8 British Crime Dramas to Watch After Finishing Peaky Blinders

1. "Whitechapel" (2009-2013)

Take a stroll down the notorious East London district in "Whitechapel." This series is like a beautifully prepared dish of fish and chips wrapped in the newspaper of dark, bloody, historical crimes. The series kicks off with a modern-day Jack the Ripper copycat and then rolls into a Kray twins-inspired series of crimes. A jittery, fresh-faced detective paired with a grizzled, seen-it-all sergeant navigates through gruesome, bizarre, and history-infused mysteries. The charm of "Whitechapel" is in its weaving of true crime, historical lore, and compelling storytelling. Think "CSI" meets "Ripper Street," with a dash of "Sherlock" for good measure.

2. "Unforgotten" (2015-present)

If "CSI" and "This Is Us" had a British baby, it'd probably be "Unforgotten." Each series revolves around a cold case from decades ago, unearthed (sometimes literally) and re-examined by our dogged detectives, Cassie Stuart and Sunny Khan. What makes this show stand out from the usual crime dramas is how it delves into the impact of the crime on the victims' loved ones, and the secrets that surface are more tangled than a ball of yarn in a cat's paw. It's poignant, it's gripping, and it's got more layers than a British winter outfit. Plus, who doesn't love a good cold case?

3. "Line of Duty" (2012-2021)

If you thought your office politics were cutthroat, wait until you get a load of "Line of Duty." It's a cat-and-mouse game that takes place within the confines of an anti-corruption unit, known as AC-12. It's got more twists and turns than a rollercoaster designed by M. C. Escher. Who's corrupt? Who's clean? Who knows? The real crime here would be missing out on this heart-stopping, binge-worthy series. It's "The Wire" meets "Spooks," but with more tea and wonderfully thick British accents.

4. "Broadchurch" (2013-2017)

"Broadchurch" is like a postcard-perfect seaside town with a heart of darkness. It's a place where you can enjoy an ice cream cone one moment and stumble upon a murder mystery the next. This gripping whodunit revolving around the murder of a local boy will glue you to your seat. With David Tennant's brooding detective and Olivia Colman's empathetic sergeant leading the investigation, the performances alone are worth the watch. It's like "Twin Peaks" had a British cousin who prefers tea over coffee and rainy beaches over foggy forests.

5. "Luther" (2010-2019)

Next up, we've got "Luther." It's like Shakespearean tragedy met modern crime drama and had a baby named John Luther. Played with mesmerizing intensity by Idris Elba, Luther is a detective who walks a razor-thin line between morality and lawlessness. His high-wire act between genius and madness is as tense as a British standoff, where the weapons are dry wit and icy glares instead of guns. Each episode weaves complex psychological narratives that unfold in the dim, grim streets of London. It's Sherlock Holmes with more shadows, less pretentiousness, and just a dash of chaos.

6. "Happy Valley" (2014-present)

Whoever named this show was clearly having a laugh. It's set in the Calder Valley (hence the name), but there's precious little to be happy about. Sarah Lancashire's portrayal of the no-nonsense sergeant Catherine Cawood is so powerful it could punch through a brick wall. This show packs a punch with its gritty, unfiltered portrayal of crime in a small town. It's like "Midsomer Murders," but if it swapped out its cozy cottages for grimy estates and its upper-class tiffs for hard-hitting social issues.

7. "The Fall" (2013-2016)

The next stop on our British crime drama tour is Northern Ireland, for the slow-burn thriller, "The Fall." Think "Criminal Minds" meets "Mad Men," with a dash of cat and mouse. It's not a whodunit, but a 'whydunit'. We know from the start that Jamie Dornan's Paul Spector is the killer, but the thrill lies in the pursuit led by Gillian Anderson's unflappable detective, Stella Gibson. This series delves deep into the psyche of a killer and the detective who matches him in intellect and determination. The tension is thicker than clotted cream on a scone, and trust me, you'll be on the edge of your seat faster than you can say, "Pass the Earl Grey."

8. "Marcella" (2016-present)

Wrapping up our list, we have "Marcella," the series that's darker than a pint of Guinness in a power outage. Marcella Backland, played by Anna Friel, is a detective who's as flawed as they come. She's got more baggage than Heathrow Airport and a personal life messier than a British kebab after a night out. With a narrative as unpredictable as the English weather, this show swings from shocking revelations to gut-wrenching emotional scenes in the blink of an eye. It's as if "Law & Order" took a dark turn down a winding British country road and crashed into "The Girl on the Train."