October 2026
What Is a British Police Procedural?
A British police procedural follows professional detectives investigating crimes through evidence and process rather than shootouts — character and atmosphere over spectacle.
Where to Start
Looking for Something Gentler? More Guides Below
If you want a change of pace from the crime and procedural dramas on this page, or just want to know where to watch them, these guides are the best place to go next.
Cozy Mysteries
Cozy British Mysteries
19 gentler, village-set whodunits for a quieter night in.
Streaming
Where to Watch British TV
How BritBox, Acorn TV and PBS Masterpiece compare, and which to pick.
All Shows
Best British Mystery & Drama Shows
The full guide to British TV Hub's top mystery and drama picks.
The CozyTVCompanion Shop
Cozy Gifts for British TV Fans
Mugs, notebooks, journals and cozy keepsakes for anyone who loves a good British mystery. Selected items will be 25% off from November 23 through December 1, just in time for holiday gifting.
Shop the Sale → Holiday Gift Guide →CozyTVCompanion is British TV Hub’s own shop on Etsy. Sale runs 12:00am ET November 23 to 11:59pm ET December 1, 2026.
The 10 Best British Cop Shows of All Time
British TV Hub's all-time ranking of the police dramas that shaped the genre, from 1980s classics to modern favourites, with where to watch each one in the US.
-
1. Inspector Morse
John Thaw's opera-loving detective and Kevin Whately's patient Sergeant Lewis solve murders among Oxford's colleges across 33 feature-length films. Adapted from Colin Dexter's novels, it launched a franchise that continued with Lewis and Endeavour.
-
2. Prime Suspect
Helen Mirren's DCI Jane Tennison fights for respect inside a male-dominated Metropolitan Police while leading murder inquiries that rarely offer easy answers. Created by Lynda La Plante, it set the template for the serious, character-led procedurals that followed.
-
3. Line of Duty
Jed Mercurio's thriller follows AC-12, the anti-corruption unit led by Adrian Dunbar's Superintendent Ted Hastings, with Martin Compston and Vicky McClure as its dogged detectives. Each series pits the team against a new suspect while a larger conspiracy builds across all six.
-
4. Happy Valley
Sarah Lancashire plays Sergeant Catherine Cawood, a West Yorkshire officer raising her grandson while confronting the man she holds responsible for her family's tragedy. Written by Sally Wainwright, it tells one complete story across three series.
-
5. Foyle's War
Michael Kitchen plays Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, investigating crimes on the home front in Hastings during the Second World War with his driver Sam Stewart, played by Honeysuckle Weeks. Created by Anthony Horowitz, the later series follow Foyle into post-war intelligence work.
-
6. Midsomer Murders
John Nettles' DCI Tom Barnaby and later his cousin, Neil Dudgeon's DCI John Barnaby, investigate murders in the picture-postcard villages of the fictional county of Midsomer. Based on Caroline Graham's novels, it pairs dark plots with gentle humour and English countryside.
-
7. A Touch of Frost
David Jason plays DI Jack Frost, a scruffy, rule-bending detective with a soft spot for the underdog in the fictional town of Denton. Based on R.D. Wingfield's novels, it balances grim cases with dry humour.
-
8. Endeavour
Shaun Evans plays the young Endeavour Morse in 1960s and 70s Oxford, learning his trade under Roger Allam's DI Fred Thursday. The prequel ran for nine series and fills in the years before John Thaw's Inspector Morse.
-
9. Vera
Brenda Blethyn plays DCI Vera Stanhope, a sharp, unsentimental detective working cases across the Northumberland coast and countryside. Based on Ann Cleeves' novels, it ran for 14 series.
-
10. The Bill
Set among the officers of Sun Hill police station in London, The Bill covered everyday policing as well as major crimes across 26 years on air. Its large ensemble cast gave early roles to many actors who later became familiar faces on British TV.
Modern Crime at Its Best
British police procedurals didn't peak in the eighties — the golden age is still happening. These are the modern shows the community won't stop talking about.
Happy Valley
Sarah Lancashire as Sergeant Catherine Cawood, a Yorkshire officer holding her fractured family together while facing down a psychopath in a raw, gripping BAFTA-winning crime drama.
Line of Duty
AC-12, an anti-corruption unit, investigates bent coppers from within the force, in a compulsive, twist-filled thriller.
Unforgotten
Long-buried cold cases surface with devastating consequences for the people involved. Sanjeev Bhaskar's DI Sunny Khan remains at the heart of the acclaimed series, now partnered with Sinéad Keenan's DCI Jess James.
Luther
Idris Elba as DCI John Luther, a brilliant detective whose empathy for the killers he hunts is exactly what makes him dangerous, in a psychological thriller as much as a police show.
Broadchurch
David Tennant and Olivia Colman investigate the death of an eleven-year-old boy in a small Dorset seaside town, watching the community tear itself apart under the strain.
