15 Greatest TV Detectives Of The 21st Century, Ranked
The 21st century has had great TV shows across different genres, and when it comes to crime shows, it has also brought some of the best detectives. A TV genre that has consistently been popular with the public is crime/detective, with many shows from it found among the best TV shows of all time. Detective shows can also blend with other genres, most frequently with drama, though there have also been notable detective shows with touches of horror, sci-fi, and comedy.
TV has seen a variety of detectives that have left their mark, such as Lt. Columbo, Jessica Fletcher, and Hercule Poirot, all of them with different personalities, skills, and methods to investigate a variety of mysteries. Now, so far, the 21st century has seen the arrival of some of the best detective TV shows of all time, such as Sherlock, True Detective, and Monk, as well as the rise of shows that started in the late 1990s, such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
While there’s no established formula that makes a great TV detective, what most of them have in common is their own way of approaching a case, unique charm, and a natural drive to help people. Some of them already rank among the best TV characters of all time, while others could gain more popularity as years pass.
15
Sarah Linden – The Killing
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Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) is a homicide detective who investigates murders in Seattle, Washington, alongside fellow detective Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman). Linden is very passionate about her job, immersing herself in the investigation process and often struggling to leave work behind even when her personal life is crumbling down.
Linden is a complex character who shows empathy for the victims but rarely shows that same empathy for the people in her life, which is the result of trauma and her struggles as a single mother. However, she brings the dedication, patience, and attention that her dynamic with the more impulsive Holder needs.
14
Veronica Mars – Veronica Mars
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Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) is a high school student who moonlights as a private investigator. Veronica’s journey as a detective begins after the murder of her best friend, and she continues investigating different cases, even solving them before her father, the sheriff, does. Veronica Mars is very smart but far from perfect, as she can be stubborn and vengeful, and she carries a lot of trauma. However, those flaws are what make her relatable and accessible, and a character that both teenagers and adults can appreciate.
13
Patrick Jane – The Mentalist
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Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) is an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation who used to work as a psychic medium, though it was a fraudulent career. However, thanks to it, Jane developed his observational skills to “read” people’s minds, which come in very handy in his new job at the CBI. Jane relies on psychology and observation, being able to detect even the slightest micro-expressions, and is very charismatic, making him one of the most fascinating detectives of the century, as well as a complex one due to his tragic backstory.
12
Horatio Caine – CSI: Miami
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Horatio Caine (David Caruso) is the lieutenant of the Miami-Dade Police Department, leading the crime lab. A former bomb-disposal expert, Caine has deep knowledge of explosives forensics, and along with his team, he investigates a variety of crimes in the Miami area. Caine has a very firm moral compass, deep empathy, and drive to help those in need, and is an exceptional leader. What made Caine so iconic, however, is Caruso’s performance, with theatrical pauses, unique cadence, and the slow and dramatic way in which he removes his sunglasses before delivering a punchline.
11
Alec Hardy – Broadchurch
Alec Hardy (David Tennant), along with his partner, Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman), investigates major crimes in the fictional town of Broadchurch on the coast of Dorset. Hardy has seen it all, so by the time the audience meets him, he’s worn down by stress while dealing with personal issues like chronic exhaustion and heart problems. Still, despite his cynical exterior, Hardy focuses on helping the community, even if that forces him to face his own demons.
10
Ellie Miller – Broadchurch
Alec Hardy’s partner, Ellie Miller, also earned a spot among the best TV detectives of the century. Miller is unlike what many would expect from a working mother in a small town, as while she definitely brings a maternal quality to her work, she’s also empathetic and offers an insider perspective and knowledge thanks to her being part of the Broadchurch community. Miller is the opposite of Hardy, which, while it leads to arguments from time to time, helps complement each other’s work, forming a realistic, strong, and raw dynamic thanks to which both grow as detectives and at a personal level.
9
Will Graham – Hannibal
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Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) is a gifted criminal profiler working for the FBI, and who, to better understand the behavior of the criminals he investigates, visualizes himself committing the crimes, but this eventually has a negative impact on his mental health. Will’s empathy is both his blessing and his curse, and he can recognize the darkness in others as it’s also in him, and his relationship with cannibal Hannibal Lecter doesn’t make his struggles any easier. Will Graham is one of the most complex TV detectives of the 21st century.
8
Mare Sheehan – Mare of Easttown
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Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) was once a local celebrity after taking her basketball team to glory when she was in high school, but it all changed years later after she failed to solve the case of a missing girl, leading the community to doubt her skills. Mare has a chance at redemption when she investigates the murder of a teenage mother, but she’s also struggling with a divorce, the death of her son, and a custody battle over her grandson.
Mare is one of the most realistic TV detectives in recent years, not just thanks to her methods, but to her emotional depth and complexity, and the trauma she carries.
7
Adrian Monk – Monk
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Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is a former homicide detective working for the San Francisco Police Department who, after the traumatic death of his wife, was suspended. Monk starts working as a private police homicide consultant, and though he’s great at his job, his many phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder can sometimes make his everyday life and job challenging.
However, his OCD also forces him to pay extra attention to detail and loose ends until he can finally solve the case. Monk is a flawed and vulnerable character unlike most TV detectives, showing a more human and relatable side while also being fascinating to watch as a detective.
6
Harry Bosch – Bosch
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Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) is a former Army Special Forces operator, war veteran, and now a detective working with the Los Angeles Police Department. As such, Bosch has a very clear moral code, driven by the belief that every victim matters, which often leads him to confront his superiors. Like many other detectives on this list, Bosch carries a lot of trauma, not just from his military past but from his mother’s unsolved murder, making him a flawed and complex character who fights through his own pain to help others.
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