Welcome to the daily briefing, move along and take a seat, quick as you could, yo.
Were here to find their boss, the kingpin, the very best of the best.
Nor are criminal profilers, otherwise wed obviously just collar Fitz fromCrackerand stop looking.
Get to work, people, lets find the best British TV detective character of all time.
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Anna Friel is terrific in the role, and sells even the pulpiest of plot developments with total commitment.
Father Brown Father Brown
Does cosy crime get any cosier?
(Well, perhaps it does in spin-offSister Boniface Mysteries, but really, that was meant rhetorically.
Henrietta Wainthropp Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
Speaking of cosiness…
This 1990s series may be synonymous with twee for some, but underestimateDame Patricia Routledgeat your peril.
The womans a comedy dynamo and she powers this light-hearted series with skill and precision.
Det Supt Peter Boyd Waking the Dead
One for fans ofUnforgotten, here.
Its the rule ofThe Bear: adding Colman to anything makes it better by a long chalk.
Truth, justice, integrity… After all, where would DS Bacchus and DS Coles be without their mentor?
Played with likeable toughness byThe Professionals Martin Shaw, Gentlys solid as a rock with a coppers instincts.
Jason played the cynical, scruffy maverick for a whopping 18 years on ITV.
Think of him as a precursor toSlow Horsesspook Jackson Lamb.
Her chic, sleek, collected manner makes her an unforgettable presence in crime TV.
DCI Gene Hunt Life on Mars
Sam Tyler or Alex Drake?
Neither Gene Hunt is the most memorable detective from BBC fantasy crime dramasLife on MarsandAshes to Ashes.
Played unforgettably by Philip Glenister in two mind-bending crime classics, Gene Hunts punch-first-ask-questions-later swagger left its mark.
Lets settle on remarkable.
Barnaby stands out among TV detectives for not being mired in addiction or tragedy.
Avuncular, patient and reliable, hes the sanity in the midst ofMidsomers murder-beset madness.
The only thing wrong with this plan?
The man is the very definition of probity and moral good.
We salute you, Ted, never change.
Taggarts battle-worn, seen-it-all attitude became the template for many a TV detective since.
Crucially, Regans rule-bending was only ever a matter of expediency and never to line his own pockets.
Regans your man.)
On the outside, shes formidable, spiky, sarcastic, and cynical.
Inside, shes kind like you wouldnt believe.
Just dont get on the wrong side of her.
DCI John Luther Luther
Has any TV detective crossed the line more times than John Luther?
Perhaps, but none quite so entertainingly.
Luthers unpredictability is his secret weapon, both as a copper and as a TV character.
Its no wonder she drank.
Sherlock Holmes Various
Hes called The Great Detective for a reason.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyles Victorian literary creation has yet to be bettered.
And the best actor ever to play him?
Its clearly Jeremy Brett.
People will tell you its Basil Rathbone orBenedict Cumberbatch, but dont hold it against them.
They cant help being wrong.
