10 Best International Crime Shows, Ranked

Crime shows are universally loved because there's nothing better than cozying up with a mystery being solved by a charismatic and often troubled protagonist. Whether it's a miniseries or a long-lasting show, the best crime shows across the globe have the unique ability to captivate viewers and make them fall in love with the genre again.

The ten best international crime shows make a great list that combines both one-season shows and decade-long series; with them, you also get to listen to new languages and explore how showrunners from different countries see the world and how they approach the sensitive topics involved with plenty of crime stories. If you like crime shows, add these to your watchlist ASAP.

10 'Good Morning, Verônica' (2020–2024)

Country of Origin: Brazil

Based on the eponymous novel by Raphael Montes, Good Morning, Verônica is an original Netflix series that had massive domestic popularity in Brazil. This led to the show getting three seasons overall, and though Season 1 is the best installment, the story takes wild turns throughout and has an interesting, albeit dark, storyline. If you're a fan of female-led crime shows, this is the series for you.

This psychological crime thriller focuses on police clerk Verônica Torres (Tainá Müller), who takes on solving a femicide case no one pays much attention to. While working on it, she stumbles onto terrible cases of institutional violence and corruption in São Paulo. She also becomes entwined with an abused woman and tries to save and listen to her when no one does, uncovering deep secrets about her abuser. Good Morning, Verônica is gritty, realistic, and often painful to watch; despite its strong narrative, it doesn't enjoy much global fame, which we're still hoping to change.

9 'Black Snow' (2022–)

Country of Origin: Australia

If you're a Travis Fimmel fan, you should stop waiting for his projects to become American-based and focus on the work he does in his homeland of Australia. One of his best roles includes detective James Cormack in the crime thriller Black Snow. It was nominated for a couple of awards in Australia, while critics praised its atmospheric visuals and complex narrative. International streaming expanded its audience a little bit, but Black Snow still remains a niche drama outside Australia.

Black Snow is set in rural Queensland and follows detective James Cormack (Fimmel), who works on solving cold cases. Season 1 delves into the disappearance of a teenage girl, unveiling some deep-seated cultural tensions and historical injustices. Season 2 is an entirely different case and follows Cormack working on the 1994 disappearance of his younger brother, simultaneously as he tries to solve a different missing persons case. Black Snow is a fun and enthralling crime series with a nice pace and interesting storytelling; it's great for any fan of crime dramas.

8 'Mouse' (2021)

Country of Origin: South Korea

When intense and thrilling K-dramas are mentioned, Mouse is often on the list. This gripping crime mystery becomes a psychological thriller at moments, and it's one of the highest-rated crime K-dramas. Mouse broke tvN's ratings for a Wednesday–Thursday drama; the finale scored a record viewership across South Korea, consistently ranking first in its time slot and among the 20-49 demographic. Streaming helped Mouse garner significant international attention, though viewers unfamiliar with K-dramas have likely skipped Mouse altogether.

Mouse follows detective Ko Moo-chi (Lee Hee-joon) and his rookie partner Jeong Ba-reum (Lee Seung-gi) as they try to solve a series of killings. Detective Ko is plagued by childhood trauma, which reflects on his work, while his partner is trying to learn the ropes by observing Ko and employing his intuition and skills. Ko and Jeong explore the complexities of psychopaths and the nature of evil, weaving morally complex narratives. It's pretty intense, great viewing, and delivers on the promise of being a psychologically intense crime series.

7 'Money Heist' (2017–2021)

Country of Origin: Spain

Money Heist is one of the most iconic global phenomena of the past decade, garnering a cult following everywhere in the world. This show made waves for its stylized visuals, captivating storytelling, and great performances; it's often cited as one of the most-watched non-English-language shows ever made. Netflix bought the rights for this little show from the network Antena 3 in 2017, unaware that they'd release a new massive hit; they even released season 4 together with a documentary about the sudden popularity of the show and its actors.

Money Heist follows a team of robbers executing a plan by the mysterious con artist called The Professor (Álvaro Morte). The Professor personally handpicked and assembled the team, giving them codenames (Tokyo, Rio, Nairobi, Helsinki, etc.) and training them in various skills that would be useful in his plan. Their goal is to execute a high-stakes heist on the Royal Mint and Bank of Spain, which are well-guarded. The show is full of cliffhangers, intense plot twists, and iconic characters. Time will fly by when you turn on Money Heist, no doubt about it.

6 'The Chestnut Man' (2021–)

Country of Origin: Denmark

Fans of Nordic noir, rejoice—The Chestnut Man is returning with Season 2 at the beginning of 2026. This is another widely acclaimed crime show on Netflix, praised for its suspenseful, moody, and dark atmosphere and Nordic aesthetic. It captured the hearts of global audiences faster than the protagonist caught her killer, with particular praise going toward the narrative, which is tragic, complex, and very much in tune with the Nordic Noir lore. The Chestnut Man was based on Søren Sveistrup's book of the same name.

