1. The Witness for the Prosecution – A Perfect-Score Courtroom Gut Punch (BBC iPlayer)
If you crave tightly wound, character-driven British crime thrillers, start with The Witness for the Prosecution, the BBC mystery boasting a rare 100% critic score. Set in 1920s London, it opens with the brutal bludgeoning of wealthy socialite Emily French. Suspicion falls squarely on Leonard Vole, a former soldier who insists he’s innocent, leaving his anxious solicitor John Mayhew fighting a case that only grows darker. Adapted by Sarah Phelps from Agatha Christie’s story, this two-part drama leans into betrayal, shifting loyalties and an ending that honours Christie’s original twist rather than more familiar versions. With a cast of well-known British actors and a suffocating, smoky-period atmosphere, it plays like a prestige legal thriller and psychological horror combined. Best of all, it’s currently streaming free on BBC iPlayer, making it an ideal, compact Line of Duty alternative you can devour in a single evening.
2. Giri/Haji – Duty, Shame and a Tokyo–London Underworld (Netflix)
Among the best British crime dramas on Netflix, Giri/Haji (“Duty/Shame”) is the one fans keep comparing to Line of Duty and Broadchurch. This dual‑language, BBC and Netflix co‑production holds a phenomenal 100% rating and has been hailed as an “absolute gem” by crime drama devotees. The series follows Tokyo detective Kenzo Mori as he travels to London’s criminal underworld, hunting for his supposedly dead brother Yuto, accused of murdering a yakuza member’s nephew—an act that could trigger a gang war. Shot across London and Tokyo with dialogue in both English and Japanese, it blends slow-burn police procedural, family saga and neon‑lit gangster thriller. The international ensemble— including Takehiro Hira, Kelly Macdonald, Will Sharpe and more—brings real emotional heft to themes of loyalty, guilt and redemption. Stylish, humane and structurally daring, Giri/Haji is a must for anyone seeking Line of Duty alternatives that feel genuinely fresh.
3. Mindhunter – True Crime, Behavioural Science and Chilling Calm (Netflix)
For viewers who love meticulous British detective series and don’t mind crossing the Atlantic for a masterpiece, Mindhunter is essential crime drama on Netflix. Frequently described by fans as “one of the greatest shows ever”, this meticulously crafted series is based on the true crime book by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker. Set in the 1970s and 1980s, it charts the formative years of criminal profiling inside the FBI’s Behavioural Science Division. Agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench, alongside psychologist Wendy Carr, interview incarcerated serial killers to understand how they think—and use those insights to crack ongoing cases. The show’s power lies less in gore and more in its eerie, clinical calm: extended conversations, slow-building dread and psychological chess matches that linger long after each episode ends. Though it ended after two seasons, viewers still beg for more, making it a perfect, prestige binge once you’ve exhausted British crime thrillers.
4. Stay Close – Harlan Coben’s ‘Insane’ Missing-Person Mystery (Netflix)
Looking for crime dramas on Netflix that scratch the Broadchurch itch? Stay Close is an addictive British mystery drama adapted from Harlan Coben’s novel, and it’s tailor‑made for fans of twisty, emotional thrillers. This standalone, eight‑episode series stars Cush Jumbo, James Nesbitt, Richard Armitage and Sarah Parish, and has earned an impressive 92% Rotten Tomatoes score along with praise for being “entertaining” and “intense”. The plot orbits three central characters: Megan, a seemingly settled suburban mum; Ray, a washed‑up former photographer; and Michael, a determined detective. When a new disappearance mirrors an unsolved case from 17 years earlier, long-buried secrets and double lives erupt to the surface. Viewers have called it a “super twisted” series about missing people and secret past lives, with a “shocking, insane story”. If you enjoy Broadchurch’s blend of small‑town rot, emotional stakes and rug‑pull reveals, Stay Close is a weekend‑ready binge.
5. Prey – A ‘Buttock-Clenching’ Two-Season Chase Thriller (Netflix)
When you want your British crime thrillers lean, propulsive and utterly nerve-shredding, Prey is the Netflix pick to queue up. Originally an ITV anthology from 2014, this BAFTA-nominated series has been rediscovered by streaming audiences and even scored a stunning 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Season one stars John Simm as DS Marcus Farrow, a Manchester detective framed for murder who goes on the run to clear his name. Season two shifts focus to Philip Glenister’s David Murdoch, a prison officer forced into fugitive life when his pregnant daughter is kidnapped. Across both seasons, Rosie Cavaliero’s DS Susan Reinhardt hunts them down while wrestling her own demons. Critics praised Prey as a “gripping, breathless, buttock-clenching chase” and a near‑perfect blend of character work and credible murder plotting. With only two compact seasons and a relentless, sirens‑blaring pace, it’s an ideal Line of Duty alternative you can binge in a single weekend.
