12 Best BBC Shows Like Line of Duty to Binge
12 Best BBC Shows Like Line of Duty to Binge
Finishing Line of Duty can leave you wanting more tense interviews, tangled investigations and police officers who may be hiding as much as the suspects. The BBC has plenty of crime dramas that scratch part of that itch, but they don’t all do it in the same way. Some dig into corruption and institutions; others follow officers through dangerous cases or focus on the personal cost of policing.
This countdown brings together twelve BBC shows for fans of Line of Duty. I’ve included serious police dramas, conspiracy thrillers and character-led crime stories. A few are darker or more intimate than AC-12’s investigations, but each has the kind of tension, difficult choices or long-running mystery that makes it easy to keep watching.
The ranking moves from strong alternatives to the best follow-up binge. BBC iPlayer availability changes, so check the current programme page before you start. For more crime picks, see 20 Binge-Worthy TV Crime and Detective Dramas of 2026 So Far.
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12. The Victim
The Victim begins with a man being attacked in public after someone identifies him online as a notorious child murderer. The BBC drama follows the ensuing trial and asks viewers to consider whether the accused woman was trying to get justice—or had taken the law into her own hands.
It’s less of a conventional police procedural than Line of Duty, but it has the same interest in institutions and difficult questions. The investigation is tangled up with public opinion, online claims and the danger of treating suspicion as proof. Kelly Macdonald and James Harkness lead a story where the audience is asked to make judgements before all the facts are clear.
At twelve, it’s a compact alternative if you want a crime thriller that turns the spotlight on justice and public trust. It’s emotionally tense rather than packed with police interviews, and its central question may stay with you longer than the case itself.
Who should watch: Viewers who like morally difficult crime stories.
Where to watch: Check BBC iPlayer and current regional listings.
11. The Missing
When a young boy disappears during a family holiday, the search becomes a long-running investigation that reshapes his parents’ lives. The Missing follows the case across different periods, showing how new discoveries and the passage of time change what the family—and the police—believe happened.
James Nesbitt plays Tony Hughes, whose determination to find his son is both moving and increasingly consuming. Tchéky Karyo’s detective Julien Baptiste brings a quieter persistence to the case. The changing timeline makes the mystery feel alive: a detail discovered years later can cast the original investigation in a new light.
It ranks eleventh because it’s emotionally heavy and less focused on police-institutional conflict than Line of Duty. But if you liked the season-long case arcs and unresolved questions, The Missing is an absorbing binge. It is best watched when you can give its layered story your attention.
Who should watch: Fans of long-form investigations and emotionally intense crime drama.
Where to watch: Check BBC iPlayer and current regional streaming listings.
10. Sherwood
In Sherwood, a murder in a Nottinghamshire community brings old divisions back to the surface. The investigation unfolds in a place where the past has never quite settled, and where personal history shapes how people respond to the crime and the police.
The show’s strength is how it connects the case to a wider community. It has detectives working the investigation, but it also follows the families and residents whose lives are pulled into the story. That gives the mystery a broader social context than a standard police procedural. The cast helps make those connections feel personal rather than simply thematic.
At ten, Sherwood is a strong recommendation if you like crime stories that examine the world around the investigation. It’s not as twist-heavy as Line of Duty, but it has a compelling central case and plenty of tension. Its second series brings a new story and fresh characters, so viewers can continue without expecting the same investigation to repeat.
Who should watch: Viewers who like community-focused crime drama and layered cases.
Where to watch: Search BBC iPlayer for current availability.
9. Blue Lights
Blue Lights follows new police recruits in Belfast as they learn what the job demands beyond the classroom. Grace, Annie and Tommy arrive with different experiences and expectations, then find themselves dealing with cases shaped by local history, criminal networks and the complicated ties within the community.
The rookie perspective gives the show a natural source of tension. The characters are still learning how to make decisions under pressure, and the series lets viewers see the uncertainty behind police work. It has the urgency and danger of a crime drama, but it also cares about the people who live and work in Belfast. That makes the city an active part of the storytelling.
It ranks ninth here because its focus is frontline policing rather than internal corruption. If you like Line of Duty for its police work and high stakes, but want a grounded ensemble instead of AC-12’s investigations, Blue Lights is an excellent next watch. A recent crime-drama guide describes its approach as grounded and character-focused. (TechRadar)
Who should watch: Fans of contemporary police procedurals and ensemble drama.
Where to watch: Check BBC iPlayer and current listings.
8. The Responder
Martin Freeman plays Chris Carson, a Liverpool response officer working nights while trying to keep his personal life from falling apart. The Responder follows him through a series of shifts where calls, colleagues and people in crisis push his judgement to its limits.