The Chestnut Man follows Copenhagen detective Naia Thulin (Danica Ćurčić) and Europol investigator Mark Hess (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard) working on solving the gruesome murders of several women. The crime scenes have one thing in common—a figurine made of chestnuts, insinuating that the murderer is the same person. This also connects to a cold case from 1987, and the plot thickens with each new episode. Season one has six episodes, it's easy to follow, and you can binge-watch it within a day. Season two will also have six episodes, according to IMDb.

5 'Lupin' (2021–)

Country of Origin: France

Lupin is another international crime hit on Netflix, with more and more shows on the streaming service being embraced for their excellence despite the use of subtitles. Another reason Lupin has been so popular is the rising international fame of the charming Omar Sy, who stars as the series lead, combining humor, action, and heart within a character who balances his desire for vengeance with trying to be a better family man. Lupin often ranks among the top-viewed non-English shows on the streaming service, and it's praised for its intricate narrative, sleek storytelling, and well-made action sequences.

Lupin follows Assane Diop (Sy), an art thief inspired by the work of the legendary gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin. He uses his wit, charm, and intelligence to enact revenge on the people who mistreated his father, all while exposing societal injustice with the same sleight of hand. Lupin is fun and perfect for those who prefer to be on the side of the perpetrator rather than the detectives; a real hero of the people, Assane Diop is one of the coolest characters on TV.

4 'Spiral' (2005–2020)

Country of Origin: France

The legal/crime procedural set in Paris titled Spiral is one of the most successful French exports, sold in nearly 70 countries. It's highly critically acclaimed and awarded, including nominations for a BAFTA and International Emmys. Spiral has an international cult following, and its eight seasons are among the most-streamed European series. It's on par with some of the biggest American crime shows, like The Wire, in terms of status, reverie, and following.

Spiral is set in Paris and follows the criminal and legal procedures of solving cases; it encompasses the points of view of all participants in the procedures, detailing the intertwined lives of police officers, judges, lawyers, and criminals. The protagonist is Captain Laure Berthaud (Caroline Proust), who becomes Commandant in later seasons. The core cast remains the same for the most part, and viewers get the chance to really get attached to some of them because of it. Spiral is one of the greatest crime procedurals ever made.

3 'Kin' (2021–)

Country of Origin: Ireland

While it's a bit redundant to call Kin "the Irish Sopranos," it does have similar qualities; if it had to be compared to anything, it'd be the most recent series, MobLand, except Kin is older. Comparison is the thief of joy, anyway, and this Irish series deserves a lot more love for what it is than what it might be like. Kin is about the Dublin crime families, the Kinsellas and the Cunnighams. Frank Kinsella (Aidan Gillen) and Eamon Cunningham (Ciarán Hinds) are feuding when Frank's son oversteps his bounds into Eamon's territory, triggering a massive war between the families.

Kin was apparently inspired by an ongoing local feud in real-life Dublin, though the showrunners didn't want to confirm anything, likely for personal reasons. The show was a massive hit in Ireland when it first came out; it aired on RTÉ One, and the Season 1 finale was the most-watched non-sports program on the channel. Joining Gillen and Hinds are Emmett J. Scanlen, Charlie Cox, and Clare Dunne, and the series has been confirmed to get a third season in October 2024, with filming starting sometime in 2025.

2 'The Bridge' (2011–2018)

Country of Origin: Sweden/Denmark

The Bridge is one of the most famous detective series in the world and pretty much a Nordic Noir classic (though it is from the 2010s). It had a huge impact on global crime shows and police procedurals, spawning multiple remakes from various countries (including an American-Mexican version with Diane Kruger and Damian Bichir). The show is unique for its depiction of relations between Sweden and Denmark through the lens of police detectives, showing their uniqueness and commonalities. As with most Nordic Noir shows, this one's also female-led, and its protagonist, Saga Norén (Sofia Helin), is among the most loved TV characters.

The Bridge begins with a dead body discovered on the Øresund Bridge, which connects Sweden and Denmark. Because the body was found there, both Swedish and Danish police got involved, sparking a joint investigation. Saga Norén from Malmö and Martin Rohde from Copenhagen partner up in this unusual murder case, leading the way in an atmospheric, minimalist, and thrilling crime series.

1 'Line of Duty' (2012–)

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

It's hard to describe just how vital Line of Duty is among domestic audiences. It became a national phenomenon very quickly, and its influence helped it gain various guest stars like Lenny James, Keeley Hawes, and Stephen Graham. The show has six seasons, and after a long discussion about the seventh potentially returning, that seems to have been confirmed by creator Jed Mercurio. We're still waiting, but any fan of Line of Duty knows just how exciting this comeback really is. The Season 6 finale drew around 15 million viewers, making it the most-watched UK drama episode of the 21st century. In 2021, it was BBC iPlayer's most-streamed show, with 137 million streams total.

Line of Duty follows a fictional anti-corruption unit called AC-12, who work on exposing corrupt police officers and tangled conspiracies in UK law enforcement. The series follows partners Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure) and Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) as they uncover an overarching conspiracy that tracks through all six seasons, discovering the identity of a crime boss known only as H. Their Superintendent, Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar), is a no-nonsense boss, and this trio goes through many trials and tribulations. Kate and Steve are also kind of a will-they-won't-they couple, giving the series another interesting layer.

NEXT: The Best British Detective Shows, Ranked