Slow-burn mystery shows often get a bad rap for making the viewing audience do something that television wasn’t invented to do: make you think. TV is often regarded as comfort food, something that you can turn to if you want to cut your brain off for a while. But that’s not the case for mystery slow burns.

These shows are experts at making you put your thinking cap on to solve the pieces of a slowly involving puzzle. While some people may not see the value in that, slow-burn mystery shows have tremendous value, and if you stick around, the payoff at the end is usually satisfying. So, to try to convince you that slow burns are absolutely worth it, here are the mystery shows that are experts at making slow burns truly exciting.

1

‘Elementary’ (2012–2019)

Image via CBS

Sherlock Holmes doesn’t do anything quick. Every mystery that he’s found himself embroiled in has been a slow burn, requiring the viewer to take their time and help him unravel mysteries. That was the case for the CBS series Elementary, a modern-day take on the famous British detective with a slight twist.

Here, Holmes (Jonny Lee MIller), is recovering from drug addiction, and seeks out his sober companion, Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) to help him solve cases while also kicking his demon to the curb. Elementary doesn’t start out fast. It uses a slow and prodding pace to build suspense. However, at the end of each episode, you will be rewarded with a satisfying payoff. That’s what great mysteries do, and why Elementary is definitely in that category.

2

‘The Mentalist’ (2008–2015)

Image via CBS

What would you do if you were “blessed” with the skill to read people’s minds? You would probably do what Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) did and go work for the California Bureau of Investigation to help solve murder cases. That was the central premise of The Mentalist, coming out at a time when TV, especially CBS, was really getting into the mystery genre with gusto.

This procedural drama took a different twist on the standard mystery procedural, and brought in psychic techniques to help solve crimes that befuddled the California CBI. In truth, Jane wasn’t a psychic — he just had out-of-this-world observational skills, which is what makes The Mentalist pay off even more, even if it ruined its series finale.

3

‘Columbo’ (1968–1998)

Image via NBC

While Dragnet may have kicked off the crime drama procedural, it was NBC’s Columbo that pushed it into the mainstream. Starring Peter Falk as the titular Lieutenant Columbo, the show may be a crime drama technically, but, in spirit, it can also serve as a great mystery series, since it deals with putting the pieces together to solve crimes.

Columbo wasn’t a heavy action show like its crime companions would take on in subsequent years. That wasn’t the show’s style. No, this show was the very definition of a slow burn, using mystery to put the facts together to solve big cases. While this may bore some, trust me when I say, it actually works in Columbo‘s favor. The series expertly used slow burn tactics to keep its audience engaged, and it will keep you engaged as well.

4

‘Mare of Easttown’ (2021)

Image via HBO

I will admit something to you. When I first saw HBO’s Mare of Easttown, I thought it was pretty boring. Maybe my love for slow burn shows may have worn out, I thought, as I struggled to get through the first couple of episodes. Then, the third episode came along, and I was hooked on this mystery like peanut butter is to jelly on a sandwich.

Mare of Easttown stars Kate Winslet in a truly spectacular performance. She portrayed Mare Sheehan, a detective who is investigating the murder of a teen mom while trying to piece her own life back together. Nothing here comes fast, and it’s a slow burn all the way to the ending. And, to be honest, that’s Mare of Easttown‘s strongest suit. The slow-moving nature of the series allows you to get a grasp of what Sheehan is struggling with, and helps you understand why this case is so important to her. I’m so glad I didn’t quit this show, as I would have missed a truly satisfying ending.

5

‘Only Murders in the Building’ (2021–)

Image via Hulu 

We’ve now arrived at the mystery show that does have a bit of action to it, but it takes a while for it to get there. The beauty of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, is not within its comical mysterious oh no.

What sets Only Murders in the Building apart from its peers is the layers of background that play a big part of the mystery our true crime podcasters are trying to solve. There are a lot of intricacies that weave their way into the bigger picture, and while each season starts off pretty slowly, this acclaimed mystery series always sticks the landing in the end.

6

‘Big Little Lies’ (2017–)

Image via HBO

What started out as a miniseries has quickly morphed into one of HBO’s best shows. That’s what happens when you give slow-burn Big Little Lies a chance to prove that being patient and waiting for the payoff is always the best bet. Starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies follows a group of women who get wrapped up in a homicide investigation.

Again, this show isn’t for those who like their shows to get to the interesting part. It takes a bit of time for Big Little Lies to gather steam; but, once it does, get ready for a wild ride that rivals any modern-day mystery show. If you haven’t checked out Big Little Lies yet, this is your sign to do so, and pronto.

