The best crime series with female investigators: Commissioner, take over!

Best crime series: Women are the better investigators!

Murderers, adulterers, pedophiles – the world out there can be sick. Especially if, like us, you have a soft spot forCrime Serieshas. We like to look for a murderer for twelve episodes, only to be led on the wrong track again and again and in the end we are shocked to discover that it wasn't the gardener after all. Mini-series captivate us just as much as stories that last several seasons. OurOverview of the best crime series on Netflix, Amazon Prime & Co.is a colorful mix of tough female investigators from whom many a Schimanski should learn a lesson.

Gruselige Crime-Serie: “True Detective: Night Country”

The fourth season of the thriller seriesis not for the faint of heart. A multiple murder case that took place at an Arctic research station is being investigated around the polar night in Ennis, Alaska. Problem: It stays dark in Ennis for 24 hours - and for that reason you only see what you explicitly want to see/can illuminate with headlights.

Jodie Foster, as Liz Danvers, is looking for the killer(s); she is supported by Kali Reis as Evangeline Navarro. And of course the two detectives have to uncover conspiracies, reveal secrets and question their own beliefs - because that's exactly what "True Detective" brought to the crime scene with its first season.

This will be determined in a season: The multiple murders in a research station in Alaska - and perhaps even more murders in the eternal ice.

“True Detective: Night Country” is not for: People who are afraid of the dark and jumpy.

We recommend "True Detective: Night Country" because...:... Jodie Foster as Liz Danvers is simply great and this eternally pitch-dark setting alone sends goosebumps down our spines.

Exciting Crime Series: “Criminal Record” (Apple TV+)

In “Criminal Record”, Commissioner June Lenker (Cush Jumbo) investigates a crime in London and reopens a murder case that was supposedly solved twelve years ago. This all happens much to the annoyance of her colleague Hegarty, whom the young black woman in turn accuses of improper investigations. Because Hegarty did get a confession for the murder - but was the person who made the statement really the perpetrator?

In “Criminal Record” you not only see the differences between men and women in the homicide squad, but also thatis far from being a thing of the past. Cush Jumbo () and Peter Capaldi (“Dr. Who”) make an equally unequal and perhaps realistic police team.

This will be determined in a season: a murder, perhaps an attempted murder and an investigative error that was almost certainly covered up.

“Criminal Record” is not for: People who don't like twists and turns, but rather crime series that tell straight stories.

We recommend "Criminal Record" because...:... Cush Jumbo tirelessly wants to find out the truth despite all the everyday racism and chauvinism in the workplace. More like this!

French crime series: “The Purple Rivers” (ZDF select via Prime Video Channels)

In the crime series, which is based on the book (and film) of the same name, Inspector Camille Delauney (Erika Sainte) and her colleague Pierre Niémans (Olivier Marchel) hunt bizarre murderers: from bloodthirsty ritual murder to corpses that are linked to the Plague virus contaminated, everything is there. Not for the faint of heart!

This will be determined in a season: Episodes of gruesome murders are investigated here.

"The Crimson Rivers" is not for: People who impatiently want to have the perpetrator presented.

We recommend "The Crimson Rivers" because...:... sometimes just a single episode is enough. On top of that, Erika Sainte is great as a newcomer to the investigative service.

Crime series on Netflix: “Unbelievable” (Netflix)

18-year-old Marie is raped in her own apartment by a masked burglar. Traumatized, she reports the case to the local police in Washington state, but they don't believe her. It wasn't until three years later that two investigators, initially independently of each other but then together, investigated a similar crime in Colorado - and got a huge ball rolling. The ordeals that rape victims have to endure are told mercilessly here and it is often very painful to watch. On the other hand, it also shows how hard some police officers go to solve crimes. Marie's story is based on a true story, the perpetrator is in prison.

Merritt Wever and Toni Collette should serve as role models for every police officer.

This will be determined in a season: six rapes and one huge investigative error.

“Unbelievable” is not for: People who are afraid to be alone in the dark.

We recommend "Unbelievable" because...:... the story is simply incredible and the investigators show what “stubborn” means.

German true crime series: “German Crime Story: Gefettelt” (Amazon Prime Video)

It is probably one of the scariest criminal cases in the Federal Republic: In the 1980s, the acid barrel murderer Lutz Reinstrom made a Hamburg suburb unsafe. He murdered his acquaintances and buried the remains in barrels filled with acid in his garden. In “German Crime Story: Gefettelt” Oliver Masucci is convincing as Raik Doormann as the acid barrel murderer. The police only find out about him thanks to the tireless work of LKA officer Nela Langenbeck (Angelina Häntsch), who neither allows herself to be blinded by the doorman nor bullied by her all-male colleagues. This horrific story is based on true facts. True crime made in Germany.

