelage, we have Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) and undercover officer Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure). Together, they shine a light on all that is wrong within the police force and how deep-rooted its connections are with organized crime. You can watch ‘Line of Duty’ right here.
15. Prime Suspect: Tennison (2017)
‘Prime Suspect: Tennison’ (also known as ‘Prime Suspect 1973’) is a British crime drama Written by Glen Laker and is a prequel to ‘Prime Suspects’ (1991-2006) that English author Lynda La Plante created. While ‘Prime Suspects’ follows experienced Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) of the Metropolitan Police, in this show, we see a younger version of the character, played by Stefanie Martini. It follows 22-year-old Jane Tennison as a police constable as she gets her first taste of violent crimes while being in a chauvinistic surrounding at the Metropolitan Police Service in 1973. Her experiences under the guidance of DI Len Bradfield, played by Sam Reid, lay the blueprint for the no-nonsense force she will become. You can watch the show here.
14. Intelligence (2005–2007)
A Canadian crime drama created by Chris Haddock, ‘Intelligence’ explores the outcomes of the deal between Mary Spalding (Klea Scott), director of the Vancouver Organized Crime Unit (OCU), and Jimmy Reardon (Ian Tracey), one of Vancouver’s top bosses of organized crime. Spalding has offered Reardon immunity, but to keep it that way, Reardon has to become a police informant and pass on crucial information (intelligence) whenever it comes to him. There are also people with their personal benefits involved, including OCU assistant director Ted Altman (Matt Frewer), who wants to replace Spalding’s position, and Ronnie Delmonico (John Cassini), who is Reardon’s confidant/business partner. There are risks at every step, and errors can lead to terrible consequences. To find out how Spalding and Reardon make it work, you can watch ‘Intelligence’ here.
13. The Fall (2013–2016)
Starring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan, who feature as the protagonist and the antagonist, respectively, ‘The Fall’ was created and written by Allan Cubitt. It follows Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson (Anderson) of the London Metropolitan Police as she is sent to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and tasked with looking into the case of a series of murders of professional women in Belfast, which has been ongoing for almost 30 days. The culprit is Paul Spector (Dornan), a serial killer/father/husband living two lives. We see how Gibson maneuvers the investigation while coping with the politics at PSNI in this crime drama. You can watch ‘The Fall’ here.
12. Grantchester (2014- )
A man of God who makes murder his business: this is how clergyman Sidney Chambers is described after he takes up sleuthing as a side job by teaming up with Detective Inspector Geordie Keating in 1950s Grantchester, Cambridgeshire, East England. Amidst murder and lies, the two guys use their respective skills to complement each other while handling cases that need an astute understanding of the human condition from as many angles as possible. The cast includes James Norton as Sidney Chambers, Robson Green as Detective Inspector Geordie Keating, and Tom Brittney, who takes on the role of the new protagonist, Reverend William Davenport, from Season 4. Based on British author James Runcie’s short-story collection ‘The Grantchester Mysteries,’ ‘Grantchester’ was developed by Daisy Coulam. You can stream the series here.
11. Endeavour (2012–2023)
A British detective drama created by Russell Lewis and based on characters by Colin Dexter, ‘Endeavour’ is set in Set in Oxford during the 1960s and 1970s and follows young Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) and his experiences after he is sent from the Carshall-Newtown Police to the Oxford City Police CID as a detective constable under the mentorship of veteran Detective Inspector Fred Thursday (Roger Allam). The series serves as a prequel to the ‘Inspector Morse’ series based on Colin Dexter’s novel series, which ran from 1987 to 2000. The rest of the cast includes Anton Lesser, Jack Laskey, Sean Rigby, James Bradshaw, and Abigail Thaw. You can watch the show here.
10. Tin Star (2017–2020)
Created by Rowan Joffé, ‘Tin Star’ follows former undercover police detective Jim Worth, who arrives with his family of four, including his wife Angela, in a small town called Little Big Bear in the Canadian Rockies, where he is appointed the police chief. Unbeknownst to their neighbors, Jim has a dark past that involves his now-locked-away identity, Jack Devlin, a violent alcoholic guy. So when he loses a friend who dies a mysterious death, he decides to look into the matter, only to lock horns with North Stream Oil, which is a vast, powerful oil company, its representatives, and its migrant workers, some of whom might just be faces from Jim’s aka Jack’s past. Starring Tim Roth as Jim Worth and Genevieve O’Reilly as Angela, ‘Tin Star’ is a gripping noirish crime drama. You can watch it here.
9. Unforgotten (2015-)
Created by Chris Lang, ‘Unforgotten’ is a British crime drama that follows cold cases of murder (unsolved murder cases from the past that have been shelved but into which investigation can resume based on new clues and testimonies). Looking into such cases is a team led by DCI Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker) (Season 1-4), DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar), and DCI Jessie James (Sinéad Keenan) (for Season 5). As the investigation progresses, we meet characters who are somehow linked with the victim and see how the case takes an emotional toll on the victims’ families, the suspects, and the detectives. You can watch the first ‘Unforgotten’ here.
8. Reacher (2022-)
A top-rated Amazon original series, ‘Reacher’ is based on the “Jack Reacher” novel series by Lee Child and was developed for the screen by Nick Santora. The show follows highly trained former U.S. Army Military Police Major Jack Reacher, who is now a drifter and gets tangled, deliberately or otherwise, due to his sense of law and order in cases and conspiracies of the place he is staying in. Alan Ritchson is perfect as the titular character and plays the role with the apt amount of strength and softness required. The rest of the cast includes Malcolm Goodwin, Willa Fitzgerald, Bruce McGill, Serinda Swan, and Robert Patrick. You can watch ‘Reacher’ here.