7

‘The Blacklist’ (2013–2023)

Image via NBC

I feel like this show has slid into the category of underrated shows in recent years. That’s a shame, because The Blacklist was one of my favorite shows during the 2010s, and one of NBC’s biggest hits. Created by Jon Bokenkamp and starring the legendary James Spader, The Blacklist will have you on the edge of your seat in each episode.

Here, we follow Raymond Reddington (Spader), a career international criminal and fugitive who, in exchange for immunity from prosecution, decides to help the FBI track down and find other most wanted fugitives on his “blacklist.” Spader does a remarkable job here as the cunning Reddington, bringing a slice of charisma to a role that seemed tailor-made for him. The Blacklist, itself, is a very interesting show, a slow burn that takes off once you see the mystery unfold.

8

‘Yellowjackets’ (2021–)

Yes, Yellowjackets is technically a psychological horror drama. However, let me take a moment to explain why this show can also be categorized as a slow burn. First, some short context for those who haven’t watched the show yet. Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, Showtime’s Yellowjackets follows two storylines: one in which a group of teens tries to survive in the wilderness after a plane crash in the mid-’90s, while the second looks at how the survivors of that crash try to move on with life in the present day.

Even from that short synopsis, you can tell that there is a lot that goes on Yellowjackets. However, it takes a while to get to the true psychological horror nature of the series, which means that this show is also a slow burn. For a show like Yellowjackets, which has a lot of moving parts, starting out slow works in its favor if you give it a chance, which you absolutely should.

9

‘Pretty Little Liars’ (2010–2017)

Image via Freeform

I cannot tell you how much this show had a chokehold on me in the 2010s. In other words, I was, and still is, a huge fan of Pretty Little Liars, the teen mystery drama developed by I. Marline King. The series follows four girls (Lucy Hale, Shay Mitchell, Troian Bellisario, and Ashley Benson) who are mysteriously threatened by “A” after their leader, Allison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse), disappears. The show is spent following the girls, nicknamed “The Liars,” as they try to solve the mysterious “A” and the disappearance of their friend.

Much like Yellowjackets, there is a lot that goes on in Pretty Little Liars, but you don’t get there right away. Most of the first half of Season 1 is a slow burn, as with the other subsequent seasons. But, this is a show that forces you to pay attention to even the most mundane of things, because everything ties together at the end to reveal who is torturing the Liars. That’s the beauty of this show, and eight years after it went off the air, I am still hooked on the mystery, and so will you.

10

‘True Detective’ (2014–)

Image via HBO

While I was busy trying to find out who “A” was in Pretty Little Liars, another crime mystery had my complete attention for a different reason. For HBO’s True Detective, it wasn’t so much as trying to solve the mystery of who was trying to blackmail a group of high school teenagers. In this show, the mystery is the star of the show, and it will make you break out your inner Sherlock Holmes to try to help the detectives solve some of the most perplexing crimes on modern television.

Each season of True Detective is different, and offers its own flavor that will keep you on your toes. Whether it’s a pair of Louisiana State Police detectives trying to find an occult serial killer, or Alaskan detectives trying to find missing men in the dead of a polar night, you’ll be wrapped up in the mystery of each season. It’s one of the best slow burn mystery shows on TV, and if this show doesn’t make you believe that slow burners are worth it, I don’t know what to tell you.

True Detective

Release Date

January 12, 2014

Network

HBO Max

The range of television entertainment has expanded exponentially throughout the 21st century, with comedy being a genre that has evolved significantly as a result of the soaring popularity of the medium in this time. The fact that Fleabag, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Rick and Morty all stand as iconic titles of the decade is evidence enough of the genre’s breadth and brilliance.

However, with comedy TV becoming increasingly saturated, it is little surprise that numerous series, despite their excellence and hysterics, have been overlooked by the masses. Ranging from searing and satirical takes on modern life to hilarious horror parodies, and even playful period pieces that riff on television trends with aplomb, these 10 comedy shows are as underrated as they are uproarious.

10

‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ (2015–2019)

Created by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna

A bombastic mixture of romance, dramedy, and even musical numbers, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ran for four seasons through the late part of the 2010s, though, despite its critical acclaim and the passionate admiration of its fans, it never garnered high viewership numbers. The series follows Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom), a hugely successful lawyer in New York City who gives up her career to move back to her hometown in California as she pursues a relationship with a teenage crush, a relocation that gives way to many new discoveries.

