Best British Crime & Detective Dramas From Line of Duty to Vigil - Variety

There's something about watching Detective Inspectors and Chief Constables go about their jobs that's simultaneously engrossing and comforting. The bowler hats, the checked cravats, the baffling lingo — somehow there's nothing like a British crime series for sheer bingeing delight.

With generally top-flight production values, clever writing and crackling casts, these series are as well-made as they are fun to watch. And they're a great place for spotting talent that's about to get a bigger profile. American audiences were first introduced to the perfection of Olivia Colman in "Broadchurch" and "The Night Manager," and Richard Madden impressed in "Bodyguard" and "Game of Thrones" before moving into the Marvel world as Ikaris in "Eternals." Could Bond be far away for him?

These series range from a tight six or eight episodes ("The Stranger") to several satisfyingly bingeable seasons ("Line of Duty"), and from the pulse-pounding suspense and violent action ("Bodyguard") to more sedate procedural pleasures ("DCI Banks), so whatever flavor of crimes you're in the mood for, there's bound to be something new to discover on this list. (Lovers of "cozy" crime shows, however, will find this list skews toward the darker, adults-only side of the spectrum.)

But first, you might need to bone up on your British crime vocab. After all, you wouldn't want to get the gaffer confused with the grass! Here's a guide to some of the terms used on "Line of Duty," while this glossary can help with general police slang terms.