Best tv shows like Shoestring
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Shoestring was a BBC television show set in Bristol. It featured a private detective with his own show on Radio West, the local radio station. The programme ran between 30 September 1979 and 21 December 1980, in two series with 21 one hour-long episodes. Star Trevor Eve decided not to return to the role after two series, as he wanted to diversify into theatre roles, so the same production team changed the format to be based in Jersey and created Bergerac, also about a detective returning to work after a bad period in his life.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 426
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: detective
Best tv shows and movies like Shoestring (1979):
Similar in 77%
Midnight Caller (1988)
Plot Summary:
Midnight Caller is a dramatic NBC television series created by Richard DiLello, which ran from 1988 to 1991. It was one of the first television series to address the dramatic possibilities of the then-growing phenomenon of talk radio. Except for a brief stint on Lifetime in the 1990s, the series has not been rerun or issued on DVD.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective
Similar in 77%
The Madame Blanc Mysteries (2021)
Plot Summary:
Jean White is an antiques dealer who runs a successful business with her husband, Rory. But when he suddenly dies and leaves her nearly penniless, Jean relocates to their one remaining asset - a cottage in French antiques hub Saint Victoire - and begins investigating Rory's mysterious death.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama
Country: UK, USA, Malta, Ireland
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective
Similar in 84%
Missing (2009)
Plot Summary:
DS Mary Jane Croft runs the under-resourced Missing Persons Unit.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 279
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: detective
Similar in 84%
Control - Hanzai Shinri Sousa (2011)
Plot Summary:
Segawa Rio, a quick-acting detective, gets transferred to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police's Violent Crimes Division after she got shot during her previous case. She is made to work together with Nagumo Jun, a level-headed but eccentric psychology professor whose skills at behavioral analysis are the key to tracking down the criminals. There's also Teranishi Kei, a shy young detective who's had a crush on Segawa since their days at the academy.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 24
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: detective
Similar in 77%
McCallum (1995)
Plot Summary:
McCallum is a British television series that was produced by STV Productions. Dr Iain McCallum was the original lead character, played by John Hannah. McCallum was a forensic pathologist who traveled by Triumph Motorcycle, and solved murders. The character had romantic involvements with two of the other principal characters, Joanna, and later Angela. The last episode did not include McCallum and Angela as the story stated that they had taken jobs in America. They were replaced by Dr. Dan Gallagher and Dr. Charley Fielding.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 580
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: detective
Similar in 80%
Beverly Hills Buntz (1987)
Plot Summary:
Beverly Hills Buntz is a spinoff from Hill Street Blues. It aired on NBC during the 1987–88 season.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 111
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: detective, sitcom
Similar in 80%
Juliet Bravo (1980)
Plot Summary:
Juliet Bravo was a drama that focused on two female police inspectors, neither of whom were called Juliet Bravo! These two inspectors worked in the small fictional town of Hartley, Lancashire. Jean Darblay was on the scene first and had trouble with her sexist colleagues. However she soon managed to gain their trust and prove a woman could be a successful police officer and housewife. Jean's call sign was Juliet Bravo. When she was promoted and moved on she was replaced by Kate Longton who not only took over the patch but also the headaches that went with it.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 274
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: detective
Similar in 88%
Harry and Cosh (1999)
Plot Summary:
Harry and Cosh was a British children's television series directed by Daniel Peacock shown on Saturday afternoons on Shake! on Channel 5 It starred Harry Capehorn, Coshti Dowden, Lucinda Rhodes-Flaherty and Gemma Baker. It told the story of two teenagers, their relationship problems and dysfunctional families. It ran for 46 episodes from 30 October 1999 to 12 July 2003. Frankie Fitzgerald Ricky Diamond and Carly Hillman appeared in some episodes as guest stars. In 2002, it was nominated for a BAFTA. Characters recur in other Two Hats Productions so it could be said to belong to the same metaseries as Sister Said, Cavegirl, Morris 2274 and Billie: Girl from the Future.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 49
