TV Shows are the ultimate distraction. And if they’re actually good – I’d go as far as saying they’re a window into another fascinating universe that will make you forget about your daily struggles for a while, and provide top quality entertainment that will inspire you and keep you going for days to come. The only problem these days is that there are so many shows available but so few of them are actually worthwhile. That’s why today we’re going to share with you a list of detective series that are actually good and worth the time you spend watching them.
1. Sherlock (BBC)
The letters of praise that I can write about this show would flood the BBC offices and the threatening scenarios I’ve made up in my head to make them shoot more of the show would make the creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat consider changing their home addresses. It’s based on Conan Doyle’s stories but modernized in a brilliant way that still retains the feel of the classic detective but makes him more relatable (well as much as a high-functioning genius sociopath can be) and at home in the current century. The scripts are witty, fast-paced and will draw you in from the first line. The camerawork and sets are impeccable. And, of course, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman make acting look easy and their unique chemistry sends sparks flying from the screen. You watch this show once and instantly become an addict begging for more.
2. True Detective
If you like detective series this one will get your stamp of approval. The seasons aren’t connected to each other so you don’t have to watch all of them if you don’t want to or don’t have time for a long TV series. But the first season with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson is a must-watch. It’s dark, it’s very real and it shows you a timeline of two detectives investigating a murder over multiple years. I don’t want to give away any plot but it’s a worthwhile show and the long list of awards including Emmys, Golden Globes and Baftas speak for themselves.
3. Manifest
The plot of this show centers around a group of people who while travelling from Jamaica to New York by plain developed a set of superpowers. Once they land they find out that somehow while on the plane they skipped 5 years forward and their life circumstances have changed. They now have to find a way to deal with this and learn how to live in this new world, while their abilities don’t make it any easier and a cult following is growing around them.
4. Big Little Lies
A sudden murder happens at a charity function in the idyllic town of Monterey. A group of wealthy mothers become unlikely detectives trying to solve the mystery of this murder in order to keep their kids safe. It’s beautifully shot, the cast is full of stars and the views of California are to die for. Think about it, would Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Kravitz and Shailene Woodley would agree to be in the same show if it wasn’t good? Yeah, our point exactly.
5. Altered Carbon
This futuristic cyberpunk detective series from Netflix that’s actually mind-blowing. The events are set in the future where death is no longer a permanent threat. You can get a second chance to live by being put in a new body. The main hero’s mind was imprisoned for years and now he’s given a chance to live again, but in exchange for that, he has to solve a murder. It’s weird, it’s unusual, it’s definitely worth your time.
6. Stranger
A South Korean drama series about a detective, who due to a surgery in his childhood has lost all ability to feel emotions. He’s ruled by logic and hard evidence, which is a great thing for his job, he’s a true professional, the best of the best when it comes to being a detective. But his recent case is very unusual because it happens in between him being hired by someone and arriving at the scene. A female police officer is working the case with him, helping him to solve the mystery and in the process make him a better man. Sounds like a very interesting take on the classic Sherlock story, but it’s South Korean so you know it’ll have great twists.