Crime TV Shows & Characters

Dive into the world of TV crime dramas featuring antiheroes, mob bosses, and the thin line between law and lawlessness.

27
Shows
98
Characters

About Crime Television

The crime genre has produced some of the most compelling and culturally significant television of the modern era. TVCeleb profiles 27 crime series spanning networks including AMC, HBO, Netflix, BBC, with streaming available on platforms like Netflix, Max, Paramount+. These shows represent the full breadth of what crime television can achieve, from intimate character studies to sweeping narratives that have shaped how audiences engage with the medium.

Across these 27 series, TVCeleb profiles 98 distinct characters who have captivated audiences and inspired dedicated fan communities. Among the most popular are Walter White from Breaking Bad (played by Bryan Cranston), Tony Soprano from The Sopranos (played by James Gandolfini), Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders (played by Cillian Murphy), Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad (played by Aaron Paul), Jimmy McGill / Saul Goodman from Better Call Saul (played by Bob Odenkirk). Each character profile includes detailed arc analysis, key episodes, fan ecosystem mapping, and Fan Heat Index scoring that measures engagement, social activity, and cultural impact.

Whether you're a longtime fan of crime television or discovering these shows for the first time, TVCeleb provides the most comprehensive resource for exploring the characters, relationships, and storylines that make crime series so compelling. Our detailed profiles go beyond basic plot summaries to examine what makes each character resonate with audiences, how they contribute to their show's themes, and why they've inspired such passionate fan communities.

Crime Shows (27)

AMC Ended

Breaking Bad

2008–2013 · 5 Seasons

A high school chemistry teacher turned methamphetamine manufacturer descends into the criminal underworld.

DramaCrimeThriller
95
HBO Ended

The Sopranos

1999–2007 · 6 Seasons

A New Jersey mob boss navigates the demands of his criminal empire and family while seeing a psychiatrist.

DramaCrime
94
Netflix Ended

Ozark

2017–2022 · 4 Seasons

A financial advisor moves his family to the Ozarks to launder money for a Mexican drug cartel.

DramaCrimeThriller
85
BBC Ended

Peaky Blinders

2013–2022 · 6 Seasons

A gangster family rises to power in post-WWI Birmingham, England, led by the cunning Thomas Shelby.

DramaCrimePeriod Drama
90
AMC Ended

Better Call Saul

2015–2022 · 6 Seasons

The origin story of Breaking Bad's Saul Goodman, tracing a small-time lawyer's transformation into a criminal attorney.

DramaCrime
93
Showtime Ended

Dexter

2006–2013 · 8 Seasons

A forensic blood spatter analyst leads a secret double life as a serial killer who targets other murderers.

DramaCrimeThriller
88
Hulu Ongoing

Only Murders in the Building

2021–present · 4 Seasons

Three true-crime-obsessed neighbors investigate murders in their Upper West Side apartment building while recording a podcast.

ComedyMysteryCrime
84
HBO Ended

True Detective

2014–2024 · 4 Seasons

An anthology series where detectives unravel dark crimes across different American landscapes and time periods.

DramaCrimeMystery
86
HBO Ended

The Wire

2002–2008 · 5 Seasons

A sprawling drama examining the Baltimore drug trade and the institutions intertwined with it.

DramaCrime
92
NBC Ended

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

2013–2021 · 8 Seasons

A talented but immature detective and his quirky squad solve crimes under a deadpan NYPD captain.

ComedyCrime
85
Netflix Ended

Money Heist

2017–2021 · 5 Seasons

A criminal mastermind and his city-codenamed crew attempt the most ambitious heists in history.

CrimeThrillerDrama
86
BBC Ended

Sherlock

2010–2017 · 4 Seasons

A brilliant detective and his loyal friend solve crimes in a modern-day reimagining of Sherlock Holmes.

MysteryCrimeDrama
86
FX Ongoing

Fargo

2014–present · 5 Seasons

An anthology of darkly comic Midwestern crime stories, echoing the Coen Brothers' snowbound world.

CrimeThrillerDrama
85
FOX Ended

Prison Break

2005–2017 · 5 Seasons

An engineer gets himself imprisoned to break out his wrongfully condemned brother from death row.

ActionCrimeThriller
84
Netflix Ended

Narcos

2015–2017 · 3 Seasons

The true story of Pablo Escobar's cocaine empire and the DEA agents who hunted him.

CrimeDramaBiography
85
FX Ended

Sons of Anarchy

2008–2014 · 7 Seasons

An outlaw biker is torn between his club's violent legacy and a dream of redemption.

CrimeDramaAction
84
USA Network Ended

Mr. Robot

2015–2019 · 4 Seasons

A hacker with severe mental illness is recruited to bring down a corporate empire.

DramaThrillerCrime
84
NBC Ended

Hannibal

2013–2015 · 3 Seasons

An FBI profiler is drawn into a deadly bond with the cultured cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

CrimeHorrorThriller
85
Netflix Ended

Mindhunter

2017–2019 · 2 Seasons

1970s FBI agents pioneer criminal profiling by interviewing imprisoned serial killers.

CrimeDramaThriller
84
Amazon Prime Video Ongoing

Reacher

2022–present · 3 Seasons

A hulking ex-military investigator drifts across America, uncovering conspiracies and dealing justice.

ActionCrimeThriller
84
HBO Ended

Barry

2018–2023 · 4 Seasons

A depressed hitman discovers acting and desperately tries to escape his violent life.

ComedyDramaCrime
84
HBO Ended

Boardwalk Empire

2010–2014 · 5 Seasons

A political boss rules the bootlegging underworld of Prohibition-era Atlantic City.