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 76%
The Bond (2021)
Plot Summary:
Over 30 years of social development and changes, it tells the story of the five children of the Qiao's family, Yicheng, Erqiang, Sanli, Simei, and Qiqi, supporting and relying on each other during the difficult years.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 56
Genere: Drama
Country: China
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 79%
Bergerac (1981)
Plot Summary:
Bergerac is a British television show set on Jersey. Produced by the BBC in association with the Seven Network, and first screened on BBC1, it stars John Nettles as the title character Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac, a detective in Le Bureau des Étrangers, part of the States of Jersey Police.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK, Australia
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: detective, crime drama
Similar in 86%
The Gentle Touch (1980)
Plot Summary:
The Gentle Touch is a British police drama television series made by London Weekend Television for ITV which ran from 1980-1984. Commencing transmission on 11 April 1980, the series is notable for being the first British series to feature a female police detective as its leading character, ahead of the similarly themed BBC series Juliet Bravo by four months.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 296
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective
Similar in 81%
AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo (2000)
Plot Summary:
Detective Ukyo Sugishita confronts crime on the basis of his own convictions. He has a partner that works for him in the Special Task Unit. For the first 7 seasons, Ukyo’s first partner is Kaoru Kameyama. He is a good-natured, hot-tempered, straightforward and somewhat scattered detective. Beginning in Season 8, Takeru Kanbe replaces Kameyama. Contrary to his predecessor, Takeru is a lanky, cool, conceited and confident detective. From Season 11 to Season 13, Ukyo’s partner is a young detective Toru Kai. Toru is a son of Deputy Director-General of The National Police Agency. But he became a detective by his own effort. And starting with Season 14, Ukyo’s current partner is Wataru Kaburagi, an elite bureaucrat who came to the Metropolitan Police Department on temporary assignment. As the first partner without any career of a police officer, he will face challenging cases together with Ukyo.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 123
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: detective, tense, captivating, crime drama
Similar in 78%
Capital City (1989)
Plot Summary:
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman. Despite its short run in the UK, it was rebroadcast on UKTV Gold as well as a handful of PBS stations in the United States and starred a number of now well known faces. The music for the series was composed by the Colin Towns and enjoyed some success in its own right.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 267
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 83%
BG: Personal Bodyguard (2018)
Plot Summary:
Akira Shimazaki (Takuya Kimura) lives with his middle school student son. He used to work as a bodyguard, but, due to an incident, he now works as a security guard at a construction site. The private security company where he works establishes a new bodyguard division. Hiding his past as a bodyguard, Akira Shimazaki begins work as a novice bodyguard.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 467
Genere: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 54 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing, detective
Similar in 76%
Booker (1989)
Plot Summary:
Booker is an American crime drama series starring Richard Grieco that aired on the Fox Network from September 24, 1989 to May 6, 1990. The series is a spin-off of 21 Jump Street and the second installment of the 21 Jump Street series. The character of Dennis Booker was originally a recurring character on that police drama during its third season. The theme song for the series, "Hot in the City", was performed by Billy Idol.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 971
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, neo noir
Similar in 90%
Barnaby Jones (1973)
Plot Summary:
Barnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as father- and daughter-in-law who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles. The show ran on CBS from January 28, 1973 to April 3, 1980, beginning as a midseason replacement. William Conrad guest starred as Frank Cannon of Cannon on the first episode of Barnaby Jones, "Requiem for a Son" and the two series had a two-part crossover episode in 1975, "The Deadly Conspiracy".
