15 TV Shows To Watch If You Like True Detective

"True Detective" Season 1 redefined television over a decade ago, and not just by uniting Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson on the small screen. The anthology series set a high bar for crime dramas during a time when the TV landscape was flooded with police procedurals like "Law & Order" and "CSI," imbuing the genre with cinematic depth, existential themes, and A-list star power that has since lured dozens of actors from the big screen to the small screen in pursuit of roles half as juicy as the ones McConaughey and Harrelson played. 

With recent news that Nicolas Cage and Antonio Banderas will star in "True Detective" Season 5, viewers may be curious to check the HBO series out for the first time. In case you're the one TV crime fan who, for some reason, hasn't seen "True Detective," or a long-time "True Detective" fan looking for something new to watch to hold you over until Season 5 drops, these 15 shows are the very best offerings that may scratch the same itch. 

If you're a fan of the auteur vision that shines through every season of "True Detective," then wait until you watch "Twin Peaks" for the first time. The ABC series was created by none other than David Lynch, who harnesses his surrealistic style with a setting that simultaneously feels sprawling and claustrophobic for a noir mystery like you've never seen before. "Twin Peaks" follows FBI special agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), who travels to the titular fictional town in the Pacific Northwest to investigate the murder of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), a local teenager whose death stirs up a sense of dread among the townspeople, as well as a haunted Cooper. 

Though the show utilizes a lot more fantastical narrative techniques compared to the grounded-in-reality "True Detective," "Twin Peaks" is regarded as one of the most influential detective series in television history. Obviously, it's a special case of an auteur filmmaker bringing his unique voice to TV, but the series' fascination with folklore and the occult makes it a no-brainer to watch if you loved the first season of "True Detective." 

Although "True Detective" is stylistically very different from most police procedurals on TV, "Criminal Minds" covers a lot of similar territory, given that it follows the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, tasked with identifying criminals from serial killers to sexual abusers. Over its 19 seasons on the air since 2005 and a slew of spin-off "Criminal Minds" shows, the original series has essentially functioned as an anthology like "True Detective," given its revolving cast of actors — some of whom only recently departed the show after well over two decades of portraying their roles. 

Though some seasons of "Criminal Minds" get a bit soap opera-y in litigating characters' personal lives, there are other seasons that feel as dark as "True Detective." The show is especially grim when it's examining the inner turmoil behind many of the people tasked with spending their days hunting dangerous criminals who have yet to be caught. However, unlike "True Detective," it offers something a bit more long-term in getting to know the characters over the years, rather than starting fresh every new season. 

Though there's not a lot of common ground between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and a show like "True Detective," the best Sherlock Holmes TV shows find deeper meaning in bringing the 19th-century detective to the modern day. Namely, the BBC's "Sherlock," starring Benedict Cumberbatch, not only remains faithful to its source material but examines how a complicated genius like Sherlock Holmes operates in a modern criminal environment, while never taking its eye off the heart of the story: his partnership with the pragmatic Dr. John Watson, played by Martin Freeman.

"Sherlock" only aired 13 total episodes throughout the seven years it spent on the air, but it garnered a die-hard fanbase through its multi-textured interpretation of classic literature icons. While Cumberbatch's Holmes never encounters a crime as chill-inducing as the ones that each season of "True Detective" centers on, the series' examination of a detective's inner psychology is just as rich. Plus, Cumberbatch and Freeman make for a dynamic duo as narratively juicy and hilarious to watch as McConaughey and Harrelson. 

"Justified" certainly fits the same aesthetic as most seasons of "True Detective," taking place primarily in the South — albeit with more of a Western vibe than most crime noirs on television. Timothy Olyphant stars as Raylan Givens, a U.S. Marshal in Kentucky whose approach to enacting justice is deeply informed by his family history with criminal enterprises. Across six seasons, Olyphant employed his affable Southern charm to this gritty, grounded view of law enforcement in a part of the country where the wild, wild West isn't so far in the rearview. 

Though the best shows like "Justified" may inherit its 10-gallon hats and cowboy swagger, like "True Detective," it's a familiar setting that feels so different thanks to its protagonist's charisma. Olyphant's Raylan definitely has more of a cocky, brash attitude than either McConaughey's philosophical Rust Cohle or Harrelson's slimy Marty Hart. Though he may be more likable on the surface than any lead character from "True Detective," Raylan has a lot of skeletons in his closet that make watching him from season to season feel like watching a friend sink deeper and deeper into their darkest side. 

"The Killing," as opposed to most other shows on this list, has a particular strand of its DNA in common with "True Detective." Namely, the HBO anthology series was created by Nic Pizzolatto, whose debut as a television writer was on the AMC crime drama, prior to its cancellation and move to Netflix for its fourth and final season. "The Killing" is set in Seattle, following a pair of detectives investigating local homicides: weathered veteran Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and troubled rookie Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman), whose vastly conflicting personalities stand in the way of their investigations throughout each season. 

