Best Mystery TV Series of the 1980s
195 Mystery series that started in the 1980s, ranked by popularity
Poirot
60K 70 1989–2013
Detective mystery · Period piece
Murder, She Wrote
33K 264 1984–1996
Detective mystery · Cozy
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
28K 13 1984–1985
Detective mystery · British TV
Moonlighting
27K 66 1985–1989
Witty banter · Banter chemistry
Inspector Morse
16K 33 1987–2000
Detective mystery · British TV
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
15K 11 1986–1988
Detective mystery · Genius lead
21 Jump Street
15K 102 1987–1991
School & campus · Procedural
Hill Street Blues
12K 144 1981–1987
Ensemble cast · Workplace · Gritty
Matlock
11K 181 1986–1995
Legal · Procedural · Episodic
In the Heat of the Night
7K 146 1988–1995
Small town · Procedural
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: The Hound of the Baskervilles
7K 2 1981–1981
Detective mystery · Atmospheric
Jack the Ripper
6K 2 1988–1988
Detective mystery · Period piece
Cagney & Lacey
6K 126 1981–1988
Female perspective
Smiley's People
5K 6 1982–1982
Espionage · Slow burn
The Singing Detective
5K 6 1986–1986
Experimental · Unreliable narrator
Friday the 13th: The Series
5K 72 1987–1990
Supernatural · Monster horror
Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson
5K 2 1980–1980
Detective mystery · Central duo
The Bill
5K 2404 1984–2010
Long-runner · British TV
Edge of Darkness
5K 6 1985–1985
Slow burn · Political intrigue
Street Hawk
4K 13 1985–1985
Episodic · Campy · Adrenaline
Crime Story
4K 43 1986–1988
Criminal underworld · Period piece
Spenser: For Hire
4K 66 1985–1988
Detective mystery · Procedural
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
4K 77 1985–1989
Anthology · Episodic · Tense
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: The Treasures of Agra
4K 2 1983–1983
Detective mystery · Period piece