Netflix produces all kinds of shows, one of its most reliable genres has always been the detective story. Everyone likes a show about police officers and the crimes they solve, and Dept. Q is one of the best versions of that concept we’ve seen in some time. The series, which follows a Scottish detective who returns to work following a massive, tragic accident, is an examination of the high stakes of the job, and what it means to really mess it up
Dept. Q has been earning rave reviews, but if you’ve already watched every episode, we’ve got you covered. We’ve pulled together this list of five shows like it you can check out now:
Slow Horses (2022-)
A show with some pretty obvious direct parallels to Dept. Q, Slow Horses tells the story of a group of MI-5 agents who have been relegated to a particularly terrible unit because of past misdeeds. Although these spies are meant to be the worst of the worst, they invariably find themselves in the middle of one international incident or another that requires their resolution. Anchored by a brilliant central performance from Gary Oldman, Slow Horses is dark, funny, and one of the very best shows on TV.
You can watch Slow Horses on Apple TV+.
Mindhunter (2017-2019)
Loosely inspired by real events, Mindhunter tells the story of a pair of detectives who start studying serial killers in order to begin the process of psychologically profiling criminals. The series, which is heavily invested in the interviews themselves, is reminiscent of crime thrillers from the 1970s. As we learn more and more about the minds of some of the most famous killers in history, though, there’s a certain thrill in watching the FBI agents at the show’s center identify patterns across these killers. Mindhunter is scintillating, fascinating, and rooted in procedure in ways that very few crime shows manage to be.
You can watch Mindhunter on Netflix.
American Crime Story (2016-)
This is not a detective show, exactly, but nevertheless, it’s exactly the kind of show that Dept. Q fans should check out. American Crime Story tells a different true story every season, and each of the seasons we’ve gotten has been riveting. The first season, in particular, which focused on the trial of O.J. Simpson, was a thorough examination of the facts of the case, as well as a look at the culture around it. Each subsequent season has been just as fascinating, in part because they dive deep into not just the people involved but also the ways the world around them influenced events.
You can watch American Crime Story on Hulu.
Dark Winds (2022-)
An underrated detective series that deserves more attention, Dark Winds follows members of the Navajo Tribal Police as they investigate crimes on the reservation. The show mixes elements of a more Western-coded detective story with culturally specific elements to create a brew that feels entirely distinct, and thanks to Zayn McClarnon’s central performance, Dark Winds is consistently one of the best and most interesting shows on television.
You can watch Dark Winds on Netflix.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (2020)
This docuseries is all about obsession. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark follows true crime author Michelle McNamara’s investigation into the Golden State killer, and her longing to find justice for his victims. Part of what’s fascinating about the show, though, is that it’s just as much about McNamara’s obsession with the case as it is with the case itself. When a person gives themselves over to this kind of all-consuming fascination, they completely transform, and by speaking to the people who knew McNamara well, we come to appreciate just how much the case came to define her life.
You can watch I’ll Be Gone in the Dark on Max.
