# British constable TV shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650 "2014-01-24T22:59:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/21 "2014-01-26T20:21:01Z")
It starts a little slow but I ended up really getting in to Adam Dalgliesh. Unfortunately it looks like it’s only on Region 2 ☹ ---
**Author:** ![JacksMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@JacksMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacksMom)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/22 "2014-01-26T23:54:20Z")
My favorite kind of programming! Luther - Idris Elba! Above Suspicion - wish there were more episodes Rebus - prefer John Hannah in season one, but it’s a good program Endeavor - agree that it’s better than Inspector Morse Inspector Lewis - he worked under Morse. Midsomer Murders - similar in tone to a cozy like Miss Marple. Later seasons decline in quality IMHO MI-5 is like the British FBI, not police, but it’s one of my favorite programs Foyle’s War - set in the 1940s. I love this program. Vera - absolutely superb. Ripper Street - another period piece, but good mysteries Touch of Frost - a little dated, but I enjoyed it Inspector Lynley - I watch them but don’t LOVE them I’m sure I’ve seen more, but can’t think of the top of my head. I’ve seen a couple set in Scotland, and the dialog takes a bit of getting used to. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/23 "2014-01-27T00:03:16Z")
It’s British-lite, but check out _Murdoch Mysteries_, about a detective in the turn-of-the-century Toronto Constabulary. His boss is British, in any case. ---
**Author:** ![JacksMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@JacksMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacksMom)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/24 "2014-01-27T00:15:21Z")
I’ve seen a couple of episodes of Murdoch. Good recommendation. I don’t know why I didn’t keep watching as it’s another period piece and I enjoy those. I should add that I watch most of my British police procedurally on Netflix streaming, which is worth the monthly $ for that programming alone. I also use Amazon Prime Instant Video, so some of the programs I recommend may be from there. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/25 "2014-01-27T22:54:28Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > There’s also _The Sweeney_, also with John Thaw…/I]. Shut eeet! You’re nicked… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/26 "2014-01-28T00:25:11Z")
Incidentally, also seek out _A Touch of Cloth_, a British police-procedural parody that I think is a worthy successor to _Police Squad!_ ---
**Author:** ![FallingLeaves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@FallingLeaves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallingLeaves)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/27 "2014-01-28T03:35:01Z")
I really liked The Last Detective. I had watched it on Netflix streaming, although last I checked it was no longer available, but probably is on DVD. Murder in Suburbia was pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/28 "2014-01-28T16:19:58Z")
> [@Please recommend some TV, possibly British](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-tv-possibly-british/664693/34): > > [New Tricks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Tricks_(TV_series)), about a cold case squad in London. This isn’t your typical cold case squad in that, except for the woman in charge, its members are all officers who have retired. Plots center around the Case of the Week with bits about the squad’s personal lives, which sometimes intertwine. Like when the squad goes after the suspect in a hit & run in which the victim was the wife of one of their own. Some very good television here, I was hooked after seeing that victim’s husband attempting to run over the suspect. > > The Wikipedia link has a good rundown of the characters and what channels carry the show. All past seasons are also available on DVD. Which are available via Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/29 "2014-01-28T16:31:44Z")
> [@JacksMom](#): > > MI-5 is like the British FBI, not police, but it’s one of my favorite programs MI5 (titled ‘Spooks’ in the UK) is more akin to the British CIA. More James Bond than Gillian Anderson. So perhaps doesn’t fit the OP’s criteria, although it’s great and has a huge body count. No British police drama set is complete without all series of _Prime Suspect_ with the iconic Helen Mirren. There’s a new Police black comedy series that’s getting a lot of promotion on UK TV right now, _[Babylon](http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jan/24/danny-boyle-direct-pilot-met-police-babylon-channel-4)_, with the feature length pilot episode being directed by Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting, 127 hours, Olympic Opening ceremony, The Beach) so worth looking out for. Hasn’t yet aired in the UK but it must be very soon. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/30 "2014-01-28T17:21:02Z")
How about [Australian constables in the 1920s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Fisher%27s_Murder_Mysteries)? Available via Netflix streaming. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/31 "2014-01-29T15:24:06Z")
Is ‘Dempsey and Makepeace’ available on dvd or netflix? Cheesy, over-the-top, 80s fun. Fish-out-of-water American detective is banished to the London Met for being a bad boy, and ends up partnered to uptight, by-the-book, titled female detective. The two leads ended up married in real life. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/32 "2014-01-29T17:08:29Z")
I have added a bunch of these to my Amazon Wishlist, thanks dudes! Might I suggest _Midnight Riot_ and it’s sequels by Ben Aaronovitch? ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/33 "2014-01-29T20:58:17Z")
I loved _Wire in the Blood_. ---
**Author:** ![JacksMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@JacksMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacksMom)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/34 "2014-01-30T08:14:28Z")
> [@Mauvaise](#): > > I loved _Wire in the Blood_. I loved this series! I think I watched it on Amazon Instant Video, but I can’t be sure. Also from AIV, Whitechapel. I think there are 3 seasons and it stars Rupert Penry Jones from MI5. (Who are probably more like the CIA than the FBI, as they are domestic spies that sometimes traipse around outside GB, too). ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/35 "2014-01-30T14:32:34Z")
> [@JacksMom](#): > > Midsomer Murders - similar in tone to a cozy like Miss Marple. Later seasons decline in quality IMHO Any episode with Ben Jones in it is a good episode. 🙂 I have _such_ a crush. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/36 "2014-01-31T05:16:33Z")
Thanks for mentioning _Foyle’s War_. Not only do I love seeing the historic aspects, but the title character’s quiet rectitude is just mesmerizing to me. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650/37 "2014-01-31T05:27:54Z")
> [@JacksMom](#): > > Midsomer Murders - similar in tone to a cozy like Miss Marple. Later seasons decline in quality IMHO Replacing Tom Barnaby with John Barnaby has rejuvenated the show somewhat, and the relationship between him and Jones is now more lively. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-constable-tv-shows/679650.md?page=1)