Last updated March 2024
Looking for the cream of the Best Drama Tv Shows 2012 crop? We assembled 30 marvelous, critic- and user-beloved Best Drama Tv Shows 2012 available for your viewing enjoyment right now. With universal acclaim from IMDB and our knowledgeable user community, these world-class titles are as good as entertainment gets. Help fellow viewers uncover their next great find by voting for your personal favorites. We value your help spotlighting the finest titles out there!
Line of Duty (2012)
Plot Summary:
Steve Arnott is a young officer who’s fallen foul of his superiors for refusing to help in the cover-up of an operation that ended in the shooting of an innocent father. He seems ideal to join AC-12, an anti-corruption police unit, just as it starts to investigate Detective Chief Inspector Tony Gates, the regional force’s Officer of the Year
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 68000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Plot tags: police corruption, honest law enforcer, corruption, female police detective, dirty cop, police detective, police, british police, policewoman, twists and turns, law enforcement, law enforcer, police procedural, secret, evidence, corrupt law enforcer, right and wrong, interrogation, police officer, officer, dishonesty, squad, investigation, internal affairs, murder mystery
Call the Midwife (2012)
Plot Summary:
Drama following the lives of a group of midwives working in the poverty-stricken East End of London during the 1950s, based on the best-selling memoirs of Jennifer Worth
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 30000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK
Plot tags: midwife, childbirth, pregnancy, convent, nurse, doctor, nursing, friends, medical, family life, hospital, friendship, family relations, nun, women, medicine, home birth, unrequited love, death, strong female lead, woman, lgbtq, pregnant woman, monk, leader
Endeavour (2012)
Plot Summary:
The early days of a young Endeavour Morse, whose experiences as a detective constable with the Oxford City Police will ultimately shape his future
Duration: 89 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Plot tags: police, police detective, investigator, murderer, talented, police investigation, coworker, british, oxford, murder, intelligence, bodies, police procedural, law enforcement, investigation, whodunit, police protagonist, justice, murder mystery, who done it, uncover truth, mafia, pride and honor, boss, victim
The Newsroom (2012)
Plot Summary:
A behind-the-scenes look at the people who make a nightly cable-news program. Focusing on a network anchor, his new executive producer, the newsroom staff and their boss, the series tracks their quixotic mission to do the news well in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles-not to mention their own personal entanglements
Duration: 55 min
IMDB Rating: 8.6/10
IMDB Votes: 123000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: journalism, journalist, politics, news, workaholic, psychologist, rebellion, ambitious, workplace, power of media, ethics, teamwork, media coverage, idealism, liberal, media, writers, reporter, psychiatrist, intelligence, colleague, rape, relationships, marketing, white house
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2012)
Plot Summary:
Beginning its tale in 19th century England, young aristocrat Jonathan Joestar finds himself locked in bitter rivalry with Dio Brando, a low-born boy who Jonathan’s father took under his wing after the death of Dio’s father. Discontent with his station in life, Dio’s fathomless drive to reign over all eventually leads him to seek the supernatural powers of an ancient Aztec stone mask in the Joestars' possession – an artifact that will forever change the destiny of Dio and Jonathan for generations to come. Fifty years later, in 1938 New York City, Jonathan’s grandson Joseph Joestar must take up his grandfather’s mission and master the abilities necessary to destroy the stone mask and its immensely powerful creators, the Pillar men, who threaten humanity's very existence
Duration: 24 min
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Country: Japan
Plot tags: boy, friendship between men, fight, gang, murder, martial arts, vampire, violence, rivalry, save the day, artifact, superpower, death of father, death of protagonist, ghost, supernatural horror, meme, master villain, superhero, gore, adoption, supernatural power, teenage love, killer child, female nudity
Longmire (2012)
Plot Summary:
A Wyoming sheriff rebuilds his life and career following the death of his wife. Based on the “Walt Longmire” series of mystery novels written by best-selling author Craig Johnson
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
IMDB Votes: 39000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Western
Country: USA
Plot tags: sheriff, police, cowboy, small town, policewoman, machismo, police investigation, small town life, election, law enforcement, fighting crime, social relations, peril, police officer, native american, gunfight, shooting, greed, legal, father daughter relationship, graphic violence, small town sheriff, supernatural, murder, friends
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012)
Plot Summary:
