RIYL: What To Watch When You’ve Finished Your Favorite Show

Here Are Your Next New Favorite Murder Mysteries!

One great thing about having a best friend who loves crime fiction as much as you do is the recommendation swapping you can do when you’ve run out of ideas of what to read or watch next. My best friend is a voracious reader — and my sister is a librarian — so between the two I always have an ongoing reading wishlist a mile long. Fortunately for my best friend, I watch more television than she does, so when I need a book and she needs a show, we exchange suggestions like a hand of spades and talk about what we loved best when we’re done.

Today, think of me as that friend for you: It’s Saturday night (or Monday, who are we kidding, right?) and you finally wrestled the remote away from your partner (or your cat) but you’ve watched your favorite series so many times you have entire scenes memorized. You want a show that’s new and exciting, but similar enough to what you love that it feels familiar. Say no more! Here are suggestions based on what you already love. And if you like these ideas, pay it forward by sharing this list with a friend who loves mysteries as much as you do.

If you like Midsomer Murders, you’ll like…

Image Courtesy of AcornTV

The popular British murder mystery series Midsomer Murders is unlike any other. What makes the show unique? Midsomer has two detectives who easily play to each other’s strengths, with an equally compelling supporting cast. It has quirky suspects with unusual weapons and methods of murder, all against the breathtaking backdrop of England’s bucolic Cotswolds. For a list of great episodes, check out my post here. The series is one of the longest running mysteries in television and one of the most popular around the globe. Not all crime fiction television shows translate well in other countries, let alone garner new fans year after year, but Midsomer does just that. So is there a show that pairs nicely with Inspector Barnaby and DS Winter’s investigations like a fine wine?

The Brokenwood Mysteries has been called New Zealand’s answer to Midsomer Murders, and with good reason. Like Midsomer, it has memorable investigators with eccentric supporting players and intriguing cases. Many mystery fans find themselves wishing they were riding shotgun to Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd in his 1971 Holden Kingswood, listening to country music or playing his right hand Kristin Sims. The crimes are set in the countryside and, just like Midsomer, you’ll come for the mysteries but stay for the main characters.

Also check out: The Chelsea Detective, Father Brown, Sister Boniface Mysteries

If you like Psych, you’ll like…

Image Courtesy of CBS/Paramount+

It’s impossible to find a mystery series with as much clever, quick-witted dialogue and slapstick comedy as Psych, and the bromance between James Roday Rodriguez as Shaun and Dule Hill as Gus is rare and difficult to imitate. But So Help Me Todd is a fun ride, too. Todd (played by Skylar Astin) is constantly winging it to get the inside scoop for his lawyer mom (Marcia Gay Harden) to help her clients; Austin gives serious James Roday Rodriguez vibes with his delivery and comedic timing. The show has some talented guest stars, too. The most recent episode, “End On A High Note” stars the truly fabulous Jenifer Lewis (Blackish, Cars) as Todd’s frenemy Lyle’s opera singer mother who’s accused of murder. If you’ve already seen all three Psych movies, try this series next.

Also check out: Deadloch, Castle, Agatha Raisin

If you like Monk, you’ll like…

Image Courtesy of CBS/Paramount+

Tony Shalhoub is unparalleled in the role of the neurodivergent detective Adrian Monk. Sure, the mysteries in Monk are amusing, but they are merely icing on the cake because the actual draw of the show is Shalhoub’s unmatched performance that went on to win him four Emmys over the course of the series. Frequently in Monk storylines, viewers already knew the identity of the murderer early on; the mystery relied more on Monk discovering the way in which the crime was executed than unmasking the villain.

Elsbeth, the new howdunit on CBS, has some similarities with Monk. I’m happy to report since my initial review of the show’s pilot that Elsbeth is even better than originally anticipated and isn’t just for fans of The Good Wife and The Good Fight, shows which are the origin of the protagonist Elsbeth Tascioni. Carrie Preston, who plays Elsbeth, carries the show the same way as Shalhoub with Monk, and watching her crack the case is just as satisfying.

Also check out: Poker Face, My Life Is Murder, McDonald & Dodds, Hetty Wainthropp

If you like Death In Paradise, you’ll like…

Image Courtesy of BBC One

Death In Paradise is just so good! Few shows actually get better with each new season — most television series peak at season four — but Death In Paradise somehow manages to stay fresh and exciting after thirteen seasons, which in television, is very rare indeed.

If you enjoy locked room mysteries similar to the ones in Death In Paradise, step back to 1997 and meet magician Jonathan Creek. This show ran for five seasons, ending with a feature-length finale in 2016. It doesn’t have the stunning sunsets, tropical vibe or clear blue water of the Caribbean, but the mysteries are just as clever and engrossing. It’s a light, easy watch that manages to be intriguing, too. It’s great if you’re on vacation, or when you want to pretend you’re on one!

Also check out: Beyond Paradise, Recipes for Love and Murder, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries

If you like Bosch, you’ll like…

Image Courtesy of Britbox

Bosch, based on Michael Connelly’s bestselling Detective Harry Bosch series, is so popular Prime Video bought another season of its spin-off, Bosch: Legacy, before even having the third season locked. That’s not all — the Bosch universe is expanding again with a second spin-off in the works, an untitled project announced last month (March 2024) starring Renee Ballard with Titus Welliver in a supporting role.

If that’s still not enough or if you’re craving something a little different, Shetland is one of the best series I can recommend. Shetland is also based on a much-loved book series (by British author Ann Cleeves), and, in the way Connelly uses Los Angeles as a main character in his detective stories, Cleeves uses the Shetland Isles in hers. You can check out my article about author Ann Cleeves here.

Also check out: Mare of Easttown, Vera, Deadwater Fell, Longmire

If you like Only Murders In The Building, you’ll like…

Image Courtesy of Apple TV

I’m sure you can tell by the title of this newsletter which show I believe sets the bar for mysteries in television. Steve Martin and John Hoffman created a memorable whodunit comedy for Hulu and then recruited some of the best crew in television to bring it to fruition. Watching Only Murders In The Building is the equivalent of observing Malinin spinning a Quadruple Axel; it looks so effortless as an observer, but it takes significant talent, practice, and a jigsaw puzzle of minutiae fitting together perfectly to make it work. So, while we’re waiting for production to wrap on Season Four with a possible season premiere later this year, what do we watch?

There are dozens of television programs I could recommend, but there’s only one true equivalent that has the strengths OMITB possesses: a stellar ensemble cast, convincing dialogue, a gifted DP, seasoned producers and set designers who know the importance of color blocking in set design. Also pair that with originality and you have The After Party. If Hulu execs were smart, they’d pick this show up, pronto. It’d sure be better than enduring another season of Death and Other Details.

Also check out: My Life Is Murder, Holding, A Murder At The End Of The World

Song of the Day: “Murder By Numbers” by The Police