Complete list of 1990s British detective series

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Browse British detective series by decade or return to the TV Detective Database:
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Below is a complete list of British detective/mystery/crime series from the 1990s. This includes series that started prior to 1990 and continued into the decade, as well as shows that started in the 1990s and continued into the 2000s and beyond. Titles of series that only lasted for a single year/season have been left unbolded.

Clicking on a title link in the list below will take you to my post about that specific show (if I have created one). Additionally, the list also includes links to places where you can watch/stream the show online.

#-B

  • 99-1 (1994-1995)
  • The Advocates (1991-1992) [stream here]
  • Agatha Christie’s Poirot (1989-2013) [stream here]
  • Anna Lee (1993-1994)
  • Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious Universe (1994-1995) (documentary on unexplained phenomena) [stream here]
  • Backup (1995-1997)
  • Badger (1999-2000)
  • Beck (1996)
  • Bergerac (1981-1991)
  • The Bill (1983-2010) [stream here]
  • Bliss (1995-1997)
  • The Broker’s Man (1997-1998) [stream here]
  • Butterfly Collectors (1999)

C-D

  • Cadfael (1994-1998) [stream here]
  • Campion (1989-1990) [stream here]
  • The Chief (1990-1995)
  • Chandler & Co. (1994-1995)
  • Chiller (1995) (horror/fantasy) [stream here]
  • CI5: The New Professionals (1999)
  • Circles of Deceit (1993-1996) [stream here]
  • City Central (1998-2000)
  • Civvies (1992)
  • Cluedo (1990-1993) (game show)
  • Comics (1993)
  • The Cops (1998-2001)
  • Cracker (1993-1995, 1996, 2006) [stream here]
  • Crime Limited (1992-1994)
  • Crime Story (1992-1995)
  • Crime Traveller (1997)
  • Crimewatch (a.k.a. Crimewatch UK) (1984-2017) (true crime)
  • Crimewatch File (1988-2000) (true crime)
  • Dalziel and Pascoe (1996-2007) [stream here]
  • Dangerous Lady (1995)
  • Daylight Robbery (1999-2000)
  • The Detectives (1993-1997) (comedy series)

E-J

  • El C.I.D. (1990-1992) (comedy-drama)
  • The Famous Five (1995-1997) (children’s programme; adaptation of Enid Blyton novels)
  • Finney (1994)
  • Forgotten (1999)
  • Framed (1992)
  • Frontiers (1996)
  • Ghosts (1995) (supernatural)
  • The Governor (1995-1996)
  • Grushko (1994)
  • Hamish Macbeth (1995-1997) [stream here]
  • Heartbeat (1992-2010) [stream here]
  • Heat of the Sun (1998) [stream here]
  • Helen West (1999-2002)
  • Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1989, 1996-1998) [stream here]
  • In the Red (1998) (black comedy)
  • The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries (1990-1994) [stream here]
  • The Ice House (1997) (mini-series)
  • Inspector Morse (1987-2000) [stream here]
  • It’s a Mystery (1996-2002) (children’s programme)

J-M

  • Jonathan Creek (1997-2016) [stream here]
  • The Jump (1998)
  • Killer Net (1998) [stream here]
  • The Knock (1994-2000)
  • Liverpool 1 (1998-1999) [stream here]
  • The Locksmith (1997)
  • Lovejoy (1986-1994) [stream here]
  • Madson (1996)
  • Maigret (1992-1993) (starring Michael Gambon) [stream here]
  • Maisie Raine (1998-1999)
  • Marlene Marlowe Investigates (1993-1994) (children’s programme)
  • Melissa (1997)
  • Midsomer Murders (1997-present) [stream here]
  • Mortimer’s Law (1998)
  • The Mrs Bradley Mysteries (1998-2000) [stream here]
  • Murder Most Horrid (1991-1999) (dark comedy)

O-S

  • Oliver’s Travels (1995)
  • Out of the Blue (1995-1996) [stream here]
  • Painted Lady (1997) [stream here]
  • Pie in the Sky (1994-1997) [stream here]
  • A Pinch of Snuff (1994)
  • Police 5 (1962-1992, 2014)
  • Prime Suspect (1991-2006) [stream here]
  • Rebecca (1997) (based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier) [stream here]
  • Resnick (1992-1993)
  • Resort to Murder (1995)
  • The Ruth Rendell Mysteries (a.k.a. The Inspector Wexford Mysteries) (1987-2000) [stream here]
  • Sam Saturday (1992)
  • Sharman (1995-1996)
  • She’s Out (1995)
  • Sherlock Holmes (a.k.a. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes) (1984-1994) [stream here]
  • Silent Witness (1996-present) [stream here]
  • South of the Border (1988-1990)
  • Space Precinct (1994-1995) [stream here]
  • Specials (1991)
  • Supply & Demand (1997-1998) [stream here]

