Top 10 Neo-Noir TV Shows Ranked: From True Detective To Better Call Saul

Shows like True Detective and Better Call Saul have successfully brought the style and themes of neo-noir to television. This genre has roots in film noir, which was hugely popular in Hollywood from the mid-to-late 20th century. These dark, complex detective stories resonated with audiences feeling disillusioned after World War II and flourished in cinemas.

Following events like the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War, American audiences became increasingly cynical. This shift led to the rise of neo-noir films in the latter half of the 20th century, with movies like Klute, Chinatown, and The French Connection leading the way. These films moved away from traditional noir, often showing a lack of clear justice and blurring the lines between heroes and villains.

The dark and mysterious style of film noir first appeared on television in the 1950s and 60s with popular shows like Dragnet, Peter Gunn, and The Untouchables. More recently, shows like The Shield and The Killing have taken on a grittier, more violent tone, similar to the neo-noir films of the 1970s.

The Killing

AMC’s American version of the Danish show Forbrydelsen successfully captured the original’s unsettling mood, transplanting it to a new location. The Killing centers on two Seattle homicide detectives solving murder cases, maintaining the same ominous feeling as the original series. The show also draws inspiration from the classic, atmospheric mystery Twin Peaks.

Archer Dreamland

Later in its run, after the main character fell into a coma, Archer began experimenting with self-contained seasons that playfully imitated different genres. They did a season inspired by old-fashioned jungle adventures and another with a retro sci-fi feel, but the standout season was Archer Dreamland, which was a loving tribute to classic film noir.

The episode begins with Archer, wounded and floating in a pool—a scene reminiscent of the film Sunset Boulevard. He then enters a coma and dreams he’s in 1940s Los Angeles, reimagining himself and his friends as characters in a classic detective story. It’s a clever and stylish update of the traditional film noir genre.

Veronica Mars

Rob Thomas cleverly combined the gritty style of detective stories with the familiar world of teen dramas in his popular show, Veronica Mars. Kristen Bell shines as Veronica, a high school student who secretly works as a private investigator, learning the ropes from her detective father. It’s a fun mix – think The Maltese Falcon crossed with 90210 – and it works brilliantly.

Bored To Death

Jonathan Ames’ HBO show, Bored to Death, playfully takes apart the classic detective story. Jason Schwartzman plays a character based on Ames – a writer who also works as a private investigator in New York City, but without a license. The show is a funny and charming mystery, with great performances from Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis.

Batman: The Animated Series

Batman is the quintessential dark and brooding hero, much like a classic, tough detective from old crime novels. His city, Gotham, feels like those gritty, post-war crime dramas starring actors like Jimmy Cagney and Humphrey Bogart, but with the added twist of colorful, outlandish supervillains.

Among all the different Batman TV series, Batman: The Animated Series really stood out for its dark, film-noir style. Its use of shadows, dramatic visuals, and strong contrasts felt like a throwback to classic noir films, and Kevin Conroy’s voice work as Bruce Wayne perfectly captured the troubled, tough persona of characters like Humphrey Bogart. Many fans consider it the best version of Batman, whether it’s live-action or animated.

The Lowdown

Sterlin Harjo’s previous show, Reservation Dogs, skillfully blended realistic humor with deeply emotional stories. His new series, The Lowdown, is much more playful and obviously funny – though it still has a dark edge. The show stars Ethan Hawke as a determined journalist who’s willing to risk everything to uncover the truth, even when facing danger from criminals and their thugs.

“The Lowdown” has a similar vibe to films like “The Big Lebowski” and “Inherent Vice.” It follows a man who stumbles into a criminal investigation, but he’s more of a clumsy mess than a skilled detective – barely able to manage his own life, let alone uncover local crime and corruption.

The Shield

Classic neo-noir films like Chinatown and Blade Runner move beyond simple good-versus-evil storylines. They feature complex, flawed characters—often antiheroes—who don’t always bring criminals to justice. The Shield exemplifies this trend in television, portraying a group of police officers who aren’t always on the right side of the law.

Before The Shield, most police shows followed a simple formula: good cops solving crimes each week. But The Shield changed everything by showing police officers who were just as corrupt as the criminals they were trying to catch. It was a completely new take on the classic cop show.

Cowboy Bebop

Many Western viewers first discovered anime through Cowboy Bebop, and it’s a unique blend of genres. It combines futuristic science fiction with a vast, colonized solar system, the feel of classic Westerns thanks to its group of bounty hunters traveling the galaxy, and the atmosphere of neo-noir films.

With its troubled heroes running from their pasts, gritty fights in rundown locations, and cool jazz score, Cowboy Bebop is a fantastic example of futuristic noir. It shares similarities with Jean-Luc Godard’s Alphaville, but with a faster pace and more violence.

True Detective

The first season of True Detective revolutionized the murder mystery genre. It felt more like reading a novel than watching a TV show, unfolding a complex case—and the troubled connection between two flawed detectives—over years and through multiple timelines. The show blends the atmosphere of classic film noir with the sweeping scale of Southern Gothic storytelling.

While later seasons of True Detective haven’t quite matched the brilliance of the first, they’ve successfully brought back its unique and unsettling approach to the classic noir detective story. The show elevates all the familiar elements of the genre, taking them to a new level.

Better Call Saul

Vince Gilligan initially presented Breaking Bad with elements of a classic western – think gunfights, heists, and a clear villain. However, when he created the spin-off focusing on Saul Goodman, Heisenberg’s lawyer, the show leaned more into the style of neo-noir films, though some western influences remain, particularly in the episode “Bagman.”

Better Call Saul is a funny and surprisingly twisted take on legal dramas. It follows a lawyer, Jimmy McGill, who actively avoids court by going to extreme lengths and bending the rules to keep his clients out of trouble. His goal is to resolve issues before they ever reach a courtroom.

2025-12-02 23:43