David Leon and Brenda Blethyn in Vera Photo: Stuart Wood
Who needs flashy detectives or gritty urban environments? The outpouring of grief following Brenda Blethyn's decision to quit her ITV series Faith after 14 episodes shows we can't get enough of older women solving crimes in Northumberland. , bizarrely unraveled by deadpan middle-aged men in suits while a celebrity guest crashes around them.
So, after you've watched all 54 (and counting) episodes of Faith, where to go find the next version of a quintessentially British cozy crime? We've picked a dozen similar dramas to dive into. Turn on the kettle and guess who it is.
1. Father Brown (BBC iPlayer/Alibi/Amazon Prime Video)
Preach from the pulpit, catch the culprit. The killer combination of GK Chesterton's classic stories, a nostalgic 1950s setting and stunning Cotswold scenery has made this gentle daytime mystery a surprise worldwide hit. It broadcasts in 235 territories around the world, including prime time in the United States. Mark Williams plays a crime-fighting Catholic priest from the rural parish of Kembleford. Like the clerical Miss Marple, his mild-mannered exterior hides a razor-sharp mind and a keen understanding of human nature that allows him to sniff out murders. For a more thorough reveal, try The Secrets of Sister Boniface, a spin-off about a crime-fighting nun.
2. Annika (Alibi/BBC iPlayer/Masterpiece)
Nicola Walker – with a pedigree of Spooks, Unforgotten and Last Tango in Halifax – is one of our best TV actresses, so enjoy her in this entertaining series based on the Radio 4 drama while you still can. Walker plays Detective Inspector Annika Strandhead, a single mother who heads the Marine Homicide Squad and solves seemingly unfathomable murders in Scottish waters. Two turns? Our heroine is a Norwegian expat, and she breaks the fourth wall to trust the audience. The reliable lakeside procedure is illuminated by Walker's droll wit. Pass the salty licorice.
Nicola Walker in Annika Credits: Graham Hunter 3. Dalziel & Pascoe (Drama/BritBox/Amazon Prime Video)
Apparently it's pronounced “Dee-ell.” In the award-winning BBC drama, based on the novels by Reginald Hill, two mismatched Yorkshire detectives got together and annoyed the hell out of each other. DSI Andy Dalziel (Warren Clarke) was a politically incorrect, hard-drinking, old-school cop, abrasive to the point of rudeness and prone to picking his nose. DI Peter Pascoe (Colin Buchanan) was a quick, well-mannered, university-educated snowflake. However, when the sparks flew, they made a formidable team. The series has remained remarkably stable, producing 46 high-quality films over 11 years.
4. Miss Scarlett & Duke (Alibi/Masterpiece)
Not to be confused with the Cluedo character, Eliza Scarlett (played by Peaky Blinders' Kate Phillips) takes over her late father's detective agency in Victorian London and soon carves out a niche in the male-dominated world of old criminals. She is ably assisted in her adventures by her childhood friend William “Duke” Wellington (Stuart Martin), now a gruff detective at Scotland Yard. A lively romp ensues with a bubbling romance between the protagonists and Eliza, modeled after Lizzie Bennet from Pride & Prejudice.
Kate Phillips and Stuart Martin in Miss Scarlet and the Duke 5. Agata Raisin (Sky Max/iTunes/Amazon) Prime Video)
It started with the one-off “Queche of Death”, turned out to be a tasty treat and continues five episodes later. Based on the books by MC Beaton, this fun and colorful mystery series stars Ashley Jensen as a PR executive who moves from London to the seemingly sleepy village of Carsley in the Cotswolds in search of a quieter life. Great chance. This blonde-haired amateur sleuth soon begins solving kitschy but compelling crimes. Matthew Horne (Gavin & Stacey) and Katie Weeks (Ghosts) provide additional comic relief in supporting roles.
Ashley Jensen as Agatha Raisin Photo: Shutterstock 6. Bergerac (BritBox/Amazon Prime Video)
John Nettles was the original star of Midsomer Murders, but made a name for himself – not to mention his reputation as the “housewives' darling” – as this craggy Eighties favourite. Sergeant Jim Bergerac was a recovering alcoholic trying to rebuild his career with Le Bureau des Étrangers in Jersey. He had a con artist ex-father-in-law in Charlie Hungerford (Terence Alexander), a long-time flirtation with glamorous jewel thief Philippa “Icemaiden” Vale (Lisa Goddard), drove a vintage Triumph roadster and had a cool guitar theme song. . The reboot is in development and expected next year.
