Morally gray characters, gritty storylines, and unforgiving twists–these are the best tv crime dramas and where to stream them.
By
Updated 5 months ago,December 9, 2024
More so than most television genres, crime series have provided viewers with a dependable supply of first-rate TV shows, from renowned AMC crime series to Netflix-exclusive period dramas.
Constructing intricate narratives around their complex, morally ambiguous main characters, these television shows possess almost Shakespearean levels of depth and nuance, presenting storylines that captured worldwide attention from their first season onward.
The Sopranos / HBO
The Sopranos
More often than not, when people are challenged to think of a crime series, the first show that comes to mind is the HBO classic, The Sopranos.
A series that forever changed how audiences regarded televised stories,The Sopranosachieved a newfound level of respect reserved only for literary fiction or Hollywood-produced crime films.
Prioritizing vivid characterization above all else, The Sopranosshowcased a startling level of realism when it came to traditional Mafia-oriented stories, influencing numerous TV series, movies, books, and video games that followed.
The Wire
Airing around the same time asThe Sopranos, The Wirehelped establish HBO as a reliable source of entertainment for mass audiences in the early 2000s.
An ambitious crime drama deconstructing Baltimores judicial system,The Wireprovided an in-depth analysis into how societal institutions play a part in the spread of crime, from the drug dealers peddling their wares on the street to the reporters writing about it in the newspapers.
Shifting perspectives with each new season, critical appreciation ofThe Wireonly continues to grow more favorable over time, accounting its respected reputation alongsideThe SopranosandBreaking Badtoday.
HBO
Breaking Bad
SucceedingThe SopranosandThe Wires place as the next prestigious show to dominate TV airwaves,Breaking Badobtained the same favorable standing as the aforementioned series, right down to the multiple Emmy Awards the show garnered at its peak.
Constructing its story around the average family man Walter White (Bryan Cranston),Breaking Badmanaged to convey realistic growth for each of its main characters, roping viewers in through Walters gradual metamorphosis from ordinary high school chemistry teacher into a sociopathic criminal kingpin.
Boardwalk Empire
When people think of organized crime, they typically think of fedoras, trench coats, Tommy guns, and souped-up vintage Cadillacs.
HBO
All of this and more is featured within HBOsBoardwalk Empire, an historical crime drama set against the American Prohibition movement of the 1920s and 30s.
Exploring the rise of organized crime in New York and New Jersey prior to World War II,Boardwalk Empirealso focuses on one mans struggle to find his identity, coming to terms with his status as a powerful mob boss in league with notorious figures like Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg), Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza), and Al Capone (Stephen Graham).
Peaky Blinders
WhileBoardwalk Empiredoes an exceptional job examining Prohibition-era Atlantic City,Peaky Blindersaccomplishes a similar feat with their portrayal of interwar England.
AMC
Set against the industrial backdrop of 1920s Birmingham,Peaky Blindersfollows the exploits of the titular criminal factiona working-class street gang led by Cillian Murphys traumatized mobster, Tommy Shelby.
Taking advantage of its fascinating historical time period,Peaky Blindersthrived at illustrating new events sweeping across Europe at the start of the 20th century, from the burgeoning rise of fascism, socialism, and communism to the imminent arrival of the New York Mafia in international crime circles.
Fargo
Most people correctly assumed it would take a show of immense quality to measure the award-winning heights of the Coen brothers 1996 crime film,Fargo.
HBO
Yet the moment FXsFargofirst aired, it was immediately clear that the series possessed every characteristic that made the original film so successful in the first place.
Boasting exceptional writing, exquisite performances, and fittingly quirky characters from one season to the next,Fargomade for a more than fitting spin-off to the Coens Oscar-winning dark comedy.
Better Call Saul
In a twist no one couldve expected, showrunner Vince Gilligan somehow managed to pilot a spin-off show every bit as engaging as its masterclass work onBreaking Bad.Providing a deft prologue for the opportunistic lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk),Better Call Saul constructed a compelling portrait around its lead character, illustrating Sauls slow transformation from aspiring public defendant to the ambulance-chasing huckster viewers see inBreaking Bad.
BBC Two
FX
AMC
