If you’re a fan of crime shows and mysteries, then you know some of the best mystery solvers on TV aren’t the professionals but the unorthodox crime solver. There’s so many to choose from as well whether that’s a group of teens and their dog in a van solving mysteries, a New England crime writer who finds herself at the scene of many, many crimes, or even two septuagenarians and a Gen-Z who podcasts their crime solving, and that’s just the start! We’ve broken down a list of twenty of what we have determined at the best untraditional detectives on TV, so you can go down this rabbit hole of unorthodox sleuths.
Miss Marple (1984 – 1992)
Miss Marple, from the works of Agatha Christie, is one of the premiere untraditional detectives in all of fiction. Unlike Christie’s other famous detective, Poirot, Miss Marple is not hired by anyone to solve cases and instead uses her wit and her insight to solve crimes. Christie wrote her as an older lady because so often they are overlooked, and relegated as being merely busybodies; however, Marple’s mind is sharp as a tack and she runs circles mentally if not physically around those much younger than her. Though there have been various iterations of Miss Marple on screen, her inclusion here is for Miss Marple which ran on BBC1 from 1984 to 1992. Thanks to this series, for many when they picture Miss Marple they think of Joan Hickson, much in the same way many hear Poirot and picture David Suchet’s incredible portrayal of the character. We can also thank the character of Miss Marple for another series on this list, as it heavily inspired the creation of Miss Fisher in Murder She Wrote.
Veronica Mars (2004 – 2019)
High school can be traumatic at the best of times, and for Veronica Mars, played by Kristen Bell, it’s even more so after the murder of her best friend Lilly Kane. Now on the outside of her popular friend group looking back, Veronica solves everyday cases, as she tries to solve the larger mystery of her friend’s death. All the while she receives help from her father, who she occasionally works for, who himself is a former Sheriff that now runs his own P.I. agency. Despite being canceled, twice now essentially, Veronica Mars developed a cult following that helped the show go on for three seasons, get a crowdsourced feature film, and then a fourth season on Hulu which takes place twelve years after. Even if that doesn’t already speak to its success, its influence on the TV landscape also proves that. Shows like Nancy Drew, Riverdale, and even the film Brick by Rian Johnson which came out the year after, all seem in their own to have the DNA of Veronica Mars in their makings. Though Veronica Mars fourth and presumably final season left many feeling bittersweet, we always have the original seasons to revisit with our used-to-be friends.
Jonathan Creek (1997 – 2016)
Not all crime shows that feature magicians are created equal (sorry Deception). Fortunately one stands apart as a commercial success and one worthy of this list, and that is Jonathan Creek, played by actor and comedian Allan Davies, which features the titular Creek as a creative consultant to a performing magician. Creek is brought into the mystery solving world by another untraditional crime solver Maddy Magellan, played by Caroline Quentin, who is a writer that seeks to write wrongs with her words. Together they put their heads together, and occasional butt heads, to solve a whole host of crimes using their combined ingenuity and Creek’s cleverness for elaborate staging and contraptions. Though the show has now evolved over the years, with Quentin’s character Maddy making way for other sleuth collaborators, Davies’ Creek has rotted the show in his performance, which is a treat to watch through the years. Though the series has largely been quiet since 2016, when a winter special episode was released, there remains hopes by fans for a possible continuance even if only more specials. Fortunately even if that’s not to be, and the show has already had its final curtain, there’s plenty of classic episodes to revisit.
The Mentalist (2008 – 2015)
One of the many rules in life has to be don’t piss off a serial killer, especially a sadistic one who will kill your family and call your bluff about your supposed mentalism. (Yeah this show gets dark.) That’s the premise of The Mentalist, which follows Patrick Jane, played by Simon Baker, whose family is killed after he taunts the serial killer Red John. Now Jane uses his powers of observation, which where his tricks of the trade as a con man claiming ‘mentalism’, as he assists the California Bureau of Investigation’s senior agent Teresa Lisbon, played by Robin Tunney, as they solve murders and hopefully one day capture Red John. Though the Mentalist perhaps lasted longer than it should have, wrapping up the Red John case with at least a season and a half to go, the dynamic of Jane and Lisbon at least keeps the show a compelling watch throughout, even as the urgency of the main storyline shifts.
