# Find me a new detective show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 7, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257 "2009-12-07T00:50:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [December 7, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/1 "2009-12-07T00:50:30Z")
I need to find some more detective shows to watch. I like 1-2 hour shows that are just one mystery per episode. Here are the ones I’ve enjoyed, pretty much in order: _Columbo_ _Sherlock Holmes_ (Jeremy Brett) _Miss Marple_ (Geraldine McEwan) _Inspector Lynley_ I’ve also enjoyed the con-man show \*Hustle \*(UK) and of course am a fan of the US police series _Law & Order_, _CSI_ and _Homicide_. I remember trying out _A Touch of Frost_ but finding it kind of slow. I might try again, though. American, Canadian or British series are welcome. I’ve got 1 and 2 region DVD players. They don’t need to be on Netflix or anything - I’ve got sources. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/2 "2009-12-07T01:18:36Z")
[Life on Mars](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478942/) ---
**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:** [December 7, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/3 "2009-12-07T01:24:03Z")
Ah sorry, forgot to mention _Life On Mars_ (UK - not so much US) as one I’d enjoyed thoroughly. I forgot that along with the main story arc there were single mysteries inbetween. I also forgot to mention _Monk_. I watch a lot of TV. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/4 "2009-12-07T01:24:24Z")
I love Poirot and Midsummer Murders. Bones and NCIS (the original). ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Harley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Race\_Harley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Harley)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/5 "2009-12-07T01:27:17Z")
Quincy. He was a detective working under the guise of a Medical Examiner. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/6 "2009-12-07T02:13:38Z")
The best of them all is _ **Foyle’s War.** _ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/7 "2009-12-07T02:18:52Z")
Buy or rent the A&E Nero Wolfe series. ---
**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 7, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/8 "2009-12-07T02:43:45Z")
_Psych_ ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/9 "2009-12-07T03:14:17Z")
Monk. Start at the 3rd season episode titled Monk and the Red Herring. That’s when Natalie Teeger gets introduced. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/10 "2009-12-07T03:43:47Z")
If you can find the \*\*“Inspector Morse” \*\*series, do so with all speed. Good fun. **"Prime Suspect"** is also exceptional…but very intense. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/11 "2009-12-07T05:14:24Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Monk. Start at the 3rd season episode titled Monk and the Red Herring. That’s when Natalie Teeger gets introduced. 🙂 Monk, by that time, stopped being a Mystery, and went into a comedy with a quirky crazy guy… oh, and yes, there was a murder sometime too. Not saying it wasn’t a fun show, but it’s not anything like what the OP asked for. Same for Psych. You might as well suggest the Andy Griffin show.. he was a cop, too, right? I remember an episode with a mystery, once… ---
**Author:** ![Staale\_Nordlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Staale\_Nordlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staale_Nordlie)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/12 "2009-12-07T05:23:42Z")
The new show [White Collar](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1358522/) isn’t bad. ---
**Author:** ![RockJonny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ea924/32.png) [@RockJonny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RockJonny)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/13 "2009-12-07T06:13:18Z")
Veronica Mars? Lots of the episodes are just one mystery per ep, but some of them follow a longer story arc, though they tend to be like mini-mysteries that all pile up till the big end one is solved, if that makes sense. Lots of people think it’s lame, but I love it. Maybe you will too! ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/14 "2009-12-07T06:34:22Z")
While not a mystery show, TNT’s **Leverage** is in the same general area as Hustle. The set-up is that a former insurance investigator winds up working with four super-criminals to variously con or heist the rich, powerful, and Evil to help the little guy. While there are some folks around here who have rather strong negative feelings about it, I think it’s fun. Stars Timothy Hutton, but the others–Aldis Hodge especially–often steal the show. It’ll be starting again in January, I believe. No reason why you couldn’t come in mid-season, though watching the back episodes wouldn’t hurt. Speaking of Timothy Hutton, I’ll second the **Nero Wolfe Mysteries**. Note that it’s done in a ‘repertory theatre’ style, so outside of the leads, you’ve got the same group of actors playing all the roles. The DVD box set has been on my wish list for a long time… ---
**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:** [December 7, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/15 "2009-12-07T06:42:46Z")
Thanks for the suggestions so far! The thing is with the mystery shows like _Columbo_ or _Sherlock Holmes_ is I like to watch them as a “backup” or what have you. When there’s nothing else to watch at all, and all the dramas and sitcoms I like to watch on a weekly basis have been tapped out for the time being, I like a show I can watch as a one-off, maybe one or two episodes, and not watch an episode again for a few weeks or so and not be confused. Ugh, does that make sense? 🙂 With a show like _Lynley_, they were cutting it close with he story arc about his ladyfriend Helen. There was an ongoing story about a baby or something and I got confused when I came back to watch an episode several months later. I’ve seen episodes of _Psych_ but that’s another one, like _Monk_ (which I mentioned later that I watched) has this overlying arc that you’re supposed to remember as you watch the series. So a show like that is too series-like for me. I’m not sure I’d get into _Veronica Mars_, for the same reason. Maybe I’ll try it out this summer when all of my series are over. What’s the deal with _NCIS_? People keep telling me to watch it but I get the impression it’s sort of like _CSI_ but in the military? Is that right? That one probably has an arc, but I might check that one out next summer as well. I’ll probably end up checking out most of these shows, though. I’ll know once I see an episode or two if they are better watched as one-offs from time to time, or as series. I’m a sucker for watching stuff as big long series as well but like I said I need my short bursts too. Thanks again for the suggestions and do keep them coming! ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/16 "2009-12-07T06:53:43Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > What’s the deal with _NCIS_? People keep telling me to watch it but I get the impression it’s sort of like _CSI_ but in the military? Is that right? That one probably has an arc, but I might check that one out next summer as well. **NCIS** is nothing like **CSI** ; the former is character-driven (You’ll forget the mystery aspect before the credits roll) and the latter is plot-driven (The only character whose name I can remember is Grissom, and he’s gone now). **NCIS** is a guilty pleasure, and **CSI** isn’t even that. May I recommend **The Closer**? It’s kind of lighthearted most of the time, like **Monk** and **NCIS** , but all the main characters (except Brenda Leigh Johnson, the protagonist) are veterans of other, older cop shows and it’s fun watching them interact. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/17 "2009-12-07T07:29:55Z")
I’ll second Veronica Mars. It’s really good. I was pretty much humoring myself when I started watching it because it seemed like a show targeted towards teen girls but it was great. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/18 "2009-12-07T09:42:43Z")
How about the classic **Mannix**. > **[Amazon.com: Mannix: Season 1 : Mike Connors, Joseph Campanella, Bill Bixby:...](https://www.amazon.com/Mannix-Season-1-Mike-Connors/dp/B0014FAIVG)** > > Product Description Intertect is one of the most high-tech detective agencies in the business, specializing in using computers to solve it's clients' most baffling mysteries. But one of the company's detectives, Joe Mannix (Mike Connors),... ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/19 "2009-12-07T09:59:26Z")
I’ll second Midsomer Murders, and suggest Ellery Queen if the idea of classical locked-room whodunits appeals. If so, you might also like the more recent Jonathan Creek, sort of a British Ellery Queen. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257/20 "2009-12-07T10:39:21Z")
Twenty replies and I’m the first to mention **The Rockford Files**? It’s a combination of the detective and con-man types. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-me-a-new-detective-show/520257.md?page=2)