Dozens of new British crime series premiered in 2024 and in the long list of TV shows, there should be something for everyone. Across the pond, crime series remain just as popular as their American cousins, and though in the past some audiences haven't always British television remains a staple of pop culture, with series like Baby Reindeer, Sweetpea, and Bridgerton premiering or continuing in 2024.
Crime dramas also continue to capture the imagination, with Slow Horses, True Detective: Night Country, Fargo, Griselda, and Under the Bridge all being acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, and cleaning up at the Emmys and Golden Globes as well. Many will already recognize some of those titles as British productions, but even that categorization may have flown under others' radar, which just goes to show how well-integrated the country's productions are into American streamers. There are plenty of great series to pick from, but some stand out.
15 Ellis
The Stoic DCI Helps Floundering Police Investigations
In Ellis, also titled Inspector Ellis, the titular DCI Ellis (Sharon D. Clarke) and her assistant DS Chet Harper (Andrew Gower) are sent around to local police departments in order to help with investigations that aren't going so well. Watching the mismatched pair get along well and work together is satisfying, particularly because they are often bonded by the resentment they receive from the departments they are sent to. Clarke is fantastic as the stoic Ellis. There are currently no plans for a second season.
14 The Red King
A Detective Investigates A Tourist Trap Hiding A Dark Secret

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The Red King
- Release Date
- April 24, 2024
- Network
- Alibi
Cast
- Jill HalfpennyDCI Ann Fletcher
- Anjli MohindraGrace Narayan
- Sam SwainsburyFather Douglas Carrisford
- Adjoa AndohLady Heather Nancarrow
In The Red King, Grace (Anjli Mohindra) is a detective sergeant posted at the fictional Welsh island, St. Jory. The island is home to a 100-year-old pagan cult called the True Way. Though locals claim the official cult no longer exists and only serves as a way to bring in tourists, the murder of a young boy leads Grace and police constable Owen (James Bamford) to wonder if the cult isn't extinct after all. Dry, dark, and whip-smart, The Red King is a lot more fun than the premise would suggest. A second season has yet to be announced.
13 Red Eye
A Detective Escorts A Murder Suspect On A Dangerous Flight
Red Eye is a six-part crime thriller that takes place entirely on an all-night flight from London to Beijing. A British man, Dr. Matthew Nolan (Richard Armitage) is accused of murdering someone in China, and is extradited from England under the escort of Detective Hana Li (Jing Lusi). The premise of Red Eye is more interesting than the twists and turns dotted throughout, but it's still a pretty great premise. Since it only takes place on one flight, it's easy and fun to binge, with each episode falling right into the next. It's also been renewed for season 2 (via RadioTimes).
12 Nightsleeper
A Disgraced Detective Tries To Stop A Train Hi-jacking

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Nightsleeper
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
- Network
- BBC One
Cast
- Abby Aysgarth
- Joe ColeJoe Roag
- Ruth MadeleyChrissy Doolan
- Erin Connolly
Nightsleeper takes place in real-time onboard the Heart of Britain, a fictional sleeper train that is traveling from London to Glasgow. On board is Joe Roag (Joe Cole), a Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector who's on the run after being accused of theft. When someone mysterious tries to take control of the train, Joe gets in touch with Abby Aysgarth (Alexandra Roach), Technical Director of the National Cyber Security Centre to save everyone on board. Filled with adrenaline, but often totally ridiculous, Nightsleeper will please a certain type of fan. Season 2 has not been confirmed.
11 The Jetty
A Fire Investigation Resurrects An Old Missing Persons Case
In The Jetty, Jenna Coleman stars as Detective Ember Manning, who is played by Connie Jenkins-Greig in flashback sequences. When Manning investigates a fire in a picturesque Lancashire town, memories of an old missing person are suddenly unearthed. Coleman is excellent in the role, playing an incredibly complicated and damaged character, who has a nose for police work. It's a gripping if sometimes clichéd mystery with turns at every corner. The Jetty season 2 has yet to be announced.
10 Return To Paradise
A Charming DI Is Forced To Work In The Quiet Australian Town Of Dolphin Cove

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Return to Paradise
- Release Date
- September 8, 2024
- Network
- ABC TV
Cast
- Alan DukesKeith Cole
- Anni FinstererDonna Smithwick
- Catherine McClementsSenior Sergeant Philomena Strong
- Celia IrelandUncredited
The Australian-British crime comedy-drama Return to Paradise is the second spin-off of the popular Death in Paradise series. The show follows Australian-born DI Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) who works for London's Metropolitan Police Force, but when she returns to Dolphin Cove in Australia, she is forced to stay there semi-permanently and the local, eccentric police force. Just like the other shows in the Death in Paradise franchise, Return to Paradise is a charming, warming tale with likable characters, and some interesting cases thrown in for good measure. Season 2 has not been announced yet.
9 enger
A Dark But Funny Small Town Crime Series
Wunmi Mosaku stars in enger as Riya Ajunwa, a former Metropolitan police officer who moves from Manchester to Chadder Vale to take care of her mother-in-law. There isn't much to do in Chadder Vale beyond arresting petty criminals, but when Katie Wells (Rowan Robinson) goes missing, Riya might start wishing it was just petty crimes she had to deal with. Mosaku is as good as ever, bringing gravity and sweetness to the character and, despite the darkness of the plot, there's a lot of welcome humor. enger has not been renewed for season 2.
8 Fool Me Once
Two Disappearances Have A Strange Connection Across The Years

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Fool Me Once
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
- Showrunner
- Danny Brocklehurst
- Directors
- David Moore, Nimer Rashed
- Writers
- Danny Brocklehurst
Fool Me Once follows the aftermath of the murder of Joe Burkett (Richard Armitage). His widowed wife, Maya Stern (Michelle Keegan), soon discovers that her husband may have faked his death. At the same time, Maya's niece and nephew, Abby (Dänya Griver) and Daniel (Daniel Burt), wonder if there's a connection between their uncle and their mother's murder from years before. Fool Me Once is filled with excellent performances from the ensemble cast, but the numerous twists can be exhausting. Fool Me Once season 2, unfortunately, won't be happening anytime soon (via RadioTimes).
7 Eric
An Odd Man Imagines A Puppet Is Alive To Help Him Find His Missing Son
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Vincent Anderson in the British crime series, Eric, a psychological thriller about an unhappy and unfulfilled puppeteer living in 1980s New York City whose young son suddenly goes missing. As his investigation drives everyone close to him away, he comes to depend on a seven-foot-tall puppet named Eric. It's a bizarrely intriguing story with a fantastic performance at the center by Cumberbatch and manages to startle as much as it elicits laughter. There is no release date for Eric season 2.
6 Joan
A True Story About A Mother's Rise From Rags To Riches
The ITV miniseries Joan is based on a true story and stars Sophie Turner as the titular Londonite. Joan O'Connell-Hannington is a housewife and mother who begins stealing small items before moving up to jewelry and eventually becoming a leader in the British criminal underworld. The series lives and dies on Turner's performance, and it's one of the best of her career as the charming, intelligent, and fun-loving Joan. The feminist edge of the series offers even more for viewers to explore. There has been no news about Joan season 2.
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