While crime TV is traditionally a grittier, more intense genre, some of the best shows come from a more comforting place, making cozy crime TV a niche that many love to watch. In the era of prestige drama, there are often more intense crime shows than one can feasibly watch on a normal schedule. Cozy crime shows, however, are a bit harder to come by. While these shows have always existed, they’re often more difficult to pin down from a genre perspective, as they require more of a suspension of disbelief than reality-based, gritty, or intense shows on the air.
While cozy crime TV may not always be the most complex, it fulfills a specific purpose in creating a sense of comfort for its viewers. Cozy crime shows aren’t necessarily there to provide a warm blanket or a laugh, but more often than not, they’re shows that viewers are watching knowing the case will be resolved by the end of each episode. Whether the shows are cozy because of their settings, their stars, or a mix of the two, cozy crime TV is great for those who are looking for a challenge that will smooth itself out by the end.
10
The Afterparty
Apple TV’s The Afterparty, which was cancelled after two seasons on the streaming platform, focused on two separate murder investigations. A rotating cast joined by both Tiffany Haddish as Detective Danner and Sam Richardson as potential suspect Aniq, the series was a light-hearted, hilarious, and energetic mystery show that defied expectations. Crafting genuinely interesting mysteries, the show never veered into a cynical space, instead keeping its stories light and its twists interesting. The Afterparty’s sense of humor was its bright spot, but its ability to allow viewers to engage helped it keep its edge throughout its short but impactful run.
- Release Date
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2022 – 2023-00-00
- Showrunner
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Christopher Miller
- Directors
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Christopher Miller
9
Deadloch
A Prime Video series, Deadloch is another comedic series that follows two Australian detectives as they investigate a suspicious death in a small town. While the series does tangle with a genuine mystery, the best parts of the show come from its ability to mine its material for laughs. Leaning into the comforting elements of comedy, the show brings together a fascinatingly versatile ensemble cast as it moves through its two seasons. While Deadloch is more humorous, it has a cozy element of bringing the relationship between its detectives, Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) and Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami), to life.
8
Castle
A procedural that ran for eight seasons on ABC, Castle stars Nathan Fillion as mystery novelist Richard Castle, who becomes involved in the work of the NYPD after shadowing Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katcik) for a project. The series is a luscious procedural, dripping with case-of-the-week charm, but offers something deeper for viewers as Castle’s outsider perspective is more than just an average mystery expert. Castle’s charm and wit allow the relationship between him and Beckett to blossom over the course of years, creating a cozy slow burn relationship for the ages. Castle helped define truly modern cozy crime TV.
- Release Date
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2009 – 2016-00-00
- Showrunner
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Andrew W. Marlowe
- Directors
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Andrew W. Marlowe
- Writers
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Andrew W. Marlowe
7
Wild Cards
A series that follows disgraced detective Cole Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti) and charismatic con artist Max Mitchell (Vanessa Morgan), Wild Cards is a character-driven procedural that is both light-hearted and fun while delving deep into its characters stories. The show, which is still airing on The CW in the US, strays away from violence or bleak storytelling, instead infusing its scenes with witty banter between its stars and fun cases that wrap up from week to week. The series is more of an escapist procedural than a gritty one, which allows it to be fast-paced while creating a slow burn.
- Release Date
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January 10, 2024
- Network
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CBC Television
- Showrunner
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Michael Konyves
- Directors
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James Genn
- Writers
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Michael Konyves
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Vanessa Morgan
Max Mitchell
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Giacomo Gianniotti
Cole Ellis
6
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries
An Australian series set in the 1920s, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries ran for three seasons in the 2010s. Following private detective Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis), the series watched as she solved crimes and looked chic doing so. The series was able to be both a refined and elegant 1920s period piece and create a larger procedural presence, fusing the concepts together easily. With elegant costuming, incredible performances, and a commitment to creating a true sense of escapism, the series morphs each episode into an adventure. Warm, witty, and consistently charming, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is truly one of a kind.
5
Only Murders In The Building
Although Hulu’s original series is still airing, Only Murders In The Building has cultivated an incredible audience who’s thoroughly invested in the antics of its trio of home grown investigators. Following a murder in their New York City apartment building, Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short), and Charles Hayden-Savage (Steve Martin) band together to solve the mystery and document it via podcast, but find themselves pushed into a far greater conspiracy than they ever expected. At the core of Only Murders is a sense of warmth that viewers may not expect, but makes the show a cozy one.
