When it comes to gritty crime dramas, we all know that no one really does it better than the British!
British crime dramas are a Sunday night staple in the UK and the British public is totally obsessed with star-studded series that focus on horrifying crimes that leave your jaw on the floor. Although several shows have become big names, many more have yet to receive the critical acclaim they deserve! Here's a breakdown of some of the best British crime dramas you can watch for free.
Best BBC Crime Dramas
Happy Valley
Happy Valley is an incredible drama starring Sarah Lancashire, James Norton, and Siobhan Finneran. The series follows no-nonsense police officer, Catherine Cawood as the man responsible for her daughter's death, Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton), is released from prison. In tandem, there are crimes she must solve as her beautiful hometown continues to be ravaged by crime.
All three seasons of Happy Valley are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
The Sixth Commandment
Starring Timothy Spall, Anna Reid and Sheila Hancock. The synopsis for this show reads, "A meeting between an inspirational teacher and a charismatic student ends up setting the stage for one of the most complex criminal cases in recent memory."
The Sixth Commandment is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Line of Duty
Line of Duty is about the AC-12, an anti-corruption team led by Superintendent Hastings. The first season revolves around the recruitment of Steven Arnott (Martin Compston) who is brought onto the team when he refuses to cover up the death on an innocent man in a police raid gone wrong. The series focuses on trying to uncover the identity of 'H' a bent copper.
All six seasons of Line of Duty are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Killing Eve
Killing Eve is a critically acclaimed series which was partially written and created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The synopsis reads, "Killing Eve centres on two women; Eve (Sandra Oh) is a bored, whip-smart, pay-grade MI5 security officer whose desk-bound job doesn’t fulfil her fantasies of being a spy. Villanelle (Jodie Comer) is a mercurial, talented killer who clings to the luxuries her violent job affords her. Killing Eve topples the typical spy-action thriller as these two fiercely intelligent women, equally obsessed with each other, go head to head in an epic game of cat and mouse."
All four seasons of Killing Eve are available to view on BBC iPlayer.
Thirteen
Starring Jodie Comer as Ivy Moxam, this story is about a 26 year old woman who escapes from her kidnapper who has held her prisoner for 13 years. As Ivy learns to adjust to her normal life that she left behind when she was just a teenager, an investigation is also taking place, trying to work out who her kidnapper was and if he is trying to capture her back.
Thirteen is available to view on BBC iPlayer.
Best ITV Crime Dramas
The Bay
The Bay is a series starring Morven Christie, Marsha Thomason, and Daniel Ryan. The season one premise follows DS Lisa Armstrong who is called out on the case of two missing teenagers, only to realise that the main suspect in the case is the twin's stepfather - the same man with whom she had sex the night before in a pub alley. The series is shocking and has gripped fans who have loved it since it debuted back in 2019.
All four seasons of The Bay are available to view on ITVX.
Broadchurch
Broadchurch is an incredible series starring David Tennant, Olivia Colman and Jodie Whittaker. The story begins when the body of a young boy washes up on the beach of the town of Broadchurch. The murder of this boy brings the coastal town into chaos as the media swarms and there appear to be suspects everywhere. The acting in this show is incredible and the shocking ending of this series will have your jaw on the floor.
All three seasons of Broadchurch are available to view on ITVX.
Liar
Liar is a fantastic and shocking series starring Ioan Gruffudd and Joanne Froggatt as two people who go on a date that ends with an awful crime - or did it? The series premiered in 2017 and shocked viewers who couldn't work out which one of the two were lying, and were gobsmacked as the series unfolded and further crimes came to light.
Both seasons of Liar are available to view for free on ITVX.
Unforgotten
Unforgotten is a TV series starring, Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar as detectives who are thrown into a cold case when a body is discovered in a derelict building and it is found he was murdered back in 1976. Each series looks at a new case and stars a new cast of actors who bring a shocking murder to light.
All five seasons of Unforgotten are available to view for free on ITVX.
How to watch free from anywhere in the world
If you want to watch the best British crime dramas that the UK has to offer, but you're not currently in the UK, you may need to use a VPN in order to access these shows for free.
VPNs (virtual private networks) are a popular way to access TV shows only available in other countries. VPNs are a really easy-to-use piece of software that lets you change your device's IP address so it looks like you’re in in the UK. This means you can use any streaming service such as BBC iPlayer or ITVX as if you're in the country.
If you're already confused, don't panic. Our sister site, TechRadar, has put every major VPN service to the test to save you the hassle of sifting through the web yourself.
They've rated ExpressVPN as the best because, “It’s compatible with all of your devices, supports most streaming services, and ranks among the fastest. You can even install it on devices like an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, and PlayStation. So for a one-stop-shop, you can’t go wrong with Express.”
