Best tv shows like Jonathan Creek
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Jonathan Creek follows the story of Madeline Magellan, an investigative journalist. Like most journalists, she sticks her nose in where it isn't wanted, but this is what makes her such a great journalist! While writing a piece about the death of a prominent artist, she happens across a man named Jonathan Creek. Jonathan makes a living inventing magical tricks for magician Adam Klaus, and has a brilliantly lateral mind.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: clever, detective, anthology, sitcom, crime drama, realistic, serious, suspenseful
Best tv shows and movies like Jonathan Creek (1997):
Similar in 90%
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996)
Plot Summary:
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates is a genteel British crime/comedy drama television programme that aired from 1996 to 1998 on BBC One. Patricia Routledge starred as the titular character, Derek Benfield as her patient husband Robert, Dominic Monaghan as their lodger Geoffrey Shawcross and John Graham Davies as DCI Adams. Later episodes include Suzanne Maddock as Janet Frazer, a feisty young auto mechanic who sells a car to Geoffrey; their relationship develops by the end of the series. In the United States, episodes have been featured on PBS's anthology programme Mystery!.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance
Country: UK
Duration: 75 min
Plot tags: detective, retro, crime drama, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 77%
Lovejoy (1986)
Plot Summary:
The series concerns the adventures of the eponymous Lovejoy, played by Ian McShane, a likeable but roguish antiques dealer based in East Anglia. Within the trade, he has a reputation as a "divvie", a person with an almost supernatural powers for recognising exceptional items as well as distinguishing genuine antique from clever fakes or forgeries.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: detective, sitcom, exciting, clever, humorous, captivating, realistic, suspenseful, witty, semi serious
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Similar in 76%
Agatha Raisin (2014)
Plot Summary:
Burnt out on office politics, Agatha Raisin retires early to a picturesque village in the Cotswolds and soon finds a second career as an amateur detective investigating mischief, mayhem, and murder in her deceptively quaint town.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, captivating, feel good, emotional, witty, entertaining, ironic, light hearted
Similar in 84%
Dalziel and Pascoe (1996)
Plot Summary:
A British crime drama based on the "Dalziel and Pascoe" series of books by Reginald Hill, set in the fictional Yorkshire town of Wetherton. The unlikely duo of politically incorrect elephant-in-a-china-shop-copper Detective Superintendent Andrew Dalziel (pronounced Dee-ell) and his more sensitive and university educated sidekick Detective Sargent, later Detective Inspector, Peter Pascoe is always on hand to solve the classic murder mystery, while maintaining a down to earth wit and humour.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Crime, Mystery, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: serious, detective, crime drama, tense, realistic, witty, suspenseful
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Similar in 83%
Campion (1989)
Plot Summary:
Campion is a television show made by the BBC, adapting the Albert Campion mystery novels written by Margery Allingham. Two series were made, in 1989 and 1990, starring Peter Davison as Campion, Brian Glover as his manservant Magersfontein Lugg and Andrew Burt as his policeman friend Stanislaus Oates. A total of eight novels were adapted, four in each series, each of which was originally broadcast as two separate hour-long episodes. Peter Davison sang the title music for the first series himself; in the second series, it was replaced with an instrumental version.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 975
Genere: Adventure, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: detective, crime drama, humorous, realistic, suspenseful, semi serious, period drama
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Similar in 75%
Agatha Christie's Miss Marple: A Murder Is Announced (1985)
Plot Summary:
An unusual announcement in the newspaper leads the curious villagers to Miss Blacklock's home, where they become witnesses to a murder.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK, USA, Australia
Duration: 153 min
Plot tags: detective, mind bending, clever, serious, realistic, suspenseful, vintage
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Similar in 77%
The Little Murders of Agatha Christie (2009)
Plot Summary:
In 1930s France, Superintendent Larosière has a passion for beautiful women and solving cases, while hapless young inspector Lampion just tries to keep up. Later series, are set in the mid-'50s, where suave Commissioner Laurence unravels knotty crimes with the help of reporter Alice.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: France, Switzerland
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: humorous, suspenseful, semi serious, realistic, slasher, detective, period drama
Similar in 85%
Agatha Christie's Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel (1987)
Plot Summary:
Miss Jane Marple is staying at an elegant hotel from her childhood compliments of her nephew Raymond. Also there is international adventurer Bess Sedgwick and Lady Selena Hazy (Joan Greenwood in her next to last performance). A doorman working at the hotel turns out to be from Bess' past, and when he is killed, she is the prime suspect. But what does his murder have to do with the disappearance of an elderly vicar staying at the hotel, and a string of robberies over the last few months? Miss Marple must find out before the murderer strikes again!!!.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK, USA, Australia
