It’s proving to be one of the hottest crime drama summers ever. With so many intense investigations, twists and troubled detectives hitting screens, crime TV fans are spoiled for choice. But before we dive into this week’s fresh premieres, let’s talk about the one show that still has us burning with anticipation…

Smoke – Apple TV+ – 27 June
Worth another mention—and then some. You only need to watch the first two episodes of Smoke to see why critics are saying, “no TV show has ever been worth sticking with more.” And they’re not wrong. The Guardian raves: “Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett hit every ball out of the park in this smart, mesmerising arson crime drama’’, also starring Greg Kinnear.

Serial arson, reluctant allies, and a growing conspiracy light up true-story inspired Smoke, starring Egerton as investigator Dave Gudsen. But it’s really Smollett as Detective Calderone who’s the real star — where has this actress been? Sparks fly—literally and emotionally—in this slow-burn thriller as Egerton’s arson investigator begrudgingly teams up with Smollett in a race to stop two arsonists. What unfolds is a twisted game of secrets and suspicions.

Sight Unseen – Paramount+ – 3 July
Canadian-made Sight Unseen offers a bold new take on the detective genre. Dolly Lewis stars as Tess Avery, a top homicide detective, is forced to quit after nearly getting her partner killed and being diagnosed as clinically blind. But she’s not done with justice yet. She teams up with Sunny Patel, a remote seeing-eye guide and agoraphobe, to bring down killers who elude the police in this high-stakes detective thriller.

Ballard – Prime Video – 9 July
The Bosch universe expands with Ballard, a gritty new chapter starring Maggie Q as LAPD cold case Detective Renée Ballard. If you’ve missed that classic Boschian tone—gritty, procedural, and full of city shadows—Ballard brings it all back with a fresh lead and a layered ensemble. Expect cold cases, political landmines, and one pivotal episode featuring Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch. And while Ballard takes center stage, the series is deeply interconnected. Each episode feeds the next, with long-running mysteries that echo back to Bosch’s own legacy.

Coming next week!

Karen Pirie – ITV & ITVX – 20 July
DS Karen Pirie is back—and promoted. Following the bittersweet ending of Season 1, Karen (played by Lauren Lyle) is now a DI, and her first case at that rank is a chilling one: an oil heiress and her two-year-old son vanished in 1984 after a kidnapping-for-ransom gone wrong. Now, after the body of a man linked to the crime is discovered decades later, the case reopens—dragging new secrets into the light.

Based on Val McDermid’s novels and written by Emer Kenny, this cold case drama continues to balance sharp character work with layered plotting. If you enjoyed Season 1, this is a must-watch.

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