# Shows like Fargo and True Detective? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491 "2014-09-14T19:12:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qwertol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Qwertol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertol)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/1 "2014-09-14T19:12:20Z")
I just finished watching series mentioned in the title. Are there shows (not necessarily mini-series) with similar general quality I should watch next? What would you recommend? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/2 "2014-09-14T19:20:18Z")
The Wire. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/3 "2014-09-14T19:21:05Z")
You might like [Justified](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1489428/). ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/4 "2014-09-14T19:27:18Z")
Top of the Lake is good as well. ---
**Author:** ![Qwertol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Qwertol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertol)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/5 "2014-09-14T20:08:44Z")
Didn’t like The Wire, found it too slow… ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/6 "2014-09-14T20:50:32Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > The Wire. > [@Qwertol](#): > > Didn’t like The Wire, found it too slow… You wouldn’t like anything I have to offer, then. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/7 "2014-09-14T21:13:46Z")
_DCI Banks_, _Luther_, and _The Fall_ are good British shows with not too many episodes. (_Luther_ is wrapped, the other two will return.) The first batch of _Broadchurch_ is self-contained. There are doing another run and an American version. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/8 "2014-09-14T21:38:48Z")
IMHO, The Americans is one of the very best shows ever. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/9 "2014-09-14T21:41:08Z")
The following post is a little garbled. I started writing it to recommend some movies but then it ended up recommending some good TV shows. But you may find some shows that you might like here. > **[Looking for some good movies or TV shows to watch in reruns](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732648)** > > I must apologize to you about the following thread. It started out as my recommendation to you about the TV show “The Americans”. I recently watched this show for a second time. I had seen it for the first time earlier this year and I very much... ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/10 "2014-09-14T22:13:41Z")
**Broadchurch.** A self-contained mystery story that is extremely similar to both shows. I think this more or less the definitive answer in terms of recent shows. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/11 "2014-09-14T22:20:11Z")
Personally, I liked Fargo, a lot, but didn’t care much for True Detective. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/12 "2014-09-15T20:31:29Z")
Breaking Bad…indeed! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/13 "2014-09-15T21:06:50Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Personally, I liked Fargo, a lot, but didn’t care much for True Detective. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/14 "2014-09-15T21:36:21Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > **Broadchurch.** > > A self-contained mystery story that is extremely similar to both shows. I think this more or less the definitive answer in terms of recent shows. Agreed. On the other hand, I tried **Top of the Lake** , which I believe is also similar and well-respected, and found it insufferable. ( **The Wire** is AMAZING and **The Americans** is excellent, but neither one is a one-big-mystery miniseries as Fargo, True Detective and Broadchurch are.) ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/15 "2014-09-15T21:51:20Z")
Check out the _Red Riding_ trilogy. Set in Northern England. Creepy and disturbing as all hell. (… But I repeat myself.) ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/16 "2014-09-15T22:37:33Z")
> [@Steken](#): > > Check out the _Red Riding_ trilogy. > > Set in Northern England. Creepy and disturbing as all hell. > > (… But I repeat myself.) I just googled this having vaguely heard of the show. I didn’t realise they were based on the David Peace books. I did enjoy those. The more I read about that area around Leeds during the 70’s and 80’s the more im convinced it was the arse end of Northern England during this time. Though I do suspect a lot of what im reading is perhaps myth. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/17 "2014-09-15T23:43:30Z")
For anyone who has not yet seen Sleepy Hollow, > **[Sleepy Hollow (TV Series 2013–2017) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2647544/)** > > Sleepy Hollow: Created by Phillip Iscove, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Len Wiseman. With Tom Mison, Lyndie Greenwood, Nicole Beharie, Orlando Jones. Ichabod Crane is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to unravel a mystery... I think this is one of the best TV shows going. It finished Season One and looks like it will soon begin working on Season Two. I really liked it. Just try to imagine some guy from 1785 showing up in a small New England town together with a headless horseman. There are some murders being committed and the female police lead finds herself actually believing this guy who says his name is Ichabod Crane and tells a bellievable story about slicing off this other guy’s head and working as a spy for Gen George Washington (“Do you know him?”). I’m guessing you will think it is just too silly to be believable. But it turns out to be really excellent and very funny too. But it’s not mostly a comedy. This is one show that I think you have to try it before you can decide. It’s kind of great. IMDB does not rate many TV shows at 7.8. Only a few of the really good ones are rated that high. Check it out. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/18 "2014-09-15T23:47:51Z")
Remember that **Broadchurch** is being remade as **Gracepoint** on Fox, starting October 2nd. David Tennant is back along with Anna Gunn. I’m really looking forward to it (and maybe this time I will be able to understand every word being said). ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/19 "2014-09-16T20:06:01Z")
I clicked on this thread and, since I also like Fargo and True Detective, started watching Broadchurch. Thanks for the recommendation! I already like it a lot. I just started Episode 2, so don’t know if it will have the almost-supernatural spookiness of Fargo and True Detective. I also like Justified, but it’s not really a mystery show. It reminds me more of the old-time Westerns: the hero, a quick-draw marshall, even wears a cowboy hat. It’s interesting that many people love The Wire and many don’t like it at all. I like it, but watched it in binges: an entire season in a few days. It’s the entire season , not just one hour show, that’s an “episode,” so I wonder if I could have tolerated it, waiting a week between each hour. Another big difference between The Wire and many other shows is that (Spoiler Alert) the good guys continually lose. :mad: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491/20 "2014-09-17T14:08:18Z")
If you have Netflix, you might enjoy [The Killing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing_(U.S._TV_series)). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-like-fargo-and-true-detective/698491.md?page=2)