Compelling Investigators and Their Impact on Crime Series
Compelling investigators can lift a good crime series into enduring television. The most memorable detective shows often revolve around a single, vividly drawn sleuth or a dynamic duo — and while icons like Sherlock Holmes loom large, television has produced a wide array of unforgettable crime-solvers.
Evolution of Detective Characters
Early procedurals emphasized puzzle-solving and a charismatic lead. Today's detective genre still values that clarity, but it also embraces more eccentric, morally complex, and emotionally layered protagonists who become instantly iconic.
Top Detective Characters in Television
20. Eve Polastri — Killing Eve
Eve stands out for her dogged intelligence and emotional vulnerability. She makes mistakes, mourns witnesses, and her fraught, intimate relationship with Villanelle gives her storyline an uncommon depth — despite the show’s divisive finale.
19. Rustin “Rust” Cohle — True Detective
Matthew McConaughey’s Cohle dominates True Detective’s lauded first season. Portrayed across two timelines, his self-destructive nature and bleak philos...