Last Updated on 17 August 2025

The following list is a compilation of the 220 best TV crime drama shows of all time.

I found 20 different ranked lists online of “best TV crime dramas of all time” and pulled them all into Excel and merged them all to get this definitive compilation. See my Methodology page for the research process that was used, including links to the 20 lists that were averaged. Below is a checklist you can print to track which ones you’ve seen, followed by the ranked list with links to IMDb.

Best TV Crime Dramas – Viewing ChecklistDownload
  1. The Sopranos (1999-2007)
  2. The Wire (2002-2008)
  3. Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
  4. Sherlock (2010-2017)
  5. True Detective (2014-2019)
  6. The Shield (2002-2008)
  7. Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
  8. Fargo (2014-2024)
  9. Line of Duty (2012-2026)
  10. Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999)
  11. Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)
  12. Justified (2010-2015)
  13. Babylon Berlin (2017-2025)
  14. Mindhunter (2017-2019)
  15. Broadchurch (2013-2017)
  16. Columbo (1971-1978, 1989-1998)
  17. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984-1985)
  18. Luther (2010-2019)
  19. The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1986-1988)
  20. Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
  21. Hill Street Blues (1981-1987)
  22. Dexter (2006-2013)
  23. Poirot (1989-2014)
  24. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000-2015)
  25. Mare of Easttown (2021)
  26. Prime Suspect (1991-2006)
  27. Good Girls (2018-2021)
  28. O.J.: Made in America (2016)
  29. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-present)
  30. Happy Valley (2014-2023)
  31. The Killing (2007-2012)
  32. Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014)
  33. Narcos (2015-2017)
  34. Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014)
  35. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1991-1993)
  36. Criminal Minds (2005-present)
  37. Hannibal (2013-2015)
  38. Inspector Morse (1987-2000)
  39. Law & Order (1990-2010, 2015-present)
  40. Blue Bloods (2010-2024)
  41. Giri/Haji (2019)
  42. Oz (1997-2003)
  43. The Bridge (2011-2018)
  44. Cold Case (2003-2010)
  45. Cagney & Lacey (1981-1988)
  46. The Fall (2013-2016)
  47. Ozark (2017-2022)
  48. Foyle’s War (2002-2015)
  49. The Sweeney (1975-1978)
  50. The Killing (2011-2014)
  51. The Night Of (2016)
  52. American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson (2017-present)
  53. The Staircase (2004, 2013, 2018)
  54. Wallander (2005-2013)
  55. Deadwood (2004-2006)
  56. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-present)
  57. Big Little Lies (2017-2026)
  58. NCIS (2003-present)
  59. Bones (2005-2017)
  60. Southland (2009-2013)
  61. Daredevil (2015-2018)
  62. Top Boy (2011-2023)
  63. Castle (2009-2016)
  64. Spiral (2005-2020)
  65. Cracker (1993-1996)
  66. Miami Vice (1984-1989)
  67. The X-Files (1993-2002, 2016-2018)
  68. Bosch (2014-2021)
  69. The Responder (2022-2024)
  70. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962)
  71. American Crime (2015-2017)
  72. FBI: Most Wanted (2020-2025)
  73. Young Justice (2010-2022)
  74. Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes (2006-2010)
  75. Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980)
  76. American Crime Story (2016-present)
  77. 24 (2001-2010)
  78. Monk (2002-2009)
  79. Dexter: Resurrection (2025-present)
  80. Law and Order True Crime (2017)
  81. Mr. Robot (2015-2019)
  82. Boston Legal (2004-2008)
  83. Miss Marple (1984-1992)
  84. Veronica Mars (2004-2007, 2019)
  85. Chicago P.D. (2014-present)
  86. Endeavor (2012-2023)
  87. The Rookie (2018-present)
  88. NCIS: Los Angeles (2009-2023)
  89. The Boys (2019-present)
  90. Wentworth (2013-2021)
  91. NYPD Blue (1993-2005)
  92. Unforgotten (2015-present)
  93. Dragnet (1951-1959)
  94. The Americans (2013-2018)
  95. Top of the Lake (2013-2017)
  96. Barry (2018-2023)
  97. Harley Quinn (2019-present)
  98. The Punisher (2017-2019)
  99. Only Murders in the Building (2021-present)
