Best police detective Movies & TV Shows

Crime 101

When an elusive thief whose high-stakes heists unfold along the iconic 101 freeway in Los Angeles eyes the score of a lifetime, with hopes of this being his final job, his path collides with a disillusioned insurance broker who is facing her own crossroads. Determined to crack the case, a relentless detective closes in on the operation, raising the stakes even higher.

Run time: 141m Tagline: Always have an exit. Release: 2026-02-11

Stars: Babak Tafti Barry Keoghan Chris Hemsworth Corey Hawkins Halle Berry Jennifer Jason Leigh Mark Ruffalo Monica Barbaro Nick Nolte Peter Banifaz

The Rookie

Starting over isn’t easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being an LAPD officer. As the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis.

Stars: Alyssa Diaz Eric Winter Jenna Dewan Lisseth Chavez Mekia Cox Melissa O'Neil Nathan Fillion Richard T. Jones Shawn Ashmore Tru Valentino

The Wire

Told from the points of view of both the Baltimore homicide and narcotics detectives and their targets, the series captures a universe in which the national war on drugs has become a permanent, self-sustaining bureaucracy, and distinctions between good and evil are routinely obliterated.

Stars: Aidan Gillen Andre Royo Deirdre Lovejoy Dominic West J.D. Williams Jamie Hector Lance Reddick Michael Kenneth Williams Sonja Sohn Wendell Pierce

True Detective

An American anthology police detective series utilizing multiple timelines in which investigations seem to unearth personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within or outside the law.

Stars: Christopher Eccleston Finn Bennett Fiona Shaw Isabella Star LaBlanc Jodie Foster John Hawkes Kali Reis

Vera

A sharp detective with a messy life, DCI Vera Stanhope patrols her “patch” of northeast England, pursuing the truth in cases of murder, kidnapping, and blackmail. Vera is obsessive about her work and faces the world with caustic wit, guile and courage.

Stars: Brenda Blethyn David Leon