This will be determined in a relay:Where previously happy women suddenly disappeared. (Spoiler: in acid barrels in the Hamburg area)

“German Crime Story: Tied Up” is not for:People who don't deal well with depictions of violence. Oliver Masucci plays the acid barrel murderer perfectly with his perfidious, violent and brutal traits - not for the faint of heart.

We recommend “German Crime Story: Tied Up” because...:... Nela Langenbeck doesn't let herself get down. Everyone - from the doorman to her superior - tries to portray her as weak and bully her, but in the end Langenbeck wins with her instinct, skill and perseverance.

Scandi crime series: “The Chestnut Man” (Netflix)

There is a murderer on the loose in Denmark: Not only was an entire family wiped out on a remote farm in 1987 - no, in autumn 2021 a killer is playing his cruel game: women are being murdered and brutally mutilated. Investigator Naia Thulin finds hardly any traces at the site, but finds a figure made of chestnuts, the kind that children actually make in autumn.

Thulin finds herself in a dangerous maelstrom and wants to solve the cases together with her colleague Mark Hess and arrest the serial killer. Because the fingerprint of a girl who was believed to be dead is found on one of the chestnut figures... A race against time begins.

This will be determined in a season: gruesome murders of women in the present, the kidnapping of a girl and the murders of a family in 1987.

“The Chestnut Man” is not for: People who can't handle slow but threatening tension. Nobody can manage more than two episodes of “Kastanienmann” in one evening – it’s too creepy.

We recommend "The Chestnut Man" because...:... Naia Thulin is a great, brittle investigator who pushes herself to the limits and overshoots the mark, but above all wants justice for the murdered women.

Dark crime series: “The Secret of the Dead Forest” (ARD Mediathek)

In the summer of 1989, Barbara Neder disappeared without a trace near a forest area in Lower Saxony. Despite all the reassurances from the local police, her brother, the high-ranking Hamburg police officer Thomas Bethge (Matthias Brandt), does not believe it is a coincidence. Shortly before, two couples had already been brutally murdered in the forest. The police quickly zero in on a specific perpetrator, only the commission's only female investigator has (justified) doubts: Anne Bach (Karoline Schuch) has a completely different possible murderer in her sights. At the time of the murders, no one suspected that it would take decades until the murderer was caught and investigation errors were corrected.

This will be determined in a relay:two double murders and one murder.

“The Secret of the Dead Forest” is not for:Viewers who are already afraid of the forest.

We recommend “The Secret of the Dead Forest” because...:… Anne Bach shows her colleagues how to investigate properly. When they don't want to believe her and make mistakes, she retreats - only to return with an ace up her sleeve and show the boys how police work works.

Episodic crime dramas from four countries: “Criminal” (Netflix)

A crime series as a chamber play: The entire action takes place in an interrogation room and the room behind the mirrored wall. Interrogations are taking place in Spain, France, Great Britain and Germany and it is an extremely successful project! We were particularly impressed by the German and Spanish episodes, not least because of the brilliant cast: the women are absolutely convincing and often at the center of the action. Anyone who was worried that female investigators would shy away from things that their male colleagues would do without batting an eyelid will be proven wrong here.

Just one room and a minimally small cast create a perfect crime scene: interrogations are shown, lies are uncovered and crimes are solved. “Criminal” is a major crime collaboration between four European countries.

This will be determined in a season: Three crimes in four European countries each, from murder to fraud, there is something for every crime lover.

“Criminal” is not for: People who expect elaborate changes of location and pictures of the crime

We recommend "Criminal" because...:... this format didn't exist before and in our opinion it works excellently. Plus, the cast is really in a class of its own.

Award-winning crime series streaming: “Killing Eve” (Netflix)

Meet Villanelle, psychopathic assassin with probably the best wardrobe among the killer elite. Opposite her is Eve and the two chase each other. Eve works for the British Secret Service and is determined to put her nemesis Villanelle behind bars - even if it's the last thing she does. The killer and the investigator are like yin and yang, one goes into hiding and the other has withdrawal symptoms. They chase each other through Europe and somehow they love and hate each other.

For the audience, this is particularly exciting, if not nerve-wracking. No wonder, because the script comes from Phoebe Waller-Bridge, mastermind behind "Fleabag" and savior of the script for the 25th James Bond film.

