Small-town crime dramas hit different. The backdrop of a small town provides the perfect hotbed for crime stories. The general elements found in a crime series revolve around a small, tightly-knit community where everybody knows everybody, along with a certain distance from metropolitan civilization. A crime committed in such a setting sends ripples of terror throughout all the inhabitants of the small town, when compared to the much larger and disconnected metros. Here are some of the best small-town crime TV series, ranked.
10 The Outsider
Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, The Outsider tells the tale of an otherworldly entity that preys on children, while also possessing shape-shifting powers. The demon known as El Cuco begins his vicious string of murders with a young boy, taking the form of the boy’s coach, Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman). The resulting string of murders sends the small town of Cherokee City into a frenzy as they race against time looking for answers.
9 Sharp Objects
When reporter Camille Preaker (Amy Adams) returns to her hometown to investigate the murder of two young girls, she encounters some of her own demons from the past. Sharp Objects is set in a fictional town called Wind Gap in Missouri, but successfully mimics all the inner workings of a small town.
8 Trapped
Trapped is a dark tale of atmospheric tension. Set in a small coastal town in Iceland, the show revolves around the course of events that take place after a mutilated corpse is found. Just then, the town is hit by a snowstorm, increasing the level of terror and difficulty as the local authorities try to solve the case. If bleak surroundings and atmospheric tension are your things, be sure to check out Trapped.
7 Longmire
Set in the small town of Absaroka County, Wyoming, Longmire is based on the Walt Longmire mystery novels by Craig Johnson. The premise revolves around Absaroka County’s enigmatic sheriff Walt Longmire, who does his best to uphold the law while dealing with his wife’s recent death. Longmire is a tale of loyalty and values set against the backdrop of small-town interpersonal relationships, peppered with everyday crimes.
6 Top of The Lake
Created by Academy Award winner Jane Campion, Top of the Lake revolves around detective Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss), as she dives deep into the disappearance of a pregnant 12-year-old girl in a small town in New Zealand. As Griffin gets more entangled with the case, she realizes she’s up against the workings of a much larger evil hidden away in the small town.
5 Mare of Easttown
Mare of Easttown has the stereotypical workings of a detective that’s battling with personal issues while also investigating a murder. What makes the show step away from the mold lies in its portrayal of the denizens of Delaware County. Right from the look and feel to the sound and salty attitude, the makers of the show replicate the ethos of a small-town with fine margins along with a career-best performance by Kate Winslet.
4 Bates Motel
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A&E
Adapted from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Bates Motel offers a closer look at Norman Bates’s teenage years highlighting the deterioration of his mental health. The show is set in a small-town in a coastal town in Oregon and serves as a contemporary prequel to Hitchcock’s 1960 masterpiece and is a must-watch for all Hitchcock fans.
3 Fargo
Disney ABC - Domestic
Fargo is adapted from the Coen brothers' film of the same name. The show follows a series of eccentric characters as they deal with a plethora of crimes set in different time periods, sharing the same fictional universe as the Coen brothers’ film. The show cleverly expands on the Coen brothers' universe while adding new layers of dark drama without losing the context of the original narrative.
2 True Detective - Season 1
When detectives Martin Hart (Woody Harrelson) and Rustin Cohle (Mathew McConaughey), unearth the dark secrets regarding a string of murders, some of their own secrets rise to the surface as well. True Detective is set in a small-town in Louisiana and has themes of occult practices and paganism. The show plays out in two different timelines, with the past and the present being intercut, for better dramatic effect.
1 Broadchurch
Broadchurch’s genius lies in its setting and denizens. The narrative intricately blends together as the murder of an 11-year-old boy sends a small Dorset community into a chaotic frenzy. The small town operates on tightly-knit, interpersonal relationships, where everybody is known to everybody. In such a set-up, nobody is spared and everybody is viewed as the culprit. Brought on to the scene to solve the mystery are an out-of-town detective, Alec Hardy (David Tennant) assisted by local detective sergeant Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman). As Hardy and Miller dive deeper into the mystery, the cracks between their personal lives simmer to the surface.