5 Best New British Detective TV Series Every Fan of the Genre Must See, Ranked by IMDb
The British detective genre is unsurpassed in its ability to create atmosphere, intrigue, and memorable characters.
British detective TV shows are a distinct genre with its own set of rules, atmosphere, and iconic characters. From Sherlock Holmes to Inspector Morse and from Poirot to Shetland, the UK has set the standard for crime dramas for decades.
This list includes classic murder mysteries, dark psychological thrillers, and unexpected experiments with the genre.
5. 'Missed Call', 2026-...
IMDb Score: 5.3/10
Sarah Gleason misses a call from her daughter, Katie, who is away on an exchange program in France. The next day, Katie disappears.
When Sarah arrives in the small French town of Saint-Michel, she encounters suspicious indifference from her host family, the local police, and almost everyone who might have seen Katie during her last days there.
BAFTA Award winner Joanna Scanlan plays the lead role in Missed Call, calling the project a story about every parent's worst nightmare.
4. 'The Dark', 2026-...
IMDb Score: 6.4/10
The body of a 17-year-old boy was found in the Scottish Highlands, carefully arranged in a macabre, ritualistic pose. When investigator Monica arrives at the crime scene, she immediately recognizes the deceased as the younger brother of a local schoolboy whom she had unsuccessfully searched for several years earlier.
Monica is torn between her personal problems and her work when a new victim is taken.
The Dark is an adaptation of GR Halliday's novel From the Shadows, the first in the Monica Kennedy series. Filming took place in Glasgow and Greenock – the melancholy Scottish landscapes were perfect for a slow, eerie detective story.
3. 'The Witness', 2026
IMDb Score: 6.5/10
1992, a summer stroll through Wimbledon Common ended in tragedy when young mother Rachel Nickell was murdered. The only witness to the crime was her two-year-old son, Alex.
While the police searched for years in vain for the perpetrator, the widowed André tried to protect his child from the investigation and the media's intrusive attention.
The miniseries is based on the real-life case of Rachel Nickell and her son's memoirs. The creators shifted the focus from the perpetrator to those who lived with the tragedy's aftermath – the adult witness and his father served as consultants for the project.
2. 'Death Valley', 2025-...
IMDb Score: 7.0/10
Death Valley is one of the coziest British detective series in recent years. The first season, which premiered in 2025, attracted a record-breaking audience for an original BBC comedy.
In the second season, former TV detective star John Chapel and Detective Inspector Jane Mallowan team up again to solve bizarre crimes in a Welsh town.
However, this time, their partnership is overshadowed by personal circumstances: Jane is struggling to come to terms with John's affair with her mother. The duo must investigate murders in a medieval castle, on a film set, and at a rugby club.
1. 'Believe Me', 2026
IMDb Score: 7.6/10
Sarah, a young mother, goes out with friends for the first time in a while and returns home by taxi. The chatty driver boasts about a big win at the casino and insists on offering champagne to celebrate.
Sarah only takes a couple sips, but the next morning, she wakes up with memory lapses and signs of a violent night. It soon becomes clear that her story is far from unique.
The detective show is based on the real-life case of London taxi driver John Worboys. The creators devote minimal attention to Worboys, focusing instead on the women he victimized and the systemic police failures that allowed him to remain free for years.
