Search results
Jun 19, 2023 · The Best British TV Female Detective Series. To keep this list from getting truly insane, we've only included those shows where one or more female detectives are the primary focus, or where a female detective gets roughly equal screen time and billing when compared to her male co-lead.
- Olivia Benson: ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ (1999 to Present) Topping my list with stellar sleuthing skills and an exceptional solve rate is none other than Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) of “Law & Order: SVU.”
- Mary Beth Lacey and Christine Cagney: ‘Cagney & Lacey’ (1982 to 1988) Throwing it back to a 1980s series, we have “Cagney & Lacey.” The pair of New York City police detectives, played by Tyne Daly as Lacey and (mostly) Sharon Gless as Cagney, beat the bad guys and combat patriarchal vibes.
- Emily Prentiss: ‘Criminal Minds’ (2005 to 2020, 2022 to Present) “Criminal Minds” is one of my favorite series of all time across all genres. Various FBI agents have led the esteemed Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) during the series and its spinoff, “Criminal Minds: Evolution,” but only one leading lady deserves a top-three spot on this list.
- Lilly Rush: ‘Cold Case’ (2003 to 2010) Slotting in near the top of my sleuth scale, Detective Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris) and her knack for uncovering the truth in long-unsolved murder cases is unmatched.
- Georgia May
- Broadchurch (2013) Created by Chris Chibnall. Starring David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker. Crime, Drama, Mystery. 24 episodes (3 seasons) 8.4 on IMDb.
- Happy Valley (2014) Created by Sally Wainwright. Starring Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, James Norton. Crime, Drama, Thriller. 18 episodes (3 seasons)
- Mare of Easttown (2021) Created by Brad Ingelsby. Starring Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, Jean Smart. Crime, Drama, Mystery. 7 episodes (1 season) 8.4 on IMDb.
- Sharp Objects (2018) Created by Marti Noxon. Starring Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Messina. Crime, Drama, Mystery. 8 episodes (1 season) 8.1 on IMDb. Technically, Camille Preaker (played by Amy Adams) is a journalist, not a cop.
- The Level. The Level is a British crime drama series that stars Karla Crome as Nancy Devlin, a detective sergeant who finds herself caught in a dangerous web of lies and deceit while investigating a murder case.
- The Bridge. The Bridge is a Scandinavian crime drama series that follows a partnership between a Danish and a Swedish detective as they investigate murders that occur on the bridge connecting the two countries.
- The Closer. The Closer is an American police procedural series that features Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a skilled interrogator, and leader of the LAPD’s Priority Homicide Division.
- The Bletchley Circle. The Bletchley Circle is a unique British mystery series that follows a group of four female codebreakers from World War II who reunite in the 1950s to solve crimes using their skills in deduction and cryptography.
- Angie Dickinson, Police Woman (1974-78) The phrase “police woman” sounded bizarre to people in 1974, but Dickinson, now 88, made her tough yet feminine crime buster, Sgt.
- Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless, Cagney & Lacey (1982-88) TV had seen crime-fighting females before, but the idea of a female-buddies cop show was revolutionary.
- Angela Lansbury, Murder, She Wrote (1984-96) Lansbury, 94, won worldwide fame at 59 as Agatha Christie-like Jessica Fletcher, a smart and successful mystery writer who put all that skill to work for real when her small town, Cabot Cove, became infested by murderers and she had to solve a case a week.
- Helen Mirren, Prime Suspect (1991-2006) London's ruthlessly intelligent, cranky (especially whilst quitting smoking) Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison was inspired by real-life DCI Jackie Malton, who also triumphed over sexist colleagues as well as criminals.
Apr 16, 2021 · 1. Vera kicked off in 2011, with Brenda Blethyn taking on the title role. DCI Vera Stanthrope is not your typical law enforcer, saying it how it is and even being a bit rude on some occasions. But, with her time dedicated to solving murders, there is no time to mince words.
People also ask
Do TV detectives have a female lead?
Do women get equal treatment in British TV mysteries?
Is Mare Sheehan an on-screen detective?
Who plays Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison in prime suspect?
May 6, 2020 · Here’s a streaming guide that features a few female detectives and sleuths who are particularly glamorous.
