Along with ITVX, BBC iPlayer is home to some of the best crime dramas available to stream for free. Here are my favourites, award winners and highly rated crime dramas you should add to your watchlist.
WYALAN Ranked, Rated and Recommended
WYALAN star rating explained:
- 5 stars – Highly enjoyed and would highly recommend as a must watch
- 4 stars – Enjoyed and would watch again in the future
- 3 stars – Glad I watched it once, but I’ll probably never watch it again
- 2 stars – Watched to the end, but I wouldn’t watch it again
- 1 star – DNF (did not finish)
Happy Valley (2014–2023) – [Crime/Drama]
For fans of: Broadchurch, The Responder, Line of Duty
Sarah Lancashire delivers a powerhouse performance as Sgt. Catherine Cawood, a Yorkshire officer haunted by grief and surrounded by escalating violence. Created by Sally Wainwright, this BAFTA-winning series is emotionally raw, morally complex, and unflinchingly real. WYALAN rating – 4.5/5
Line of Duty (2012–2021) – [Crime/Procedural]
For fans of: Bodyguard, The Shield, The Wire
AC-12 investigates corruption within the police force in this twist-heavy, BAFTA-nominated procedural. With standout turns from Vicky McClure, Martin Compston, and Adrian Dunbar, it’s a masterclass in tension and misdirection. WYALAN rating – 5/5
Sherlock (2010–2017) – [Mystery/Crime]
For fans of: Elementary, Luther, House
Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman modernize Holmes and Watson in this Emmy and BAFTA-winning global hit. It’s stylish, cerebral, and full of quotable flair. WYALAN rating – 5/5
Luther (2010–2019) – [Crime/Psychological Thriller]
For fans of: The Fall, Mindhunter, Hannibal
Idris Elba’s DCI John Luther is brilliant, haunted, and often one step from the edge. Golden Globe-nominated and gritty to the core, it’s a dark dive into obsession and justice. WYALAN rating – 4.5/5
Time (2021–2024) – [Drama/Prison]
For fans of: Criminal Justice, The Night Of, Inside Men
Sean Bean and Stephen Graham star in this BAFTA-winning prison drama about guilt, survival, and redemption. It’s emotionally devastating and morally urgent. WYALAN rating – 4/5
Peaky Blinders (2013–2022) – [Crime/Period Drama]
For fans of: Boardwalk Empire, Gangs of London, Taboo
Cillian Murphy leads this BAFTA-winning saga of Birmingham gangsters rising through post-WWI Britain. It’s violent, stylish, and globally adored. WYALAN rating – 4/5
The Responder (2022– ) – [Crime/Drama]
For fans of: Happy Valley, Blue Lights, Night Coppers
Martin Freeman is riveting as a morally conflicted Liverpool officer spiraling through night shifts and personal crises. BAFTA-nominated and emotionally raw. WYALAN rating – 4/5
Death in Paradise (2011– ) – [Crime/Light Procedural]
For fans of: Midsomer Murders, Father Brown, Shakespeare & Hathaway
A British detective solves murders on a sunny Caribbean island in this enduring fan favorite. It’s cozy, colorful, and reliably twisty. WYALAN rating – 3/5
More drama best lists:
Apple TV+ Dramas ~ Foreign Dramas On Channel 4 ~ Crime Dramas On ITVX ~ Dramas On Disney+ ~ Dramas On Channel 4 ~ Dramas On ITVX ~ Dramas On BBC iPlayer ~ Dramas On Sky And Now TV
Award Winning Crime Dramas
Killing Eve (2018–2022) – [Spy Thriller/Drama]
For fans of: Fleabag, The Americans, Orphan Black
Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer play cat-and-mouse across Europe in this Emmy and BAFTA-winning thriller. It’s stylish, subversive, and genre-defying.
Guilt (2019–2023) – [Crime/Dark Comedy]
For fans of: Fargo, Inside No. 9, The Outlaws
Two brothers cover up a hit-and-run in this Scottish BAFTA-winning thriller. It’s darkly funny, twisty, and full of surprises.
The Cops (1998–2001) – [Crime/Drama]
For fans of: The Bill, Between the Lines, The Vice
This BAFTA-winning series brought gritty realism and handheld urgency to UK policing. It’s raw, grounded, and influential.