  100. Person of Interest (2011-2016)
  101. Twin Peaks (2017)
  102. You (2018-2025)
  103. Mr Inbetween (2018-2021)
  104. NCIS: New Orleans (2014-2021)
  105. Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)
  106. Bleak House (2005)
  107. Mystery Road (2018-present)
  108. Midsomer Murders (1997-present)
  109. Hawaii Five-0 (2010-2020)
  110. Quantico (2015-2018)
  111. Ironside (1967-1975)
  112. Adolescence (2025)
  113. Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988)
  114. The Mentalist (2008-2015)
  115. Love/Hate (2010-2014)
  116. Unbelievable (2019)
  117. How to Get Away with Murder (2014-2020)
  118. MobLand (2025-present)
  119. Homeland (2011-2020)
  120. Trailer Park Boys (2001-2007, 2014-2018)
  121. Mayor of Kingstown (2021-present)
  122. Medium (2005-2011)
  123. Rookie Blue (2010-2015)
  124. Blue Lights (2023-present)
  125. Snowfall (2017-2023)
  126. The Sinner (2017-2021)
  127. Rizzoli & Isles (2010-2016)
  128. Kojak (1973-1978)
  129. We Own This City (2022)
  130. The New Batman Adventures (1997-1999)
  131. Elsbeth (2024-present)
  132. Hunter (1984-1991)
  133. Black Mirror (2011-present)
  134. FBI (2018-present)
  135. The Corner (2000)
  136. Money Heist (2017-2021)
  137. Murdoch Mysteries (2008-present)
  138. Banshee (2013-2016)
  139. Bosch: Legacy (2022-2025)
  140. Boomtown (2002-2003)
  141. Hinterland (2013-2016)
  142. The Nurse (2023)
  143. Bodyguard (2018)
  144. Perry Mason (1957-1966)
  145. Prison Break (2005-2009, 2017)
  146. Magpie Murders (2022)
  147. FBI: International (2021-2025)
  148. Reservation Dogs (2021-2023)
  149. Ludwig (2024-present)
  150. White Collar (2009-2014)
  151. The Day of the Jackal (2024-present)
  152. Z Cars (1962-1978)
  153. Search Party (2016-2022)
  154. The Good Wife (2009-2016)
  155. Dirty John (2018-2020)
  156. Murder One (1995-1997)
  157. Sharp Objects (2018)
  158. Landscapers (2021)
  159. Between the Lines (1992-1994)
  160. The Deuce (2017-2019)
  161. Jonathan Creek (1997-2004, 2009-2016)
  162. Criminal Record (2024-present)
  163. Cruel Summer (2021-present)
  164. Lie to Me (2009-2011)
  165. Underbelly (2008-2013)
  166. Time (2021-2025)
  167. Narcos: Mexico (2018-2021)
  168. Mind Over Murder (2022)
  169. The Good Fight (2017-2022)
  170. Monster (2004-2005)
  171. Dept. Q (2025-present)
  172. Justified: City Primeval (2023)
  173. New Tricks (2003-2015)
  174. Inspector George Gently (2007-2017)
  175. The Blacklist (2013-2023)
  176. The Missing (2014-2016)
  177. Edge of Darkness (1985)
  178. Longford (2006)
  179. Reacher (2022-present)
  180. Rebus (2000-2007)
  181. The Flight Attendant (2020-2022)
  182. A Touch of Frost (1992-2010)
  183. Gangs of London (2020-present)
  184. The Night Manager (2016, 2025)
  185. Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983)
  186. The Curse (2023-2024)
  187. Tulsa King (2022-present)
  188. Inspector Lewis (2006-2015)
  189. Orange Is the New Black (2013-2019)
  190. The Bill (1984-2010)
  191. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979)
  192. C.B. Strike (2017-present)
  193. CSI: NY (2004-2013)
  194. Sherwood (2022-present)
  195. Damages (2007-2012)
  196. City of Men (2002-2006, 2017-2018)
  197. The Outsider (2020)
  198. Poker Face (2023-present)
  199. Evil (2019-2024)
  200. CSI: Miami (2002-2012)
  201. The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971-1973)
  202. The Closer (2005-2012)
  203. Boss (2011-2012)
  204. Campion (1989-1990)
  205. Sneaky Pete (2015-2019)
  206. When They See Us (2019)
  207. The End of the F***ing World (2017-2019)
  208. Lethal Weapon (2016-2019)
  209. Prohibition (2011)
  210. High Potential (2024-present)
  211. S.W.A.T. (2017-2025)
  212. Starsky and Hutch (1975-1979)
  213. Reno 911! (2003-2022)
  214. The Untouchables (1959-1963)
  215. Forensic Files (1996-2011)
  216. Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York (2023)
  217. Crossing Jordan (2001-2007)
  218. Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)
  219. Watchmen (2019)
  220. A Very English Scandal (2018)

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