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: detective, clever, serious, captivating, mind bending, realistic, suspenseful, contemplative
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Similar in 78%
A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001)
Plot Summary:
Genius detective Nero Wolfe and his right-hand man, Archie Goodwin, solve seemingly impossible crimes.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 46 min
Plot tags: realistic, detective, clever, serious, suspenseful
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Similar in 80%
Murder, She Wrote (1984)
Plot Summary:
An unassuming mystery writer turned sleuth uses her professional insight to help solve real-life homicide cases.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 28000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: clever, detective, witty, thought provoking, thrilling, suspenseful, realistic, serious, iconic
Similar in 89%
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.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Crime, Drama, History, Mystery
Country: Australia
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: realistic, captivating, serious, clever, detective, crime drama, dramatic, period piece, historical drama, costume drama
Similar in 85%
Father Brown (2013)
Plot Summary:
Father Brown is based on G. K. Chesterton's detective stories about a Catholic priest who doubles as an amateur detective in order to try and solve mysteries.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 52 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, intellectual, suspenseful, detective, realistic, crime drama, suspense, exciting, funny
Similar in 83%
Rosemary & Thyme (2003)
Plot Summary:
Rosemary & Thyme is a British television mystery series starring Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris as gardening detectives Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme. The show began on ITV in 2003. The third series ended in August 2007. The theme is murder mysteries in the setting of professional gardening jobs. It was created by Brian Eastman to entertain his wife, Christabel Albery, who is an avid gardener. The show was directed by Brian Farnham, Simon Langton, and Tom Clegg. Clive Exton, who helped create the show, contributed 10 of the 22 scripts.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 48 min
Plot tags: feel good, realistic, captivating, clever, detective, semi serious, crime drama, suspenseful
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Similar in 86%
Lewis (2006)
Plot Summary:
Inspector Robert Lewis and Sergeant James Hathaway solve the tough cases that the learned inhabitants of Oxford throw at them.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: clever, realistic, detective, serious, crime drama, suspenseful, atmospheric
Similar in 84%
The Last Detective (2003)
Plot Summary:
The Last Detective is an ITV drama starring Peter Davison as Dangerous Davies. The first series aired in 2003 with three more seasons succeeding this. The first consisted of a pilot and three episodes, the second and the third series both consisted of four normal episodes and the fourth series increased the run to five episodes and the duration of each individual episode to 90 minutes as opposed to the previous 70-minute format. As of 2007 this series had 17 episodes in total.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: detective, clever, realistic, suspenseful, dark, crime drama, semi serious
Similar in 85%
Waking the Dead (2000)
Plot Summary:
Waking the Dead is a British television police procedural crime drama series produced by the BBC featuring a fictional Cold Case unit composed of CID police officers, a psychological profiler and a forensic scientist. A pilot episode aired in September 2000, and there have been a total of nine series since. Each story is split into two hour-long episodes, shown on consecutive nights on BBC One. A third series episode won an International Emmy Award in 2004. The programme was also shown on BBC America in the United States, though these screenings are edited to allow for advertising breaks, as well as UKTV in Australia and New Zealand and ABC1 in Australia. The show aired its final episode on 11 April 2011. A spin-off from the series, titled The Body Farm, revolving around forensic scientist Eve Lockhart, was announced by the BBC in January 2011 and ran for just one series.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, realistic, detective, crime drama, rough, serious, gloomy
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Similar in 77%
Inspector George Gently (2007)
Plot Summary:
Crime drama set in the 1960s about an old-school detective trying to come to terms with a time when the lines between the police and criminals have become blurred.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK, Ireland
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: detective, serious, suspenseful, crime drama, clever, realistic, dark, period drama
Similar in 77%
The Brokenwood Mysteries (2014)
Plot Summary:
In a seemingly quiet country town the newest resident, Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd, finds that murder lurks in even the most homely location.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: New Zealand
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: realistic, suspenseful, semi serious, detective, witty, tense, captivating, suspense, humorous, crime drama
Similar in 87%
Murder in Suburbia (2004)
Plot Summary:
Murder in Suburbia was a British detective drama that ran for two series in 2004 and 2005.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, bleak, rough, detective, tense, crime drama, captivating, suspense, mind bending, serious
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Similar in 88%
The Doctor Blake Mysteries (2013)
Plot Summary:
Dr Lucien Blake left Ballarat as a young man. But now he finds himself returning to take over not only his dead father's medical practice, but also his on-call role as the town's police surgeon, only to find change is afoot, nothing is sacred, and no one is safe.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: Australia
