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Broadchurch

As soon as it was announced that middle-aged straight white man Vince Vaughn would be joining fellow middle-aged straight white man Colin Farrell in season two of True Detective, there were a lot of pissed off people on twitter.

It’s not that stories about middle-aged straight white men aren’t interesting, smart, thrilling, nuanced, or entertaining. It’s just that not everyone is a middle-aged white man, and so, some people would like to see a little bit more diversity from their smart crime dramas. And sure, True Detective is still finalizing casting on a third female lead, but that doesn’t change the fact that so far the series has been paying more tribute to white dudes than any other demographic.

True Detective might have been a critical darling and smash hit for HBO this year, but there are tons of other exceptional crime dramas on streaming that aren’t lead by two middle-aged straight white men. Many of them feature intrepid female detectives who are struggling not only against the system, but also misogyny. Some star up-and-coming Latino talents and expose the rampant problems of immigration law. There’s even one that stars Idris Elba.

If you are one of the people who is pissed off about True Detective‘s whitewashed casting — or if you’re one of the people who doesn’t care about that stuff, and you’re just looking for something good to tie you over until the HBO series returns — here are five amazing, creepy, brilliant, and devastating crime dramas you can stream right now.

Happy Valley

This summer, Netflix offered its subscribers an absolute treat of an original British crime drama. It’s called Happy Valley and it’s about a Yorkshire police officer who is trying to foil a kidnapping plot that happens involve the man responsible for her own daughter’s death. Our own Olivia Armstrong calls the series lead, Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) a true feminist hero. The show is also an engaging delight. [Netflix]

Broadchurch

Do you want to know how good Broadchurch is? FOX has already remade it for American audiences as Gracepoint and cast Breaking Bad‘s Anna Gunn in the lead role. You could wait a few weeks for Gracepoint, or you can stream all of Broadchurch right now. The limited series boasts crazy twists and turns, heartbreaking performances, and an absolutely devastating conclusion. [Amazon Instant Video]

The Bridge

Diane Kruger and Oscar-nominee Demian Bichir co-star as two detectives from two different countries (the United States and Mexico) who have to work together to solve a murder that occurs near US/Mexican border. The FX series has received accolades for its unflinching look into the heart of America’s sick immigration system. [Hulu Plus]

Top of the Lake

Auteur Jane Campion brought her own uniquely feminist vision to the detective drama genre when she made the intriguing and unsettling miniseries, Top of the Lake. The series features Mad Men‘s Elisabeth Moss in a decidedly un-Peggy Olsen role. She plays a Sydney detective far from home on a case involving a missing (and pregnant!) 12-year-old girl. [Netflix]

Luther

American audiences might finally be embracing the BBC’s prized detective drama, Sherlock, but much more love should be thrown Luther’s way. The series stars Idris Elba as a grizzled detective obsessed with dispensing justice. The one problem? He gets ensnared by a gorgeous sociopath played by Ruth Wilson. [Netflix]

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to truly engaging detective dramas. You’ve also got the likes of Fargo, Prime Suspect, The Killing, Hannibal, and so much more! Oh, and if you want to see a great comedy featuring a diverse detective squad, might we suggest Brooklyn Nine-Nine? The world of crime drama is bigger than True Detective. You just have to know where to start.

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Photo Credit: Everett Collection & BBC America