The nights are getting longer, and so is the list of bodies. Fall TV is in full swing with a killer lineup of crime dramas — from small-town secrets and mob mayhem to psychological thrillers and political intrigue. Whether you’re into gritty realism, stylish noir, or dark humor, this season delivers something for every who-or-whydunnit lover. Plus we get Seasons 5 and 3 of the critically acclaimed spy drama Slow Horses and bomb squad thriller Trigger Point.

Here are my top picks — and trust me, this is just the start — winter’s lineup looks just as good.

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Cold Water (ITV, 14 Sept)
The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln stars in this twisty new thriller set in a picturesque Scottish town hiding very dark secrets. With a cast including Eve Myles, Ewen Bremner and Indira Varma, expect brooding landscapes and even broodier plot twists. Synopsis: John moves his family to rural town, befriends his neighbor but his wife grows suspicious of him and believes not everything is as it seems with this new neighbour.

I Fought the Law (ITV, Aug. 31)
This gripping four-part true crime series stars Sheridan Smith as Ann Ming, a mother determined to change the law after her daughter’s killer walks free. Based on Ming’s memoir For the Love of Julie, the drama follows her tireless quest to overturn the 800-year-old double jeopardy rule—an extraordinary fight that reshaped British justice.

The Guest (BBC One, Sept. 1)
This four-part Welsh-set psychological thriller unpacks the volatile bond between a wealthy businesswoman (Eve Myles) and her young cleaner (Gabrielle Creevy). What begins as a close mentor-protégé relationship spirals into something far darker after a shocking event binds their fates.

Mudtown (U&Alibi, Available now)
We get the English-language version of this Welsh series. Magistrate Claire Lewis Jones (Erin Richards) faces mounting dilemmas when her daughter’s friend is charged with arson and a notorious criminal from her past resurfaces in Newport, south Wales. As she balances her roles as a mother, student, and pillar of the community, long-buried secrets threaten to unravel everything she’s worked for.

Task (HBO, Sept. 7)
Mark Ruffalo leads a special FBI task force investigating a series of violent robberies in the Philadelphia suburbs in this intense limited series from the creator of Mare of Easttown. Tom Pelphrey plays a deceptively mild-mannered suspect in what promises to be one of HBO’s most thrillling crime dramas yet.

Only Murders in the Building – Season 5 (Hulu, Sept. 9)
Charles, Oliver, and Mabel investigate the mysterious death of their doorman. With Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez returning—and a fabulous slew of new guest stars like Renée Zellweger, Christoph Waltz, and Nathan Lane—this is your stylish muster-comedy-noir comfort watch of the season.

The Girlfriend (Prime Video, Sept. 9)
Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke go head-to-head in a tense, twisty thriller about obsession, perspective, and possible murder. You’ll never look at your boyfriend’s mom the same way again.

Trigger Point – Season 3 (ITV, Date TBA)
Vicky McClure returns to defuse bombs and uncover conspiracies. This season, a personal vendetta turns Lana Washington’s world explosive—literally and emotionally. Working alongside the Police Counterterrorism Unit, the Bomb Disposal Squad must race against time to find the bomber before they claim their next victim.

Black Rabbit (Netflix, Sept. 18)
Jude Law and Jason Bateman play estranged brothers pulled into dangerous criminal circles in this stylish NYC-set thriller. Bateman directs and calls it his best work yet — and it just might be.

Slow Horses – Season 5 (Apple TV+, Sept. 24)
The misfit spies of Slough House return, with Christopher Chung‘s Roddy Ho in the hot seat and Gary Oldman greasier (and funnier) than ever. Jack Lowden and Kristin Scott Thomas round out the supberb cast.

The Savant (Apple TV+, Sept. 26)
Jessica Chastain stars as a cyber analyst infiltrating online hate groups — until the threat turns terrifyingly real. Based on a true story, it’s timely, taut, and impossible to ignore.

Blue Lights – Season 3 (BBC One, September 29)
The beloved Belfast-set cop drama returns with more sirens, tension, and tightly wound storytelling. Now two years into the job, the once-rookie officers are seasoned, but new threats loom as they dive into the murky world of white-collar crime and those who enable it. Michael Smiley and Cathy Tyson join the stellar cast.

The Diplomat – Season 3 (Netflix, Oct. 18)
Keri Russell’s Ambassador Wyler heads back to the White House as global stakes rise and alliances shift. With Allison Janney joining the cast as the President, this sharp political thriller remains must-see TV.

Lazarus (Prime Video, Oct. 22)
A man haunted by his father’s suicide starts seeing things that defy logic in this eerie thriller from Harlan Coben. Stars Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy, and Alexandra Roach add depth to this supernatural-tinged mystery.

Down Cemetery Road (Apple TV+, Oct. 29)
After the success of Slow Horses, Apple turns to another Mick Herron creation with this gripping new adaptation. When an explosion rocks a quiet Oxford suburb and a young girl vanishes, local resident Sarah (Ruth Wilson) becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth. She teams up with sharp-edged private investigator Zöe Boehm (Emma Thompson), pulling them both into a dark and dangerous conspiracy.

Landman – Season 2 (Paramount+, Date TBA)
Billy Bob Thornton returns as Texas’s favorite oil fixer, navigating shady deals and corporate ambition. Taylor Sheridan‘s gritty drama continues to drill deep and brilliant Demi Moore, returns in her role. Loved the first season- it just really worked to fill the Yellowstone void.

The Hack (ITV, Fall 2025)
The series examines two real-life stories: the work of journalist Nick Davies, who uncovered phone hacking at the News of the World, and the investigation into the murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan. With David Tennant, Dougray Scott, and Katherine Kelly starring, this true-crime drama dives deep into corruption, cover-ups, and the cost of truth.

All Her Fault (Peacock/Sky, Nov. 6–7)
Sarah Snook leads this haunting adaptation about a missing child and a tangled web of secrets among four women. Domestic suspense at its most unsettling — and unmissable.

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And this is just the start — even more crime series are on the way this fall. Stay tuned for more picks, premieres, and little known gems you won’t want to miss.

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