Beneath the exuberance and flamboyance of the series’ presentation resides a considered and timely engagement with themes such as mental illness, female sexuality, and the contradictory complexity of the human condition, all being explored with wit and depth. With its cleverness and its creativeness, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend carved out a niche in the crowded comedy landscape of contemporary television, celebrating its own unconventional charm by resolving its story after four seasons rather than being canceled in the middle of the narrative.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Release Date

2015 – 2019-00-00

Network

The CW

Showrunner

Aline Brosh McKenna

9

‘Wellington Paranormal’ (2018–2022)

Created by Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Paul Yates

Laced with Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement’s penchant for understated absurdity and delightful silliness, Wellington Paranormal mixes horror, comedy, and police drama in wonderful fashion to be a true hidden gem of New Zealand television. A spin-off of 2014’s What We Do in the Shadows, the series runs as a mockumentary following a team of police officers in Wellington who handle crimes of a supernatural nature, including everything from demonic possessions to blood bank robberies.

Across its four seasons, Wellington Paranormal soars with its low-key comedy charms and its monster-of-the-week formula, while the Kiwi quaintness of its presentation will have fans of Waititi’s work in his native land grinning from ear to ear. Despite its droll delights and its ceaseless entertainment value, the series was canceled ahead of its fourth season. However, fans of the series can get more access to it in the form of ‘The Wellington Paranormal Podcast,’ which launched in 2023 and remains active today.

8

‘Angie Tribeca’ (2016–2018)

Created by Steve Carell and Nancy Carell

Co-created by Steve Carell and unfurling as a pleasant marriage between police procedural formula and sitcom magnetism, Angie Tribeca utilizes a terrific cast spearheaded by comedy television icon Rashida Jones to maximum effect. Jones stars as Detective Angie Tribeca, a veteran of the LAPD’s RHCU (Really Heinous Crimes Unit) whose preference to operate as a lone wolf is interrupted when she is assigned a new partner, the eccentric and quirky Detective Jay Geils (Hayes MacArthur). The unlikely pairing solve all manner of bizarre crimes with help from the rest of the unit.

With its relentless one-liners and its comfort with its physical comedy, Angie Tribeca strikes a faultless balance between razor-sharp wit and accessible comedy gags that are consistently engaging for its charming characters and its lampooning of police dramas. The series was axed by TBS in 2019, nearly half a year after the finale of its fourth season, Angie Tribeca: Special Division Force, which made significant changes to the cast.

7

‘Norsemen’ (2016–2020)

Created by Jon Iver Helgaker and Jonas Torgersen

Spearheaded by series like Vikings and the popularity of characters like Chris Hemsworth’s Thor Odinson in the MCU, Viking culture became a major trend of the 2010s, with fans becoming fascinated by their history, society, art, and beliefs. Capitalizing on this intrigue with a bombastic balance of comedy and violence, Norsemen premiered in 2016 following the residents of Norheim, a village in 8th-century Norway, as they try to go about their daily lives even as bloody rivalries, social changes, and political upheavals transpire around them.

With its balance of absurdity, wry wit, parody, and even its abrupt outburst of violence, Norsemen makes a striking impression with its refreshing originality, with the series being best described as being somewhere between a Monty Python sketch and The Office while riffing on series like Game of Thrones. It ran for two seasons plus an additional prequel third season before being axed in 2020.

6

‘Chewing Gum’ (2015–2017)

Created by Michaela Coel

Fans of the hit miniseries I May Destroy You who haven’t been exposed to Chewing Gum might need to make that amendment as soon as possible. The first small-screen creation from Michaela Coel, the series follows a 24-year-old woman who, having been raised in a strict religious household, has been sheltered from the world and many formative human experiences. Eager to learn what she has been missing out on, and determined to lose her virginity, she sets out on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment.

The series may be lighter than I May Destroy You in terms of its subject matter, but it is no less contemplative and considered. Coel shines in the lead role, imbuing the character with a curious warmth and plenty of comic prowess while, in the role of screenwriter, she strikes a perfect balance between crude comedy, Christian convictions, and provocative punch. The series was canceled after two seasons despite Coel’s desire to carry on the story.

Chewing Gum

Release Date

2015 – 2017-00-00

Directors

Tom Marshall, Simon Neal

Writers

Michaela Coel

5

‘Master of None’ (2015–2021)

Created by Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang

An enticing series to reflect on in its entirety, Master of None is split between its first two seasons, and its third—uniquely titles Master of None: Moments in Love—which places its emphasis on a different character. The first two seasons follow Dev Shah (Aziz Ansari), an aimless actor navigating single life in New York City while struggling to determine what it is he wants in life. The third focuses on his friend Denise (Lena Waithe), a novelist juggling the complications of married life with her wife, Alicia (Naomi Ackie), and the process of writing her second book.

