Television series

The Last Detectives

Name: The Last Detectives
Genre: Drama, Crime
Cast: Mark Lewis Jones, Steffan Rhodri, James Bamford, Bethan Mary-James, Catherine Ayers

Two detectives—one returning from grief, one settling into small-town life—navigate murder investigations in contemporary Tenby, Wales. Warm, intelligent procedural drama that finds purpose and meaning in midlife companionship. Character-driven whodunits with genuine emotional weight beneath the puzzles.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like cosy crime where the puzzle matters less than the odd-couple friendship, and you enjoy a seaside setting that makes murder feel almost gentle.

Skip it if you need a tightly plotted procedural with grim, relentless police work, since this is more interested in two men's domestic and emotional lives than in the forensic grind.

What it asks of you: Expect an unhurried pace, a gentle mood and a lot of time spent on the two men's day-to-day lives, with the whodunit ticking over in the background.

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

If you liked this

Vera2011

Gruff, brilliant detective solving layered crimes in atmospheric Northern England. The lead carries the show through forensic detail and hard-won wisdom. Shares The Last Detectives' focus on character over spectacle and small-community secrets.

But Vera herself is sometimes so ornery she becomes the story. Earlier seasons are stronger; later ones lean toward eccentricity over investigation.

Line of Duty2012

Taut, meticulously plotted crime drama with exceptional ensemble cast chemistry. Builds momentum across seasons with genuinely shocking reveals. British procedural that respects your intelligence and rewards close attention.

But The final season stumbled badly; many felt the payoff didn't match six seasons of setup. Also demands you track intricate plot threads or you'll feel lost.

Broadchurch2013

Small seaside town, devastating crime, two detectives learning to trust each other. Atmospheric, morally complex, genuinely creepy. West Country setting and a murder that hollows out a community feel very similar.

But The US remake poisoned some viewers' appetite. Also: genuinely bleak in ways that don't lift for reprieve.

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

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Happy Valley2014

Both centre detectives finding meaning and reconnection through partnership after personal catastrophe, but Happy Valley is the version that doesn't flinch from how much it costs.

A traumatised former policewoman returns to her Yorkshire town and finds purpose investigating local crime with a damaged young constable. Raw, furious, darkly funny—Sarah Lancashire is extraordinary. It's about survival and finding reason to keep living, which is what The Last Detectives is about too, but Happy Valley goes to places the BBC drama won't.

But Punishingly bleak. The violence is real. Watching two broken people limp toward redemption is not cosy, and the show refuses to soften that.

Shetland2013

DI Jimmy Perez solving crimes in isolation on Scottish islands. Beautifully shot, character-focused, with mysteries that unfold naturally from community life rather than contrivance. Steady, intelligent, deeply humane.

But Slow-burn storytelling isn't for everyone. If you need explosions and reveals every five minutes, this will feel glacial.

Midsomer Murders1998

Decades of ingenious murder puzzles set in an English village. John Nettles' detective is warm and curious rather than tortured. Pure, satisfying mystery-solving with zero pretension and genuine affection for its characters.

But Production values vary wildly across 81 episodes. Some plots are recycled. It's comfort food, not innovation.

Death in Paradise2011

British detective solving crimes in a Caribbean resort town. Lighter than Vera or Broadchurch but never saccharine. The ensemble cast has genuine warmth; the friendship between leads is the heart of it.

But Determinedly cheerful in a way that can feel thin. If you need your crime drama gritty, this tropical setting might feel evasive.

The Mallorca Files2019

Two mismatched detectives—one local, one transplanted—solve crimes in Spain. Procedural charm with real affection for place and partnership. Lighter touch than most British crime drama but never loses sight of genuine investigation.

But Trades intensity for accessibility. The crimes are puzzles rather than moral catastrophes. Some find it forgettable.

Grantchester2014

A priest and a detective solve crimes in 1950s Cambridgeshire. Character-driven, exploring faith, duty, and friendship across class lines. Thoughtful about moral complexity without being preachy.

But The period setting is glossy; it doesn't grapple with 1950s ugliness. Also shifts tone noticeably between seasons as showrunners changed.

Foyle's War2002

Detective Christopher Foyle investigates crimes during and after WWII. Meticulously plotted mysteries that use historical context as genuine story, not decoration. Lead actor Michael Kitchen brings quiet intelligence to every frame.

But Period detail means slower pacing than contemporary crime drama. Some mysteries resolve too neatly. Later seasons feel slightly routine.

The Killing2011

Both are patient procedurals about what happens to a detective's soul when they commit fully to their work, set in small places where secrets layer upon each other.

Danish series following detective Sarah Lund through interconnected murders across Copenhagen. Mood and character matter more than answers. Slow-burn investigation where the act of searching becomes the story. Profoundly affecting without being manipulative.

But Deliberately paced—some episodes feel like nothing happens. Subtitles required. The finale divides viewers sharply.