Our lady sleuth sashays through the back lanes and jazz clubs of late 1920’s Melbourne, fighting injustice with her pearl handled pistol and her dagger sharp wit. Leaving a trail of admirers in her wake, our thoroughly modern heroine makes sure she enjoys every moment of her lucky life. Based on author Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher Murder Mystery novels
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Crime, Drama, History, Mystery
Country: Australia
Plot tags: investigation, private investigator, female detective, murder, private detective, heroine, murderer, riddles and clues, evidence, aristocracy, intelligence agency, female protagonist, feminism, murder investigation, independent woman, jazz, assistant, maid, strong female lead, police procedural, women, love, whodunit, lesbian, fashion
Derek (2012)
Plot Summary:
Derek is a loyal nursing home caretaker who sees only the good in his quirky co-workers as they struggle against prejudice and shrinking budgets to care for their elderly residents
Duration: 23 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 35000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: UK
Plot tags: retirement home, elderly, satire, socially awkward, workplace, male female relationship, social problems, coworker, social satire, coworker relationship, social issues, workplace situations, friendship, humour, comedian, mental health, sketch, sketch show, alcoholic, old man, kindness, old age, father son relationship, volunteer, interview
Rita (2012)
Plot Summary:
Independent, outspoken and adored by her students, private school teacher Rita fares less well with adults
Duration: 40 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Comedy, Drama
Country: Denmark
Plot tags: school teacher, female protagonist, teacher student relationship, teacher, female teacher, selfish woman, nordic, casual sex, male female relationship, workplace situations, gay teenager, seduction, female friendship, homosexual, director, nerd, mother son relationship, brother sister relationship, drunkenness, social problems, coworker, employer employee relationship, gross out humor, coworker relationship, foul language
Ripper Street (2012)
Plot Summary:
A drama set in the East End of London in 1889, during the aftermath of the "Ripper" murders. The action centres around the notorious H Division – the police precinct from hell – which is charged with keeping order in the chaotic streets of Whitechapel. Ripper Street explores the lives of characters trying to recover from the Ripper's legacy, from crimes that have not only irretrievably altered their lives, but the very fabric of their city. At the drama's heart our detectives try to bring a little light into the dark world they inhabit
Duration: 59 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK, Ireland
Plot tags: serial killer, danger, killings, victim, police detective, victorian england, investigator, multiple suspects, jack the ripper, notoriety, murder, urban, detective inspector, who done it, responsibility, murderer, murder investigation, police investigation, corpse, evidence, law enforcement, law enforcer, police procedural, killer, spy
The Returned (2012)
Plot Summary:
In the shadow of an enormous hydraulic dam, the lives of the residents of a small French town are changed to their core when hundreds of previously dead relatives all return home on the same day
Duration: 52 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Country: France
Plot tags: afterlife, resurrection, teenage life, supernatural, accident, small town, haunted by the past, dealing with death, small town life, death, living dead, zombie, imaginary, uncover truth, characters in danger, nobody believes, life turned upside down, back from the dead, supernatural power, grief, youth, siblings relations, supernatural horror, lgbt, house
Chicago Fire (2012)
Plot Summary:
An edge-of-your-seat view into the lives of everyday heroes committed to one of America's noblest professions. For the firefighters, rescue squad and paramedics of Chicago Firehouse 51, no occupation is more stressful or dangerous, yet so rewarding and exhilarating. These courageous men and women are among the elite who forge headfirst into danger when everyone else is running the other way and whose actions make the difference between life and death
Duration: 43 min
IMDB Rating: 8.0/10
IMDB Votes: 62000
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: firefighter, rescue, fire brigade, fire department, emergency, paramedic, responsibility, danger, life risking, lifesaver, chief, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, friendship, rescue team, teamwork, crime investigation, lesbian, workplace problem, rookie, characters in danger, fire, police, team, nightshift, lgbtq
DreamWorks Dragons (2012)
Plot Summary:
DreamWorks Dragons is an American computer-animated television series airing on Cartoon Network based on the 2010 film How to Train Your Dragon. The series serves as a bridge between the first film and its 2014 sequel. Riders of Berk follows Hiccup as he tries to keep balance within the new cohabitation of Dragons and Vikings. Alongside keeping up with Berk's newest installment — A Dragon Training Academy — Hiccup, Toothless, and the rest of the Viking Teens are put to the test when they are faced with new worlds harsher than Berk, new dragons that can't all be trained, and new enemies who are looking for every reason to destroy the harmony between Vikings and Dragons all together