Chris isn’t an uncomplicated hero. He wants to do the job, but he’s exhausted and under pressure, and the choices he makes can be hard to defend. That gives the show a more personal kind of tension than Line of Duty. Instead of focusing on one big institutional investigation, it follows the daily grind of frontline policing and the consequences of a single bad decision.
At eight, it’s a good pick if what you want is tense British police drama with morally complicated characters. The show is gritty and sometimes uncomfortable, but Freeman’s performance gives it a strong centre. Its Liverpool setting and night-shift structure help make each episode feel like part of a wider, accumulating pressure.
Who should watch: Viewers who like character-led, gritty police drama.
Where to watch: Check BBC iPlayer for current availability.
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7. Vigil
A suspicious death aboard a nuclear submarine pulls DCI Amy Silva into an investigation where the suspects are trapped together in a highly controlled environment. Suranne Jones plays Silva, with Rose Leslie as her colleague Kirsten Longacre, who continues investigating from land.
The confined setting gives the show a different kind of tension from Line of Duty. Silva can’t simply interview a suspect and leave; she has to work within the limits of a vessel where people have their own chains of command and reasons to withhold information. The case soon reaches beyond the original death, adding political and military stakes to the mystery.
It ranks seventh because it’s a high-pressure thriller first and a police procedural second. The setting does much of the suspense work, but the two investigators and their separate paths through the evidence keep the mystery grounded. If you enjoy Line of Duty’s big stakes but want a different kind of closed-door investigation, Vigil is a strong choice.
Who should watch: Fans of high-stakes investigations and political thrillers.
Where to watch: Check BBC iPlayer for current series availability.
6. The Capture
Detective Rachel Carey investigates a case involving video evidence in The Capture. What initially looks like a clear-cut incident becomes a much larger mystery about surveillance, manipulated footage and who gets to control the story.
The series gives viewers a reason to question what they have seen. Evidence that appears decisive may not be reliable, and the institutions involved may have their own reasons for presenting it a certain way. Holliday Grainger gives Rachel a clear investigative focus, while the conspiracy elements keep expanding the stakes around her.
At six, The Capture is a natural follow-up if you liked Line of Duty’s conspiracies and questions about police integrity. Its subject is more technology-driven, but the core tension is familiar: can the investigator get to the truth when powerful people have an interest in hiding it? The show can be twisty, but that’s exactly why it works as a binge.
Who should watch: Viewers who like conspiracy thrillers and questions about evidence.
Where to watch: Search BBC iPlayer and current streaming listings.
5. The Fall
Set in Belfast, The Fall follows detective Stella Gibson as she investigates a serial killer targeting women. Gillian Anderson plays Gibson, whose methodical work and personal confidence set her apart from many familiar TV detectives. Jamie Dornan plays the killer, and the series often cuts between the investigation and his private life.
That structure gives the show a chilling perspective. The audience knows who is responsible, so the suspense comes from watching the police close in and seeing how the killer responds. The show also examines how violence affects the victims’ families and the investigators, rather than treating the case as a puzzle alone.
It ranks fifth because it’s darker and more psychological than Line of Duty. But it shares the high-stakes investigation and strong lead performance that make a police drama gripping. If you want something tense and serious, with an investigation that builds across episodes, The Fall is a powerful next watch.
Who should watch: Fans of psychological crime and intense detective drama.
Where to watch: Check BBC iPlayer and regional streaming services.
4. Bodyguard
David Budd is a police protection officer assigned to guard a senior politician in Bodyguard. Richard Madden plays Budd, a veteran with his own trauma and a complicated relationship to the person he has been tasked to protect. The series starts as a security assignment and quickly grows into a thriller involving political risk, personal loyalties and questions about who is telling the truth.
The show’s tension comes from Budd’s position. He is close enough to see the danger, but not always in control of the choices being made around him. Keeley Hawes gives the politician a forceful presence, and their uneasy relationship helps the series keep its emotional stakes close to the action.
At four, Bodyguard is a shorter, more explosive binge than Line of Duty. It comes from the same writer, Jed Mercurio, and shares his taste for high-pressure situations and sharp cliffhangers. If you want a tight thriller you can finish quickly, this is one of the best BBC follow-ups.
Who should watch: Viewers who want political intrigue, action and a tense central partnership.
Where to watch: Check BBC iPlayer and current regional listings.
3. Happy Valley
Sergeant Catherine Cawood investigates crime in West Yorkshire while trying to manage the pressures of her family life. Sarah Lancashire’s performance is the heart of Happy Valley: Catherine is tough and funny, but the show never pretends her personal history has stopped affecting her.
The cases are serious, yet the series gives equal weight to the people connected to them. Police work sits alongside family relationships, local routines and the choices that bring one part of a community into contact with another. That gives the show a strong emotional texture and makes the stakes feel personal without reducing them to melodrama.
