Fans of Happy Valley seeking their next crime drama fix are spoilt for choice. Streaming platforms are awash with police dramas, making it difficult to determine which series deserves your attention. Crime enthusiasts will undoubtedly be well-versed in Beyond Paradise, ITV's Grace, and the gripping Happy Valley storyline, which they've revisited countless times. Here are five excellent, satisfying programmes worth exploring. From a disturbing tale rooted in actual events to a deaf civilian recruited to infiltrate a criminal organisation, there's an abundance of police-focused dramas to cater for all tastes.
Manhunt
Manhunt II: The Night Stalker, a four-episode drama featuring Martin Clunes, recounts the disturbing account of a serial rapist and the police operation that resulted in his apprehension and detention. For 17 years, serial rapist and burglar Delroy Grant terrorised South East London, leaving thousands of elderly residents living in fear. He disturbingly targeted elderly women, and some men, living alone in Croydon, Bromley, Catford, Forest Hill, Sidcup, Orpington, Dulwich, and Beckenham. Delroy is believed to have perpetrated hundreds of offences between October 1992 and May 2008. After years of terrorising South East London with his heinous crimes, Grant was ultimately apprehended by DCI Colin Sutton and his squad. Offering their opinion on the programme, one viewer commented on Rotten Tomatoes: "ITV's excellent detective series Manhunt is back, and it makes for superb, compulsive viewing." Another viewer remarked: "Clunes was superb. Between Manhunt and the recent Stephen (Steve Coogan as a Met detective), it seems you cannot get better than a comedian to play an old-school copper who radiates decency." Manhunt 2: The Night Stalker was first broadcast on ITV in 2021 and can be streamed on ITVX.
Code of Silence
This 2025 British crime drama has audiences applauding its distinctive concept and outstanding cast. Created for television by Catherine Moulton, Code of Silence stars Rose Ayling-Ellis and Kieron Moore. They're supported by Charlotte Ritchie, Andrew Buchan, Nathan Armarkwei Laryea, Andrew Scarborough, and Joe Absolom, completing an impressive ensemble. The crime drama's official synopsis reads: "Alison Woods, a deaf caterer, works to support her mother and herself. Alison is asked by the police to lip-read conversations with dangerous criminals. Alison starts to fall for one of the suspects, but will not abandon the investigation." Filmed in locations like Canterbury, Watford, and Hertfordshire, the 'exceptional' series was renewed for a second season in July 2025. With a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Code of Silence has been a hit with critics and audiences, with one viewer writing: "This show was fantastic from start to finish. The character development, the storyline, and the flow. Everything. The acting was great, and it was amazing to watch this through the POV of someone who is deaf." Code of Silence can be streamed for free on ITVX.
Trigger Point
For those who relish nail-biting, suspenseful television, Trigger Point delivers exactly that. The ITV series centres on bomb disposal specialist Lana Washington, portrayed by Vicky McClure, who confronts perilous, life-threatening scenarios in virtually every instalment, captivating millions of viewers. The inaugural series saw Lana and her colleagues drawn into what appeared to be a far-right terror campaign targeting minority communities following a deadly van bombing, responding to incidents at both a mosque and an LGBTQ+ venue. Series two found Lana removed from the brutal realities of bomb disposal, instead training fellow Expos, before being thrust back into active duty following another catastrophic strike. The third season, which broadcast in October 2025, depicted a sequence of coordinated bombing incidents. Someone was pursuing individuals in a murderous quest for vengeance, and Lana needed to identify and apprehend the culprit before casualties mounted further. Trigger Point is available to stream on ITVX.
Blue Lights
Blue Lights, filmed on location in Belfast and developed by the creative team behind The Salisbury Poisonings, premiered in March 2023 and chronicles three probationary officers as they tackle criminality while adjusting to policing in an exceptionally hazardous environment. Lead character Grace, played by Doctor Foster star Siân Brooke, abandons her secure position as a social worker to enlist in the police service, all while raising her teenage son in her forties. The series has earned critical acclaim for tackling challenging, contemporary issues such as racial profiling and police corruption head-on, while maintaining dramatic tension through richly crafted secondary narratives that predominantly explore the dynamics between principal characters. On IMDB, one viewer declared Blue Lights is "better than Line of Duty", while another described the programme as an "Excellent dark drama." Blue Lights is available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
Broadchurch
Conceived by Chris Chibnall, Broadchurch is a celebrated British television drama that debuted on ITV in 2013. Featuring prominent names including David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jonathan Bailey, and Vicky McClure, the drama attracted an impressive 9.1 million viewers for its premiere episode. The series unfolds in the fictional coastal town of Broadchurch in Dorset, chronicling two detectives' investigation into the devastating death of 11-year-old local resident Danny Latimer. "This is THE BEST series I've ever watched. It was so intense and heartfelt. My heart literally ached for the characters," remarked one Broadchurch enthusiast on Rotten Tomatoes. "What a riveting, well-directed and acted show! Incredible ending!" commented another admirer, while a third observed: "Totally unexpected ending. Great acting. The storyline had me hooked." Broadchurch is available to stream on ITVX and Netflix.