- Release Date
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August 31, 2021
- Network
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Hulu
- Showrunner
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John Hoffman
- Directors
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Jamie Babbit, John Hoffman, Cherien Dabis, Chris Koch, Robert Pulcini, Shari Springer Berman, Adam Shankman, Don Scardino, Jesse Peretz, Jessica Yu, Jude Weng, Chris Teague
- Writers
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Ben Smith, Matteo Borghese, Rob Turbovsky, Kristin Newman, Madeleine George, J. J. Philbin, Ben Philippe, Kirker Butler, Jake Schnesel, Peter Swanson, Stephen Markley, Rachel Burger, Kenny Schwartz, Rick Wiener, Valentina Garza, Elaine Ko, Tess Morris, Kim Rosenstock, Sas Goldberg, Thembi Banks
4
Murdoch Mysteries
One of the longest-running detective series in Canadian history, Murdoch Mysteries has been running since 2008. Set in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the show follows Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) as he solves crimes using innovative forensic techniques for the time. Something about the elegance of the time period often makes Murdoch Mysteries stand out, and it offers a cozy feeling for its viewers because of the historical sense of charm. A familiar-feeling procedural, viewers can expect to see a case wrap up every episode, and the series focuses on the detective work itself rather than violence.
- Release Date
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January 24, 2008
- Network
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CBC Television
3
Monk
A long-running series starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular Adrian Monk, Monk follows a private investigator with OCD who works with the San Francisco police department, using his analytical mind as a secret weapon. While Monk also sees its title character work through anxiety and grief, the series is notable for being one of the lighter procedurals of its era. A sincerely funny show, Monk is upfront with its sense of humor and has a ton of heart. With Shalhoub balancing comedy and vulnerability in his performance as Monk, the series worked to stay light-hearted and comforting throughout its run.
- Release Date
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2002 – 2009-00-00
- Network
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USA
- Directors
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Randy Zisk, Jerry Levine
2
Columbo
A long-time series starring Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo was an incredibly structured series that allowed viewers to travel alongside the LAPD homicide detective. While Columbo himself was often deceptively unassuming, viewers got the chance to work backwards as the detective solved the case, as episodes typically begin with the crime itself. Giving viewers the answer and then allowing them to untangle the case was a unique structure, and creates a sense of comfort as the episodes go on. Columbo was able to stay fresh without having to throw twists and turns into the mix, making it cozy.
1
Murder, She Wrote
As one of the most iconic crime shows of all time, Murder, She Wrote is a cozy series that never lets its viewers down. Following author Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) as she solves crimes both in the fictional town of Cabot Cove, Maine and throughout the country, the series is infused with warmth from the very beginning because of Lansbury’s presence. Putting an emphasis on solving the crimes in a way that felt more like a puzzle, the show valued emotional intelligence over violence. Murder, She Wrote is the best of the best when it comes to cozy TV crime.
- Release Date
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1984 – 1996-00-00
- Directors
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Anthony Pullen Shaw, Walter Grauman, Vincent McEveety, Seymour Robbie, Jerry Jameson, John Llewellyn Moxey, Peter Crane, Arthur Allan Seidelman, Allen Reisner, Chuck Bowman, Corey Allen, Don Mischer, Kevin Corcoran, Alan Cooke, Alexander Singer, Charles S. Dubin, David Hemmings, Edward M. Abroms, Hy Averback, John Astin, Michael A. Hoey, Paul Lazarus, Paul Lynch, Philip Leacock
- Writers
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Robert Swanson, Tom Sawyer, Donald Ross, Laurence Heath, J. Michael Straczynski, Michael Scheff, Mary Ann Kasica, Robert Van Scoyk, J. Miyoko Hensley, Steven Hensley, Dick Nelson, Bruce Lansbury, Craig W. Van Sickle, David Moessinger, Robert Hamner, Wendy Graf, Carleton Eastlake, J. Larry Carroll, Jackson Gillis, Jerry Ross, John D. F. Black, Larry DiTillio, Lisa Seidman, Oliver Hailey
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Angela Lansbury
Jessica Fletcher
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