Duration: 57 min
Plot tags: clever, serious, detective, realistic, suspenseful, stylized, crime drama, tense, captivating, medical drama
Similar in 88%
Agatha Christie's Marple (2004)
Plot Summary:
The show follows the adventures of Miss Jane Marple, an elderly spinster living in the quiet little village of St Mary Mead. During her many visits to friends and relatives in other villages, Miss Marple often stumbles upon mysterious murders which she helps solve. Although the police are sometimes reluctant to accept Miss Marple's help, her reputation and unparalleled powers of observation eventually win them over.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: clever, serious, detective, realistic, suspenseful, tense, captivating, suspense, slasher, anthology
Similar in 82%
Midsomer Murders (1997)
Plot Summary:
The peacefulness of the Midsomer community is shattered by violent crimes, suspects are placed under suspicion, and it is up to a veteran DCI and his young sergeant to calmly and diligently eliminate the innocent and ruthlessly pursue the guilty.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 38000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, detective, crime drama, realistic, serious, suspenseful, clever, dark, slasher, thrilling
Similar in 89%
Inspector Morse (1987)
Plot Summary:
Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series starred John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sergeant Lewis, as well as a large cast of notable actors and actresses.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: detective, crime drama, sincere, realistic, atmospheric, suspense, sitcom, clever, serious, suspenseful
Similar in 76%
Silent Witness (1996)
Plot Summary:
Silent Witness is a British crime thriller series focusing on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: detective, rough, bleak, realistic, serious, crime drama, bloody, suspense, tense, brutal
Similar in 81%
Grantchester (2014)
Plot Summary:
Drama series set in 1953, against the backdrop of the real hamlet of Grantchester. The drama focuses upon the life of Sidney Chambers, a charismatic, charming clergyman who turns investigative vicar when one of his parishioners dies in suspicious circumstances.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: tense, serious, detective, crime drama, period piece, slasher, costume drama, historical drama, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 78%
The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1986)
Plot Summary:
Dr. Watson, finds a mystery in an empty house, while Holmes and he later solve the mysteries of an abbey grange, the Musgrave ritual, a second stain, a man with a twisted lip, the priory school, and a half-dozen plaster busts of Bonaparte.
IMDB Rating: 8.7
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, gothic, spiritual, mind bending, serious, realistic, suspenseful, period drama
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Similar in 78%
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984)
Plot Summary:
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984–1985), The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1986–1988), The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1991–1993) and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1994), collectively known as Sherlock Holmes, are a series of adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories which were produced by Granada Television and originally broadcast by ITV in the United Kingdom. The series starred Jeremy Brett as Holmes and David Burke (in the Adventures series) and Edward Hardwicke (Return, Case-Book, Memoirs) as Dr. Watson. The programme adapted 42 of the original stories in 41 episodes, with 36 running for 50 minutes (in a one-hour timeslot), and five being feature-length specials. Adventures ran for two series totalling 13 episodes, from April to June 1984 and August to September 1985. Return ran for two series from July to August 1986 and April to August 1988, as well as the specials "The Sign of Four" and "The Hound of the Baskervilles", which aired on 29 December 1987 and 31 August 1988 respectively. Case-Book ran for one series from February to March 1991 and three specials which aired on 2 January 1992 and 27 January and 3 February 1993. Memoirs ran for one series from March to April 1994. A short episode was also produced as part of "The Four Oaks Mystery" which aired during the ITV Telethon in 1992. Sherlock Holmes appeared in the first part, with the casts of Van der Valk, Taggart and Inspector Wexford appearing in the second, third and fourth parts respectively.
IMDB Rating: 8.7
IMDB Votes: 24000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, serious, stylized, suspenseful, realistic, captivating, atmospheric, intellectual, gothic, spiritual
Similar in 81%
Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989)
Plot Summary:
From England to Egypt, accompanied by his elegant and trustworthy sidekicks, the intelligent yet eccentrically-refined Belgian detective Hercule Poirot pits his wits against a collection of first class deceptions.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 50000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: clever, realistic, captivating, detective, serious, suspenseful, exciting, stylized, crime drama, spiritual
Similar in 86%
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.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK, Canada
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: tense, detective, serious, suspenseful, realistic, crime drama, intellectual, period piece, costume drama, historical drama
Similar in 84%
Sherlock (2010)
Plot Summary:
A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.
IMDB Rating: 9.1
IMDB Votes: 977000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: clever, detective, witty, captivating, serious, exciting, mind bending, psychological, intellectual, suspenseful