Blue Lights
Blue Lights begins with three rookie police officers navigating their first year on the beat in Belfast and follows them as they grow into experienced response officers, tense and humane enough to win the 2025 BAFTA TV Award for Best Drama Series.
Where Should You Start?
Cozy Mysteries
These are the shows you return to again and again — warm, clever, and utterly dependable.
Vera
Brenda Blethyn's DCI Vera Stanhope solves murders across the Northumberland landscape in one of Britain's longest-running modern detective dramas.
Shetland
DI Jimmy Pérez, and later DI Ruth Calder, police the remote Shetland Islands, where the landscape is as dramatic as the crimes and the scenery alone makes it worth watching.
Midsomer Murders
Impossibly picturesque English villages with an impossibly high murder rate, warm and endlessly comforting nearly 30 years on the air.
The Timeless Classics
These are the shows that invented the genre. Foundational, essential, and every one of them still completely gripping today.
Inspector Morse
John Thaw's Morse — opera lover, crossword enthusiast, and brilliantly irascible Oxford detective — remains one of the most fully realised characters in British TV history, and the show the entire Morse universe flows from.
Prime Suspect
Helen Mirren stars as DCI Jane Tennison, a brilliant and driven detective confronting institutional sexism while leading complex major-crime investigations across seven series and 15 episodes.
A Touch of Frost
David Jason plays DI Jack Frost, a sloppy, disorganized, but deeply compassionate detective solving cases in the fictional town of Denton across fifteen series.
The Bill
Twenty-six years at Sun Hill police station, following the 1983 pilot Woodentop, made The Bill one of Britain's longest-running police dramas and brought viewers unusually close to the professional and personal lives of its officers.
Endeavour
Shaun Evans plays the young Endeavour Morse in 1960s Oxford across nine series, quietly laying the groundwork for the beloved detective he becomes.
Lewis
Morse's old sergeant steps into the lead as a DI with a thoughtful young partner of his own, DS James Hathaway, in the warmer, gentler middle chapter of the Oxford trilogy.
Brilliant Women Detectives
Some of the genre's most memorable leads are women — three of the best, all featured elsewhere on this page, gathered here in one place.
Prime Suspect
Helen Mirren stars as DCI Jane Tennison, a brilliant and driven detective confronting institutional sexism while leading complex major-crime investigations across seven series and 15 episodes.
Vera
Brenda Blethyn's DCI Vera Stanhope solves murders across the Northumberland landscape in one of Britain's longest-running modern detective dramas.
Happy Valley
Sarah Lancashire as Sergeant Catherine Cawood, a Yorkshire officer holding her fractured family together while facing down a psychopath in a raw, gripping BAFTA-winning crime drama.
Where to Stream in the US
Nearly every show on this page lives on one of two services, with a handful also free on Pluto TV.
Enjoy Cop Dramas with a Cuppa
Ten shows, dozens of seasons, hundreds of cases — the only thing a proper binge of British cop dramas needs is a strong cup of tea and something warm glowing on the table beside you.
What Readers Ask Most
What are the best British police procedurals?
Happy Valley, Line of Duty, and Unforgotten are among the most acclaimed modern crime dramas. For something gentler, Vera and Shetland are consistent favourites, and Inspector Morse remains the genre's classic touchstone.
Where can I stream these British police procedurals in the US?
Most of the classics — Inspector Morse, Prime Suspect, A Touch of Frost, and Vera — are on BritBox. Midsomer Murders and other cozy village mysteries are on Acorn TV.
What's a good British police procedural for beginners?
Vera is one of the most accessible starting points — character-driven and atmospheric without being too dark. For something more modern and fast-paced, Line of Duty is a strong entry point too.
What's the difference between Inspector Morse, Endeavour, and Lewis?
They're all set in the same Oxford universe. Inspector Morse is the original 1987–2000 series. Endeavour is a prequel following a young Morse in the 1960s–70s. Lewis is a sequel following Morse's former sergeant, Robbie Lewis, after Morse's death.
What should I watch after Vera?
Shetland shares Vera's atmospheric, character-first approach to crime drama in a similarly remote setting. Happy Valley is a good next step if you want something with more edge.
Explore More
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 and Acorn TV. This never affects the recommendations — these are genuine editorial favourites.
Join the British TV Hub Community
Thousands of British TV fans trading recommendations, debating favourite episodes, and spotting new premieres together.
British TV Dramas and Mysteries
Classics & New Favourites — the main page. Thousands of followers.
Follow the Page →The Ultimate British Bookshelf
The novels behind your favourite British dramas, plus hidden gems and new releases.
Follow the Page →Monthly British TV Viewer Guide
New premieres, returning favourites, streaming updates and picks worth watching, delivered monthly. Just $2.99 a month — less than a cup of tea.
Subscribe on Facebook →Hosted on Facebook. Tap above to join in seconds.
Five British TV Picks. Every Sunday.
Your weekly guide to what to watch next, plus what’s new on BritBox and Acorn TV.