T-Z

  • Taggart (1985-2010) [stream here]
  • Telltale (1993)
  • Thief Takers (1995-1997)
  • The Thin Blue Line (1995-1996) (sitcom) [stream here]
  • A Touch of Frost (1992-2010) [stream here]
  • Touching Evil (1997-1999) [stream here]
  • Trial & Retribution (1997-2009) [stream here]
  • Trust (1999)
  • Van der Valk (1972-1992) [stream here]
  • The Vice (1999-2003) [stream here]
  • Virtual Murder (1992)
  • Waterfront Beat (1990-1991)
  • Wing and a Prayer (1997-1999)

If you know of a show that is missing from the list above, or if you have any other additions or corrections, please let me know in the comments!

18 comments

    1. Thanks for your comment! I think the series you’re thinking of was called “Chandler & Co.” And I just realized that it’s missing from the list above, so I’m about to update it now 🙂

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  2. I think you’ve left out ‘Out of the blue’, set in Sheffield. I think it was mid-nineties, only 1 or 2 series and Orla Brady was in it. It has stayed in my memory due to one particularly grim episode but seems to have been largely forgotten.

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    1. Thanks for your comment–I’ve now added ‘Out of the Blue’ to the list! I hadn’t heard of it before, but now that I’ve looked it up I’m interested to see it. Looks like Neil Dudgeon from Midsomer Murders was in it.

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  4. Trying to remember the name of a detective or private detective series. Tall black woman and a short Geordie or Scouser had the leads. Set in London. Late 1980s or early 1990s. I think “south” may have been in the title. BBC or ITV.

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    1. When you first described the lead characters, my thought immediately went to “McDonald & Dodds”, but if course that’s a recent series set in present day Bath. I’ll keep thinking about that else might fit the description.

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      4. It should be on the list for 2020 (not on this page since it’s for shows from 1990s, but on a separate page linked to in the menu at the top of this post)

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  5. I had watched a 90s detective show on Freevee, and couldn’t remember the name. It’s not on your list, I think it was a BBC show, Wycliffe started in 1993.

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  6. Hi
    I’m from Australia but I was over in the UK a few months ago. While there I watched an episode of a great UK TV show featuring a skinny middle aged bloke solving a murder. Cant remember the name but the episode I watched featured a murder of a guy wearing an expensive jacket found at the beach. The victim actually ended up being the husband of one of the characters. He has decided to go homeless and lived in a tiny cabin by the sea. I believe the wife had confronted him to get the divorce papers signed and looking at him and the life he chose killed him, either accidently or on purpose.

    If you could help me that would be great, long shot I know.

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  7. Hello, some great works of love in researching and maintaining this site!
    I’m actually trying to find more of a mini series than a self contained one – if you follow.

    I believe it was circa 1970 or 80’s began with a young woman returning home to her dad, a police detective (Craven maybe) when Emma (maybe) is shot on his doorstep.
    He naturally thinks it was intended for him but as the series unwinds we find she was involved with an underground (pun intended) enviro group and she was murdered as she knew too much.
    I did think it had the title Gaia in it, but search turn up owt.
    Any ideas?
    Please?
    Cheers
    TheBic

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    1. Got it, months late: Edge of Darkness. There was, as always a US spin off or copy, with, I believe, Mel Gibson. Not a patch on the original.

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  8. Lovejoy was an antiques dealer, but I am thinking that he nay have been confused with Boon who was a similar type of character.

    Also, Jimmy Nail’s Spender is not on the list. I’m sure that was in the 90s

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  9. Hi, great site! I have a HUGE challenge for you! I have vague memories of a British crime tv show episode that centred around an ex-army PTSD-type killer who was triggered by the colour orange, because that was his opposing unit’s colours in a war game exercise, and I can’t remember what series it’s from or who was in it! I remember it being heavily psychological- like Cracker – but it’s not Cracker. I just remember it was a good series! Any clues gratefully received! Thanks, James

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