Looking for your next crime show? Start with these 7 picks
Looking for your next crime show? Start with these 7 picks
Whether you’re into cold cases, corrupt towns, or old-school gangsters, there’s something here for every crime fan.
“Countdown” drops on Wednesday, June 25 on Prime Video, and I’ve had my eye on it ever since they announced Jensen Ackles was starring. The whole ticking-clock crime thriller thing is right up my alley (you can read more about the show here), and it got me thinking about what other great crime dramas are already streaming. You know the ones — gritty towns, broken cops, secrets that never stay buried. So if you’re in the mood for murder, mayhem, and messy antiheroes, here are seven of the best crime dramas you can stream right now.
Top 7 crime drama TV shows on streaming right now:
No. 7: ‘Duster’ (2021) | Max
“Duster” throws you into the grungy Southwest in the early ’70s, where muscle cars, dirty money, and busted dreams all share the same (dusty) highway. What makes this one pop is the unlikely duo at the center — Josh Holloway as a reckless getaway driver with a death wish, and Rachel Hilson as the first Black female FBI agent, sharp as hell and totally fearless. The show leans into the chaos, mixing heist action with some dark humor and a throwback, grindhouse-style energy you don’t see much on TV. If you’re into crime dramas with stylish direction and a little attitude, “Duster” is a great place to start.
Duster
In 1972, the first Black female FBI agent heads to the Southwest and recruits a gutsy getaway driver in a bold effort to take down a growing crime syndicate.
No. 6: ‘Mobland’ (2025) | Paramount+
“Mobland” brings the old-school mob drama back with just the right amount of modern bite. Pierce Brosnan plays the aging crime boss trying to stay one step ahead, and he’s smooth as ever — every line he delivers feels like a warning but sounds like a compliment. Tom Hardy’s in fixer mode, doing damage control while the whole underworld threatens to cave in, and Helen Mirren? Total powerhouse. The show’s all about shifting power, family loyalty, and slow-burn pressure that builds with every episode. If you’re craving something with grit, class, and some serious tension, “Mobland” delivers.
No. 5: ‘Patience’ (2025) | PBS Masterpiece
“Patience” is a slower-paced crime drama, but that’s what makes it work. It follows a young archivist named Patience, who’s autistic and has a knack for spotting patterns no one else can. When a detective catches on to her talent, she ropes her into a murder case that’s been brushed off as a suicide. The tone’s low-key, but the mystery builds in a really satisfying way, and the characters are easy to root for. If you like quiet crime shows with smart writing, this one’s worth checking out.
Patience
Patience Evans works in the Criminal Records Office in the city of York. She views the world in a unique way because she has a special gift – she is autistic. Patience has a special interest in solving puzzles and a secret fascination and talent for criminology—her unique perspective allows her to connect the dots through clues in a way others simply cannot.
Detective Inspector Bea Metcalf recognizes her talents and takes her under her wing. Patience helps the police tackle a series of challenging cases by bringing her unique insight to crimefighting.
No. 4: ‘Godfather of Harlem’ (2019) | Hulu
“Godfather of Harlem” blends real history with organized crime in a way that hits different. Forest Whitaker plays Bumpy Johnson, a Harlem kingpin fighting to regain power in the middle of the civil rights movement. It’s gritty, stylish, and full of power moves, but what makes it stand out is how it pulls in real events and figures like Malcolm X. If you want a crime drama that goes deeper than just bullets and betrayals, this one’s got layers.
Godfather of Harlem
Loosely based on infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson, who in the early 1960s returned from ten years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles. With the streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy attempts to regain his piece of Harlem.
No. 3: ‘Dept. Q’ (2025) | Netflix
“Dept. Q” kicks off with a detective who’s completely burned out and stuck in a basement — literally. After a tragic case derails his career, DCI Carl Morck gets dumped into cold-case duty, where he’s basically written off. But things get interesting fast when he teams up with Akram, a former Syrian cop who’s quiet, sharp, and way better at reading people than Carl is. Their first case? A missing person file that turns out to be way more twisted than it looks. It’s got moody Edinburgh streets, dark secrets, and that perfect mismatched-partners energy. If you like your crime dramas with grit and actual emotional weight, this one’s a solid pick.
Dept. Q
A brash but brilliant cop becomes head of a new police department, where he leads an unlikely team of misfits in solving Edinburgh’s cold cases.
No. 2: ‘Tulsa King’ (2022) | Paramount+
“Tulsa King” throws Sylvester Stallone into a mob story with a twist — he’s not in New York, he’s in Oklahoma. After 25 years in prison, his old crew ships him off to Tulsa to start fresh, and let’s just say the cowboy hats and weed dispensaries aren’t exactly what he’s used to. That’s the fun of it, though — watching this old-school mobster try to build a new empire in a place that plays by totally different rules. It’s gritty when it needs to be, but also surprisingly funny, and Stallone leans into both sides of the role. If you want crime drama with some swagger and a little fish-out-of-water charm, this one hits.
Tulsa King
New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi is released from prison after 25 years and exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Realizing that his mob family may not have his best interests in mind, Dwight slowly builds a crew.
No. 1: ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ (2021) | Paramount+
“Mayor of Kingstown” drops you into a town where the prison system is the only thing keeping the place running — and Jeremy Renner is the guy trying to hold it all together. He’s not a politician, but he’s the one everyone calls when something goes wrong, which is basically all the time. The show’s packed with tension, corruption, and moral gray areas, and it doesn’t pull any punches. If you like crime dramas that are more about power, survival, and broken systems than flashy mob hits, this one’s a must-watch and one of the best crime dramas you can stream right now.
Mayor of Kingstown
In a small Michigan town where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry, the McClusky family are the power brokers between the police, criminals, inmates, prison guards and politicians in a city completely dependent on prisons and the prisoners they contain.