Though it may not have captured mainstream attention like AMC's best TV shows in the 2010s, "The Killing" is a fascinating look at where the gritty tone and neo-noir innovations came from. Pizzolatto's role as a writer was limited to only two episodes of the first season, but the show established a benchmark quality for detective TV incorporating elements of horror. Only, like "True Detective" would later re-establish, the most horrific thing isn't the occult, but what human behavior is capable of bringing out of people. 

"Broadchurch" is one of the best British crime dramas of all time, debuting in 2013 with a dream team of leads in David Tennant and Olivia Colman, both national treasures who prove their dramatic chops with this incredible mystery series. Set in a fictional tight-knit English town, "Broadchurch" follows a pair of detectives, Alec (Tennant) and Ellie (Colman), investigating the murder of a young girl that has a ripple effect on their community. Though the first two seasons focus on the same murder case, Season 3 diverges with a new crime that's just as horrific.

In addition to handling its heavy subject matter with grace, "Broadchurch" makes for an equally fascinating character study of its two sleuths. Ellie, in a stark contrast to the characters in "True Detective," believes in the goodness of people, though she is continuously let down by the dark nature of the crimes she investigates. Alec is an outsider to the town and obsessive about his job. It's a show that carefully juggles plenty of serious themes while making it look easy, resulting in a neo-noir series that puts plenty of contemporary detective shows to shame, including several seasons of "True Detective." 

Who would've expected an absurdly funny Coen brothers movie to inspire one of the most narratively fascinating anthology series in recent TV history? "Fargo" premiered on FX in 2014, the same year as "True Detective," but offered a much different approach to examining the criminals and detectives populating a small, rural town in Minnesota. All five seasons of "Fargo" revolve around the same formula: a series of poor choices by criminals snowball into a series of chaotic events that rope in ignorant townspeople, well-meaning police, and ruthless killers. 

Though it's certainly a lot less philosophical and pessimistic about humankind than "True Detective," "Fargo" shares a lot of similarities with the HBO series in the sense that they vary wildly in quality from season to season. While fans loved the pairing of Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons as a deluded couple who break bad in Season 2, Season 4's sprawling and poorly paced story revolving around Kansas City crime syndicates and Midwest racial tensions left a sour taste in others' mouths. It's a much lighter watch than "True Detective," but one that doesn't spare audiences on violence and human evil. 

Of all the best anthology TV shows of the 2010s, there's something particularly juicy (no pun intended) about FX's "American Crime Story." Beginning in 2016, the series spends each season diving deep on a headline-making story from true crime, with Season 1 focusing on the infamous O.J. Simpson murder trial, Season 2 examining Andrew Cunanan's assassination of Gianni Versace, and Season 3 exploring Bill Clinton's sex scandal involving White House aide Monica Lewinsky. 

Though it's more focused on sensationalizing iconic moments in American history than it is on philosophizing the nature of human behavior like "True Detective," "American Crime Story" has spent three seasons thus far making the kind of TV that's hard to stop watching. It's especially impressive for a series based around true crime stories that seemingly everybody knows, finding ways to dig into the characters' psyches and turn these well-known stories into easily bingeable entertainment. It might not be nearly as deep as "True Detective," but "American Crime Story" is a must-watch for any fan of crime television.

Netflix subscribers were spoiled with "Mindhunter," given that it was produced and directed by David Fincher, the auteur behind "Fight Club" and "The Social Network." Though it's not a buddy noir show like "True Detective," it examines a just-as-interesting aspect of the criminal justice system: the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI, which formed in the '70s to psychoanalyze serial killers. Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany star as the agents who, along with a psychotherapist played by Anna Torv, launched the unit and conducted interviews with the likes of Edmund Kemper (Cameron Britton), the BTK Killer (Sonny Valicenti), and even the notorious Charles Manson (Damon Herriman). 

Partly fictionalized and partly based on the FBI's real history, "Mindhunter" is not only a gripping watch, but chilling in how it portrays the most evil criminals of its era. It's a slow, methodical exploration of trauma, human depravity, and psychology that sets a new standard for crime dramas. Though fans will always lament the cancellation of "Mindhunter" Season 3, the two seasons that did air on Netflix feel like methodical, deep dives into the minds of serial killers that fans of the more procedural aspects of "True Detective" will appreciate. 

"Sharp Objects" may not be a noir series, per se, but it's still a Southern Gothic mystery that aired on HBO in the 2010s, so it earns its spot on a list next to all these other shows like "True Detective." Amy Adams stars as Camille, an alcoholic reporter who returns to her hometown after a stint in a psychiatric ward, living with her difficult mother (Patricia Clarkson) while investigating the murder of two young girls. As one of the best HBO shows with fewer than 20 episodes, "Sharp Objects" does a brilliant job merging the psychological thriller and crime drama aspects of "True Detective" with a more female-centric narrative about mental health.

Namely, the supremely talented Adams shines in "Sharp Objects," earning an Emmy nomination for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or movie. The show became another addition to her long list of career accomplishments, which includes six Oscar nominations and several other accolades. Although its setting leans more toward Missouri coast than Louisiana bogs, the Southern charm on display in both series serves as a stark contrast to the gruesome crimes at their centers. The direction from the late Jean-Marc Vallée is also on par with Cary Fukunaga's work in Season 1 of "True Detective," and is some of HBO's best cinematography. 