Waking the Dead (2000–2011) – [Crime/Forensic Thriller]
For fans of: Silent Witness, Cold Case, Wire in the Blood
A cold case unit reopens unsolved murders using forensics and psychology. It’s dark, procedural, and BAFTA-winning.
Criminal Justice (2008–2009) – [Legal/Drama]
For fans of: The Night Of, Showtrial, Silk
This BAFTA-winning series follows ordinary people caught in extraordinary legal nightmares. It’s tense, humane, and quietly revolutionary.
Highly Rated Crime Dramas
Showtrial (2021) – [Legal/Drama]
For fans of: Anatomy of a Scandal, The Trial, The Split
A privileged student is accused of murder in this BAFTA-nominated courtroom drama. It’s sharp, timely, and full of media commentary.
The Missing (2014–2016) – [Crime/Drama]
For fans of: Broadchurch, The Tunnel, Marcella
A child’s disappearance unravels across years and borders in this Golden Globe-nominated anthology. Tchéky Karyo’s Julien Baptiste is unforgettable.
McMafia (2018) – [Crime/International Thriller]
For fans of: The Night Manager, ZeroZeroZero, Gomorrah
James Norton stars as a reluctant heir to a Russian crime empire in this International Emmy-nominated series. It’s sleek, global, and morally murky.
The Sixth Commandment (2023) – [True Crime/Drama]
For fans of: The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, Landscapers, The Teacher
Based on a shocking real-life murder, this BBC drama explores coercion, faith, and betrayal. Timothy Spall and Anne Reid deliver heartbreaking performances in a story that stunned the nation.
The Fall (2013–2016) – [Crime/Drama]
For fans of: Luther, Top of the Lake, The Killing
Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan face off in this slow-burning Belfast-set thriller. It’s psychological, atmospheric, and chillingly intimate.
Sherwood (2022– ) – [Crime/Political Drama]
For fans of: State of Play, Southcliffe, The Gold
A murder in a former mining town reopens old wounds and political divisions. David Morrissey and Lesley Manville lead a stellar cast in this layered, critically praised drama.
Blue Lights (2023– ) – [Crime/Procedural]
For fans of: The Responder, Bloodlands, The Fall
New recruits in Belfast’s police force face danger, doubt, and divided loyalties. It’s grounded, gripping, and a breakout hit.
The Gold (2023) – [Crime/Heist Drama]
For fans of: McMafia, Sherwood, The Great Train Robbery
Based on the 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery, this ensemble drama explores greed, corruption, and class. It’s stylish, well-acted, and critically praised.
Bodies (2004–2006) – [Medical/Crime Drama]
For fans of: Cardiac Arrest, This Is Going to Hurt, The Cops
Created by Jed Mercurio (Line of Duty), this BAFTA-winning series follows a junior doctor who uncovers dangerous malpractice in a UK hospital. Max Beesley and Patrick Baladi lead a cast navigating institutional cover-ups and moral collapse. It’s gritty, uncompromising, and widely regarded as one of the most realistic portrayals of NHS dysfunction.
Shetland (2013–2023) – [Crime/Procedural]
For fans of: Vera, Broadchurch, Hinterland
Douglas Henshall stars as DI Jimmy Perez solving crimes in the windswept Shetland Isles. It’s atmospheric, character-driven, and long-running for a reason.
New Tricks (2003–2015) – [Crime/Comedy Drama]
For fans of: Endeavour, Vera, Grantchester
Retired detectives solve cold cases with wit, wisdom, and a lot of tea. It’s charming, clever, and a fan favorite.
Jonathan Creek (1997–2016) – [Mystery/Comedy Drama]
For fans of: Sherlock, Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders
Alan Davies plays a magician who solves impossible crimes with logic and misdirection. It’s quirky, clever, and a cult classic.
Hope Street (2021– ) – [Crime/Community Drama]
For fans of: Doc Martin, Call the Midwife, Blue Lights
Set in a Northern Irish seaside town, this warm procedural blends crime-solving with community life. It’s inclusive, heartfelt, and quietly compelling.
More best lists on BBC iPlayer: