Ballard is a police procedural crime drama series developed by Michael Alaimo and Kendall Sherwood. Based on Michael Connelly‘s Renée Ballard novel series, the Prime Video series serves as a spin-off to Amazon Freevee’s Bosch: Legacy series. It follows LAPD Detective Renée Ballard as she is put in charge of a cold case unit and discovers an unsolved serial killer case. Ballard stars Maggie Q, Courtney Taylor, Michael Mosley, Rebecca Field, Victoria Moroles, Amy Hill, and John Carroll Lynch. So, if you loved the investigative drama, complex mystery, and compelling characters in Ballard, here are some similar shows you should check out next.
Dept Q. (Netflix)
Dept Q. is a Scottish crime thriller drama series developed by Scott Frank and Chandni Lakhani. Based on the Department Q book series by author Jussi Adler-Olsen, the Netflix series follows Carl Mørck, a former top-rated detective who returns to his job after a shooting. He is put in charge of a cold case unit and begins investigating a high-profile disappearance case. Dept Q. stars Matthew Goode, Kelly Macdonald, Chloe Pirrie, Alexej Manvelov, Leah Byrne, Steven Miller, Mark Bonnar, Jamie Sives, Shirley Henderson, and Kate Dickie.
Why It’s Similar? Dept Q. and Ballard both have similar concepts and execution, from their brilliant leading detectives to their solving cold cases.
Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
Slow Horses is a British spy thriller and dark comedy-drama series created by Will Smith. Based on the Slough House novels by author Mick Herron, the Apple TV+ series follows a group of failed MI5 agents as they work together under Jackson Lamb, a rude spook who was once a great spy for Britain. Slow Horses stars Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sophie Okonedo, Jonathan Pryce, and Hugo Weaving.
Why It’s Similar? If you loved the team surrounding Ballard and how they work tirelessly despite being overlooked by their supervisors, then you’re sure to love the characters from Slow Horses.
Bosch (Prime Video)
Bosch is a detective fiction crime drama series created by Eric Overmyer. Based on the Harry Bosch novel series by author Michael Connelly, the Prime Video is set in Los Angeles and it follows LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, a former Army Special Forces operator as he tries to complex murders with his own code of justice. Bosch stars Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Lance Reddick, Annie Wersching, Jason Gedrick, Sarah Clarke, Madison Lintz, Jeri Ryan, and Brent Saxton.
Why It’s Similar? Harry Bosch and Renée Ballard exist in the same universe and Welliver’s Bosch even make an appearance in Ballard.
Bosch: Legacy (Prime Video)
Bosch: Legacy is a police procedural detective crime drama series developed by Michael Connelly, Tom Bernadino, and Eric Overmyer. The Amazon Freevee series is a spin-off to Prime Video’s long-running Bosch series and it continues the story of former LAPD detective turned private investigator Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch and his daughter, Madeline “Maddie” Bosch as she begins her police career as a rookie cop. Bosch: Legacy stars Titus Welliver, Mimi Rogers, Madison Lintz, Stephen Chang, Denise G. Sanchez, and Paul Calderón.
Why It’s Similar? If you loved Renée Ballard then you should see her origins in Bosch: Legacy, where she first appeared.
Cold Case (Prime Video, HBO Max, & The Roku Channel)
Cold Case is a police procedural crime drama series created by Meredith Stiehm. The CBS series is set in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it follows Detective Lilly Rush, a homicide detective, as he single-handedly tackles cold cases that were left unsolved. Kathryn Morris, Justin Chambers, Thom Barry, John Finn, Jeremy Ratchford, Danny Pino, Sarah Brown, and Tracie Thoms.
Why It’s Similar? Cold Case and Ballard both have similar concepts, from their capable leading ladies to their working on cold cases.
Line of Duty (Hulu, Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi, Acorn TV, Crackle, The Roku Channel, Britbox, Plex, & Rent on Prime Video)
Line of Duty is a British police procedural crime drama series created by Jed Mercurio. The BBC series follows DS Steve Arnott, a former counter-terrorism officer who transfers to the controversial Anti-Corruption Unit 12 and works with the team to find corruption in the Police organization. Line of Duty stars Lennie James, Martin Compston, Vicky McClure, Keeley Hawes, Adrian Dunbar, Jessica Raine, Craig Parkinson, Daniel Mays, Thandie Newton, Stephen Graham, Kelly Macdonald, and Anna Maxwell Martin.
Why It’s Similar? If you loved the politics and infighting in the LAPD in Ballard, then you are going to love Line of Duty as it focuses on a group of characters rooting out corruption and wrongdoing from the police department.
Luther (Hulu, AMC+, Pluto TV, Britbox, Philo, & Rent on Prime Video)
Luther is a British psychological crime thriller series created by Neil Cross. The BBC One series follows DCI John Luther, a brilliant but troubled detective who returns to his job after suspension and tries to solve various disturbing murder cases with the help of his new partner DS Justin Ripley. Luther stars Idris Elba, Ruth Wilson, Steven Mackintosh, Indira Varma, Paul McGann, Saskia Reeves, Warren Brown, Dermot Crowley, and Nikki Amuka-Bird.
Why It’s Similar? If you loved how haunted Renée Ballard is her then you should check out Luther, as both protagonists have many things in common.
Marcella (Netflix)
Marcella is a British Nordic noir detective crime thriller series created by Hans Rosenfeldt and Nicola Larder. The Netflix series follows Marcella Backland, a former London detective who returns to work for the police station and begins looking into an unsolved serial killing case from 11 years ago. Marcella stars Anna Friel, Nicholas Pinnock, Ray Panthaki, Jamie Bamber, Jack Doolan, Nina Sosanya, Charlie Covell, Sophia Brown, Amanda Burton, Hugo Speer, and Aaron McCusker.
Why It’s Similar? Marcella and Ballard have similar protagonists and storylines, as both of the leading ladies work on an older unsolved serial killer case.
Unforgotten (PBS & Rent on Prime Video)
Unforgotten is a British crime drama series created by Chris Lang. The ITV series is set in London, and it follows Detectives Cassie Stuart and Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan as they tackle various cold cases, including murders and disappearances. Unforgotten stars Nicola Walker, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Sinead Keenan, Peter Egan, Lewis Reeves, Pippa Nixon, and Carolina Main.
Why It’s Similar? If you loved Renée Ballard and her team working on the cold cases and struggling to find clues, then you are going to love Unforgotten, as its protagonists also try to solve various cold cases.
Broadchurch (Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi, Plex, The Roku Channel, & PBS)
Broadchurch is a British mystery crime drama series created by Chris Chibnall. The ITV series is set in the peaceful coastal town of Broadchurch, and it follows the newly arrived Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, who moved there to have a peaceful life, but he soon finds himself investigating the tragic death of a young boy with the help of Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller. Broadchurch stars David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker, Jonathan Bailey, Charlotte Beaumont, Andrew Buchan, and Arthur Darvill.
Why It’s Similar? Broadchurch and Ballard have similar protagonists in DI Alec Hardy and LAPD Detective Renée Ballard, who are haunted by their past and look at their assignments as a fresh start and also some sort of punishment.