In her worn-out mac and beat-up Land Rover, DCI Vera Stanhope is Northumberland’s guardian angel. She is also one of my favorite TV detectives. If you’ve made it through all eight series and are looking for shows like Vera with an equally relentless and compassionate protagonist, then my guess is that you’ll like these shows too.
Case Histories
Jason Isaacs stars as Jackson Brodie, a private detective who, like Vera, is battling private demons while helping others find answers. Set in Edinburgh, Case Histories offers some humorous moments, but mostly intriguing and complex mysteries set against a bleak but beautiful backdrop.
| Season | Watch | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon DVD |
| Season 2 | Amazon | Amazon DVD | |
| Case Histories | Amazon DVD |
Henning Mankell’s Wallander
Krister Henriksson plays Henning Mankell’s Kurt Wallander character as solid and steady, just like Brenda Blethyn plays Vera. Like Vera, Wallander has a reliable police team that helps him peel away the layers of a crime with deliberation and patience. Subtitled and similar in tone, Henning Mankell’s Wallander is Vera’s Swedish doppleganger.
| Season | Watch | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Hulu | MHz Choice | Amazon |
| Season 2 | MHz Choice | Amazon |
| Season 3 | Hulu | MHz Choice | Amazon |
Hinterland
This Welsh mystery is an obvious recommendation for viewers who like Vera. While DCI Mathias is a much more tortured soul than DCI Stanhope, the shows are similar in the methodical way that the police teams investigate the crimes. A dramatic conspiracy unfolds in the later season of Hinterland, which differentiates the show from Vera.
| Season | Watch | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Netflix | iTunes | Amazon DVD |
| Season 2 | Netflix | |
| Season 3 | Netflix |
Longmire
If Vera was a rugged cowboy sheriff in rural Wyoming, then she would be Walt Longmire. The first few seasons of Longmire are its best before the show veers off into a serialized conspiracy. Similar to Vera, Longmire thrives on its excellent ensemble cast and stoic and intelligent leader.
| Season | Watch | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Netflix | Amazon | iTunes | Amazon DVD |
| Season 2 | Netflix | Amazon | iTunes | Amazon DVD |
| Season 3 | Netflix | Amazon | iTunes | Amazon DVD |
| Season 4 | Netflix | Amazon | iTunes | Amazon DVD |
| Season 5 | Netflix | Amazon | iTunes | Amazon DVD |
| Season 6 | Netflix |
Rebus
Ken Stott’s DI Rebus is much more reckless than Vera, but they both share the disheveled-chic look. Based on Ian Rankin’s books, Rebus and his partner DS Clarke investigate crimes that are similar in tone and complexity as those on Vera. If you’re looking for a character with a side of cheekiness and wit, then Rebus is your guy.
| Season | Watch | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Series 1 | Hulu | |
| Series 2 | Acorn | Hulu | Amazon DVD |
| Series 3 | Acorn | Hulu | Amazon DVD |
| Series 4 | Acorn | Hulu | Amazon DVD |
| Series 5 | Hulu | Amazon DVD |
Shetland
It turns out living up north is dangerous, at least in the eyes of author Ann Cleeves, who wrote both Vera and Shetland. The landscape is beautiful and the crimes are equally tragic, however, I found that Shetland moved at a slower pace. Scottish actor Douglas Henshall stars as hometown boy DI Jimmy Perez who, like Vera, is tireless in his pursuit for answers.
| Season | Watch | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Netflix | Amazon | iTunes | Amazon DVD |
| Season 2 | Netflix | Amazon | iTunes | Amazon DVD |
| Season 3 | Netflix | Amazon | iTunes | Amazon DVD |
| Season 4 | Britbox |
What are your favorite shows like Vera?
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