This article discusses 10 TV shows like Sleeping Dog you must watch. Add these well-recommended and thrilling series to your watch list.
A cop, scarred by the trauma of his last case, leaves the force and decides to opt out of the reality of his previous life.
The dramatically named Mike Atlas turns his back on society and lives life as a homeless man.
A suicide in jail drags Atlas back into the real world, as what he once believed may not be true.
This German-language Netflix series is a gritty violent thriller with a mystery at its center, so we thought we would have a look to see if there was anything else like it out there.
Pull your Venetian blinds down and open them slightly so it casts a film noir light across your room and enjoy our list of ten shows like Sleeping Dog you must watch.
10 TV shows like Sleeping Dog
New Tricks (2003)
This popular UK crime series ran for a staggering twelve seasons on the BBC and has a similar premise to Sleeping Dog.
Three retired detectives are brought back into active duty and form a task force to deal with cold cases.
The cast added some well-needed black humour and relatability to the proceedings and the show is still well-loved.
We Own This City (2022)
Based on a book that covered true life events in Baltimore written by Justin Fenton, this series explores a well-worn path of police corruption, a theme you might see a lot of in this list.
The officers in this series are put through the wringer as they fight against the corruption that threatens not only them but the city’s population too.
The Missing (2014)
A family holiday leads to terror when the son of Tony Hughes goes missing in France.
Eight years later, a new clue surfaces, and Tony is still determined to find the truth, so he enlists the help of the now-retired detective that was involved in the disappearance to help find his missing son, but there are some who want this investigation shut down.
The Shield (2002)
This gritty cop show is filled with corruption, deceit, and violence, and explores the bad policeman Vic Mackey as he goes about his everyday business.
Set in L.A. and more sprawling in its narrative than Sleeping Dog, this gritty, violent show should be up your alley.
The Wire (2002)
You can’t really mention The Shield without referencing The Wire too.
Set in Baltimore, the war against drugs, crime, and corruption did not shy away from bringing viewers the ugly truth of society teetering on the brink, and again more expansive in its production than Sleeping Dog, fans should check this classic out.
Ridley (2022)
Another retired cop here, traumatized by events that saw his wife and daughter die in a fire, Ridley is off-grid for eighteen months trying to piece his life back together.
Eventually, he is recruited by the police as a consultant in a case that requires skills that he has, to help solve a complex murder.
Tightly written and directed, this is another UK gem.
Line of Duty (2012)
Another BBC UK entry here, this incredibly popular series is in discussions about further series with the backing of a major streaming platform.
Crooked officials, corruption, PTSD cops, and weird accents, this show follows Scottish mad lad and hungover podcaster Martin Compston assigned to AC 12 to uncover dirty coppers.
The Killing (2007)
Here’s another European entry on our list, matching the grit of Germany’s Sleeping Dog, Scandinavian crime noir series The Killing follows the cold and icy Sarah Lund on the search for a ruthless killer.
Possibly the origin point for what would become a hugely popular genre, The Killing received lots of backlash on its release, but it is now considered a classic.
Bosch (2014)
We thought we could throw this underrated and brilliantly made series into our list in the hope of getting a few more eyes on it.
The first season finds an LA cop on the trail of a murderer who has killed a young boy. As if that wasn’t enough to be getting on with, he is also on trial himself for the murder of a serial killer.
Based on the best-selling novels by Michael Connelly, this is a master class in police procedurals.
Jessica Jones (2015)
Way back in 2015, Netflix had the run of Marvel TV shows and produced a few groundbreaking bangers including this one.
Jessica, despite her superpowers, is a down-and-out detective with PTSD, trying hard to just get through her day, and having to deal with some villains that normal cops just can’t handle.
Gritty and character-driven, we long for a return to this level of superhero content but it looks like that ship has sailed.
Do you have any other recommendations for series like Sleeping Dog? Let us know!
