I love a good detective show. The mystery, the intrigue, everything about these shows keeps me on the edge of my seat, and playing detective myself. There’s just something intoxicating about these shows, and they make for a great binge-watch.
Each year brings an assortment of new crime shows that will grab your attention, and 2025 is no different. We’ve been treated to a great line-up of detective shows that I (and viewers in general) simply can’t get enough of. Here’s the detective shows of 2025 that should be on your radar, and ignite the inner Sherlock Holmes within you.
10
‘Missing You’
Created by Harlan Coben
2025 didn’t waste any time giving us one of the best detective shows of the year. Premiering on Netflix on New Year’s Day, Missing You, which is an adaptation of the Harlan Coben novel of the same name, stars Rosalind Eleazar as Detective Inspector Kat Donovan, who finds her missing fiancé on a dating app, and seeks to find clues as to what led to his disappearance, and reappearance.
The storyline is something unlike you’d ever encounter in a detective show. How does one person disappear and then, all of a sudden, pop up on a dating app ten years after said disappearance? It’s a crazy premise, one that I was completely invested in over its five-episode run. I won’t spoil anything, but the final episode will have your jaw dropping to the floor.
9
‘Virdee’
Created by A A Dhand
Great Britain has, so far, had a banner year in detective shows, and one of the best is Virdee, which premiered in February on the BBC. As a six-part miniseries adapted from the City of Sinners crime novel series by A A Dhand, Virdee follows detective Harry Virdee (Staz Nair) as he tracks down a serial killer who is targeting Asians in the Bradford area of West Yorkshire.
Virdee is both disturbing to watch and too intoxicating to turn away from. You will be just as dedicated as Detective Virdee to trying to find out who’s killing innocent Asians, and watching Virdee try to solve the mystery without stepping over the line is something that kept me interested all the way to the final episode.
Virdee
- Release Date
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February 10, 2025
- Network
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BBC One
8
‘Art Detectives’
Created by Dan Gaster, Will Ing, and Paul Powell
Crime shows often touch on hardened criminals who do heinous crimes. It’s a trope that’s as old as the time, so creators Dan Gastor, Will Ing, and Paul Powell decided to do something different for their detective show: focus on heritage crime.
That’s the premise of Art Detectives, starring Stephen Moyer and Nina Singh as detectives within the Metropolitan Police Department’s Heritage Crime Unite, which investigates crimes against art and collectibles in London. It’s a fun twist to the traditional detective procedural, and while the premise may sound dull on its face, trust me when I say, this show will have you hooked.
7
‘Bergerac’
Created by Toby Whithouse
Back in the tubular ’80s, there was not a better British detective series out there than Bergerac, which was a staple on the BBC from 1981 all the way until 1991. So, the time was ripe for the BBC to reboot this legendary detective series for a modern audience. Hence, we have the show that’s currently on today, and it’s just as good as the original.
Modern-day Bergerac follows Jim Bergerac (Damien Molony), an ex-cop who comes face-to-face with a past case when a wealthy woman is found dead. WIth this troubling case, Bergerac has to overcome his own demons and re-discover his passion for detective work in order to solve the murder. The rebooted Bergerac works very well as a miniseries, and this series would make for a great weekend binge-watch if you have nothing to do.
6
‘Countdown’
Created by Derek Haas
While Britain has been having a moment when it comes to detective shows, America isn’t far behind, and one of the best shows of the year comes from creator Derek Haas in Countdown, which premiered on Prime Video in June. Starring Supernatural alum Jensen Ackles as Detective Mark Meachum, Countdown follows the LAPD detective as he is brought onto a covert task force to track down a murderer who killed a Department of Homeland Security officer in plain sight.
WIth twists and turns in every direction, the fast-paced nature of Countdown presents a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the opening credits. Currently sitting on just one season, this is a series that I would not mind having a second, as the acting and storyline are just that dang good.
Countdown
- Release Date
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June 25, 2025
- Network
-
Prime Video
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Jensen Ackles
Mark Meachum
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Jessica Camacho
Amber Oliveras
5
‘The Residence’
Created by Paul William Davies
When The Residence was canceled by Netflix after one season, I was heartbroken. The series was not only one of the best detective shows of 2025, but one of the best new shows of the year. The Residence had a stellar cast, led by Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp, an intriguing detective who works to solve a murder at the White House.
The series will take you into every crevice of the White House as you work with Detective Cupp in trying to find the killer in one of the most prestigious houses in the world. Not only does The Residence have a great mystery in an intriguing setting, but the series is also hilarious, leaving you holding your stomach while also trying to crack the case wide open.
4
‘Smoke’
Created by Dennis Lehane
No one likes arsonists, so if there’s one that is plaguing the Pacific Northwest, investigators Dave Gudsen (Taron Egerton) and Michelle Calderon (Jurnee Smollett) are on the case in this sterling Apple TV+ series Smoke. Set in the aforementioned Pacific Northwest, Gudsen and Calderon must work against the clock to stop two serial arsonists who are hell-bent on setting the region ablaze.
Much like Art Detectives, Smoke takes a unique approach to the detective series, choosing to focus on arsonists instead of the usual “killer” suspect. It’s this unique approach, plus the great performances of Egerton and Smollett, that makes Smoke a must-watch if you love detective shows.
Smoke
- Release Date
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June 26, 2025
- Network
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Apple TV+
3
‘Sherlock & Daughter’
Created by Brendan Foley
Now, you know that I can’t have a list of the detective shows that you can’t list without mentioning the man that ignites my inner sleuth, Sherlock Holmes. This time, the famous detective, played by David Thewlis, is bringing his daughter (Blu Hunt) with him in The CW hit Sherlock & Daughter.
I know, I know, you saw the words “CW” and immediately thought of the worst, but trust me when I say, Sherlock & Daughter is one of the best shows on the network this year. It doesn’t do anything fancy – it sticks to the tried-and-true that makes Sherlock Holmes such an iconic character. This is one CW show that you should definitely binge-watch.
2
‘Adolescence’
Created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham
What can truly be said about Adolescence that hasn’t already been said? The Netflix miniseries is one of the best of the year, and will leave you speechless by the time the credits roll in the final episode. If you’re one of the three people who have yet to watch the series, here’s the skinny: Starring Stephen Graham, the series follows detectives as they work to solve the murder of a young schoolgirl, with the prime suspect being a 13-year-old boy, Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper).
Well-known for its captivating one-takes, Adolescence is both a traditional detective drama, and a chilling one. There is just something unsettling about watching police detectives question a child, and even more nerving, thinking that a 13-year-old could be capable of murder. It’s a horrifying look at the psyche of not just a detective, but a potential young murderer, and the whole thing will have your blood curling.
Adolescence
- Release Date
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March 13, 2025
- Network
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Netflix
1
‘Dept. Q’
Created by Scott Frank and Chandni Lakhani
I’ve talked a lot about British detective shows on this list, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the one show that I simply can’t get enough of comes from the home of the Union Jack. A spectacular crime drama, Dept. Q follows detective Carl Morck (Matthew Goode), a top detective who is tapped to lead the cold case unit of Scotland’s Department Q.
Goode is tremendous in the role as the emotionally-challenged Morck, and it’s thrilling to watch this team crack open cases that have perplexed other investigators for years. Exciting, tense, and exciting, Dept. Q grabbed my attention in the first episode and never let go. If you don’t binge-watch any other show on this list (which you absolutely should), this is one you must stream. You won’t regret a minute of it.
Dept. Q
- Release Date
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May 29, 2025
- Network
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Netflix