At number three, Happy Valley is the best choice if you like Line of Duty for its strong lead characters and long-running case arcs, but would prefer a more grounded setting. The investigation matters, but so does Catherine’s life beyond it. Its three series make for a complete, satisfying binge.
Who should watch: Fans of character-led crime drama and emotionally rich investigations.
Where to watch: Check the BBC iPlayer catalogue.
2. The Shadow Line
The Shadow Line begins with the murder of a drug-dealer and follows the detectives and criminals caught up in the investigation. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays DI Jonah Gabriel, a detective returning to work with a serious gap in his memory. The case pulls him into a web of corruption and competing interests.
The series is a darker, more stylised option than Line of Duty, but it shares an interest in what happens when the people tasked with enforcing the law are compromised. Its shifting perspectives let the investigation unfold from both sides, giving the audience several versions of events to weigh against one another.
It ranks second because it is a gripping, compact crime thriller with an atmosphere all its own. It’s not as long-running as Line of Duty, but its single story gives it a strong binge shape. If you want a British police drama full of uncertainty, hidden agendas and an investigator trying to reconstruct the truth, The Shadow Line is worth seeking out.
Who should watch: Viewers who like dark conspiracies and morally complicated crime stories.
Where to watch: Check current BBC archive and streaming listings.
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1. Between the Lines
Between the Lines follows officers in a police complaints and internal investigations unit. That premise makes it one of the closest thematic companions to Line of Duty: its detectives are looking into police misconduct, and each case forces them to question the people and institution around them.
The series is older, but its central idea remains compelling. It treats police corruption as something that affects individual officers, teams and the public’s trust in the force. The work is investigative, but it also follows the personal and professional cost of challenging colleagues. That gives the show an edge that is different from a standard murder-of-the-week procedural.
It takes the top spot because it offers the most direct follow-up for anyone drawn to AC-12’s remit. Line of Duty refined the internal-affairs thriller for a modern audience, but Between the Lines is a fascinating earlier BBC take on the same basic tension: what happens when police have to investigate police? If you’re willing to seek out an older series, it’s a smart next binge.
Who should watch: Viewers who want a police-corruption drama focused on internal investigations.
Where to watch: Availability varies; check BBC archive and regional streaming listings.
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Conclusion
If you want the police-corruption angle of Line of Duty, start with Between the Lines or The Shadow Line. For a strong lead detective and emotionally rich cases, try Happy Valley. If you want a shorter, more action-heavy binge, Bodyguard is an easy choice. Blue Lights and The Responder are both good picks for grounded stories about frontline policing.
My top recommendation is Between the Lines for its focus on internal investigations, though Happy Valley is the best all-round crime drama here. Which one would you watch next?
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FAQs
What should I watch after Line of Duty?
Try Blue Lights for contemporary frontline policing, Happy Valley for a character-led investigation, or The Shadow Line for a darker conspiracy. If you want the closest match in subject matter, Between the Lines also focuses on internal police investigations.
Which BBC show is most like Line of Duty?
Between the Lines is the closest thematic match because it centres on internal police investigations. The Shadow Line and The Capture also share a focus on corruption, hidden agendas and questions about institutional trust.
Is Blue Lights similar to Line of Duty?
Both are British police dramas with tense cases and ensemble casts. Blue Lights focuses on new officers and community policing in Belfast, while Line of Duty follows an anti-corruption unit investigating police misconduct.
Is Happy Valley a police procedural?
It includes police investigations, but it is also a character-led drama about Catherine Cawood’s family and community. Its cases matter, but the series gives substantial attention to the people affected by crime.
Which series is the shortest binge?
Bodyguard is a compact thriller, while The Victim is also a short, self-contained story. Both are good choices if you want a complete crime drama without committing to several seasons.
What is The Responder about?
It follows Liverpool response officer Chris Carson as he works night shifts while dealing with personal and professional pressures. The series focuses on frontline policing and the difficult choices that can build up over a run of shifts.
Is The Capture a police show?
It follows detective Rachel Carey as she investigates a case involving video evidence and surveillance. The show combines a police investigation with a larger conspiracy thriller.
Which show has the most realistic feel?
Blue Lights and The Responder take grounded approaches to frontline policing, though both are scripted dramas. Happy Valley is also known for its character-led, community-based approach to crime.
Are these shows available on BBC iPlayer?
Availability changes, and older BBC shows may not always be available. Search each title on BBC iPlayer before planning a binge; some programmes may also be on other services in your region.
Which one is best if I like police corruption stories?
Start with Between the Lines or The Shadow Line. Both examine police corruption and institutional pressure, though Between the Lines focuses more directly on internal investigations.
More Places to Find Great Movies and TV Shows
For current BBC streaming availability, visit BBC iPlayer. For cast and programme details, browse IMDb. For British television coverage, explore TV Guide’s BBC drama recommendations and the BFI.
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