Debapriya Bhattacharya
Created by Michael Connelly and Michael Alaimo, ‘Ballard’ follows Detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q) of the Los Angeles Police Department, who is made the chief of the newly formed Cold Case Division after being taken away from Homicide. Understaffed and under-resourced, the division is meant to be a dead end for her career. However, as Renée and her ragtag team dig into decades-old deaths, they uncover a massive scandal that reached the police department itself. The police procedural crime thriller is a spinoff of the Bosch television franchise, with Titus Welliver reprising his role as cop-turned-private investigator Harry Bosch. If you are in search of more shows similar to ‘Ballard’ to dive into, the following list can help you get started.
10. Mare of Easttown (2021)
Created by Brad Ingelsby, ‘Mare of Easttown’ is set in the fictional suburb of Easttown, Philadelphia. The story revolves around police detective Marianne “Mare” Sheehan (Kate Winslet). Considered a local hero for winning the town its first state championship in high school basketball, an adult Mare is seen struggling to solve the case of a missing girl for a year. Her personal life is also falling apart as a result of her divorce, her son’s untimely death, and a legal battle with the latter’s girlfriend over her grandson. Amid the situation, she is faced with a new mystery- the mysterious death of a young mother in town. Like Ballard, Mare is hellbent on solving her case irrespective of the personal cost.
9. Southland (2009-2013)
Ann Biderman’s ‘Southland’ is about the lives of the men and women in blue at the Los Angeles Police Department as they try to solve the cases that land on their desks. The team at the center of the narrative includes rookie Officer Ben Sherman and his training officer, John Cooper, Detective Lydia Adams, Officer Chickie Brown, and Detective Sammy Bryant. The show is distinctly more character-driven than strictly police procedural drama. However, it makes the viewing experience relatable to learning about Detective Renée Ballard’s personal life in ‘Ballard.’
8. Top of the Lake (2013-2017)
From the minds of Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, ‘Top of the Lake’ centers around Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss), a Sydney detective who specializes in solving assault cases. The first one she tackles is that of a pregnant 12-year-old who disappears from a remote mountain town in New Zealand after she is seen standing chest-deep in a freezing lake. Robin clashes with the girl’s father and local drug lord, Matt, and local women’s camp guru, GJ, as she hunts for the girl while going on a journey of self-discovery. Similar to ‘Ballard,’ Robin faces mounting personal challenges that she is forced to balance with work.
7. Line of Duty (2012-2021)
‘Line of Duty’ by Jed Mercurio follows DS Steve Arnott, a former counter-terrorism officer who refuses to cover up an unlawful shooting by his own team. As a result, he gets transferred to the Anti-Corruption Unit 12, where he partners with DC Kate Fleming, a skilled undercover officer with sharp instincts. Working under the supervision of Superintendent Ted Hastings, they discover deep-rooted corruption in the fictional Central Police, with links to an organized crime group. As in ‘Ballard,’ opposition to the group’s work comes from within the law enforcement itself, but Ted and his team bravely soldier on.
6. Cold Case (2003-2010)
Helmed by Meredith Stiehm, ‘Cold Case’ is set around a fictionalized Philadelphia Police Department where homicide detective Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris) specializes in pursuing cold cases, i.e., those that are no longer being actively pursued by law enforcement. The cases are homicides that have taken place in Philly, although some require Lilly to travel out of town. When a new lead comes to light, Lilly undertakes the case even when, at times, it is a century old. Her dedication to solving unsolved, buried mysteries makes her comparable to Ballard.
5. The Fall (2013-2016)
‘The Fall’ by Allan Cubitt revolves around Metropolitan Police Superintendent Stella Gibson (Gillian Anderson), who is in charge of reviewing investigations. After a murder investigation has been active for over 28 days, she joins the Police Service of Northern Ireland to check on its progress. Realizing it to be the work of a serial killer on the loose who is targeting young working women in Belfast, Stella scrambles to assemble a team and overcome internal and external complications to bring in the suspect, Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan). Similar to Ballard, Stella’s strong leadership in times of crisis shines through in the series.
4. Cardinal (2017-2020)
Based on the eponymous series of novels by Giles Blunt, ‘Cardinal,’ by Aubrey Nealon tells the story of John Cardinal (Billy Campbell), a troubled police officer in the fictional town of Algonquin Bay. John loses the police department’s faith when he gets too involved with a case. As a result, he is taken off the homicide squad but given his own department to lead nonetheless. Moreover, Lise Delorme (Karine Vanasse), John’s new partner, keeps watch on him as he is suspected of working with a local drug dealer. Much like Ballard, John’s actions lead to him losing his position in the homicide department and taking on new challenges.
3. Dept Q (2025)
Adapted from Jussi Adler-Olsen’s book of the same name, ‘Dept Q’ by Scott Frank and Chandni Lakhani follows Detective Carl Morck (Matthew Goode), the newly appointed head of the cold-case unit in the Edinburgh police department. A top cop recovering from PTSD, the officials believed the new role would be good PR for the police as well as allow Carl to heal. However, the detective decides not to follow through, as he reopens a ferry accident case from four years ago and assembles a team of misfits to investigate. The attempts of the Edinburgh police to keep Carl away from action fail as the case turns out to be more complex than initially anticipated, much like what takes place with Detective Renée Ballard in ‘Ballard.’
2. Happy Valley (2014-2023)
‘Happy Valley’ by Sally Wainwright centers around Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire), a divorced police sergeant whose daughter was the victim of sexual assault and eventually took her life eight years prior to the events of the series. Catherine is now raising her grandson, who was born as a result of that traumatic event. Upon learning that Tommy Lee Royce, the person responsible for her daughter’s death, is being released from prison, Catherine takes it upon herself to confront him. Similar to ‘Ballard,’ the old criminal case gets revisited as Catherine continues to seek justice.
1. Unforgotten (2015-)
Helmed by Chris Lang, ‘Unforgotten’ follows DCI Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker), who is driven by her desire to solve cold homicide cases to provide closure to the living and possibly bring the criminal to justice. Her obsession refuses to let her sleep at night, and she keeps pushing away her family and loved ones. Much like Detective Renée Ballard, Cassie’s need to shed light on buried mysteries shapes her entire existence. All she hopes for is that the current case, whichever one she is working on, will help her find peace.
Read more: Best Cop Shows on Netflix
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