Some shows, no matter how good, no matter how much praise, simply get ignored and forgotten. And yet there are many really bad ones out there that become huge… such is the will of the all-devouring gods of television.
That is none more true than in the crime drama genre. There are plenty of Midsummer Murders and other clichéd serialised shows out there that are hugely popular but hardly interesting, and then there are several that have fallen through the cracks.
Streaming services are culprits of this too, with plenty of average crime capers available on their platforms. Thankfully though, there are some proper stars waiting to be discovered too.
Here are three of them that deserve your attention.
Culprits
- Where: Disney+
- Stars: Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Kirby, Gemma Arterton, Niamh Algar, Ned Dennehy
Speaking of culprits, here’s a Disney+ show (that’s on Hulu in the US) with exactly that name.
It’s a multi-timeline heist show about a group of super cool criminals and assassins, all with super cool code names, and involved in high octane shootouts and car chases. However, very few seem to have seen it.
Culprits was released in 2023 to not much fanfare. It was seemingly dumped onto the platform with a small marketing run, no advance screeners, and very little fuss.
But that was a big shame as, although not groundbreaking or the best of its genre, it is a solid and really fun slice of crime action. It features some great performances from a reliable cast, sharp dialogue, great pacing and action scenes that would not look out of place in a John Wick movie.
It should certainly keep a casual viewer entertained, and there really isn’t good reason why this didn’t make more of a splash.
Like a late 80s Volvo hatchback it’s a boxy but dependable ride.
Lupin
- Where: Netflix
- Stars: Omar Sy, Ludivine Sagnier, Soufiane Guerrab
The award for best use of a single location goes to… Lupin. It’s a show where city streets, monuments, landmarks and the inherent feel of the location becomes as much of a character as the actors involved. It squeezes every ounce of “Je ne sais quoi” out of Paris, creating a backdrop that oozes charm and history.
Inspired by the adventures of Arsene Lupin, the gentleman thief, the show follows Assane Diop (Omar Sy) as he glides through the city on a mission to clear his father’s name and exact revenge on those who brought about his demise – all in the coolest and most charismatic ways possible.
This is a very cool show. Omar Sy is cool. It all looks cool. Even the soundtrack is cool.
It moves effortlessly from scene to scene, is beautifully shot and takes full advantage of the French capital. From Paris’ rundown housing projects to the Eiffel Tower itself, we are treated to what is effectively a guided city break… albeit with grime and crime on board.
With three seasons already available and talk of a lot more to come, it seems that despite being mostly ignored, the show has been a success. It is rarely mentioned when people talk about their favourite or best shows on Netflix (possibly because it is a foreign language production), but it should be.
Black Bird
- Where: Apple TV+
- Stars: Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser, Greg Kinnear, Ray Liotta
Apple TV+ has to be the strangest, yet best streaming platform out there on the market today.
It has seemingly unlimited funding so is able to pump unlimited time, effort and resources into creating TV shows that are unbelievably beautiful, star studded and huge in ambition. From sprawling hardcore science fiction works to remakes of Shakespeare plays, there seems to be no limit to what Apple aims to achieve.
The only issue is, bar a handful of the most famous series on the platform – such as Ted Lasso and Slow Horses – few have heard about the other hidden gems.
Black Bird is a prime example of one of those – a show that has been criminally ignored.
Based on a true story, it focuses on Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton), a mid-level drug dealer who is sentenced to 10 years without parole in a minimum security US prison. His only option for an earlier release is a deal in which he agrees to enter a facility for the criminally insane, befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) and get him to disclose the location of the bodies of his victims.
With the usual high levels of talent within the cast, lavish production values and seemingly no limit to location work, Black Bird is a tense and immersive glimpse into the mind of a serial killer, while also being a fascinating story of the growing desperation of Jimmy Keene.
Egerton puts in the performance of his career, but as per usual it is Paul Walter Hauser who steals every scene. As an actor he is simply mesmerising and can switch between pathetic and weak to absolutely chilling in seconds.
Black Bird is absolutely worthy of a binge watch.
