The best crime dramas on Now TV

Let’s face it – with all the different packages out there it’s very easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of choice.

Now TV is Sky’s non-contract offering, allowing viewers to enjoy Sky TV’s blockbusters and dramas without the pesky satellite dish. Sign up for an Entertainment Pass (currently £6.99 a month) and as long as you have a broadband connection then you are a mere click away from enjoying all the drama channels and over 250 boxsets on a device of your choice.

With so much on offer it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff so we’ve taken a long stroll through the listings to bring you the best crime dramas on Now TV.

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The best crime dramas on Now TV:

True Detective

With such a strong first season it’s no surprise that True Detectiveis one of the best crime dramas on Now TV. It’s slow-building, brooding, dark and disturbing with two stand out performances from Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. HBO’s southern gothic thriller is one not to miss. Sound good? check out our character guide.

24

24 and its hero Jack Bauer took TV land by storm when it launched in 2001. It had a refreshing new format with each series taking place over the course of one day, 24 episodes for each hour of much put upon Bauer’s life. This real-time format creates a pace and tension with a plot that is often flawless. Award-winning and critically acclaimed this is espionage/counterterrorism-themed television drama at its best.

Hannibal

Stylistic, intelligent and with a fascinating cast of characters, Hannibal works because it is fundamentally an interesting story that its audience connects with – despite the fact that fascinating characters do not necessarily mean sympathetic ones. That this is wrapped up in such a stylish and visceral package seals the deal. Read our introduction to Hannibal here.

The Wire

Five seasons each exploring different institutions and their relationships with law enforcement could be the one line summary of The Wire but it is so much more. Gritty, urban, thought-provoking and utterly watchable, the setting of Baltimore adds so much life to this outstanding drama and the acting is superb.

Twin Peaks

Created by David Lynch, Twin Peaks follows an investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper into the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer in the fictional town of Twin Peaks. It’s quirky, dark and off-beat, cleverly portraying the veneer of small town respectability crumbling away to reveal the seedier dark side beneath. There’s a reason this is a cult classic. Find out more about why we love the show here.

Dexter

Dexter Morgan is everyone’s favourite serial killer and a man with extremely conflicting passions. He’s a Miami-based forensic expert by day specialising in blood splatters, vigilante serial killer by night (mostly) only choosing to murder the guilty. Surrounded by law enforcement in his working life, looking for happiness but drawn to his own brand of violence, Dexter is an intriguing proposition.

Elementary

Don’t expect anything like the BBC’s adaptation of Sherlock – this is a different beast, but not the worse for it. Holmes has relocated to Manhattan after a stint in rehab to find himself shackled with Dr Joan Watson a companion for recovering addicts. The chemistry between Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu makes this show extremely watchable and well worth an investigation for Holmes fans.

Criminal Minds

Criminal Minds revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers in the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Their job is to analyse the country’s most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. A a great ensemble cast really brings this show to life as they each specialise in different areas with all the character quirks you come to expect from a fictional FBI.

The Blacklist

There are plenty of clichés here but we recommend The Blacklist on James Spader’s characterisation alone – he portrays Raymond “Red” Reddington, a former government agent turned fugitive, now turned whistle-blower for the FBI and who requests to work only with rookie profiler Liz Keen. He’s a typical anti-hero – and Spader’s acting is enough to keep us glued to our screens.

Fortitude

Fortitude was Sky Atlantic’s most expensive drama ever – as well as its most lavish. It’s set in the small arctic town of the same name, where no serious crime has ever been committed. That changes after the gruesome death of a research scientist brings DCI Morton to town, as temperatures rise secrets are revealed. Check out our who’s who for full cast information.

Fleming

Dominic Cooper plays Ian Fleming, the man who would be Bond, in this four part mini-series. Starting at the outset of WWII we follow the cavalier Fleming as he chases women, fights against the expectations of his family and is recruited by the Director of Naval Intelligence to fight against the Nazis. The series explores several seminal moments in his life that led to the inevitable creation of the man who is shaken but not stirred.

Sleeper Cell

Nuanced performances and subtle terror are prevalent in Sleeper Cell, a drama that tackles the troubling issue of terrorism in America. As hero Darwyn Al-Sayeed is instructed and successfully infiltrates a terrorist cell, we are drip fed information in the same way its members are over the ten episodes in season one, creating a tension that is unbearable and makes for excellent viewing.

The Tunnel

British and French detectives are brought together when a body is discovered in the Channel Tunnel in this drama based on original series The Bridge. Detectives Karl Roebuck and Elise Wassermann must solve the murder of a French politician against the backdrop of Europe in crisis. Could it be a serial killer? Their problems become even more complicated in series 2.

The Night of

Based on the BBC series Criminal Justice this HBO remake centres around a murder case in New York City. We follow the police investigation and criminal trial as the accused waits for judgement in the purgatory that is Rikers Island. Dark and brilliant.

Hit and Miss

Everything is interestingly unpredictable in Hit and Miss which follows Mia, a pre-operative transgender woman who works as an assassin. After discovering she has fathered a son with her now deceased ex-girlfriend, Mia must balance her new family life in Yorkshire with the demands of being a contract killer.

The Five

With bestelling thriller author Harlan Coben in the writing seat, this original British crime drama can hardly fail to impress. It has a simple but gripping premise: five-year-old Jesse goes missing – then twenty years later his DNA turns up at a crime scene… Watch the trailer here.

Billions

This is another drama created by a crime author – David Levien. Billions is worth watching for Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti alone. Shrewd U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades is building a case against hedge-fund king, Bobby “Axe” Axelrod for insider trading. Both men use power and influence to try and derail each other in this battle over billions.

Agatha Raisin

Based on the novels by M C Beaton, this comedy-drama is the lightest on our list, starring Ashley Jensen (Extras) as the eponymous heroine. Agatha Raisin has relocated to the country but instead of finding peaceful tranquillity there is murder amongst the baking, village fetes and WI.

Aquarius

David Duchovny stars in this gritty 1960s drama as LAPD detective Sam Hodiak. Despite a complicated personal life, he embarks on an undercover investigation of a small-time crook Charles Manson who is beginning to build a cult following. There are twists and turns aplenty in this creepy thriller.

Any favourite dramas on this list that you would recommend? Let us know in the comments below – and stay tuned for articles on the best crime dramas on other TV packages.