This will be determined in two seasons: Where is Villanelle and who does she murder next? Is Eve arriving too late or will she stop the psycho killer? And do the two catch each other?

“Killing Eve” is not for: People who can't stand too much tension.

We recommend "Killing Eve" because...:...there is no better love-hate duo of assassin and investigator. Also, sometimes we would like to have a bit of Villanelle's carefree attitude and Eve's uber-smart brain. And Villanelle's entire closet, please.

Remake of Scandinavian crime series: “The Killing” (Disney+)

Sarah Linden has problems: with herself, with life as a single mother and as a cop in Seattle. And then, to make matters worse, she is introduced to a new colleague who you're not sure whether he would rather be a gangster or a rapper instead of a cop. Either way, Sarah Linden and her new partner Steven Holder have to solve the disappearance of Rosie Larson. It goes without saying that dark secrets of local politicians in Seattle will be revealed, as will every little unpleasant detail from the family of the missing teenagers.

“The Killing” is based heavily in its first season, then very little, on a Danish template with the same name. In the third and fourth seasons, completely original criminal cases are developed. Mireille Enos ("World War Z") plays the brittle detective Sarah Linden with almost autistic traits - unplanned changes can upset the cold investigator in the knitted sweater. Joel Kinnaman ("Altered Carbon", "House of Cards") plays her partner Holder with surprising ease. His character develops significantly over the four seasons. From the end of the first season, the two are a tight-knit team. The third main character is the filming location, or rather its weather: "The Killing" takes place in Seattle and it rains almost constantly. This is certainly true, as the region is the wettest in the United States. (In case you're wondering why...It doesn't rain constantly: We're surprised too.) The constant rain gives "The Killing" a particularly depressing atmosphere.

This will be determined in four seasons: a murdered teenager, missing children and a family murder.

"The Killing" is not for: People who absolutely can't stand the rain.

We recommend "The Killing" because...:...the series is told in an extremely exciting way and you learn to appreciate the main roles and their rough manner. Why this series was canceled after the fourth season is a mystery to us.

Crime series with a strong investigator duo: “Broadchurch” (Disney+)

In the sleepy British seaside town of Broadchurch, a boy falls from a cliff. It quickly turns out that it was murder. But who would do something like that? Maybe someone from your own ranks? Commissioner Ellie Miller is investigating precisely these questions. Problem: She comes from Broadchurch, knows everyone in the town and really can't trust anyone with such cruelty. Her boss Alex Hardy was forced to transfer and doesn't like the small town idyll or people in general. "Broadchurch" is about what happens when a murder occurs in a seemingly ideal world and what this murder does to people. Grief and mistrust are at hand here on the southwest coast of England.

The main characters in "Broadchurch" couldn't be more different: Inspector Miller, the empathetic mother with deep roots in the local community, and Inspector Hardy, the oddball Scot, but they still fit together perfectly. Especially when at the end of the first season the boss unexpectedly becomes his best friend (and stays that way over the next few seasons). We would like to see more investigative teams like Miller (Olivia Colman, the next queen in "") and Hardy (David Tennant,) – with all its weaknesses and strengths. All seasons are available on Netflix.

This will be determined in the three available seasons: the murder of a child and how it shakes the town and the village community.

“Broadchurch” is not for: People who like action scenes.

We recommend "Broadchurch" because...:...this crime series broke our hearts. And because Commissioner Hardy has the best Scottish accent in the original.

Don't have a Disney+ subscription yet? Then hurry this way!

Crime-Serie mit Gillian Anderson: "The Fall" (Netflix)

Women who look alike are being murdered in Belfast. The local police get support from the cool Stella Gibson, who tries to catch the murderer. And this is exactly where it gets exciting, because in "The Fall" the horse is put before the cart: As a viewer, you know the murderer and watch him in his family-friendly everyday life as well as his bestial murders. It becomes particularly exciting when the detective and the murderer accidentally run into each other and play cat and mouse with each other.

“The Fall” thrives on its aloof detective Stella Gibson. This is common to all the men in the series, especially her old lover (John Lynch,"") is far superior. She doesn't let her main suspect tie a bear on her in the second season, even though she finds him somehow interesting. Speaking of the "main suspect": Hottie Jamie Dornan ("50 Shades of Grey") plays him. However, you want to "The Fall" doesn't necessarily have to be alone in a room with him. His opponent Stella Gibson is("The X-Files", "Hannibal") and yes, we are fans: cool Dana Scully forever. All seasons of “The Fall” are available on Netflix.

This will be determined in the two available seasons: Kidnappings and murders of young women who look alike.

