15 Best Shows To Watch if You Like Major Crimes, Ranked

1. Line of Duty (2012 – 2021)

Line of Duty is a British series about an anti-corruption police unit called AC-12. Think internal affairs are the boring guys? You couldn't be more wrong. This show takes us into the murky waters where good cops go bad. The team, led by Superintendent Ted Hastings, investigates compromised colleagues, unearthing intricate webs of conspiracy and corruption. One of the standout storylines involves an undercover officer infiltrating a group of corrupt cops.

2. Broadchurch (2013 – 2017)

Also a Brit import, Broadchurch kicks off with the murder of an 11-year-old boy in a sleepy coastal town. So, who did it? The two detectives—Ellie Miller, a local, and Alec Hardy, a newcomer with a dark past—dive headfirst into the case. They scrutinize every resident, from the local priest to the boy's own family. We won't spoil it here, but the answer is as messed up as can be.

3. Bosch (2014 – 2021)

Based on Michael Connelly's novels, this one features LAPD detective Harry Bosch. He's your quintessential lone-wolf cop with a moral compass. In season one, he's standing trial for shooting a suspect while also investigating a cold case involving a young boy's bones found in the woods. Bosch is relentless, often butting heads with his superiors and even breaking a few rules to solve the case.

4. The Fall (2013 – 2016)

A show set in Northern Ireland. This one gives you both sides of the coin—a skilled detective, Stella Gibson, and a creepy-as-hell serial killer, Paul Spector. Spector stalks and kills young women, while Gibson is brought in to catch him. The chasing game is intense, with Spector going to great lengths to elude capture, even hiding in plain sight by maintaining a normal family life.

5. Mindhunter (2017 – 2019)

Set in the late 70s, it follows FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench, along with psychologist Wendy Carr. They interview imprisoned serial killers to understand their mindset and develop criminal profiles. While they're diving deep into the minds of killers like Edmund Kemper and Jerry Brudos, they're also grappling with office politics and personal demons.

6. Unbelievable (2019)

This limited series is inspired by true events and follows the story of Marie, a young woman accused of lying about her rape. Parallelly, two detectives in another state, Grace Rasmussen and Karen Duvall, are investigating similar cases. They eventually connect the dots and realize they're chasing a serial rapist. The pursuit is nerve-wracking, involving everything from stakeouts to DNA tests, and they finally corner their guy.

7. Signal (2016)

This South Korean drama uses a walkie-talkie to connect detectives from the past and the future. Hae-Young, a profiler in 2015, finds this magical device and starts communicating with Jae-Han, a detective from 1989. They solve cold cases together, affecting the timeline and occasionally, messing things up. The plot weaves through multiple decades, and they even prevent the death of Jae-Han's lover.

8. Happy Valley (2014 – 2023)

Set in a small British town, this one stars Sarah Lancashire as Catherine Cawood, a strong-willed police sergeant. She's dealing with the suicide of her daughter, who was raped, and now the rapist, Tommy, is out of prison. Alongside this personal vendetta, she's also solving a kidnapping case that spirals into a mess involving multiple families.

9. Hinterland (2013 – 2016)

Another British import, but this one's set in Wales and it's dark, so please consider yourself warned. Like, really dark. Detective Chief Inspector Tom Mathias is a tortured soul, living in a caravan and dealing with some nasty cases. In one arc, a young woman's body is found in a bathtub, and Mathias uncovers a web of local secrets, including a decades-old case of a missing girl.

10. Fortitude (2015 – 2018)

Set in a fictional Arctic Norwegian settlement, the first season deals with a mysterious murder and a fatal disease connected to an unearthed mammoth carcass. As local sheriff Dan Anderssen delves into the case, what starts as a murder mystery morphs into a terrifying epidemic scenario, putting the whole community at risk.

11. Shetland (2013 – Present)

The remote Scottish archipelago. Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez, a widower with a step-daughter, has his work cut out for him. Imagine solving a teen girl's murder with tight-knit community dynamics at play. Jimmy and his team have to sift through local legends, family rivalries, and even treasure hunters.

12. The Killing (2011 – 2014)

Based on the Danish series Forbrydelsen, this show tackles the murder of a teenage girl, Rosie Larsen, in Seattle. Detectives Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder dig deep into the case, which gets murky with political conspiracies. At one point, they suspect Rosie's own teacher.

13. Marcella (2016 – 2020)

Here we have a British show featuring Marcella Backland, a former detective who's going through a messy divorce. She returns to work to solve an 11-year-old case of a serial killer who has become active again. She's tough as nails but also battles blackouts where she becomes violent. One of the creepiest moments? She finds her own children tied up at home and has no recollection of doing it.

14. Cardinal (2017 – 2020)

Set in Canada, this series follows Detective John Cardinal and his partner Lise Delorme. In the first season, they're investigating the murder of a young girl, which leads them to a serial killer who manipulates people into killing for him. Cardinal himself has his hands full, plagued by his wife's mental illness and dealing with internal corruption within the police force.

15. Gomorrah (2014 – 2021)

Gomorrah exposes the grim underbelly of Naples through the eyes of Ciro Di Marzio, a member of the Savastano clan. This isn't your typical police procedural; it's more about the criminals. Ciro aims to ascend the mob hierarchy but faces ruthless competition, betrayals, and all kinds of violent twists and turns. The guy literally pushes his wife off a balcony to keep a secret.