Curated and verified by British TV Hub · Streaming availability checked September 2026
These are the shows that shaped the genre long before streaming existed — detectives with real flaws, feature-length or near-feature-length episodes, and a slower, more character-driven pace than modern procedurals. Every one of them is still watchable today, and every one of them is streaming in the US right now.
Leo McKern plays Horace Rumpole, a cigar-chomping, Wordsworth-quoting London barrister who defends underdogs the legal establishment would rather ignore — while sparring endlessly with his own chambers and "she who must be obeyed" at home. Based on John Mortimer's novels and short stories.
John Nettles stars as DS Jim Bergerac, a recovering alcoholic detective on the island of Jersey who does things very much his own way, much to his superiors' frustration. Nettles later became a household name all over again as DCI Tom Barnaby in Midsomer Murders.
Mark McManus starred as the tough, no-nonsense DCI Jim Taggart of Glasgow's Maryhill CID until his death in 1994, after which the show continued under new lead detectives for well over a decade. Often cited as the longest-running British or European detective drama, and the second-longest worldwide behind Columbo.
Helen Mirren plays DCI Jane Tennison, who fights her way to leading a murder investigation despite entrenched sexism from the male officers around her. Created by Lynda La Plante, the series ran across seven installments and helped redefine the female-led police procedural.
David Jason plays DI Jack Frost, a sloppy, disorganized, but deeply compassionate detective in the fictional town of Denton, based on R. D. Wingfield's Frost novels. The role reinvented Jason's public image from comedic actor to dramatic lead.
Robbie Coltrane plays Dr. Edward "Fitz" Fitzgerald, a brilliant but self-destructive criminal psychologist who helps Manchester police get inside the minds of killers, even as his own personal life falls apart. Created by Jimmy McGovern, the show won the BAFTA for Best Drama Series twice.
Warren Clarke and Colin Buchanan star as, respectively, the gruff Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel and the more thoughtful Detective Inspector Peter Pascoe, investigating crimes across Yorkshire together. Based on Reginald Hill's long-running novel series.
All seven shows on this page are available on BritBox, with one also free on PBS.
For this guide, shows that debuted between the late 1970s and mid-1990s — the era before Inspector Morse, Poirot, and Midsomer Murders became the genre's most familiar faces, when British TV detectives had a rougher, more idiosyncratic edge.
Yes. Rumpole of the Bailey, Bergerac, Taggart, Prime Suspect, A Touch of Frost, Cracker, and Dalziel and Pascoe are all currently available on BritBox. Rumpole of the Bailey is also free with ads on PBS.
It's often cited as the longest-running British or European detective drama, and the second-longest worldwide behind Columbo, having run 27 series from 1983 to 2010.
Yes. John Nettles played DS Jim Bergerac from 1981 to 1991, then went on to play DCI Tom Barnaby in Midsomer Murders for its first 13 series.
Not strictly — Horace Rumpole is a defense barrister, not a detective. It's included here because it's a beloved fixture of the same classic British mystery era, with courtroom sleuthing standing in for police work.
Affiliate disclosure: British TV Hub is a participant in the Amazon Associates program and earns from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page may be affiliate links to BritBox. This never affects the recommendations — these are genuine editorial favourites.
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