CrimeDramaPeriod Drama
83
FX Ended

Justified

2010–2015 · 6 Seasons

A modern-cowboy U.S. Marshal returns to Kentucky coal country and his outlaw frenemy Boyd Crowder.

CrimeDramaWestern
83
HBO Ended

The Penguin

2024 · 1 Season

A scheming gangster claws toward control of Gotham's underworld after The Batman.

CrimeDrama
89
HBO Ended

Oz

1997–2003 · 6 Seasons

Inmates and guards wage a brutal struggle for survival in an experimental prison unit.

CrimeDrama
82
HBO Ended

Mare of Easttown

2021 · 1 Season

A Pennsylvania detective investigates a murder as her own life unravels.

CrimeDramaMystery
89
Netflix Ended

Orange Is the New Black

2013–2019 · 7 Seasons

A privileged woman's prison sentence opens a window onto a whole community of inmates.

ComedyDramaCrime
86

Top Crime Characters (98)

Breaking Bad

Walter White

Played by Bryan Cranston

Seasons 1–5 97
The Sopranos

Tony Soprano

Played by James Gandolfini

Seasons 1–6 97
Peaky Blinders

Thomas Shelby

Played by Cillian Murphy

Seasons 1–6 96
Breaking Bad

Jesse Pinkman

Played by Aaron Paul

Seasons 1–5 94
Better Call Saul

Jimmy McGill / Saul Goodman

Played by Bob Odenkirk

Seasons 1–6 94
True Detective

Rust Cohle

Played by Matthew McConaughey

Season 1 93
Dexter

Dexter Morgan

Played by Michael C. Hall

Seasons 1-8 92
Breaking Bad

Gustavo "Gus" Fring

Played by Giancarlo Esposito

Seasons 2–4 91
Ozark

Ruth Langmore

Played by Julia Garner

Seasons 1–4 91
Better Call Saul

Kim Wexler

Played by Rhea Seehorn

Seasons 1–6 91
Breaking Bad

Saul Goodman

Played by Bob Odenkirk

Seasons 2–5 90
Dexter

Arthur Mitchell / The Trinity Killer

Played by John Lithgow

Season 4 90
Peaky Blinders

Alfie Solomons

Played by Tom Hardy

Seasons 2–6 89
Better Call Saul

Lalo Salamanca

Played by Tony Dalton

Seasons 4–6 89
Ozark

Marty Byrde

Played by Jason Bateman

Seasons 1–4 88
Money Heist

The Professor

Played by Álvaro Morte

Parts 1–5 88
Sherlock

Sherlock Holmes

Played by Benedict Cumberbatch

Seasons 1–4 88
Better Call Saul

Mike Ehrmantraut

Played by Jonathan Banks

Seasons 1–6 87
Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Captain Raymond Holt

Played by Andre Braugher

Seasons 1–8 87
Money Heist

Berlin

Played by Pedro Alonso

Parts 1–5 87
The Sopranos

Christopher Moltisanti

Played by Michael Imperioli

Seasons 1–6 86
Narcos

Pablo Escobar

Played by Wagner Moura

Seasons 1–2 86
Hannibal

Hannibal Lecter

Played by Mads Mikkelsen

Seasons 1–3 86
Breaking Bad

Mike Ehrmantraut

Played by Jonathan Banks

Seasons 2–5 85

Explore More on TVCeleb

TVCeleb.com is the internet's most comprehensive resource for television character fandom, covering 105 acclaimed TV series with 392 detailed character profiles and 324 actor biographies. Our coverage spans 26 genres across 24 networks and streaming platforms, with content organized to help fans discover, explore, and engage with television from every angle.

Browse our collection by genre to find shows in your preferred category, by network to see what's available on your streaming platform, by decade to explore different eras of television history, or by curated lists that group characters by archetype and achievement. Each show page features expanded synopses, production details, and video content, while character pages include detailed arc analysis, key episodes, quotes, trivia, and fan ecosystem mapping.

Every character on TVCeleb is scored using our proprietary Fan Heat Index, which measures engagement, social activity, meme velocity, fan art density, and fandom longevity on a scale of 0 to 100. This data-driven approach provides objective insight into which characters have inspired the most passionate and active fan communities. Use the search page to find any character, show, or actor instantly, or start browsing from our homepage to discover what's trending in television fandom today.

? Frequently Asked Questions

TVCeleb.com covers 27 Crime shows including Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, Ozark, Peaky Blinders, Better Call Saul, and more. Each show features detailed character profiles, fan ecosystem mapping, and Fan Heat Index scoring. These series represent a range of approaches to the crime genre, from critically acclaimed award winners to fan-favorite cult hits, all available for exploration on TVCeleb.

There are currently 98 characters from 27 Crime TV shows profiled on TVCeleb.com. Each character page includes a detailed character arc, key episodes, Fan Heat Index breakdown measuring engagement and social activity, quotes and trivia, fan ecosystem links, and FAQ sections. New characters and shows are added regularly as the TVCeleb database continues to expand.

Crime television is spread across multiple networks and platforms. AMC, HBO, Netflix, BBC, Showtime are among the primary homes for crime programming covered on TVCeleb. Streaming platforms including Netflix, Max, Paramount+ have also become major destinations for crime content, making these shows accessible to global audiences.

TVCeleb uses the Fan Heat Index, a proprietary scoring system that measures character popularity across multiple dimensions including fan engagement, social media activity, meme velocity, and overall cultural impact. Each Crime character receives an overall score out of 100, with detailed breakdowns available on individual character pages. This data-driven approach provides objective insight into which characters resonate most strongly with audiences.