10 Movies and Shows Like The Dinner Table Detective (2025)

Description: Similar to 'The Dinner Table Detective' in its cozy mystery genre, featuring an amateur detective (Jessica Fletcher) who solves crimes in a small-town setting. Both emphasize character-driven storytelling and intellectual puzzle-solving over action.

Fact: Angela Lansbury, who played Jessica Fletcher, was nominated for 12 Golden Globes for her role. The show ran for 12 seasons and 264 episodes. Cabot Cove, the fictional setting, had an improbably high murder rate for a small town.

Description: Like 'The Dinner Table Detective', this features murder mysteries in picturesque rural settings with an emphasis on community dynamics and hidden secrets. Both balance dark crimes with charming locales.

Fact: Holds the record for most deaths in a fictional village. The opening theme uses a theremin. Has featured many famous British actors early in their careers.

Description: While more historical than 'The Dinner Table Detective', both feature detectives solving crimes through careful observation and moral reasoning rather than action. Both likely explore the social context of crimes.

Fact: Set during and after WWII. Michael Kitchen played Foyle with famous understatement. Originally ended in 2008 but was revived due to popularity.

Description: While grittier than 'The Dinner Table Detective', both feature strong female detectives solving crimes in rural communities. Both emphasize character development and the detective's personal connection to cases.

Fact: Based on Ann Cleeves' novels. Brenda Blethyn has played DCI Vera Stanhope for over a decade. Set in Northumberland, showcasing its landscapes.

Description: Shares the 'fish out of water' detective premise likely present in 'The Dinner Table Detective', with British detectives solving crimes in exotic locations (Caribbean vs. likely European setting). Both blend mystery with humor and character development.

Fact: Filmed on Guadeloupe. Has had three different lead detectives. The original detective was killed off when the actor wanted to leave.

Description: Like 'The Dinner Table Detective', this features a charismatic amateur detective (Phryne Fisher) solving crimes with wit and style. Both have period settings (1920s vs. likely contemporary for Dinner Table), strong female leads, and blend mystery with character relationships.

Fact: Based on novels by Kerry Greenwood. The show's costumes won multiple awards for their authentic 1920s style. A movie sequel 'Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears' was released in

Description: Shares the 'cozy mystery' approach of 'The Dinner Table Detective', with a clerical detective solving crimes in rural 1950s England. Both feature unlikely detectives using observation and psychology rather than violence.

Fact: Based on G.K. Chesterton's stories. Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley in Harry Potter) plays Father Brown. The village scenes are filmed in the Cotswolds.

Description: Shares with 'The Dinner Table Detective' a strong sense of place (Scottish islands) affecting the mysteries. Both likely feature detectives solving crimes in close-knit communities where everyone knows each other.

Fact: Also based on Ann Cleeves' books. Douglas Henshall left the show after 7 seasons. Uses authentic Shetland dialect.

Description: Like 'The Dinner Table Detective', this New Zealand series features murders in a small rural community solved by an unconventional detective. Both likely blend humor with mystery and emphasize local color.

Fact: Each episode is named after a country song. The lead detective is a fan of heavy metal. Despite the NZ setting, the lead actor is Australian.

Description: Similar to 'The Dinner Table Detective' in combining crime-solving with personal drama and a period setting (1950s England). Both likely feature detectives with unconventional personal lives solving crimes through conversation and observation.

Fact: Based on novels by James Runcie. Features a vicar as amateur detective. The show explores post-war British society.