Television series

The Bay

Name: The Bay
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: 2019
Cast: Daniel Ryan, Erin Shanagher, Andrew Dowbiggin, Thomas Law, Marsha Thomason

Other titles called The Bay: the 2012 film.

Police procedural

The Bay is a British crime drama set in Morecambe that focuses on detective work through the eyes of family liaison officers—the cops who sit with grieving relatives and extract their stories. It's procedural but intimate, more interested in how investigations wound people than in whodunit mechanics. For anyone who found the humanity in Broadchurch but wanted less gothic brooding.

TVMaze rating

3.4

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like police dramas where the detective work is grounded in ordinary lives, with the families, the small-town texture and the personal fallout given as much weight as the case itself.

Skip it if you want a tidy case-of-the-week procedural; this one runs longer and lingers on relationships and emotional strain, so it can feel slow when you just want the answer.

What it asks of you: Thirty episodes over five seasons at around forty-nine minutes each, so it wants a long commitment and patience with stories that unfold gradually rather than resolving quickly.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Broadchurch2013

Claustrophobic whodunit set in a seaside town where detective work unravels the entire community. Masterfully plotted with a brilliant cast, it redefined crime drama's emotional stakes and influenced everything that came after.

But It's relentlessly bleak and the killer reveal disappointed many fans. Also eight years old, which means you've probably heard about the twist already.

Line of Duty2012

British procedural that became a cultural phenomenon. Sharp writing, a genuinely charismatic ensemble, and mysteries that actually hold together. Each season ratchets the tension higher without losing character focus.

But The later seasons lose the plot somewhat and become frustratingly convoluted. Also six seasons is a significant commitment if you're starting from scratch.

Happy Valley2014

Yorkshire crime drama with a phenomenal central performance from Sarah Lancashire. Balances procedural momentum with genuine exploration of how violence ripples through communities and families. Sharp, propulsive, humane.

But The violence it depicts is visceral and sometimes hard to watch. Not a comfort show. Also only two seasons, so if you fall in love with it you'll want more.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Bay

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Killing2011

Both use crime investigation as a framework to explore institutional and personal damage; the detective's empathy and vulnerability are the actual story, not the case itself.

Danish original that remade crime television globally. It's a murder investigation stretched across an entire season, prioritizing the psychological weight over plot acceleration. Methodical, atmospheric, with a detective who carries real trauma. This is what The Bay's DNA traces back to—crime as emotional archaeology.

But Glacially paced. If you need plot momentum to hold attention, the first half will test you. Also quite dark in tone, sustained across 20 episodes.

Vigil2021

ITV drama about a detective investigating a death on a nuclear submarine. Cleverly constructed mystery with strong performances and the claustrophobia of the setting amplifies every scene. Gripping without being gratuitous.

But The submarine setting makes it less accessible if you find that world uninteresting. Some viewers felt the final act rushed its emotional beats.

The Bodyguard1992

Six-episode BBC thriller that became an instant classic. Taut, brilliantly acted by Richard Madden, and it understands that the most effective drama comes from character and tension rather than plot contrivance.

But Very intense and demanding to watch. The premise is relatively simple so the payoff hinges entirely on execution—if that doesn't land for you, there's no plot complexity to fall back on.

Unforgotten2015

Each season solves a cold case by investigating how the past haunts the present. Nicola Walker anchors it beautifully and the show's real focus is how old crimes reshape lives decades later. Thoughtful and absorbing.

But Pacing is deliberately slow and meditative. If you want explosions and car chases, this isn't it. Also works best watched sequentially rather than sampled.

Colleagues2020

Australian police procedural centered on a homicide squad's dynamics and personal lives. It captures workplace camaraderie while actually delivering compelling cases. Charming and smart without being gimmicky.

But Harder to track down outside Australia without determined streaming hunting. Less flashy than prestige dramas, which some viewers mistake for less quality.

Shetland2013

Crime series set in the Shetland Islands with Douglas Henshall as a detective you genuinely root for. Strong sense of place, credible investigations, and it improves as it goes. Solid, dependable procedural work.

But Early seasons are sometimes uneven and the pacing can drag. Also runs for seven seasons so there's uneven quality across the run.

MINDHUNTER2017

Both explore the psychological toll of bearing witness to human damage—how detectives and liaison officers absorb trauma through their work and carry it home.

Prestige procedural about FBI profilers essentially inventing modern criminal psychology. Beautifully shot, intellectually rigorous, and genuinely unsettling without relying on gore. The Bay works through emotion; this works through ideas, but both are about understanding broken people.

But Cancelled on a cliffhanger after two seasons, so you'll never get closure. Also requires patience with dialogue-heavy scenes about methodology and theory.

The Nest2020

Both examine how personal and professional worlds bleed into each other, how proximity breeds moral compromise, and how secrets metastasize in small teams.

Scottish domestic drama about a couple who hire a young nanny and watch their marriage corrode. Tense character study with brilliant performances. Not a crime show, but it understands how professional boundaries collapse and how lies fester in close quarters—exactly The Bay's thematic engine.

But Slower than crime drama, focused entirely on character psychology rather than plot momentum. Some found the ending frustrating rather than cathartic.