Psych (2006 – 2021)
It’s almost hard to recall that way back in the pilot of Psych we are introduced to Shawn Spencer, played by James Roday, as a listless young man who, despite great promise, cannot hold a job for more than a month. Yet when he calls the police to solve a crime, based on his honed intuition, he is dragged into the case and must convince everyone he is actually psychic. Spencer succeeds and after the case realizes his calling and leans into the ‘psychic’ schtick, while also roping in his best friend Burton “Gus” Guster, played by Dule Hill, as they both become consultants for the Santa Barbara Police Department. While Spencer and Guster are the heart of the show, the cast is so well-rounded and incredible that it’s hard not to fall in love with everyone of them as a character. Throw in the fact that this show has some of the best cameos, of both incredible character actors and celebrities, Tim Curry, George Takei, and John Cena to just name a few, and it’s no wonder this show ran for eight seasons and now has three, with hopes of a fourth, feature length films.
Castle (2009 – 2016)
Working alongside a famous author might feel like a dream, unless you’re Kate Beckett, played by Stana Katic, who is a NYC homicide detective working day and night to put culprits behind bars. Fortunately for Beckett, and the audience, Castle’s charms and crime solving abilities grow through the series, thus lending him credence to his position as a guest of the police. It is not too long as well into the series that Castle, played by Nathan Fillion, and Beckett find not only are they successful partners when putting away suspects, but also that they might hit it off in other ways as well. Though the series Castle pushes the bounds of the will they won’t they, with some incredibly over-the-top barriers between the couple, any show with 173 episodes that attempts this is sure to stretch the bounds of reality. Even so, the dynamic between the two leads is captivating to watch, and with their chemistry, the wonderful supporting actors, and a host of compelling cases, Castle rightfully earns its place on this list.
Pushing Daisies (2007 – 2009)
Few TV shows get a second chance at success; however, one TV show about second chances at life burned bright, however brief, and that is the whimsical mystery series Pushing Daisies. Pushing Daisies stars perhaps the most unique mystery solver of all, a simple pie maker named Ned, played by Lee Pace, who has the ability (a blessing and a curse one might say) to reanimate the dead. However, the stipulations are Ned can only bring someone back to life for a brief time, otherwise someone else dies in their place. Thus Ned carefully uses this power to help private investigator Emerson Cod, and over the course of two seasons solves a veritable smorgasbord of mysteries. Though the series was beloved by many critics, and has been the focus of many an attempt at a reboot campaign by fans, it seems unlikely at present for the show’s return to TV. Still its charms have warmed many hearts, as its whimsical nature, characters, and colorful settings, continues to set it apart from nearly any other mystery series past or present.
Monk (2002 – 2009)
The network USA was really on a tear in the 2000s with their crime shows, and the one that kicked off much of the network’s success was Monk, which tells the story of the titular detective, played by Tony Shaloub. At the start of the series, Monk is coping with the tragic death of his wife, while also trying to get his badge back to work as a detective once more for the police department. Monk however is determined unfit by his friend Captain Stottlemeir, and due to the trauma, and his OCD, he hires a nurse to help him with his life. Monk’s skills as a detective have never dulled though, and therefore either on his own, or often for Stottlemeyer, Monk continues to solve crimes using skills. Monk is very much a loose adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, similar to Dr. House, but Monk puts a spin on the literary detective in particular leaning into discussing Monk’s OCD. Though its unclear how such a character might be handled today, in general Monk still holds up especially as a procedural all these years later, and a show with an excellent well-rounded cast with an incredible performance by Shaloub at the forefront.
Scooby Doo (1969 – Present)
There’s a read of Scooby Doo, that’s popular in meme form, that it is a show that teaches us all that what’s scary isn’t the monsters themselves but that they’re all human underneath. That’s perhaps a dark look at what otherwise is a light show of a group of “meddling kids” who get together in a van with their talking dog and solve mysteries. Now over fifty years old, Scooby Doo has solved crimes, found real life Zombies, partnered with a host of celebrities including The Three Stooges, Bobby Flay, and even KISS, captured ghosts alongside a fictional version of Vincent Price, aka Vincent Van Ghoul, and more. In fact, there’s little that the Scooby Doo gang has not done, and their versatility is surely a part of their longevity. Thanks to Scooby Doo’s presence over a half century, you can be anyone from a Boomer to a member of Gen-Z, and undoubtedly you’ve grown up with a love of Scooby Doo. Despite recent missteps, including the much maligned Velma, no doubt the love for the Scooby Doo gang will continue, as well as future TV shows and movies featuring their mystery solving adventures.
