# Who is the greatest current fictional detective on television? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 19, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745 "2013-12-19T18:35:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/61 "2014-02-19T21:15:37Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I like Jesse Stone, and the last one was made in 2012. More a series of movies than an actual series, and the Selleck is currently in another series. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/62 "2014-02-19T21:49:04Z")
Velma – Not only does she solve the crimes, but she has to put up with the idiots on her team. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/63 "2014-02-20T02:01:15Z")
> [@Pabitel](#): > > It’s a period show but if I were innocent and needed to prove it I would put my life in the hands of DCS Foyle. He has a combination of Holmes’ observation and a deep understanding of human nature that Holmes lacks. Good choice. > [@Lok](#): > > Another vote for Foyle. Loved everything about that show. But I don’t think he qualifies unless they are actually going to show his American adventures. Yes! I want to know exactly how he did it. > [@terentii](#): > > Another vote for Foyle. Also, Inspector Morse… Morse isn’t eligible, being dead _and_ long out of production, but he leads directly to my choice for GCFDOT: **Detective Sergeant Hathaway** (from Inspector Lewis). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/64 "2014-02-20T02:52:13Z")
> [@TV\_time](#): > > Velma – Not only does she solve the crimes, but she has to put up with the idiots on her team. Velma … mmmmmmmmmmmmmm! 🆒 [![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QPmmkBvYD5w/Sdzpi-w2QhI/AAAAAAAAANY/iZPUP8f_gs0/s1600-h/velma_b.jpg) ](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QPmmkBvYD5w/Sdzpi-w2QhI/AAAAAAAAANY/iZPUP8f_gs0/s1600-h/velma_b.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![crucible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@crucible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crucible)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/65 "2014-02-20T03:29:03Z")
You guys are missing the lead in ‘Sleepy Hollow’. He is, after all, fighting off the devil himself, preventing the apocalypse and armagheddon and climate change all at once. Willing to travel into the realm of purgatory itself to rescue fair maidens… Who has a resume’ to compare??? ---
**Author:** ![nphoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6de8d8/32.png) [@nphoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nphoenix)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/66 "2014-02-20T08:23:06Z")
To answer the original question, Jonny Lee Miller’s Sherlock, both as to the best on TV currently overall, as well as the best of the current crop of Holmses. I find him far closer in demeanor to the literary Holmes, better acted, and more believable than Cumberbatch’s, who’s so sloppy, egotistical and broadly wrought that I keep expecting him to turn out to be a Time Lord. (The episode where they break into UNIT and find the BBC Radiophonic Workshop inside doesn’t help that perception any.) (This is a digression, but is it common knowledge that Miller’s portrayal of Holmes’s addiction is at least partially based on that of his friend [Russell Brand](http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/mar/09/russell-brand-life-without-drugs)?) As far as the whole field, I think it’s all about good chemistry between partners, Elementary not excepted. Linden and Holder (_The Killing_) are pretty fine, and I’m loving the Cohle and Hart pairing in _True Detective_ as well. (And yes, _The Killing_ is still airing, for one more half season.) ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/67 "2014-02-20T13:50:53Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > You guys are missing the lead in ‘Sleepy Hollow’. He is, after all, fighting off the devil himself, preventing the apocalypse and armagheddon and climate change all at once. Willing to travel into the realm of purgatory itself to rescue fair maidens… > > Who has a resume’ to compare??? Well, he rescued his wife. Let’s hope Katrina is not a maiden. Of course, that might explain the lack of chemistry. Ichabod’s partner is Abbie Mills, a law enforcement officer in modern Sleepy Hollow. Lots of chemistry in\* that\* relationship. She & her sister & Chief Irving do a fair amount of detecting. I still enjoy BBC’s _Sherlock_, although the last series went more into meta & character development. Anybody in need of many hours of straight detecting can just tune into Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/68 "2014-02-20T16:08:00Z")
Hopefully I will be able to add Harry Bosch if Amazon greenlights that pilot into more original content. FYI It’s free right now on Amazon be sure and check it out if you’re a fan. > **[Amazon.com: Bosch – Season 1 : Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Annie...](https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-Season-1/dp/B089XWNZ4W)** > > Amazon.com: Bosch – Season 1 : Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Annie Wersching, Lance Reddick, Alex Zakrzewski, Ernest R. Dickerson, Patrick Cady, Aaron Lipstadt, Kevin Dowling, Adam Davidson, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Tim Hunter, Christine... ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/69 "2014-02-22T00:19:44Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Sherlock from _Elementary_. He’s around more often and thus has more time to dedicate to my crime that needs solved. The Sherlock from _Sherlock_ is only around 3 nights a year. WTF? This made me laugh and I remember a line from _House._ He barged into Wilson’s office and Wilson looked at him and said he was busy, and he told off House saying something like “I’ve got a lot to do, figure it out, you see what, one patient a week?” ---
**Author:** ![catnoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@catnoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catnoe)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/70 "2014-02-22T00:49:00Z")
I can ditto the votes for Foyle. I like Elementary and Sherlock. Jonny Lee Miller plays the socially unaware detective very well. Cumberbatch plays the borderline sociopath perfectly (and as Sherlock Cumberbatch just does it for me). And if there is another season of Luther in the wings, I’d be a happy girl and add him to the list of best detective. Love me some Raylan Givens but he doesn’t ‘detect’ so much as threaten the information he needs out of a bad guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’d be very happy though for him to come rescue me if I was ever to be kidnapped. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/71 "2014-02-22T03:50:17Z")
My vote would be for the young _ **Endeavor** _ Morse, whose latest series will be shown in the US in 2014. Great start for a great detective. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/72 "2014-02-22T05:15:16Z")
I would like to mention DI Richard Poole from Death in Paradise, which I guess is a British series that I see from time to time on PBS. It is still in production, on it’s third series (season). He’s a very good detective, and he doesn’t rely on anything but his own observation and ability to reason. No tricks or coincidences. He has a method most of the time, which if nothing else helps the viewer keep track of what is going on. Also, although he has a very particular personality, with it’s quirks, he strikes me as someone I would like to know, which is more than you can say for Sherlock or Poirot or most any of the others. However, like Cabot Cove, Maine, that beautiful tropical island is probably not a good place to visit, there are an awful lot of murders there. I’d also like to mention retired detective Brian Lane (Alun Armstrong) on New Tricks, another British show (the show is still in production, but sadly he is not on it any more). He’s part of the Unsolved Crimes squad, but he is the one who comes up with most of the off-center insights, and he has a kind of dogged determination that wins through most of the time. With both him and James Bolam gone out of the original three men, the show is not almost unwatchable for me now. They played off against each other really well, now it’s kind of flat. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745/73 "2014-02-22T20:13:55Z")
Reference the comparisons between Sherlock and Elementary, though both are based loosely on the same character they are two different animals . Elementary is a fairly standard Pot Boiler, whereas Sherlock is incredibly complex and thought provoking . IME Sherlock is not the sort of programme to slump in front of after a hard days work because you’ll probably miss something . The reason that there are so few episodes made a year is because the production is very expensive . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-current-fictional-detective-on-television/676745.md?page=3)