Crime shows and movies have been gripping audiences for decades with most of the older attempts being pretty far removed from any kind of reality. There was a time when glamourising the inner workings of a criminal case would garner more viewers, but in recent years, crime dramas are ringing truer to the real-life goings-on within the media, police forces, solicitors’ offices, and in court’s. With true-crime documentaries like Making a Murderer and The Staircase becoming instant hits with viewers around the world, it seems the people want to see what truly takes place when a crime has been committed

We’ve taken a look at 5 British crime dramas that have received high praise for their intriguing storylines whilst keeping their feet firmly on realistic ground. 

Line of Duty

The 6 series drama Line of Duty follows a police anti-corruption unit who soon discover the police’s links to organised crime. The show won numerous awards including a British Screenwriters’ Award for Best Crime Writing on Television, several TV Choice Awards, a TV Times Award, and was nominated for numerous BAFTAs. Line of Duty also received a whopping 8.7 on IMDB from user reviews and an 86 on Metacritic.

The Fall   

Starring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan, The Fall follows the story of a detective superintendent from the MET who is brought in on a case to catch a serial killer. Though the plot of the series is fictional, the killer’s crime spree “has echoes of real-life US serial killer Dennis Rader, who murdered 10 people between 1974 and 1991 in the state of Kansas.” The show ran for 3 seasons and has an 8.1 rating on IMDB.

Luther

Starring Edris Elba, Luther is a show about an exceptionally gifted detective who can easily enter the mind of a killer in order to solve a case. Rating at a huge 8.4 on IMDB, both viewers and critics praised the show for the outstanding acting and interesting plot points. While possibly a little more far-fetched that some of the others on the list, Luther still manages to stay very much in touch with reality and accurate to many proceedings involved in a murder case.

Liar

Liar follows the story of Laura, a schoolteacher who goes on a date with a surgeon and wakes up the next day having been sexually assaulted. The surgeon, played by Ioan Gruffald, denies all claims made against him and with a distinct lack of evidence, Laura must find a way for the police to take her allegations seriously. The reality in this programme comes from a very real situation that many women find themselves in and the legal and emotional aftermath of an assault committed by someone they know.

Broadchurch

Olivia Coleman and David Tennant play the lead police officers on the case of a

young boy found murdered in a small coastal town in the UK. The aftermath of the death of a child and the media frenzy that surrounds the case are devastating to watch but are what the make the show feel as realistic as they come.

Of course, no crime show will ever really feel completely true to reality. As viewers, we expect drama and twists and turns on the journey to justice, but these shows are all prime examples of programmes that have clearly done their research on the inner workings of a criminal case, including the importance of an expert witnesses.

If you have a case that needs the support of an expert witness, we can source the perfect witness for your family, criminal or immigration case. Simply get in touch today, fill in our enquiry form with a few details about the case and we’ll do the rest.