While defined by its comedic punch, the series is rife with intriguing elements of modern-day life that make it both accessible and thought-provoking. It explores such themes as cultural diversity in modern America, dating and relationships in the technological age, and the helpless malaise many millennials face as they grapple with what they truly desire in their personal lives and careers. Its ability to examine such complex themes while maintaining a light touch is not only an incredible achievement, but an underrated feat of comedy television in the 2010s.

4

‘One Day at a Time’ (2017–2020)

Developed by Gloria Calderón Kellett and Mike Royce

Based on the series of the same name that ran from 1975 to 1984, One Day at a Time strikes a flawless balance between honoring its source material—and, by extension, the old-school appeal of sitcom entertainment—and breathing new life into the television genre with nuance and a keen social awareness. It centers on Penelope Alvarez (Justina Machado) who, after divorcing her husband, moves into a new building with her two children and her mother. As the series evolves, each member of the family must confront their own issues, ranging from sexuality and identity to alcoholism and mortality.

Its juggling of societally-minded drama and family comedy is skillful and smooth, and helped immensely by the endearing sincerity of its characters. Despite all four of its seasons earning universal critical acclaim, One Day at a Time always had a dogged run with viewers. After being axed by Netflix following its third season, Pop TV picked it up for a fourth before then canceling it after an interrupted production due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

3

‘Men of a Certain Age’ (2009–2011)

Created by Ray Romano and Mike Royce

Lauded by critics for its maturity, insights, and depth as much as for its comedy wit and its hysterics, Men of a Certain Age premiered in December 2009 and ran for two seasons. Starring Ray Romano (who co-created the series), Andre Braugher, and Scott Bakula, it follows three distinctly different men who have been friends since college as they reckon with the adjustments they must make as they near their 50s, including accepting what they must leave behind, but also deciding what dreams they can still act upon.

With its sharp and profoundly honest writing and its brilliant performances, Men of a Certain Age excels as both a wildly hilarious comedy about friendship and a poignant meditation on life. Despite garnering universal acclaim from critics, the series’ viewership across its first two seasons remained low, leading TNT to cancel it as it focuses on more action-packed shows like Falling Skies and Rizzoli & Isles.

Men of a Certain Age

Release Date

2009 – 2011-00-00

Network

TNT

Directors

Ed Bianchi, Millicent Shelton, David Boyd, Scott Winant, Phil Traill, David Paymer, Geoffrey Haley

2

‘Crashing’ (2016)

Created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Phoebe Waller-Bridge made a huge impact on small-screen entertainment in 2016 with the release of her groundbreaking dramedy, Fleabag. However, the talented writer and actress also featured in another brilliant comedy series in the form of Crashing. The twisted British sitcom follows six people in their 20s and 30s living together as property guardians of a disused hospital. Amid the unconventional living arrangement, the group must navigate the overlapping relationships, mounting sexual tensions, and personal baggage.

Despite the fact that it spans across just six episodes, Crashing—in true Waller-Bridge style—is delightfully manic, quietly dramatic, and often piercing with its authenticity, intrigue, and depth. Its eagerness to play with the standardized sitcom formula is energetic and intelligent, and while Crashing doesn’t match the excellence of Fleabag, it does still serve as a criminally underappreciated dose of modern comedy that deserves a much larger fanbase.

1

‘Broad City’ (2014–2019)

Created by Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson

It certainly seems that sitcoms about relatable yet flawed people navigating the ups and downs of life in New York City never go out of fashion, and yet, so often these series are able to offer new and unique outlooks on contemporary life that captivate with their nuance, depth, and, of course, their comedy. Broad City is a perfect example of this. Premiering in 2014, the Comedy Central series follows two young best friends as they struggle to handle the absurdity of day-to-day life while getting by on low-paying jobs.

Flaunting a heightened sense of peculiarity, Broad City is always appealing for its confounding and bizarre quirks as much as for its comedic prowess. However, it is within this wonderful weirdness that the series finds its beating heart, its absorbing charm, and many of its most powerful and resonant moments. Despite its low viewership, the series was able to end on its own terms in 2019 following five seasons.

Broad City

Release Date

2014 – 2019-00-00

Network

Comedy Central

Showrunner

Ilana Glazer

Directors

Ilana Glazer

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