Galileo (2007 – 2013)
Kaoru Utsumi, played by Ko Shibasaki, starts the series as a rookie detective who is stumped out of the gates with her first case. After seeking help from a more senior colleague, renown for his case close rate, she is told that his secret to crime solving was actually a friend of his college professor Manabu Yukawa, played by Masaharu Fukuyama, nicknamed Galileo. The nickname Galileo derives from Yukawa’s interest in science, and physics in particular, and the TV series is actually an adaptation of the series of novels ‘Detective Galileo’ written by Keigo Higashino. Galileo as a series only lasted two seasons; however, in the world of Japanese dramas that’s actually quite a success. Even more notably the show’s popularity in Japan led to a prequel special and two films ‘Suspect X’ and ‘Midsummer’s Equation’. If this were an American show it’d be played for laughs, and would almost be akin to a rom-com, and though there is a healthy bit or romantic tension the series covers crimes that are darker than a traditional comedy would to be certain. Whether Galileo is your entry point into Japanese drama, or you’re more familiar with the genre, its a worthy addition to anyone’s TV viewing, as its mysteries, strong characters, and well written episodes help the series stand apart.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (2012 – 2020)
Many of the best untraditional crime solvers come from literature, and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is certainly no exception. Adapted for TV from the Kerry Greenwood’s series of Phryne Fisher detective novels, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries follows the young renaissance woman Phryne Fisher, whose nack for crime solving leads her to start her own detective agency. Set in the early 1900’s Australia, the series both is a window into what life might have been like, and a refreshing portrayal of a woman who bucks many of the traditions of the times, especially her thoughts on love and women’s roles in society. Miss Fisher alone is such a delight to watch on screen, solving crimes or not, but add in the exciting element of the mystery, and its no wonder this show has become such a success both in the author’s home country of Australia and well beyond.
Detective Conan aka Case Closed (1996 – Present)
Detective Conan may have the moniker of Detective in the title; however, neither Detective nor Conan is quite an accurate name. For Conan is really a younger Jimmy Kudo, formerly a high-school age crime solving savant, who was mysteriously de-aged to adolescence by a secretive organization. Now with the name Conan, Kudo in child form has to subtly push along the overly confident Richard Moore, a private detective, who thanks to Conan’s insight, and a convenient stun dart and a voice changer, appears to be a crime solving genius. Of course all the while Kudo is attempting to find the secret agency so he can get to the bottom of the de-aging and return to his life as Kudo. Detective Conan is one of the longest running series, which successfully works on an episodic level and with larger arcs, including of course the longest arc of Kudo’s attempt to recover his normal life. Though it can feel daunting to jump into, there are many entry points for the anime, and really it works well for casual viewers and longtime viewers alike.
Only Murders in the Building (2021 – Present)
Only Murders in the Building is uniquely a show before its time and also one very of its time, as it follows Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez), three strangers whose love of a true-crime podcast brings them together, as they solve crimes that frequently are in their building. What is perhaps most classic about the setup is the very isolated New York nature of the show, and the setting of seasons 1 and 2 in particular, as it feels more akin to a closed room mystery. Of course the podcast framework, as the three host a season about each murder, is very now, as true crime is still in a boom phase as of this writing. So much of the charm of this show is thanks to the three leads, who all bring something special to their performances. Likewise the writing is incredibly skilled with wonderful arcs, and stand out episodes as well that keep the audience wanting more. Though its uncertain to say how many seasons this show will have, its excellence already earned it a place on our list.
Poker Face (2023 – Present)
Rian Johnson’s love of mysteries goes all the way back to his early days reading Agatha Christie, which has been a clear influence on his Knives Out films and his incredible directorial debut ‘Brick’. Thanks to those successes Johnson had the opportunity to helm a TV mystery series, and fortunately Poker Face is as incredible as one would hope considering Johnson’s skill. Poker Face stars Natasha Lyonne as casino worker Charlie Cale, one of the most unlikely crime solvers on this list, as she herself is actually on the run from a crime boss after being blamed for his son’s suicide. Unfortunately for Cale, she stumbles into crimes frequently, and due to her abilities to perceive lies, hence the title Poker Face, she always gets to the bottom of those lies. Unlike most ‘muder of the week shows’ these aren’t all tidy conclusions; however, that just is another way Johnson, as he does in his Knives Out films, pays homage to crime stories of old, while also putting his own spin on them as well.
Read our review on Season 1 of Poker Face
Father Brown (2013 – Present)
Period pieces for many are a way to look at a supposed halcyon time in which life was simpler, more peaceful, etc. However when the show is a crime show, especially a modern one at that, it is not only a chance to showcase a lot of murders being solved, but also a chance to imagine what life could have been like if perhaps there was a character that was perhaps uncharacteristically well-meaning and progressive. Father Brown, the 2013 TV adaptation of G. K. Chesterton’s Father Brown novels, is very much a modern take on a period mystery as the Father is portrayed by Mark Williams as an incredibly smart, warm hearted, Father who solves crimes and strives to help all of his flock along the way. Brown is joined by congregants, including the devout Mrs McCarthy, played by Sorcha Cusack, and the ne’er do well Sid Carter, portrayed by Alex Price, among others. Together they form a wonderful found family that you cannot help but root for, and a crime fighting team who in their own way help Father Brown get to the root of the crimes of the day.