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective
Similar in 88%
Buddy Faro (1998)
Plot Summary:
Buddy Faro was the best private detective in the business, until he disappeared in 1978 after a case went bad. Twenty years later, he's brought back to Los Angeles by private detective Bob Jones and they reopen Buddy Faro Investigations.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 115
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, clever, humorous, realistic, suspenseful, stylized, semi serious
Similar in 84%
Harry O (1973)
Plot Summary:
Harry O, sometimes spelled Harry-O, is an American crime drama series that aired for two seasons on ABC from 1974 to 1976. The series starred David Janssen and was executive produced by Jerry Thorpe. Harry O followed the broadcast of two pilot films: Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On and then the second, Smile Jenny, You're Dead, both starring Janssen.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 874
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, serious, realistic, suspenseful, vintage
Similar in 87%
Matt Houston (1982)
Plot Summary:
Matt Houston is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1985. Created by Lawrence Gordon, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: detective
Similar in 79%
Boon (1986)
Plot Summary:
Boon is a British television drama and modern-day western series starring Michael Elphick, David Daker, and later Neil Morrissey. It was created by Jim Hill and Bill Stair and filmed by Central Television for ITV. It revolved around the life of a modern-day Lone Ranger and ex-firefighter, Ken Boon.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 983
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 82%
Z Cars (1962)
Plot Summary:
Z-Cars or Z Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 370
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: detective, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 80%
Wycliffe (1993)
Plot Summary:
Wycliffe is a British television series, based on W. J. Burley's novels about Detective Superintendent Charles Wycliffe. It was produced by HTV and broadcast on the ITV Network, following a pilot episode on 7 August 1993, between 24 July 1994 and 5 July 1998. The series was filmed in Cornwall, with a production office in Truro. Music for the series was composed by Nigel Hess and was awarded the Royal Television Society award for the best television theme. Wycliffe is played by Jack Shepherd, assisted by DI Doug Kersey and DI Lucy Lane. Each episode deals with a murder investigation. In the early series, the stories are adapted from Burley's books and are in classic whodunit style, often with quirky characters and plot elements. In later seasons, the tone becomes more naturalistic and there is more emphasis on internal politics within the police.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: detective, crime drama
Similar in 88%
Man in a Suitcase (1967)
Plot Summary:
Man in a Suitcase is a 1967–1968 British television series produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. It originally aired in the United Kingdom on ITV from 27 September 1967, to 17 April 1968. ABC broadcast episodes of Man in a Suitcase in the United States from 3 May 1968, to 20 September 1968.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 445
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, neo noir, eurospy, cult film
Similar in 77%
Clouds of Witness (1972)
Plot Summary:
Lord Peter's brother, the Duke of Denver is accused of murdering their sister Mary's fiancé. It's up to Lord Peter and his faithful man Bunter to untangle all the clues and the contradicting testimony of a cloud of witnesses to save Denver.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 364
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration:
Plot tags: talky, detective, mind bending, clever, serious, realistic, suspenseful, witty, stylized
Similar in 89%
The New Mike Hammer (1984)
Plot Summary:
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, with Stacy Keach in the title role, is a television series that originally aired on CBS from January 28, 1984 to January 12, 1985. The series was 24 sixty minute episodes. The show follows the adventures of Mike Hammer, the fictitious private detective created by crime novelist Mickey Spillane, as he hunts down criminals on the mean streets of New York City.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective
Similar in 78%
Vincent (2005)
Plot Summary:
Vincent is an ITV drama series. An initial series was made and aired in 2005 and starred Ray Winstone, in the title role, and Suranne Jones as two members of a team of private eyes hired by people to spy on their partners or indeed anyone else they need to keep tabs on. The four part series also starred Angel Coulby, Ian Puleston-Davies, Joe Absolom, Eva Pope and Philip Glenister. A second series was broadcast in the autumn of 2006.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 905
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, serious, suspenseful, detective, crime drama, realistic
Similar in 83%
White Heat (2012)
Plot Summary:
A story about a group of seven London-based students from 1965 to the present day.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 709
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, realistic, stylized, family saga, saga
Similar in 79%
Banacek (1972)
Plot Summary:
Banacek is an American detective TV series starring George Peppard that aired on the NBC network from 1972 to 1974. The series was part of the rotating NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie anthology. It alternated in its time slot with several other shows but was the only one to last beyond its first season.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: detective, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 75%
Vega$ (1978)
Plot Summary:
Vega$ is an American detective television drama series that aired on ABC between 1978 and 1981. It was produced by Aaron Spelling. The series was filmed in its entirety in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is believed to be the first television series produced entirely in Las Vegas. The show stars Robert Urich as private detective Dan Tanna, who drove around the streets of Las Vegas in a red 1957 Ford Thunderbird solving crimes and making Las Vegas a better place for residents and tourists alike.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 87%
David Copperfield (1999)
Plot Summary:
Charles Dickens' haunting semi-autobiographical tale of a boy who is sent away by his stepfather after his mother dies but manages to triumph over incredible adversities.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Drama
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 185 min
Plot tags: costume drama, atmospheric, uplifting, touching, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, spiritual, period piece