John Nettles and Lisa Goddard in Bergerac Photo: Alamy 7 . The Hetty Weinthropp Investigation (Alibi/BritBox/Amazon Prime Video)
Patricka Rutledge had just starred as suburban snob Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet”, naturally) on the sitcom Keeping Up Appearances when she became a detective for this nineties drama. Cardigan-clad Henrietta Wainthropp was a vivacious pensioner from rural Lancashire who spent her days solving crimes ignored by the police, usually in the company of her young lodger Geoffrey (Dominic “Merry the Hobbit” Monaghan). When the popular show was canceled after four series, Routledge called it “a betrayal… the BBC is run by rude 10-year-olds.” Tell them, Hetty/Hyacinth.
Patricia Rutledge in the Hetty Wainthropp Investigation Posted by Alami 8. Whitstable Pearl (Acorn/Amazon Prime Video)
“Sometimes it takes a small town detective to solve big crimes.” When her son moves away from home, empty-nester Pearl Nolan (the excellent Kerry Godliman from After Life) fulfills her lifelong dream by opening a private investigation agency out of her family's gastropub in the delightful coastal town of Whitstable in Kent. Locals flock to her with all sorts of cases, bodies begin to pile up, and Pearl finds herself at odds with Police Inspector Mike McGuire (Howard Charles), the new tough cop in town. Frances Barber, Robert Webb and Katie Tyson provide impeccable support in these extremely enjoyable murder mysteries.
Kerry Godliman in Whitstable Pearl” Photo: Mark Bourdillon/AcornTV 9. Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Detectives (BBC iPlayer/Alibi/Amazon Prime Video)
This deliberately bizarre stunt could have filled the schedule in less experienced hands, but its hosts, Mark Benton and Joe Joyner, took it to the next level. Starring ex-police detective Frank Hathaway and nosy ex-hairdresser Louella Shakespeare, the mismatched duo squeeze into their red Mini Cooper to fight crime in postcard Stratford-upon-Avon. Their impeccable humor and easy chemistry are admirable. Patrick Walsh McBride stars as the sarcastic secretary Sebastian, a local tour guide and aspiring actor suited to the Bard's hometown.
10. Jonathan Creek (Drama/BritBox/AppleTV)
Presented as a British remix of Columbo, writer David Renwick's devilishly clever creation is part screwball comedy, part locked room mystery. Curly-haired Alan Davis in a duffle coat captivates as the titular magician's consultant, skillfully using his expertise in creating illusions to solve seemingly impossible crimes. His first and best assistant was Caroline Quentin, who was later replaced by Julia Sawalha, Sheridan Smith and Sarah Alexander. Like Midsomer Murders, it's supported by a rotating cast of familiar faces. And a windmill.
Caroline Quentin and Alan Davis at Jonathan Creek Photo: Alamy 11. Rosemary & Thyme (ITVX/BritBox)
“Murder, chaos… and gardening!” That was the tagline for this cozy detective series, which was undoubtedly intended with the title in mind. Green-fingered Rosemary Boxer (Felicity Kendal) and Laura Time (Pam Ferris) were brought together by sudden death, but discovered a mutual love of botany and opened their own freelance gardening business. The muddy-booted duo's solving of crimes was aided by their ability to eavesdrop on secrets and uncover clues while driving around the city in a decrepit Land Rover. Within four episodes it had become ITV's most popular drama, watched by 10 million people, and might have been more entertaining to audiences if it had featured a shirtless Alan Titchmarsh tending herbaceous borders.
12. Pie in the Sky (Drama/AppleTV)
The late Richard Griffiths may be known to many as Vernon Dursley from the Harry Potter films , Hector from The History Boys or Uncle Monty from Withnail & But in the mid-nineties he starred in this underrated crime comedy-drama.
Pie in the Sky Credits: Fremantle Media/Shutterstock
The role of Inspector Henry Crabbe – a disillusioned, semi-retired cop and chef of his own restaurant in Berkshire – was created for Griffiths, who inhabited it with his usual pleasure. Specialty of the house? His crispy steak and kidney pie. Long-suffering wife Maggie Steed kept the establishment running while Henry caught the criminals and still managed to return for the pudding.
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