# Episodic (NOT serialized) detective shows available streaming **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723 "2019-12-11T20:00:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/1 "2019-12-11T20:00:01Z")
I think I’ve asked about this before, and gotten some great suggestions. Now we need some more! My wife loves the Agatha Christie ones (Poirot, Miss Marple), but those aren’t my favorites. “Episodic” means every episode is self-contained, or at most there are occasional 2 episode arcs, rather than season-long manhunts and storylines. Here are some of the ones both my wife and I have enjoyed (most are British, I believe, but we’re open to any source): Vera (my favorite!) Morse/Lewis/Endeavor Wycliffe A Touch of Frost Strike Monk Columbo Dalziel and Pascoe Also seen Rebus and Cracker – both were pretty good, but we didn’t finish them for various reasons. What else should we watch? We have Acorn, Britbox, Netflix, and Amazon Prime (and Disney+, if it has any of these). ---
**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:** [December 11, 2019, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/2 "2019-12-11T20:11:32Z")
Check out _Murdoch Mysteries_, a current series set in Toronto circa 1900, featuring a somewhat nerdy Detective with a lot of anachronistic ideas about police work. There are B-plot story arcs (largely about Murdoch’s on-and-off relationship with Dr. Julia Ogden) and recurring characters and the occasional two-parter, but most of the episodes are fairly self-contained. 200 episodes and counting, so that should keep you entertained for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/3 "2019-12-11T20:14:58Z")
A couple choices: Foyle’s War Elementary (though they did devolve into season long arcs the last two seasons) McMillan and Wife Banacek The Closer L&O Criminal Intent ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/4 "2019-12-11T20:15:38Z")
**Murdoch Mysteries** is a great suggestion. Great characters and they have a lot of fun with the time. Hell, you even get William Shatner as Mark Twain eventually. Look for **Death in Paradise,** show about an UK DI working on a Caribbean Island. My wife likes **Father Brown** , its not bad. \*\*Psych \*\*is a very comedic one, though the main character is annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/5 "2019-12-11T20:19:55Z")
I like Death in Paradise (already mentioned) and The Brokenwood Mysteries. ---
**Author:** ![SingleMalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/singlemalt/32/3961_2.png) [@SingleMalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleMalt)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/6 "2019-12-11T20:25:55Z")
What? No _Midsomer Murders_? Deadliest county in Britain! BritBox only has S8 of _Death in Paradise_ at the moment. If you can find the rest, they are quite in line with your request. Each episode even has a “parlor scene” where the mystery is wrapped up. Others worth checking out on BritBox: \*The Last Detective The Doctor Blake Mysteries Shakespeare & Hathaway Cadfael \* We (wife and I) also enjoyed _Silent Witness_, though it’s more of a procedural. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/7 "2019-12-11T20:30:32Z")
There aren’t very many episodes, but Sherlock is very good. (Benedict Cumberbatch updated version of Sherlock Holmes stories) And I third the Murdoch Mysteries recommendation. I think Castle is fairly self contained (it’s been a while since I watched). It’s on the lighter side. Also, a little outside your parameters but it’s very good: The Bletchly Circle. Two related miniseries. The first miniseries is 3 episodes, all dealing with one mystery. The second miniseries is 4 episodes. ---
**Author:** ![SingleMalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/singlemalt/32/3961_2.png) [@SingleMalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleMalt)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/8 "2019-12-11T20:44:20Z")
Here’s a couple from Acorn: _Mr. & Mrs. Murder_ (a shame it was only one series) _The Brokenwood Mysteries Pie in the Sky Foyle’s War Single Handed Hamish Macbeth_ Acorn is also showing a new Australian show, _My Life Is Murder_, starring Lucy Lawless. Only one series, but I think it’s been renewed. My wife and I are also on the lookout for episodic mysteries. _Murdoch Mysteries_ didn’t really click with us; we found the anachronisms too jarring. I may have to take another look. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/9 "2019-12-11T20:47:27Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > I think Castle is fairly self contained (it’s been a while since I watched). It’s on the lighter side. _Castle_’s episodes are mostly self-contained, yes. There are a couple of recurring multi-season story arcs (one about Beckett’s mother’s death, the other about a serial killer), and, IIRC, most of the seasons had a couple of episodes featuring one or the other of those arcs. (Those episodes also tended to be more serious than average for the series.) That said – speaking as someone who loved that show, the final couple of seasons were a disappointment. The show’s creator (Andrew Marlowe) departed from the role of showrunner, the writing went downhill, and it became clear that the two leads were increasingly unhappy working together. If you watch it, stop with Season 6. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/10 "2019-12-11T20:51:37Z")