Narratively, "Killing Eve" is a far cry from any season of "True Detective" seen thus far. The BBC series is a globe-trotting spy thriller centered on the mutual obsession of a troubled MI6 agent (Sandra Oh) and the charming, psychopathic assassin (Jodie Comer) she's hunting. It's a completely episodic story across four seasons, albeit behind the scenes it's an anthology in and of itself, given that a new showrunner took the reins at the start of every new season. With talent like Oh and Comer on screen and the likes of Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Emerald Fennell off screen, it's no wonder "Killing Eve" became one of the most popular shows of the late 2010s.

"Killing Eve" has most in common with "True Detective" in its visual style, reminiscent of a gritty noir in its depiction of the criminal underworld. Additionally, the show's central premise of following characters who are unhealthily obsessed with their professions feels congruent with the representation of McConaughey's Rust Cohle in "True Detective," though their jobs accommodate entirely different lifestyles. From the first episode to its twisty series finale, "Killing Eve" makes for a psychologically thrilling crime drama that fans of "True Detective" will get a sick kick out of. 

With only one season, HBO's "Mare of Easttown" filled a void left by the long waits between new "True Detective" seasons on the cable network. Of course, that's to be expected, given that no actor, even McConaughey or Harrelson, can hold a candle to Kate Winslet's ability to embody one of the best female TV detectives of all time in Mare Sheehan. "Mare of Easttown" follows not only the Pennsylvanian detective's investigation into a recent homicide, but also her small-town reputation, troubled personal life, and previous failures in solving crimes that still haunt her. 

Now that a second season is on the horizon, "Mare of Easttown" has evolved from a lightning-in-a-bottle miniseries to a future staple of HBO's brand. Like "True Detective," it's proved that small-town detective shows are still capturing the zeitgeist almost a decade later as some of the most universal and timeless television stories. Though it trades the Southern Gothic vibe of "True Detective" for the tri-state area, both series feel fresh in their grimy, modern depictions of rural America. 

Emmy Rossum's "Furious" only recently dropped on Hulu, but it's already been renewed for a second season, given its near-unanimous praise and strong viewership. The series follows an FBI agent (Rossum) hunting a vengeful female serial killer (Lola Petticrew) who targets powerful and wealthy men as her victims. Though its New York City setting is quite a different vibe from "True Detective" and its Southern locales, "Furious" raises similar themes about the nature of justice, the psychology of killers, and the toll that solving crimes takes on law enforcement. 

With heavy subject matter and female rage at the forefront, "Furious" treads into genuine thriller territory for most of its first season, rivaling the darker aspects of the crimes depicted in "True Detective," especially seasons like "Night Country." Though "Furious" takes more of its cues from the 1987 noir film it's based on, "Black Widow," the series still feels indebted to the rise of neo-noir in television since the success of "True Detective." However, its female-focused storyline is a much-needed palate cleanser for "True Detective" viewers who may be put off by the HBO series' frequently exploitative use of female characters. 

HBO's "Lanterns" is incredibly derivative of "True Detective," but its inclusion of DC Comics lore and a wider role in James Gunn's cinematic universe keeps it interesting enough to hold off accusations of being a direct copy-and-paste of the previously successful neo-noir series. "Lanterns" reframes the titular intergalactic police squad as Earth-bound detectives, with Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan playing a reluctant mentor to Aaron Pierre's John Stewart. Set in the wilds of Nebraska, it combines the neo-Western vibes of "True Detective" with space opera, as Hal and John's investigations lead to wider discoveries about their own role as heralds of peace throughout the galaxy.

Notably, "Lanterns" also employs a non-linear narrative just like "True Detective," but the execution arguably leaves a lot to be desired. Though the grit and wit added to the superhero genre doesn't exactly save "Lanterns" from falling flat by the end of its run, it's nice to see a show follow in the footsteps of "True Detective" all these years after its own first season premiered. 

"Brothers" might not resemble "True Detective" in any way, stylistically, but given it features the on-screen reunion of Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, we had to include it here. The actors who made "True Detective" a hit play themselves in this series, loosely based on the true events that led the two to discover they may actually be half-brothers. Though their in-show friendship has a long way to go before we can consider them the best TV siblings of all time, their real-life friendship shines in their chemistry on-screen, which hasn't waned even a little since the "True Detective" years.

The Apple TV comedy also boasts a strong cast of comedy actors in supporting roles, including Dropout's Lisa Gilroy as the campaign manager of McConaughey's run for Texas governor and Skyler Gisondo as the ex-fiancé of Harrelson's daughter, Olivia (Highdee Kuan). While the rest of the shows on this list may continue your "True Detective" rewatch with gruesome crime noir, psychologically tormented antiheroes, and sparse Southern settings, "Brothers" is a fun, breezy watch that wouldn't exist if it weren't for the lifelong friendship that Season 1 of "True Detective" started.