10 Shows Like McDonald & Dodds (2020)

Description: A long-running British detective series set in picturesque rural villages, featuring intricate murder mysteries solved by a dedicated detective. The show blends cozy crime elements with dark humor and eccentric characters.

Fact: The fictional county of Midsomer was inspired by real-life locations in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The show holds the record for the highest number of on-screen deaths in a British TV series.

Description: A British detective series set during and after WWII, following a principled detective solving crimes on the home front. The show combines mystery elements with historical authenticity and moral complexity.

Fact: Each episode was extensively researched to accurately reflect real wartime events and conditions. The show was originally intended to run for only four episodes but proved so popular it continued for eight series.

Description: A Canadian period detective series set in late 19th/early 20th century Toronto, featuring a methodical detective using innovative forensic techniques. The show blends historical fiction with classic mystery storytelling.

Fact: The series features numerous appearances by historical figures including Nikola Tesla, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Winston Churchill. Many episodes incorporate real technological innovations of the era into their plots.

Description: A gritty British crime drama featuring a brilliant but unorthodox female detective solving complex murder cases in Northeast England. The show emphasizes character development alongside police procedural elements.

Fact: The series is based on novels by Ann Cleeves, who also created the Shetland books. Vera's distinctive hat and macintosh have become iconic parts of the character's look.

Description: A lighthearted detective series set on a fictional Caribbean island, featuring British detectives solving murders in paradise. The show blends classic whodunit formulas with tropical scenery and fish-out-of-water humor.

Fact: The show is filmed on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. The production team built a permanent police station set that has become a tourist attraction.

Description: A stylish Australian period detective series featuring a glamorous female sleuth solving crimes in 1920s Melbourne. The show combines intricate mysteries with Jazz Age aesthetics and feminist themes.

Fact: The production team meticulously recreates 1920s Melbourne, including building full-scale vintage trams. Phryne Fisher's wardrobe contains over 150 costume changes throughout the series.

Description: A period crime drama featuring a Catholic priest who solves mysteries in a small English village during the 1950s. The show combines clever whodunit plots with moral dilemmas and a charming historical setting.

Fact: Based on G.K. Chesterton's short stories written between 1910-

Description: A atmospheric crime drama set in the remote Shetland Islands, featuring a dedicated detective solving murders in close-knit island communities. The show combines police procedural with stunning landscapes and tight community dynamics.

Fact: The series is filmed on location in the Shetland Islands, making it one of the northernmost TV productions in the world. Many locals appear as extras in the show.

Description: A New Zealand crime drama featuring an eccentric detective solving murders in a small rural town. The show mixes quirky characters with clever mysteries and beautiful countryside settings.

Fact: Despite being set in New Zealand, the show has become particularly popular in European markets. Many episodes feature classic cars that are part of the main character's collection.

Description: A British detective drama set in the 1950s featuring a crime-solving vicar working with a local detective. The series mixes murder mysteries with personal drama and explores post-war English society.

Fact: The show is filmed in the actual village of Grantchester near Cambridge. The vicarage used in filming is the real former home of poet Rupert Brooke.