# Kinder, gentler police/crime/detective shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 19, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098 "2014-03-19T17:45:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/41 "2014-03-20T12:59:02Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > See if you can get The Killing (3 series) and The Bridge (2 series) on DVD or streaming. These are not without violence and gore but are most definitely character and plot driven. > > If you can get over the foreign language element\* (they’re Danish/Swedish) you’re in for a treat. > > - I was reluctant to watch them because of this, but actually I found that watching with subtitles immersed me in the story even more, and I’m now hooked on all things in the “Nordic Noir” genre. I always have the captioning on due to hearing problems, so no prob there. I’m amazed that people are bothered by them. I’m bothered if I don’t get every word of dialogue. These are very helpful suggestions, people. Thank you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/42 "2014-03-20T13:06:36Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > I loved the 1994 series [Due South](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108756/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1). > “The cases of a cynical American police detective and a upright Royal Canadian Mounted Police constable in the city of Chicago.” > > The series are so morally uplifting, and yet not cheesy or preachy at all, that I plan to let those be the first police series I’ll let my kid watch. From one of the user reviews: One of my all time favorite shows. However, when it got cancelled on American TV and Paul Gross kept it going on Canadian TV and syndication the quality went way down. The first two seasons were great with Paul Haggis at the helm and the first Ray. ---
**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:** [March 20, 2014, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/43 "2014-03-20T13:32:06Z")
BTW, since you mentioned Paul Gross, I’d like to recommend another series he created called Slings and Arrows. It’s not a police/crime/detective show (it’s actually about a Shakespearean theater group), so it’s not what the OP was asking for, but it’s excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/44 "2014-03-20T13:47:17Z")
Before Michael Chiklis was the brutal Detective Vic Mackey in “The Shield,” he was the affable, chubby [Commish](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Commish) on ABC’s eponymous series. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/45 "2014-03-20T14:10:53Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > BTW, since you mentioned Paul Gross, I’d like to recommend another series he created called Slings and Arrows. It’s not a police/crime/detective show (it’s actually about a Shakespearean theater group), so it’s not what the OP was asking for, but it’s excellent. I’ll look for it. Thanks. > [@Bricker](#): > > Before Michael Chiklis was the brutal Detective Vic Mackey in “The Shield,” he was the affable, chubby [Commish](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Commish) on ABC’s eponymous series. I LOVED _The Commish_ and the Commish himself. He was an example of a guy who is not good-looking by commonly accepted [del]accounting practices[/del] standards, but was very attractive and sexy. I watched the first episode of _Inspector Morse_ last night (1987) after having just watched the last episode of _Inspector Lewis_. Talk about time travel! It was amusing seeing that baby-faced Robbie Lewis. Not to mention the big shoulders on the women and wide ties on the men. It’s interesting to go back to the beginnings of long-lasting series (this happens with the original _L&O_) before cell phones. Lennie Briscoe was always running to a pay phone to check in with the “Lieu.” In today’s shows (and \*Lewis _is/was one of the worst) a cell phone rings in someone’s pocket just about every two minutes_ and inevitably, while the cop is interviewing a prime suspect. Actually, usually it’s two detectives interviewing a suspect, and ONE of them gets a call and has to leave the room. \*Anyone remember that in the books The Saint smoked a cigarette every two minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/46 "2014-03-20T15:25:17Z")
> [@Cartoonacy](#): > > Ah. In that case, I’d recommend \*Castle \*and possibly _Elementary_. > > Not that \*Elementary \*is particularly violent. I like it, but I’d like it a lot more if the lead character had an original name rather than Sherlock Holmes. I will defend Elementary as a being a true and just updating of the Holmes franchise. And not merely because I like Lucy Liu’s legs (though I do, and hope they will continue to show them off). ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/47 "2014-03-20T16:11:50Z")
No one’s yet mentioned _New Tricks_. It’s a BBC series about a group of retired police detectives who are called back in to form a new squad to investigate cold cases. It’s been running for about ten years now. I’m not a regular watcher, but i enjoy tuning it in from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/48 "2014-03-20T16:24:02Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I will defend Elementary as a being a true and just updating of the Holmes franchise. And not merely because I like Lucy Liu’s legs (though I do, and hope they will continue to show them off). I am a fan of the Jonny Lee Miller version and the Cumberbatch version. I like them on their own merits. I like the British version better but only because they are able to do it the BBC way. 3 episodes per season. No way they would be able to maintain the series if they were doing 24 episodes in a season. Elementary holds up pretty well considering the volume they have to maintain. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/49 "2014-03-20T16:26:29Z")
_The Bletchley Circle_ is good. It’s a post-WWII mystery featuring four women who worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park, and are now having trouble being satisfied with their unglamorous post-war lives. It’s sedate and cerebral, but the first series is about the hunt for a serial killer so it has a few gruesome scenes. Series one is available on Netflix Instant; I’m waiting on series two. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/50 "2014-03-20T16:28:08Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > It’s interesting to go back to the beginnings of long-lasting series (this happens with the original _L&O_) before cell phones. Lennie Briscoe was always running to a pay phone to check in with the “Lieu.” In today’s shows (and \*Lewis _is/was one of the worst) a cell phone rings in someone’s pocket just about every two minutes_ and inevitably, while the cop is interviewing a prime suspect. Actually, usually it’s two detectives interviewing a suspect, and ONE of them gets a call and has to leave the room. I’m not that old (ok sometimes I feel like it). When I started working we learned were all the pay phones were, especially the ones at gas stations where we go drive up and not get out of our cars. If we were asked to call in by phone and didn’t have any change we would just dial 911. Just a few years later we all had cell phones. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/51 "2014-03-20T16:33:07Z")
