If you feel like you have already seen all the best crime shows on Netflix, and you have an itch that needs scratching, which night check out what Hulu has to offer.
Hulu’s crime collection is fantastic including classics from the 1970s, long-running dramas like Law and Order, new-concept gritty thrillers, and lots of Nordic noir crime series.
Crime fans won’t run out of things to watch any time soon with this fantastic collection.
Beck (1999-)
This is a Swedish crime series, which suggests that it will be intelligent and gritty. It is based on the popular novels by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo about the same titular detective.
Peter Haber stars as the titular detective who investigates the worst murders in Stockholm, sometimes helped and sometimes hindered by his eccentric personality.
The Bridge (2011-)
Another Nordic Noir treat, this series is a joint creative effort from Swedish and Denmark producers. The story is set on the bridge that links Malmo in Sweden with Copenhagen in Denmark.
When a body is found on the bridge, detectives from both sides must come together to solve the case. Starring Sofia Helin and Kim Bodnia.
Criminal Minds (2005-)
This American procedural crime drama follows a group of criminal profilers that work for the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, creating profiles of the worst criminals in the country.
This allows the show to explore horrific crimes in different contexts around the country, often based on real crimes. Starring Mandy Patinkin, Thoma Gibson, and Lola Glaudini.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000-)
The TV series that is credited with making us all armchair detectives, both the original CSI series and CSI: Miami are available on Hulu.
The original series is set in Las Vegas, Nevada, which often provides interesting contexts for the crimes. William Petersen heads up the team that includes Marg Helgenberger, Gary Douran, and Jorja Fox.
Elementary (2012-)
Sherlock Holmes takes on crimes in modern-day New York in this reimagining of the classic Arthur Conan Doyle Story.
Johnny Lee Miller stars as Sherlock in exile as a recovering addict. Former surgeon Doctor Watson, played by Lucy Liu, shows up to be his sober companion. But the relationship soon evolves as she becomes addicted to helping Sherlock solve crimes in his capacity as a consultant for the NYPD.
Fargo (2014-)
This is both a black comedy and a crime series based on the 1996 film of the same name. The series follows an anthology format, with each series being set in a different location and era. Each season is inspired by a different Cohen Brothers film (who wrote the original Fargo).
The critically acclaimed first season was based in Minnesota and North Dakota in 2006. Billy Bob Thornton plays a deceptive traveler passing through who brings malice and violence to the community, and especially a down-trodden insurance salesman played by Martin Freeman.
The Killing (2011-)
This is an American crime drama that was inspired by the Danish TV series of the same name (well almost Forbrydelsen, “The Crime”, but transported to Seattle, Washington.
Mireille Enos takes on the role of the lead detective who can see things that others can’t and never gives up on a case, no matter what it does to her personal life. Joel Kinnaman stars as her new partner who is also struggling not to self-destruct.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-)
There is no denying that Law & Order is a crime television phenomenon, and the series that follows the special victims unit, which deals with sexually motivated offenses, is the best of the best.
Each story is nuanced, with crimes that aren’t always black and white. But the heart of the show is the friendship between the two lead detectives, Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni).
There are only 22 seasons to keep you going.
Murdoch Mysteries (2008-)
This Canadian crime drama is based on the novels by Maureen Jennings and stars Yannick Bisson as the titular detective Murdoch.
The series is set in Toronto at the turn of the 20th century, and Murdoch uses the latest technology of the day to bring criminals to justice. To many of the people he encounters, he seems like a magician, or a charlatan.
Prime Suspect (1991-)
Before Dame Helen Mirren was one of the most respected movie actresses in the industry, there was the British crime drama Prime Suspect.
She plays one of the first female Detective Chief Inspectors in London’s Metropolitan Police Force. She solves horrific crimes, while also confronting the institutional sexism that exists within the police force.
Prodigal Son (2109-)
This series follows Malcolm Bright (Tom Payne), a man who helped the police catch his serial killer father (Michael Sheen) when he was a child. He went on to join Quantico, but was kicked out of the FBI, and now works for the New York police.
He faces his greatest challenge to date when he encounters a killer that seems to be imitating the crimes of his father. He decides to speak to his father for the first time in 10 years in order to get his help with the case.
The Shield (2002-)
Another critically acclaimed series that you can revisit on Hulu. It follows an experimental division of the LA police department set up to deal with a district plagued by gangs and violence.
At the center of the division is a strike team that uses criminal tactics to catch criminals. But are they better than the criminals that they are hunting? Starring Michael Chiklis, Catherine Dent, and Reed Diamond.
Sleepy Hollow (2013-)
A crime show with a supernatural edge, it looks at crimes of a fantastic nature in Sleepy Hollow, New York.
The main sleuth is Ichabod Crane, an agent of the president who lost consciousness fighting with the headless horseman in 1781, only to awake in 2013. He discovers that the horseman and some other demons are back, and he teams up with modern police to stop the end of days.
Taken (2017-)
Inspired by the Taken films starring Leam Neeson, the series follows a much younger version of protagonist Bryan Mills, played by Clive Standen.
In the series, we see him on the path to becoming the superspy of the movies, but he is still plagued by personal tragedy and constantly seeking revenge (some guys just can’t get a break).
Twin Peaks (1990-)
Hulu is streaming both the original 1990-1991 series of Twin Peaks and the 2107 prequel, so you can relieve the action before seeing how everything plays out.
It starts when an FBI agent, played by Kyle MacLachlan, is called in to investigate the murder of a homecoming queen in the small town of Twin Peaks. But what seems like a grizzly crime soon becomes surreal as the supernatural enters the picture.
What To Watch Next?
If you are a crime buff, you probably love true crime. Netflix is building one of the best collections of true crime documentaries and docu-series that you are likely to find anywhere. Check out this list of the best that are currently available.
Or why not switch up your mediums and tune in to one of these fantastic true crime podcasts. They are the perfect way to make the commute go faster.