Crime Writer Margot Kinberg

In case you hadn’t noticed, crime fiction TV shows are extremely popular, and they don’t seem to be going away anytime soon. That’s understandable, too. When they’re done well, crime fiction TV shows have tension, keep viewers interested with solid plots, and allow for character development. What’s more, they allow writers and other creators to portray settings, emotions, and more in an efficient, sometimes powerful way. They can be entertaining, too.

It takes a lot of effort to sustain characters and plots over the long term. That’s part of why some shows (like 35 Days/35 Dirwnod) focus on one case per series. The show lasts a bit longer because each series is, if you will, self-contained. Other shows (like What Remains) are miniseries with a finite length. The creators of those series choose to limit the show from the beginning (a bit like a trilogy in that way). While this means the shows don’t last very long, it also means that the characters and plots are more likely to stay fresh and not be ‘recycled.’

What about shows that last longer? What’s their appeal? Some of them are adaptations of already-beloved book series and characters; Poirot, for instance, lasted for thirteen series. The original author’s work (in this case, Agatha Christie’s) was popular enough to draw viewers to the small screen. Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories are so popular that there’ve been several TV adaptations of his work (for my money, Jeremy Brett was Holmes – sorry Benedict Cumberbatch…). And then there’s the television adaptation of Reginald Hill’s Dalziel and Pascoe, which lasted for twelve series. Creators of the show already had, in a sense, audience loyalty.

Of course, some of these adaptations may begin with the original books, but then, as they catch on, branch out with different sorts of plots. Dark Winds, for example, features Tony Hillerman’s Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, and is set on the Navajo Reservation. Some of the plots are closely related to Hillerman’s books; others are less so. Dark Winds has been officially renewed for a fifth series. And Caroline Graham’s seven-novel DCI Tom Barnaby series was adapted for TV in the form of Midsomer Murders, which is now up to twenty-five series. And then there’s Maureen Jennings’ popular Detective Murdoch crime series, which features a late Victorian/Edwardian setting. It’s been adapted as Murdoch Mysteries. While there are eight primary books in Jennings’ series, the television adaptation is now nineteen series long. For those longer-lasting shows, characters come and go, and new plots and story arcs are created, so as to expand beyond the original books. The creators of the very popular Inspector Morse series kept interest by creating new series (Inspector Lewis and Endeavor) to appeal to lovers of Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse character and setting.  Purists may not like those changes, but they’re designed to keep and increase viewership.

There are, of course, many popular TV crime shows that are not based on books. For instance, Taggart is currently the longest-running crime drama on British television. It lasted for twenty-seven series, even after the death of the original lead actor, Mark McManus. There were different cases, different characters who came and went, and sometimes ‘home life’ story arcs that kept the series popular. In fact, plenty of people still watch the series on streaming platforms. Law and Order: Special Victims Unit is currently the US’ longest-lasting crime drama, currently in its twenty-eighth series. Like Taggart, the show has kept its appeal, at least in part, by varying the plots, introducing new characters (and ‘sunsetting’ others), and building story arcs. Since shows like this are not adapted from books, the writers have more flexibility, which means the shows can go in a variety of directions. And of course, there’s a wide variety of such shows, ranging from noir to light.

So what makes crime shows so popular? Of course, there are different reasons, depending on viewers. For some, it’s the chance to see beloved fictional characters come to life. For those viewers, it’s important to stay close to the original characters and plots, because that’s why those people tune in. For others, it’s the chance to get caught up in the characters’ lives, the chance to figure out whodunit, and the tension and suspense that comes from high quality writing. It can also sometimes be the cast of characters. When they’re drawn well, those characters can seem like real people.

What about you? If you watch crime dramas, what’s the appeal for you? Do you prefer shows based on crime novels? What about shows that aren’t?

*NOTE: The title of this post is a line from Black Flag’s TV Party.