You probably already know of it, but the A&E version of the Nero Wolfe mysteries are just what you are looking for. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/52 "2014-03-20T18:58:36Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > _The Bletchley Circle_ is good. It’s a post-WWII mystery featuring four women who worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park, and are now having trouble being satisfied with their unglamorous post-war lives. It’s sedate and cerebral, but the first series is about the hunt for a serial killer so it has a few gruesome scenes. Series one is available on Netflix Instant; I’m waiting on series two. I loved this brief series! > [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > You probably already know of it, but the A&E version of the Nero Wolfe mysteries are just what you are looking for. I had forgotten about Nero. I’ll check him out. ---
**Author:** ![Rala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Rala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rala)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/53 "2014-03-21T05:38:01Z")
I liked _Mr & Mrs Murder_. It’s an Australian series about Nicola and Charlie Buchanan, a husband and wife team who run a cleaning business. They specialise in cleaning up crime scenes and usually end up solving the crimes for the police. It’s funny and sweet and most definitely a kinder, gentler type of crime show. I love the relationship between the lead characters - they’re so genuinely happy together. They’re best friends and an excellent team and comfortably, steadily, head over heels in love. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/54 "2014-03-23T02:26:29Z")
I discovered a channel on my Roku called “[acornTV](http://acorn.tv/#featured),” which streams British programs exclusively, past and present. Virtually all of the British series recommended above are available, including some I’ve never seen offered on TV here (like _Mr. & Mrs Murder_). It also offers comedies, drama, and documentaries. For $4.99/month. ---
**Author:** ![bmasters1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@bmasters1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmasters1)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/55 "2014-03-23T09:49:12Z")
> [@Rala](#): > > I liked _Mr & Mrs Murder_. It’s an Australian series about Nicola and Charlie Buchanan, a husband and wife team who run a cleaning business. They specialise in cleaning up crime scenes and usually end up solving the crimes for the police. It’s funny and sweet and most definitely a kinder, gentler type of crime show. I love the relationship between the lead characters - they’re so genuinely happy together. They’re best friends and an excellent team and comfortably, steadily, head over heels in love. Sort of like an Australian _Hart to Hart_, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/56 "2014-03-24T22:28:30Z")
I watched the three _Inspector Morse_ episodes that comprised the first season.I know it takes a while for a character to find him/herself in a series, but geez… I couldn’t stand him. Skipped ahead to season three, hoping the character had filled out/solidified/become less obnoxious, but no luck. Rude, cranky bastard. All the drinking and all the hitting on women (sometimes on a widow when her husband was still on a slab in the morgue)-- not my cup of tea. I don’t mind a wounded/troubled protagonist or a man who is full of self-doubt-- Horatio Hornblower is one of my favorite characters in fiction/film. But Morse is just plain full of himself. Skipped ahead to season six and still haven’t seen why everyone has such good things to say about him and the show. I’ll keep trying. After I watch a few more _Morse_, I’m going to go back and watch _Endeavour_, which I have already seen, but before I had ever seen a single episode of _IM_, so I had no frame of reference. Meanwhile, I’ve started watching _Foyle’s War_ on my new fav Roku channel, [AcornTV](http://acorn.tv/#featured). Now THERE’S a classy guy. Quiet, intelligent, subtle, gentle–but can be hard as nails when need be. A man of integrity. The opposite of a bully–always in control. The setting is so interesting–Britain in 1940. The plots are complex, reflecting the complex times, and the production values are first class. In fact, it’s a first class series. Michael Kitchen is a dead ringer for that very classy John Mills. P.S. Not missing DirecTV one single bit. And not missing the $92/mo I used to pay. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/57 "2014-03-24T22:35:52Z")
These are non-fiction shows and they are gussied up for public consumption (ie the police are edited to seem as trustworthy and non-intimidating as possible) but [Police women of Dallas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_Women_of_Dallas) is a good show. So is [the first 48](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_48). [The shift](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1412360/) is also good. Police women of Dallas is more about street cops, whereas the first 48 and the shift has a lot of detective work. I guess it depends on what you mean by ‘kinder, gentler’. Do you mean less blood, gore and human misery or do you mean kinder, gentler cops? ---
**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:** [March 24, 2014, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/58 "2014-03-24T22:58:24Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I discovered a channel on my Roku called “[acornTV](http://acorn.tv/#featured),” which streams British programs exclusively, past and present. Virtually all of the British series recommended above are available, including some I’ve never seen offered on TV here (like _Mr. & Mrs Murder_). It also offers comedies, drama, and documentaries. For $4.99/month. Murdoch Mysteries is on there…I’d do that next if I were you! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/59 "2014-03-24T23:08:13Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Murdoch Mysteries is on there…I’d do that next if I were you! Right-o! ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098/60 "2014-03-25T04:02:27Z")
I rather enjoyed _Blue Murder_ with Caroline Quentin. There were murders to be solved, domestic issues (particularly those of the protagonist, Janine and there was humour. An enjoyable watch and I wish it was still being made. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinder-gentler-police-crime-detective-shows/684098.md?page=4)