"Just one more question, it's probably nothing..."
Tea and a murder, anybody...?
Long before true crime podcasts and unhinged cult documentaries satisfied our need for the macabre, “cozy mysteries” had our backs. The genre — also called “cozies” (10/10, perfect nickname, no notes) is marked by very little on-screen sex and violence, quiet, cute towns, and amateur detectives who, somehow, still always get the bad guy. Of course, as with any genre, there’s some wiggle room: it’s one of those “I know it when I see it” definitions and, well friends, we happen to be a big fans of cozies and have rounded up some of our favorite cozy mysteries to stream after the kids go to bed.
Perhaps the real joy of these series is that they satisfy our need for excitement and intrigue without stressing us out. We never have to worry that we’re going to be bombarded with gory details or that our favorite detective won’t be able to figure it out. We know, from the very beginning, that by the end of the episode we will have all the information and, once we get the hang of them, we can even start solving the mystery along with the characters.
Fortunately, there is no dearth of content out there to keep you entertained — due in no small part to the fact that many of these shows run for decades and boast hundreds of episodes. There’s plenty more shows where these came from, but this should be enough to get you started...
Agatha Christie’s Poirot
Agatha Christie’s beloved character, Belgian super-sleuth Hercule Poirot, has lived many lives in media. In addition to this beloved series, Poirot has been featured in 33 novels, 51 short stories, two plays, and at least 16 movies (with more planned) from 1920 to today. His eccentric but stately demeanor make him a detective for the ages and this series is just the thing to scratch that cozy mystery itch. And because there are 70 episodes (which originally aired between 1989 and 2013), there’s plenty of Poirot to keep you entertained.
Poker Face
Charlie Cale has an inexplicable talent: the congenial, if rough-around-the edges card shark turned cocktail waitress can always tell when someone is lying. When this talent leads her to investigate her friend’s suspicious death, however, she soon finds herself in over her head and fleeing the Las Vegas mob. Her desperate chase takes her across the country, always barely one step ahead of her pursuers... and, wouldn’t you know it, everywhere she goes, there’s a murder to be solved.
Funny, clever, and chock-full of celebrity guest stars, this cozy mystery series will leave you begging for a second season. (Pretty please, Peacock!)
Stream Poker Face on Peacock.
Murder, She Wrote
This might just be the cozy mystery series and not for lack of competition. International treasure Angela Lansbury stars as retired English teacher turned mystery writer/amateur detective Jessica Fletcher, a widow who lives in the charming seaside village of Cabot Cove, Maine. Well, it’s charming if you don’t count all the murders that took place there between 1984 to 1996. (Yes, the show ran for 12 seasons, so there’s plenty of good marathon watches in store for you.)
Yes, it seems every other day there’s a new murder to be solved, and fortunately for the good people of Cabot’s Cove, Ms. Fletcher is on the case.
Stream Seasons 1-6 of Murder, She Wrote on Amazon Prime or all 12 seasons on Peacock.
Psych
Shawn Spencer, is a crime consultant in Santa Barbara, where his dad, Henry, was a detective. Shawn has inherited his dad’s keen sense of observation... so much so that he’s convinced the department that he’s a psychic. Aided by his brainy best friend, Gus, Shawn pieces together whatever crime-filled puzzle comes his way.
Stream Psych on Amazon Prime.
Midsomer Murders
This classic, long-running “murder of the week” series follows the episodic exploits of Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby. Set in the tranquility of the fictional Midsomer country, you’ll find loads of British charm and lovely villages with adorable names (Badger’s Drift, for example) among the many, many murders. There’s more than 130 episodes as of 2024. Fortunately, you never really doubt whether Inspector Barnaby will wrap up the case in 90 to 100 minutes.
Monk
Adrian Monk was a homicide investigator in the San Francisco Police Department homicide before the death of his wife, Trudy, after which his obsessive–compulsive disorder worsened considerably. Three years later, after crippling depression and a development of new phobias and anxieties, he’s improving, and with the help of his assistant and personal nurse, Sharona, he’s able to serve as a private and consulting detective. All the while, he works on the one case that’s most tormented him: Trudy’s murder.
Stream Monk on Netflix.
Murdoch Mysteries
Toronto, the turn of the 20th century. Detective William Murdoch is a brilliant scientific mind and uses innovative investigative techniques we take for granted today to solve the city’s most diabolical mysteries. The fact that this is also a costume drama really does make this like a little cozy murder vacation for your brain.
Stream Murdoch Mysteries on Hulu or Amazon Prime.
Happy sleuthing!
