The most captivating crime dramas also deliver compelling storytelling.

Crime dramas are fictionalized accounts of crimes being committed and characters attempting to solve them and bring the perpetrator to justice. Shows like Criminal Minds, The Sopranos, and Sherlock captivate audiences with complex narratives and compelling plotlines. What drives a person to commit a crime? And what of those who dedicate their lives to solving those crimes? From the classics like Columbo and Murder, She Wrote to newer iterations of the genre like Breaking Bad, Ozark, and Law & Order, viewers continue to be fascinated by crime dramas.

With endless amounts of imaginable situations no matter how mundane or improbable, these questions conjure the suspense and intrigue that brings viewers back to the television set day after day. Crime dramas remain among the top-viewed shows for good reason.

Whether you’re a crime drama fantatic or just dipping your toe in, here are some great places to start: 

• Crime dramas based on true events
   
• Best British crime dramas
   
• Europe’s most thrilling crime dramas

Peruse the stories below for even more epic crime dramas to binge. Whether you like gritty police investigations, dark family mysteries, amateur sleuths, or legal dramas, there's something for everyone here.