Last Updated on 17 August 2025

I searched the Internet for lists of the best TV crime drama shows of all time. Criteria included the shows being ranked, not just listed; covering all time and place, not just a decade or British shows; and generally created by groups, whether teams or committees or based on general public voting (like Ranker.com).

I was able to find 20 lists. I took the 20 lists and added all their content into a spreadsheet, noting the rank of every TV show. I ended up averaging the rankings each one got (there were 164 that were on at least 2 lists) and dividing that average by a factor of the number of lists that show was on. The lowest score meant a high ranking average on many lists. The complete spreadsheet is attached at the bottom.

The TV shows that were on the most lists (out of 20) were:

  • The Wire (2002-2008) - 18 lists
  • Breaking Bad (2008-2013) - 14 lists
  • Sherlock (2010-2017) - 13 lists
  • True Detective (2014-present) - 13 lists
  • The Shield (2002-2008) - 13 lists
  • The Sopranos (1999-2007) - 11 lists
  • Peaky Blinders (2013-2022) - 11 lists
  • Mindhunter (2017-2019) - 11 lists
  • Broadchurch (2013-2017) - 11 lists

Here are links to the lists I used along with dates the lists were created:

Best TV Crime DramasDownload

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