TV: Best Acted Detective in a Series

montreal

Go Habs Go
Mar 21, 2002
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how on earth did I forget Agent Dale Cooper, it's my favorite show after Firefly. I'd even add Michael Ontkean as Sheriff Harry S. Truman.

Considering some of the mentions I'll add some more:

Stellan Skarsgard as John River.

Iain Glen as Jack Taylor.

really good adds, not sure how I missed them either since I just finished the newest season of Jack Taylor a week or so ago and recently watched River on Netflix and loved it.
 

kihei

McEnroe: The older I get, the better I used to be.
Jun 14, 2006
42,550
10,140
Toronto
Up and comer:

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Douglas Henshall as Detective Jimmy Perez/Shetland (terrific series)
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
95,348
59,259
Ottawa, ON
Would you say that the British "fish out of water" detective series is becoming a bit of a trope?

British urban detective goes to small town/island/Caribbean/etc.
 

Blender

Registered User
Dec 2, 2009
51,305
45,253
Would you say that the British "fish out of water" detective series is becoming a bit of a trope?

British urban detective goes to small town/island/Caribbean/etc.

Becoming a trope? It's long past that point. Simon Pegg made a parody movie about it in 2007.:laugh:
 

kihei

McEnroe: The older I get, the better I used to be.
Jun 14, 2006
42,550
10,140
Toronto
Would you say that the British "fish out of water" detective series is becoming a bit of a trope?

British urban detective goes to small town/island/Caribbean/etc.
In general, yes, but not in the case of Perez who is born and bred in Fair Isle, one of the more remote Shetland isles. So he is definitely swimming in the local waters, and everybody knows him.

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More favourites of mine that I don't think have been mentioned yet:

Michele Riondino--Inspector Montalbano in the Italian series The Young Montalbano, a spin off that is actually slightly superior to the original series which is terrific as well

Luca Zingaretti--Inspector Montalbano in the original Italian series of the same name

Krister Hendrikssen--as Inspector Wallander in the Swedish series of Wallander. (at least the equal of Branagh in the English-language series, if not better)
 

les Habs

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
22,236
3,964
Wisconsin
LOL, forgot about Magnum.

I didn't consider Dale Cooper since he was an FBI agent. As a massive Twin Peaks fan since the days the show first aired though I can definitely say I was a huge fan of his.

Crime Story. It was Farina's big break. I loved that show. It had a pretty good cast that went on to be notable character actors and Comedian in none other than Andrew Dice Clay who had a sizeable role. I loved Farina. When he passed away a couple of years ago that death hit me hard. He was just 69 years old.

While I couldn't say it hit me hard, I definitely thought about him being gone more so than plenty of other celebrity deaths. He just had this look and charisma about him. He also was in some of things that I mentioned earlier that I've seen many times as I own most of them. What's sad is that he was still a good actor. In HBO's Luck he was excellent per usual.

Up and comer:

Douglas Henshall as Detective Jimmy Perez/Shetland (terrific series)

I've noticed this but have never seen it. Hopefully Netflix gets it.

On a side note, if you're into this thread or these types of shows, Netflix has many of them available to stream. That's how I'm familiar with a lot of them and Netflix keeps getting more. Some are better than others, but I find that all of them that I've seen were worth a single viewing. The latest were the Department Q movies. All in Danish but all were good enough.

Krister Hendrikssen--as Inspector Wallander in the Swedish series of Wallander. (at least the equal of Branagh in the English-language series, if not better)

I expect as much. I've just never seen it. IIRC Netflix didn't even have the DVDs back in the day, but now they're only streaming Seasons 2 and 3...

This and the two actors from The Killing. Great show that's rarely talked about.

The Killing seemed talked about enough on this forum. I liked it enough, and the setting played a big part of that. I did feel as though the first season dragged on a bit though. Still a quality show for network TV.
 

izzy

go
Apr 29, 2012
86,760
18,732
Nova Scotia
This and the two actors from The Killing. Great show that's rarely talked about.

Okay I loved The Killing, was one of the best shows I've seen in the last few years.

But Mireille Enos was HORRIBLE in it, her acting was pretty embarrassing especially once you start to realize how bad it actually is. Especially in the last season.
 

Franck

eltiT resU motsuC
Jan 5, 2010
9,711
207
Gothenburg
Krister Hendrikssen--as Inspector Wallander in the Swedish series of Wallander. (at least the equal of Branagh in the English-language series, if not better)

Out of the Swedish Wallander actors I much preferred Rolf Lassgård over Krister Henriksson.
 

aleshemsky83

Registered User
Apr 8, 2008
17,797
424
Also while its somewhat forgotten now because the portrayal is now considered offensive, I really enjoy some of the charlie chan movies.

Though apparently it inspired a actual chinese adaptation, that adopted warner olands mannerisms so it couldn't have been that offensive
 

kihei

McEnroe: The older I get, the better I used to be.
Jun 14, 2006
42,550
10,140
Toronto
Out of the Swedish Wallander actors I much preferred Rolf Lassgård over Krister Henriksson.
I can understand why you would feel that way, though I have never seen the earlier series or movies in which he had the role. Judging from your endorsement, I assume he did well. He is a marvelous actor. Looking forward to A Man Called Ove.
 

One Blurred Eye

Prefer the future.
Sep 27, 2014
287
14
Beverly Leech as Kate Monday

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Haha, Mathnet, awesome, haven't thought about that or Square One in forever.

Bill Camp in The Night Of as an actual detective I thought was well-played, and John Turturro was rather brilliant in the same doing detective-y stuff on the lawyer side. CCH Pounder was quite good in the Shield. I think Matt and Woody take the cake though.
 

Sens Rule

Registered User
Sep 22, 2005
21,251
73
My favourite's: As an actual cop Vincent D'Onofrio as Robert Goren.

Private Detective - Tom Sellick as Thomas Magnum.
 

Chairman Maouth

Retired Staff
Apr 29, 2009
25,711
11,934
Comox Valley
Dennis Franz as Andy Sipowicz - NYPD Blue

He changed TV cops forever. He wasn't good looking, he was overweight, he was a racist and a bigot but with excellent character development throughout the series his character grew up while we watched.

Andre Braugher as Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street

Pembleton in the box. That's all anyone who was a fan of this series needs to hear.
 

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