Duration: 22 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA
Plot tags: dragon, viking, young kid, enemy, animal training, friends, imaginary kingdom, imaginary, young heroes, training, creature, heroes, island, escapades, village, youth, teen superhero, friendship, warrior, legends and myths, kids and family, family relations, courage, teamwork, danger
The Bletchley Circle (2012)
Plot Summary:
The Bletchley Circle follows the journey of four ordinary women with extraordinary skills that helped to end World War II. Set in 1952, Susan, Millie, Lucy and Jean have returned to their normal lives, modestly setting aside the part they played in producing crucial intelligence, which helped the Allies to victory and shortened the war. When Susan discovers a hidden code behind an unsolved murder she is met by skepticism from the police. She quickly realises she can only begin to crack the murders and bring the culprit to justice with her former friends. The Bletchley Circle paints a vivid portrait of post-war Britain in this fictional tale of unsung heroes
Duration: 45 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK, Canada
Plot tags: crime investigation, investigation, amateur detective, world war two, riddles and clues, code breaking, serial killer, danger, murder, innocence, trial, suspicion, missing person, strong female character, feminist, murder mystery, women, mysticism, espionage, intrigue, strength, woman, resistance, sisterhood, girl power
Lilyhammer (2012)
Plot Summary:
Frank Tagliano (Steven Van Zandt), is a former member of the New York mob. After testifying in a trial in the United States, Tagliano is relocated to Lillehammer in Norway through the FBI's witness protection program. Frank Tagliano was intrigued by Lillehammer when he saw television images of the Winter Olympics in 1994, and therefore chooses to start his new life there. The transition from being a feared and respected gangster in New York, to become an unemployed immigrant in Norway, is not simple. Frank discovers that to get up and in the Norwegian rural society, he must resort to the old, ruthless methods. The spelling of the series title alludes to Tagliano's dog Lily, and the way that Frank and some other anglophones pronounce the town's name
Duration: 45 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: Norway, USA
Plot tags: mafia, culture clash, dark humor, blackmail, lifestyle change, starting over, middle aged, business venture, businessman, small town life, fish out of water, gangster, shooting, snitch, criminal heroes, fbi, misfit, prejudice, social relations, immigrant, nordic, witness protection, nypd, judiciary, lawyer
Awake (2012)
Plot Summary:
Michael lives in two separate realities after a car accident. In one reality, his wife Hannah survives the accident; in the other reality, his son Rex survives. Michael does not know which reality is "real", and uses the wristbands to differentiate the two. He sees two therapists: Dr. Jonathan Lee in the "red reality" and Dr. Judith Evans in the "green reality". At work, Michael's erratic behavior triggers clashes with his team; they do not know about Michael's uncanny ability to solve crimes using details from both realities
Duration: 43 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: alternate reality, double life, car accident, grief, police investigation, family problems, loss, therapy, sanity, family relations, accident, insanity, loss of loved one, loss of son, haunted by the past, loss of family member, loss of spouse, parents and children, law enforcement, loss of child, escape from reality, death in the family, dealing with death, supernatural, police
Hatfields & McCoys (2012)
Plot Summary:
Anse Hatfield and Randall McCoy, close friends and comrades until near the end of the Civil War, return to their neighboring homes to increasing tensions, misunderstandings and resentments
Duration: 290 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 29000
Genere: Drama, History, Romance, War, Western
Country: USA
Plot tags: civil war, american civil war, old west, gunfight, feud, revenge, violence spree, violence, murder, family relations, rivalry, ethnic conflict, vengeance, organized crime, father son relationship, death of son, uninhibited rivalry, post war, war, modern western, modern west, death, wild west, twists and turns, killings
Elementary (2012)
Plot Summary:
A modern-day drama about a crime-solving duo that cracks the NYPD's most impossible cases. Following his fall from grace in London and a stint in rehab, eccentric Sherlock escapes to Manhattan where his wealthy father forces him to live with his worst nightmare - a sober companion, Dr. Watson
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
IMDB Votes: 117000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Plot tags: investigation, sherlock holmes, private detective, talented, female partner, prodigy, mastermind, mind game, riddles and clues, unconventional method, law enforcement, friendship, resourceful, police detective, police investigation, intelligence, friends, teamwork, whodunit, expert, loyalty, multiple suspects, supportive friend, coworker, hotshot
A Young Doctor's Notebook (2012)
Plot Summary:
A young doctor who has graduated at the top of his class from the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry is thrust out into an isolated and impoverished country side as the village's only doctor. As he learns to adapt to his new lifestyle, he develops a morphine addiction to stay his sanity while realizing what being a doctor in the real world means
Duration: 23 min
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, History
Country: UK
Plot tags: doctors and patients, dark humor, hospital, doctor, medical, self destructing, drug addict, morphine, diary, surgery, society, doubts and hesitations, health situation, traditional versus modern, medicine, social relations, nurse, addiction, winter, drug addiction, historical event, satire, storytelling, workplace, cognitive science
The Paradise (2012)
Plot Summary:
An intoxicating love story set in England's first department store in the 1870s. The Paradise revolves around the lives of the people who live and work in the store, each bound in their own way by the power of the world they live in, and the pasts that follow them there. A love story, mystery, and social comedy all in one
Duration: 60 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Plot tags: fashion, workplace situations, rise to the top, high society, ambition, workplace, nouveau riche, love affair, love and romance, department store, success, boss, new job, ambitious, workplace problem, power relations, employer employee relationship, power struggle, lifestyle, lifestyle change, materialism, loss of family member, traditional versus modern, eligible bachelor, marketing
Nashville (2012)
Plot Summary:
Rayna Jaymes and Juliette Barnes face personal and professional challenges as they navigate their paths as artists and individuals. Surrounding them, and often complicating their lives, are their family, friends and, in some cases, lovers, as well as the up-and-coming performers and songwriters trying to get ahead in the business. In Nashville, musicians and songwriters are at the heart of the storm driven by their own ambitions. Some are fueled by their creativity and passion for fame. Others struggle to cope with the pressures of success and are doing everything in their power to stay on top
Duration: 43 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 27000
Genere: Drama, Music, Romance
Country: USA
Plot tags: country music, music, fame, musician, rivalry, music industry, family relations, celebrity, lifestyle, desire for fame, success, career, parents and children, showbiz, popularity, power struggle, ambitious, musician's life, talented, artists and showbiz, hopes, ambition, friendship, women, strong female lead
Smash (2012)
Plot Summary:
Smash is an American musical drama television series created by playwright Theresa Rebeck and developed by Robert Greenblatt for NBC. Steven Spielberg served as one of the executive producers. The series was broadcast in the US by NBC and produced by DreamWorks Television and Universal Television. The series revolves around a fictional New York theater community and specifically the creation of a new Broadway musical. It features a large ensemble cast, led by Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Katharine McPhee, Christian Borle, Megan Hilty, Jeremy Jordan, and Anjelica Huston. The show debuted on February 6, 2012, and its first season ended on May 14, 2012. Its second and final season premiered on February 5, 2013 and ended on May 26, 2013. NBC announced a change in their lineup in March 2013 and moved the show to Saturdays starting April 6, 2013. The series was officially cancelled on May 10, 2013. Second and final season executive producer/show runner Josh Safran said the final episode of season two would work as a series finale, should the series not be renewed. The series, particularly the pilot episode, enjoyed some critical success. The first season received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography amongst 4 nominations. The series was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media
Duration: 44 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Drama, Musical
Country: USA
Plot tags: showbiz, dancer, actor's life, young woman, actor, producer, follow your dream, ambition, lifestyle, starlet, desire for fame, rising to stardom, musician, career, fame, actress, divorce, sexuality, backstage, cultural icon, rivals, audition, rehearsal, gay, teenager
Scandal (2012)
Plot Summary:
Everyone has secrets and Olivia Pope has dedicated her life to protecting and defending the public images of the elite by keeping those secrets under wraps. Pope and her team are at the top of their game when it comes to getting the job done for their clients, but it becomes apparent that these "gladiators in suits," who specialize in fixing the lives of other people, have trouble fixing those closest at hand -- their own
Duration: 43 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 79000
Genere: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: white house, lawyer, relationship vs career, workplace situations, politician, president, senator, politics, teamwork, ambition, media, young woman, boss, secret, twists and turns, career, democrat, coworker, investigator, team, slick, protector, strong female lead, u.s. president, crisis
The Finder (2012)
Plot Summary:
Walter Sherman, an Iraq War veteran, has the extraordinary ability to help people find the unfindable