> [@SingleMalt](#): > > What? No _Midsomer Murders_? Deadliest county in Britain! Definitely worth a watch. Bonus: it’s being streamed for free on [Pluto TV](https://pluto.tv/live-tv/midsomer-murders). Not on demand, but you can see the schedule and when a new show start up. Netflix has the _Miss Fisher Mysteries_. The show has been rebooted, but the original – set in the 1920s – is excellent. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/11 "2019-12-11T20:53:40Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > L&O Criminal Intent I would only note that as with all of the _Law & Order_ universe, there are long-running arc stories which underpin the episodic A plots of each episode. Very occasionally, they can result in a very confusing situation when the arc story becomes the A plot. This is especially problematic with _Criminal Intent_, which has several episodes which would border on incomprehensibility if you don’t know, for example, who Nicole Wallace is. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/12 "2019-12-11T20:54:43Z")
**Elementary** might qualify. Modern day Sherlock, with Lucy Liu as Watson. It’s on Hulu. Oops, already mentioned. ---
**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:** [December 11, 2019, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/13 "2019-12-11T21:08:48Z")
_Agatha Raisin_ is a great caper series, currently on Acorn, which is not dissimilar to _Father Brown_ and _Shakespeare and Hathaway_, but with a slightly better budget. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/14 "2019-12-11T21:20:45Z")
Wait, Cadfael is on Britbox? I have a subscription to Britbox and never knew that! I’m going to have to look for it. I recommend Vera (even though she keeps swapping out hunky assistants) Hetty Waintrhopp, though they’re kind of … small town England quaint. The Doctor Blake Mysteries, set right after World War II in Australia (though it peters out at the end because the lead actor was accused of sexual misconduct and they had to cut production short) The Coroner, set in a small south England town I’m watching Maigret right now, though it’s funny that all of the French characters are played by English actors. Set in the 50s, in Paris, starring Mister Bean in a dramatic role. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/15 "2019-12-11T21:34:52Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I would only note that as with all of the _Law & Order_ universe, there are long-running arc stories which underpin the episodic A plots of each episode. Very occasionally, they can result in a very confusing situation when the arc story becomes the A plot. This is especially problematic with _Criminal Intent_, which has several episodes which would border on incomprehensibility if you don’t know, for example, who Nicole Wallace is. I agree with you, but every modern show thinks it needs and arc. I hate it, but what ya gonna do? At least their’s aren’t too long. The Closer got this problem, too, with that damn Turrell Baylor arc, and Philip Stroh. And Kitty. 🙂 As long as the viewer thinks “Moriarty” every time they hear “Nicole Wallace”, they’ll be good to go. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/16 "2019-12-11T21:40:52Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > As long as the viewer thinks “Moriarty” every time they hear “Nicole Wallace”, they’ll be good to go. 🙂 But what does that make Declan? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/17 "2019-12-11T23:33:41Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > But what does that make Declan? 😉 Good question! Another one to add: Remington Steele. And Moonlighting. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/18 "2019-12-11T23:53:53Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I would only note that as with all of the _Law & Order_ universe, there are long-running arc stories which underpin the episodic A plots of each episode. Very occasionally, they can result in a very confusing situation when the arc story becomes the A plot. This is especially problematic with _Criminal Intent_, which has several episodes which would border on incomprehensibility if you don’t know, for example, who Nicole Wallace is. The original Law & Order didn’t seem to have arcs, for the most part. Mostly episodes were self-contained, which makes it great for watching reruns. And there was a UK adaption, which BBC America aired at one point. Some episodes were adapted from the US original. And if you like British mysteries, another good one, although limited, is [Unforgotten](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unforgotten). Three series of six episodes each, focusing on a long-dead body and how the detectives trace who the victim was and who the killer is. I also liked [The Tunnel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tunnel_(TV_series)), an adaption of the Scandinavian program The Bridge. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/19 "2019-12-12T00:22:51Z")
Two arcs I remember from The original\* Law & Order \* were Lieutenant Van Buren suing the NYPD for discrimination and Van Buren having cancer in the last season. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723/20 "2019-12-12T00:42:37Z")
Definitely agree with Murdoch Mysteries and Death in Paradise. There are a few Murdoch movies with different actors - not nearly as good. Two things that haven’t been mentioned - New Tricks, which comes from the same people who later did Death in Paradise. It is about a special unsolved crimes unit staffed by retired police. The original cast is by far the best. We’re watching a show called Murder In … which is set in France. Each episode has different characters and is set in a different, scenic, location. Each episode we’ve seen so far has a male detective assigned to the region and is teamed with a woman detective, prosecutor or whatever. Pretty good mysteries and good bantering before the final, inevitable, smooch. On MHz you can see Detective Montalbano, set in Sicily, a German production of the Brunetti mysteries set in Venice. We even saw a few episodes of a series set in Istanbul. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/episodic-not-serialized-detective-shows-available-streaming/844723.md?page=2)