7. Person of Interest (2011-2016)
The 21st Century is a digital book. Just like scientist Arnim Zola (Marvel Cinematic Universe) wrote an algorithm to detect potential threats by evaluating information about people (watch ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014)), in ‘Person of Interest,’ genius computer programmer Harold Finch develops “the Machine.” It is a computer program that predicts terrorist attacks and identifies people associated with them by collecting and analyzing information via mass surveillance. Finch approaches former Special Forces soldier/CIA operative John Reese to help him prevent the threats. In the endeavor, the two are joined by New York Police Department Detective Lionel Fusco and ex-United States Army/military interrogator Detective Joss Carter. However, they will have to be careful of those who are ready to go to any extent to acquire the Machine. Created by Jonathan Nolan, ‘Person of Interest’ stars Michael Emerson, Jim Caviezel, Kevin Chapman, Taraji P. Henson, and Amy Acker. You can stream the series here.
6. Farzi (2023- )
Created by Raj & DK (Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K.), ‘Farzi’ is an Indian Hindi-language black comedy crime thriller starring Shahid Kapoor, Bhuvan Arora, Raashii Khanna, Vijay Sethupathi, and Kay Kay Menon. It follows Sunny (Kapoor), a middle-class guy whose abilities as an artist bring him and his best friend, Firoz (Arora), into the illegal counterfeiting business. He replicates an Indian currency note to the last detail and starts printing. His talents are noticed by a gangster named Mansoor Dalal (Menon), and the two friends make a deal with him. However, soon they find themselves on the radar of Michael Vedanayagam (Sethupathi), who is the head of the Counterfeiting & Currency Fraud Analysis & Research Team, and Megha Vyas (Khanna), who is an RBI (Reserve Bank of India) officer. One of the best shows to come out of India on Amazon Prime, ‘Farzi’ (which translates to “fakes”) is a must-watch. You can check it out right here.
5. Cross (2024- )
Aldis Hodge takes on the role of decorated D.C. homicide detective/forensic psychologist Alex Cross in Ben Watkins’ crime thriller ‘Cross.’ Bent on navigating through the complex minds of criminals, he is constantly searching for the truth. In the first season, divided into eight episodes, we see him tackle two cases: that of a meticulous serial killer and the murder of his wife. With strong takes on mental health and other fixations, ‘Cross’ is a fast-paced, captivating detective drama that does a commendable job adapting from James Patterson’s ‘Alex Cross’ novels. You can stream the series here.
4. Chicago P.D. (2014-)
A long-running show that is a spin-off of ‘Chicago Fire,’ ‘Chicago P.D.’ is created by Dick Wolf and Matt Olmstead. It centers on the Intelligence Unit of the fictional 21st District of the Chicago Police Department. Led by Detective Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe), the squad looks into murders, drug trafficking, organized crime, and more and grabs those responsible. Voight’s team includes Detective Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda), young detective/former military Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer), his partner Erin Lindsay (Sophia Bush), whose bad past was replaced with a good present due to Voight, undercover detective Alvin Olinsky (Elias Koteas) and his partner sharp-witted cadet Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger). Together, they must fit in with the ever-changing political climate of Chicago while looking for new ways to track down the criminals. You can watch ‘Chicago P.D.’ here.
3. Broadchurch (2013–2017)
Created by Chris Chibnall, ‘Broadchurch’ is a British drama starring BAFTA-winner David Tennant and Oscar-winner Olivia Colman as Detective Inspector Alec Hardy and Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller, who are forced to work together on the case of the mysterious death of 11-year-old Danny, whose body is found on a beach in a small Dorset town. Miller’s dislike for the reticent Hardy might serve as a hindrance, but it cannot come in the way of finding the criminal. With the whole town bent on the case and wanting answers, the duo has to work efficiently and fast. As the show progresses, more secrets about the case and the town come to light, upping the ante of the entire narrative. The series co-stars Jodie Whittaker, Jonathan Bailey, Eve Myles, Andrew Buchan, and Charlotte Rampling. Winner of multiple accolades, including three BAFTAS and a National Television Award, ‘Broadchurch’ is a gripping detective drama that you can stream right here.
2. Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (2018–2023)
Carlton Cuse and Graham Roland created this thrilling and captivating show based on Tom Clancy’s popular ‘Ryanverse’ characters and novel series centering on the titular character. It follows John Krasinski as CIA analyst Jack Ryan, who finds himself in the middle of international-level conspiracies and threats due to his exceptional research skills and military experience. Such cases range from terrorist attacks to political warfare to nuclear attacks to corruption within the CIA. One of the most expensive series ever, ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ is backed, among others, by Michael Bay, who serves as an executive producer. Joining Krasinski, we have Wendell Pierce, Ali Suliman, Jordi Mollà, Michael Kelly, John Hoogenakker, Noomi Rapace, Abbie Cornish, and Michael Peña. You can watch the series here.
1. Bosch (2014–2021)
Developed by Eric Overmyer, ‘Bosch’ is a police procedural drama starring Titus Welliver as LAPD detective Harry Bosch. The series is adapted from the best-selling Harry Bosch book series by Michael Connelly and follows Bosch and partner Detective Jerry Edgar (Jamie Hector), aka J. Edgar, who solve the most complex of crimes and look into high-stakes cases in Los Angeles while dealing with the politics that exists without their department and without as well as their respective personal and professional lives. With its neo-noir nature that is further stressed by the seriousness of the plots that include murders, police brutality, drugs, arson, and more, ‘Bosch’ is the longest-running original series of Amazon and for a good reason. You can watch the series here.
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