Duration: 44 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Plot tags: investigation, team, hotshot, weirdo, talented, teamwork, riddles and clues, partners against crime, peril, escapades, lawyer, coworker, evidence, expert, ex military, ex soldier, war veteran, chases and races, veteran, suspicion, partner, iraq veteran, brain injury, police, psychic
Major Crimes (2012)
Plot Summary:
Major Crimes explores how the American justice system approaches the art of the deals as law enforcement officers and prosecutors work together to score a conviction. Los Angeles Police Captain Sharon Raydor heads up a special squad within the LAPD that deals with high-profile or particularly sensitive crimes
Duration: 43 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Plot tags: female detective, female protagonist, homicide detective, policewoman, police detective, law enforcement, lapd, murder investigation, murder, fighting crime, investigator, interrogation, police, crime investigation, police lieutenant, dead body, homicide, police investigation, coworker, swat team, murder mystery, police procedural, police station, investigation, legal
Magic City (2012)
Plot Summary:
Set in 1959 Miami, Florida shortly after the Cuban Revolution, Magic City tells the story of Ike Evans, the owner of Miami's most glamorous hotel, the Miramar Playa. Evans is forced to make an ill-fated deal with Miami mob boss Ben Diamond to ensure the success of his glitzy establishment
Duration: 50 min
IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: mob boss, hotshot, mafia, hotel, gangster, intrigue, organized crime, businessman, lifestyle, ambition, power struggle, family relations, rivalry, secret, rivals, slick, dishonesty, fbi, stripper, parents and children, seduction, infidelity, female nudity, mobster, sex
Another (2012)
Plot Summary:
When Kouichi Sasakibara transfers to his new school, he can sense something frightening in the atmosphere of his new class, a secret none of them will talk about. At the center is the beautiful girl Mei Misaki. Kouichi is immediately drawn to her mysterious aura, but then he begins to realize that no one else in the class is aware of her presence
Duration: 300 min
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Japan
Plot tags: classmate, mysterious character, death, supernatural, school, accidental death, curses spells and rituals, suspicion, encounter, twists and turns, nightmare, paranormal activity, curse, danger, gore, teenage life, tragedy, survival, hospital, mature, countryside, morgue, blood, massacre, amnesia
Perception (2012)
Plot Summary:
Dr. Daniel Pierce, a neuroscientist and professor, is recruited to help the federal government crack difficult cases. His intimate knowledge of human behavior and masterful understanding of the mind give him an extraordinary ability to read people, but his eccentric view of the world and less-than-stellar social skills can often interfere with his work
Duration: 42 min
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB Votes: 23000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: investigation, schizophrenia, fbi, prodigy, college professor, riddles and clues, hallucination, intelligence, talented, genius, law enforcement, professor, crime investigation, policewoman, investigator, doctor, special agent, murderer, psychopath, supernatural, outside help, mental illness, murder mystery, crime solving, women
Arrow (2012)
Plot Summary:
Spoiled billionaire playboy Oliver Queen is missing and presumed dead when his yacht is lost at sea. He returns five years later a changed man, determined to clean up the city as a hooded vigilante armed with a bow
Duration: 42 min
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB Votes: 443000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: superhero, heroes, double life, fighting crime, martial arts, rivalry, crime fighter, vigilante, archer, archery, dual identity, millionaire, vigilantism, parkour, twists and turns, righting the wronged, killings, young man, cop, multiverse, undercover, villain, corruption, organized crime, secret
Parade's End (2012)
Plot Summary:
In the years before the First World War, three Britons are drawn into fraught and ultimately tragic relations: Anglican Christopher Tietjens, second son of the lord of the manor of Groby, Yorkshire, who is a disconsolate, Tory statistician in London; Catholic Sylvia Satterthwaite, his promiscuous and self-centered socialite wife who has married him only to hide the fact that their son is not really his; and freethinking Valentine Wannop, a young suffragette and daughter of a lady novelist, who is torn between her idealism and her attraction to "Chrissy". As the war works a profound change on Europe, and Chrissy is badly wounded in France, the conflict shatters and rearranges the lives of all three principals, as well as virtually everyone else in their elite circle
Duration: 287 min
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Action, Drama, Romance, War
Country: UK, Belgium, USA
Plot tags: world war one, high society, crumbling marriage, love triangle, adultery, unfaithful wife, lovers, couple relations, love and romance, couples, countryside, marriage, estate, conservative, great war, war, loveless marriage, lesbian, wartime, election, infidelity, abbey, exodus, soldier, social differences