Netflix’s quirky Irish crime caper Bodkin has a podcast mystery at its heart, an ensemble cast of off-the-wall characters, thrills, chills, dark comedy surprises, and criticism that the show stereotypes small-town Irish folk — but you can’t have everything. If it was your thing, here are 5 crime shows like Bodkin with a quirky feel and unique — often Irish — settings.
Deadloch (2023)
Here’s another darkly comedic crime thriller, this time set in Tasmania, Australia. Deadloch was created by Kate McLennan and Kate McCartney and sees the local community shaken up by a body on the beach. Two female detectives are pulled into the mystery, which starts to escalate as the town approaches its strangely Wiccan-style festival, just like in Bodkin.
Hope Street (2021)
It was hard not to include this one, as it also features a fictional town, an ensemble Irish cast, and was filmed in Ireland. There are three seasons you can check out and the first one sees the arrival of DC Leila Hussain to the town, and the various cases she has to investigate as the episodes unfold.
Blood (2018)
Here’s another fictional Irish town, similar to Bodkin, that follows the familiar plot beats of a character returning to a town to investigate the death of her mother. Darker in tone, but still hitting a lot of the beats these shows have led us to expect, we watch as the story reveals itself through flashbacks as Cat Hogan starts to realize that there is more to the death than anyone is prepared to say.
The show would run for two seasons, with six episodes in each, and oddly the premise was so popular that it was remade for an Indian audience in 2022.
Bloodlands (2020)
Bloodlands | Image via BBC
Long-running tragic BBC cop drama Line of Duty became a bit of a phenomenon in the UK, following the double-dealing, back-stabbing complexities of a corrupt police force tearing itself apart. The show was created by TV royalty Jed Mercurio, and he was also behind this entry. Set again in Ireland, this was a plot-driven procedural that also had a somewhat dark comedic undertone.
There are two seasons of Bloodlands to get your teeth into that should satisfy fans of Bodkin.
Kin (2021)
An all-star ensemble cast including charismatic red-haired She-Hulk booty call Charlie Cox feature in this hugely popular series. The story is darker and grittier than Bodkin, but it takes place in Ireland and examines the story of a feud between local gang leaders Frank Kinsella and Eamon Cunningham.
Events begin to escalate when Frank’s son Eric tries to take out one of Eamon’s dealers, Caolan Moore, over a petty feud. There are two seasons available to watch, but brace yourself as there aren’t many laughs to be found in this brutal thriller.
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