7 Shows Inspired By True Detective

Published Oct 25, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT

Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once.

The 2010s and 2020s have seen some of the best detective TV shows of all time, one of them being True Detective, which left its mark on the genre from the beginning, inspiring other detective and crime drama TV shows. Detective shows have always been quite popular, thanks to their engaging mysteries and compelling characters, and while some of them have blended with genres like comedy, horror, and even sci-fi, the ones that lean more into drama and/or thriller tend to appeal more to the audience.

Detective/crime drama is definitely a competitive TV genre, with some great shows overshadowed by the most popular or mainstream ones, and among its biggest hits in recent years is True Detective. The anthology crime drama premiered on HBO in 2014, with its first season starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as detectives Rust Cohle and Marty Hart, respectively. At the time of writing, True Detective is preparing for its fifth season, with Nicolas Cage and Antonio Banderas confirmed to star in it.

As an anthology series, each season of True Detective covers a different case with different characters: season 2 starred Colin Farrell and Rachel McAdams as detectives Ray Velcoro and Ani Bezzerides, season 3 starred Mahershala Ali as detective Wayne Hays and Stephen Dorff as Lt. Roland West, and season 4 starred Jodie Foster and Kali Reis as Liz Danvers and Evangeline Navarro. While True Detective season 5 is in development, there are other detective shows worth checking out that, intentionally or not, were inspired by HBO’s hit show.

Fargo (2014 - Present)

True Detective is an original creation, while the Fargo TV series is based on the 1996 movie of the same name by Joel and Ethan Coen, but it’s mostly its format that makes them so similar. Fargo is a black comedy crime drama TV series that takes the audience to the American Midwest to explore different criminal cases. Like True Detective, Fargo is an anthology series, with each season covering a different case, in a different time period, and led by a new cast.

Season 1 is set in 2006, and centers on Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton), a psychopathic hitman who influences town residents into violence, deception, and malice. Season 2 takes viewers back to 1979, where State Police Officer Lou Solverson (Patrick Wilson) investigates a hit-and-run and triple homicide. Season 3 is set in 2010 and focuses on the sibling rivalry between Emmit Stussy and his parole-officer brother, Ray Stussy, both played by Ewan McGregor. Season 4 is set in 1950 and follows Kansas City’s ruling crime organization, and season 5 follows a housewife in 2019 with a hidden past.

The Night Of (2016)

The Night Of is a crime drama miniseries based on the first series of the 2008 British show Criminal Justice, created by Peter Moffat. The Night Of focuses on a murder case in New York City, and it all begins when Naz Khan (Riz Ahmed), a Pakistani-American college student, picks up a young woman named Andrea (Sofia Black-D’Elia), with whom he spends the night. After various drinks and drugs, Naz wakes up to find Andrea brutally murdered in her kitchen, and so he becomes the prime suspect.

Although based on another pre-existing TV show, The Night Of took note of True Detective’s slow-burning pace, gritty atmosphere, increasing tension, and focus on the system’s corruption, the psychological impact of the investigation and subsequent events, and the dark side of the justice system.

The Sinner (2017-2021)

Credit: MovieStillsDB

The Sinner is a police procedural anthology TV series based on Petra Hammesfahr’s 1999 novel of the same name. Although each season covers a different case, they are linked by one character: detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman). Season 1, then, sees Ambrose investigating the case of a man stabbed to death; season 2 covers the case of a young boy who poisoned a couple; season 3 follows Ambrose as he investigates a fatal cat accident; and season 4 sees him coming out of retirement for one more case.

The Sinner was originally intended to be a miniseries, but the success of the first episodes led to its renewal, running for a total of four seasons. In addition to the anthology format, The Sinner focuses on the circumstances and reasons around each case rather than who did it, which is also the case in True Detective. The shows also share tortured and flawed detectives, who, while struggling in their personal lives, are passionate and empathetic.

Under the Banner of Heaven is a true crime drama miniseries based on Jon Krakauer’s 2003 non-fiction book of the same name. Under the Banner of Heaven explores the case of Ron and Dan Lafferty (Sam Worthington and Wyatt Russell, respectively), who killed their sister-in-law and her daughter. Leading the investigation is Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield), who uncovers some dark secrets of the community, including a connection between the murder and the LDS Church.

Despite being an adaptation of a pre-existing story, Under the Banner of Heaven has some clear influence from True Detective. The dynamic between Pyre and his partner, Bill Taba (Gil Birmingham), is reminiscent of that of Cohle and Hart in True Detective season 1, with Under the Banner of Heaven also having a bleak atmosphere and taking its characters on personal journeys as their cases make them question their beliefs and more.

Mare of Easttown (2021)

Mare of Easttown is a crime drama miniseries created by Brad Ingelsby. Mare of Easttown centers on Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet), who was once a local hero after scoring the winning basket in an important high school basketball game. Years later, the community started doubting her skills as a detective after Mare failed to solve the case of a young girl who went missing. Now, Mare is investigating the murder of a teenage mother, all while her personal life crumbles due to a divorce and the loss of her son.

Mare of Easttown is considered by many as a spiritual successor to True Detective, thanks to their shared elements that show how influential True Detective has been. Both shows are led by skilled detectives carrying a lot of trauma and personal issues as they investigate disturbing cases, with their personal lives and issues sometimes messing with their jobs.

Mindhunter (2017-2019)

Mindhunter is a psychological crime thriller TV series based on John Doubles and Mark Olshaker’s 1995 true-crime book of the same name. Mindhunter follows FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), who, along with psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), lead the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit within the Training Division. The team launches a project in which they interview serial killers, such as Ed Kemper, to understand their psychology and use that knowledge to solve other cases.

Mindhunter ran for two seasons on Netflix and is now one of the best TV shows of all time, and while it’s based on a book, the influence of True Detective can be seen in its slow-burning tone, the dynamic between Ford and Tench, and the impact that their investigations and interviews have on their personal lives and mental health.

Brothers (2026)

Credit: Apple TV

Brothers is the odd one out of this list, as it’s not a detective TV show, so its True Detective influence is different. Brothers is a comedy TV show that stars McConaughey and Harrelson as fictionalized versions of themselves. Their strong friendship is put to the test when they decide to live together with their families at the McConaugheys’ ranch. There, they uncover a family secret, as they might be brothers – and that’s the part based on real life.

The bond between McConaughey and Harrelson is thanks to their work on True Detective season 1, so, while Brothers isn’t about detectives and crimes, it wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the HBO show.

Question 1 of 3