15 best British TV crime dramas of all time (so far)
10. Line of Duty
Number of seasons: 5 seasons so far
Created by: Jed Mercurio
Starring: Martin Compston, Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar, Craig Parkinson, Lennie James, Keeley Hawes, Daniel Mays, Thandie Newton, and Stephen Graham
What it’s about: Most TV crime dramas, even British TV crime dramas, will focus on cops catching criminals. But what about the dirty cops in the world? That’s what Line of Duty focuses on. We get a series about cops catching bad cops, which adds an extra element as bad cops can work their way around the system.
Why it’s the best The different focus is certainly one of the reasons this TV show quickly became so popular. It wasn’t a case of figuring out who the murderer was. We got a series that focused on catching the bad cops in the service; one that showed that there are people out there who try to make the system better.
At the same time, there was a lot of development for the characters personally. We had a chance to see how work and personal lives would mix, and how sometimes they just wouldn’t.
9. Ripper Street
Number of seasons: 5 seasons
Created by: Richard Warlow
Starring: Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn, Adam Rothenberg, MyAnna Buring
What it’s about: Set in 1889, six months after Jack the Ripper’s last murder, we follow Whitechapel’s H Division. There’s a new murder, and it looks like Jack the Ripper may be back. It’s up to H Division to figure out if that’s the case, and then catch the real killer.
Why it’s the best Ripper Street wasn’t afraid to get gritty and real. We didn’t just get a series about solving murders. It was one about the lack of equality in the world, both in terms of work and the number of women murdered compared to men. The series delved into those who were disenfranchised, leading to various actions they were willing to take.
It was also a time of fear. It’s easy now to look back and say everyone was safe after Jack the Ripper’s last murder, but the killer was still somewhere out there. Nobody knew if he would strike again. His work would remain on the mind of all, even across in America. Ripper Street managed to deliver on those emotions, while giving us a thrilling drama.