Get thee to the UK! The best crime shows you haven't seen yet...

If you've blown through Dexter, Breaking Bad, Justified, Sons of Anarchy or similar crime sagas and are searching for something fresh and exciting, look no further than the Beeb!

Check out Wallander, starring Kenneth Branagh! This is another case of the Swedish noir novel being hugely superior to what we typically get over here. The Wallander books are by Swedish writer Henning Mankell and each 90 minute episode adapts a different Mankell novel. The best one I've seen so far is an episode called “Firewall,” and it sure made me reexamine some of my thoughts about Dragon Tattoo. Because here’s a show set in Sweden, all Swedish characters, yet the cast is 100% British (Irish in Branagh’s case) and make no attempt at accents at all. So it’s totally English, yet also totally Swedish, too. This thing was so, SO well directed, with just an amazing rhythm and atmosphere. At times it felt like Christopher Nolan’s version of Dragon Tattoo – it was that well done. The Wallander character is somewhat gone-to-seed and burned out and gets way too involved in his cases. I can’t possibly recommend this enough – highest marks. If Gabriel Byrne’s Paul Weston was a detective, he might look a bit like Wallander!!! Do not miss this awesome frakking show! Director Niall MacCormick looks ready for the big leagues.


And if that isn't enough to fill your plate,  seek out Luther, with the always fantastic Idris Elba (The Wire's Stringer Bell) as damaged and obsessive London detective John Luther. Elba completely disappears into Luther, giving us a character of fierce intelligence and barely contained physicality with a keen understanding of the criminal mind. I'd rather not spoil any of the goodies the pilot has in store, but again, here's a director - Brian Kirk of Game of Thrones - in complete control and at the top of his game. Luther is a show you'd be advised to watch in chronological order, as opposed to Wallander, where I really do recommend starting with #2, Firewall. Luther is fierce and fascinating.

These shows along with Sherlock and Downton Abbey are not only some of the best TV around, but stand as evidence that there is a truly exciting crop of new directors making names for themselves in productions at the BBC. It's easy to see why someone like Kirk was recruited for Thrones and Boardwalk Empire. If you're not exploring this amazing new Brit renaissance, you're missing out! Crime fans, if you've been pining away for some good yarns, look no further - Wallander and Luther deliver like mad.