“The Fall” is not for: People who can't do anything with an emancipated commissioner.

We recommend "The Fall" because...:...Jamie Dornan can be seen in it for longer than 90 minutes and a woman simply outplays everyone.

Crime-Mini-Serie: "Collateral" (Netflix)

In just four episodes, the BBC-Netflix co-production “Collateral” tells about one thing in particular: losing. A pizza delivery man is shot dead by a sniper outside a house in a London suburb, with the only witness being a young girl who is high. What initially seems like an oversight triggers a whole avalanche of events: illegal refugees, human traffickers, undercover drug runners, illegitimate children, questions of faith, lies, political deals, sexual abuse and how the British secret service is involved in all of this. Sounds like a lot? It is too. The newly promoted Commissioner Kip Glasbie tries to shed some light on this darkness. After a few disappointments, she at least solves the murder of the pizza delivery boy and a lot more - but also has to accept a bitter personal loss.

The Oscar-nominated actress("", "Drive") is the investigating detective Kip Glasbie in "Collateral" and plays a leading role. People around her lie, kill and die, but she keeps a cool head and in the finale pulls a trump card out of her sleeve that no one has The title “Collateral” gets to the point: with stories like this, there is only collateral damage, and no one comes out unscathed.

This will be determined in the miniseries: the murder of a pizza delivery man, human trafficking and how politics uses secret agreements to make a name for itself.

"Collateral" is not for: People who are looking for shallow entertainment and can't follow this really complex story.

We recommend "Collateral" because...:... the story takes up many current topics and the inspector shows a lot of courage at the right moment.

Crime series in stream: “Absentia” (Amazon Prime Video)

FBI agent Emily Byrnes was kidnapped, beaten, tortured and ultimately locked in a water tank. At the last moment she is rescued by her husband - but unfortunately only six years after her disappearance. Her husband has started a new life with a new woman with their child and Emily Byrnes is having immense problems getting back into her old life: between panic attacks and paranoia, she moves from day to day, still searching for it Serial killer that she was on the trail of before her disappearance. The agent finally trusts her instincts and solves the case after a six-year absence.

Stana Katic plays the unstable FBI agent Emily Byrnes in "": loving mother and a victim looking for justice on the other side. She always sneaks in her parka through a gloomy Boston, in which the series is set. The role of the broken mother is taken away from her. Who after the first season has blood leaked: The flashback at the very end of the season finale leads directly into season 2.

This is determined in the “Absentia”.: Murder, human trafficking and kidnapping.

"Absentia" is not for: People who can't see open wounds and can't stand tension.

We recommend "Absentia" because...:...you root for Emily Byrnes to see if she can solve her old case and remember who did all this to her.

Don't have an Amazon Prime subscription yet? Then please just go this way!

Scandi crime in the stream: “The Bridge” (Netflix)

In "The Bridge" a body is found on the Öresund Bridge between Copenhagen and Malmö after a power outage. Problem: It lies directly on the border between Denmark and Sweden, forcing Commissioners Martin Rohde from Denmark and Saga Norén from Sweden to work together. Norén lives with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. The wanted murderer pretends to want to denounce global grievances such as child labor, two-class society and injustice among the homeless, although he actually only wants one thing: revenge. He keeps the two countries on their toes with a total of five murders and they are not for the light-hearted: Samurai swords are used as well as a cannula that slowly but continuously draws blood from the body, and concrete. There are two cross-border seasons with the Norén/Rohde team; in the third and fourth seasons, the commissioner is given a new colleague from Sweden.

What works in the series also works in real life: “The Bridge” is a Danish-Swedish-German crime series. Saga Norén is played by Swede Sofia Helin. Her colleague from Denmark in the first two seasons is Kim Bodnia (who then appears again in "Killing Eve"); in the last two seasons so far this role is taken on by Thure Linhardt. "The Bridge" is exciting because it puts a woman with Asperger's syndrome at the center of the action: social interaction and communication often represent major hurdles for those with the disease. However, Norgén's extremely well-developed ability to understand minimal details helps the inspectors achieve a breakthrough. There is an American remake on a bridge between Mexico and the USA with Diane Kruger in the lead role of the American investigator, but this time the European original is really to be preferred.

This is what is discovered in “The Bridge”:multiple murder.

"The Bridge" is not for:People who get disgusted easily. Like the Scandi crime novels, this series is also a bit bloodthirsty and rough like the countries in the far north.

We recommend "The Bridge" because...:...a woman with a mental illness has the sixth sense and leads to the solution of a nasty crime - but, unlike her male colleague, never loses control.