Sherlock (2010 – 2017)
Sherlock adapted one of the most iconic characters of literature and gave us right back one of the most iconic portrayals of Sherlock on screen thanks largely to Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal. Though the show lost steam in the end, we also were thankfully given incredible renditions of classic Sherlock stories, such as The Hounds of Baskerville The Sign of Three (adapted from The Sign of the Four), along with new stories told with these characters that were often just as delightful. Probably what’s stuck with us even now is the modernization of the Sherlock world, especially with the inclusion of many modern instruments of technology, perhaps most notably smart phones. Likewise we were given a particularly intense portrayal of Sherlock and Moriarity’s antoganostic relationship, made all the better by Andrew Scott who portrayed Moriarity. Though there was hope for more series to come, which seems increasingly unlikely, there’s at least time to go back and appreciate the strong early seasons in particular.
Nancy Drew (2019 – 2023)
Nancy Drew has become one of the most iconic detectives in 20th century fiction, especially YA fiction; however, there have been few truly successful renditions of the character on the small screen. That’s changed in part thanks to the CW’s Nancy Drew, which in its four season run has brought to life this incredibly familiar literary character. Nancy Drew’s success has largely been modeled after that of the CW’s other show Riverside, which brought the world of Archie to the screen for its popular TV series. This means Nancy Draw has also leaned into a wider array of characters while also embracing spookier, darker mysteries. Though this may surprise traditional mystery fans, its also opened up the show to a new audience as well who love to delve into these gothic mysteries. Nancy Drew’s wrapped up its final season this year, and though its hard to say what its impact will be down the line, its certainly been a welcome presence for mystery fans YA or otherwise.
The Rockford Files (1974 – 1999)
Private Investigator Rockford, portrayed by James Garner, is certainly no man of action, as he’d rather avoid a fight than enter one. Likewise his abode is a simple trailer, and he’s usually lucky if he gets paid at all for his cases. However Rockford’s effective ultimately in his sleuthing, and usually wins the day. That is enough to have won over many devotees to The Rockford Files, a show that is frequently cited as one of the best TV series to date. By mixing Rockford’s charm, with his bad luck, all put together in a mystery-of-the-week format, The Rockford Files will keep you watching episode after episode to see if life ever gets better for the poor Private Eye, even though we know the answer to that.
Lie to Me (2009 – 2011)
Dr. Cal Lightman in Lie to Me, played by Tim Roth, is an expert in body language, who uses his ability to perceive micro expressions to get the truth from people. His abilities have brought him renown, as well as a team of colleagues, who together make up his company The Lightman Group. The Lightman Group often work for the FBI, and other third parties, to help solve some of the toughest cases, from corruption cases to serial murders and more. Dr. Lightman himself is portrayed often as an unlikeable Sherlock type, especially with how he treats his colleagues, and whether you like that or not its hard not to be compelled by the team as a whole as well as the cases. Likewise though you know each case will end with a revelatory truth, there still likes a lot of mystery in the truth, and what it reveals, that makes each episode of this series compelling. Though it only ran for three seasons it perhaps allowed this show to burn out bright before overstaying its welcome, as many shows especially of this genre so often do.
Murder She Wrote (1984 – 2003)
After Angela Lansbury played Miss Marple in two back-to-back films, Death on the Nile and The Mirror Crack’d, it only seemed natural that Lansbury would continue the role in future films. However after the diminishing returns of said films, Lansbury’s Miss Marple was not to be and instead she was offered a role of a similarly inspired author turned detective named Jessica Fletcher. Fortunately Miss Marple’s loss was our gain, as this led to one of the greatest crime centuries of the 20th century. Murder She Wrote features Jessica Fletcher who at the start is a new crime novelist, whose life is largely lived in the seemingly peaceful Cabot Cove, a small town with delightfully folksy characters. Despite the serenity of her town, and Fletcher’s otherwise peaceful life, she inevitably comes across murder after murder, and with each instance she uses her ingenuity and cleverness to solve these mysteries. Unlike Miss Marple, who is more of an armchair detective, Lansbury’s Fletcher gets in on the action, which allows for a significant amount of travel and showdowns with murders in the final scenes. Though Murder She Wrote eventually was cancelled, as TV made way for Friends and other shows, the legacy of the show is long lasting, and its always worth many repeat viewings to live in the world of Fletcher and Cabot Cove again and again.
