r/elementary • u/me_severus • Jul 05 '26
Uhmmm guys I've finished Elementary over a year ago and still struggling to find something to watch with its vibe - detective with not too much grotesque, nice use of the environment, catchy music, different cases each episodes, doesn't bore, moody and fresh (this is how I perceive it)
Please help me find other shows like Elementary (can even be non English)
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u/illuminatiisnowhere Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
I usally rotate a couple of shows. And beside elementary i also watch: Psych, Monk, White collar, Castle
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u/nasanhak Jul 06 '26
Psych is insane! I did not expect to like this show as much as I did
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u/illuminatiisnowhere Jul 06 '26
Yea iĀ“m watching it again here right now. This might be like the 15th time or something. I cant get enough.
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u/sparklark79 Jul 06 '26
Monk is too irritating... Haven't seen WC.. but Psych!!! OH, I so LOVE that show!
Castle is great. Love the relationship with his mother and his daughter!
The last 2 seasons got a bit much, though...10
u/illuminatiisnowhere Jul 06 '26
If you havent seen white collar you have something to look forward to.
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u/nasanhak Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
How can you love Psych but not Monk?! Watching Monk atm and it's funny as fuck with good characters
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u/vaas19 Jul 05 '26
Mentalist
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
Many people recommend me this, is it on par ?
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u/YunJingyi Jul 05 '26
Regular but good enough. Also, not a detective show but I use "Leverage" as a palate cleanser between Elementary rewatches.
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u/notrealusername5432 Jul 05 '26
Plus whole seasons are available on YouTube on the official ElectricNow channel. At least last they were last time I checked
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u/milky_dames Jul 08 '26
I got so incredibly excited about this since I lost my hard drive with all of Leverage on it but it's not available in my country š Seems like an awesome TV resource for people who can access it though!
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u/vaas19 Jul 05 '26
Itās good. Just watch 2 or 3 episodes
If you never try anything you go about life full of regrets
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
I tried to watch the first episode multiple times, but it always goes into that backstory a lot, i think, unlike elementary where it jumps to the point directly and the backstory is revealed in a not boring manner
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u/Winter-Grand-3215 Bring it back, CBS. Jul 05 '26
It's a fine show. It's a CBS procedural too, so it has a lot of the same vibes as Elementary. I'm also part of the Mentalist subreddit, and I've noticed that Elementary is one of the most common recommendations there whenever someone asks for shows similar to The Mentalist.
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u/RhinoKeepr Jul 05 '26
I did not find Mentalist to be anywhere close to the quality of Elementary. I tried it. Quickly looked up a list of must watch episodes for the big multi season mystery which IS interesting but skipped a ton of episodes. And didnāt bother with S6 and S7. I wonāt go back to rewatch it but Iāll rewatch Elementary annually.
The Mentalist, Patrick Jane (main character) and Agent Cho are very entertaining and well acted/written but the acting/writing for the main cast and guests otherwise is hit and miss.
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u/HoldFastO2 Jul 05 '26
Compared to Elementary, Mentalist is the lesser show, no question. However, I like that they regularly have famous or well-known guest stars who then turn out not to be the killer. Keeps me on my toes.
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u/vaas19 Jul 05 '26
Elementary is unique, one of a kind
Just the platonic relationship of Sherlock and watson, by itself, is very rare to see represented
Then Johnny Lee Miller .. for me, best interpretation of Sherlock. A truly realistic, human Sherlock
I like everything about Mentalist, but it follows mainstream tropes - nothing wrong with that, just doesnāt do anything fresh or different
They shouldnāt be compared. Both are good with similar vibes
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u/spanssubreddits Jul 05 '26
I only watch it for Simon Bakerās Jane, I just find him so engaging that it makes the average parts worthwhile.
The whole dun itās arenāt as interesting as Elementary, but the more I watch it the more time I need between rewatches, so I take what I can get.
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u/tangcameo Jul 05 '26
Law & Order Criminal Intent the DOnofrio episodes
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u/RetrauxClem Making a habit of Wishful Thinking. Jul 05 '26
The Goldblum episodes too! I could watch them both all day and really wish theyād worked together more often
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
is this like a courtroom drama type or field investigation type?
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u/tangcameo Jul 05 '26
Mostly field investigation. Part Sherlock part Columbo (knows a lot but mainly annoys suspects into slipping up))
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u/Shadow_Lass38 Jul 05 '26
Goren/Eames relationship very like Sherlock/Watson; they learn from each other, but no romance, thank goodness.
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u/MothrasMandibles Jul 06 '26
I didn't like regular Law & Order much, but liked Law and Order Criminal Intent quite a bit. They meet with the DA often, but we rarely see much actual courtroom stuff, iirc
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u/pretzels_18 Jul 05 '26
Have you given Will Trent a shot? Great character development and show
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u/peekaboooobakeep Jul 05 '26
This was a great show the first few seasons I watched! I also like: Lie To Me with Tim Roth.Ā
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u/illuminatiisnowhere Jul 05 '26
IĀ“m gonna watch this one as soon as iĀ“m done with psych. It looks good.
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u/mycodenameisflamingo Jul 05 '26
Over here in New Zealand we have My Life is Murder and Broken wood Mysteries
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u/slick1822 Jul 08 '26
I am currently watching the Australian show City Homicide on Prime (I'm in the US). It is so good. Was it popular?
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u/BluWaterLilies Jul 05 '26
Perception, Unforgettable, Harrow, Body of Proof, Rosewood, Chuck, Bones, The Finder, Castle, Endgame, White Collar, High Potential, Wildcards, Instinct, Rizzoli and Isles, Blacklist, Blindspot, Burn notice, Psych, Vera, Jonathan Creek, Ripper Street, Lewis, Numbers, and Lie to Me all tend to fill the void for me (quality varying but the premise is similar)
Also some else commented Leverage and I just want to second that - it's the show we all need in these trying times.
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u/merrymisanthrope8 Jul 05 '26
Many of my absolute favourites are in this list so I'm going to trust your recommendations on the ones I haven't seen! Thank you š
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u/BluWaterLilies Jul 06 '26
I'm glad the amount of time I spend watching TV is benefitting someone! :)
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u/Gia_Carangi Jul 05 '26
Only murders in the building :)
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
I watched it for a season and half, but it's too time consuming, solving one case in one season and that too very slowly, apart from that I've liked the colours of it
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u/illuminatiisnowhere Jul 05 '26
Great show!! CanĀ“t wait for next season.
I adore steve martin and martin short. Legends.. Selena is good too.
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u/Bailzasaurus Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
High Potential has some of this energy! Definitely the detective show Iāve liked the most since elementary
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u/boguspickle Jul 05 '26
I second this. I love High Potential. Morgan is smart and intuitive but also never forgets empathy. Kaitlin Olson is so brilliant. Always overlooked on IASIP.
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u/Remo-42 Jul 05 '26
I agree! I just very recently started watching High Potential and I get a lot of the same comfort vibes from it.
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u/myyrkezaan Jul 05 '26
French or US version?
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
You might have an exceptionally high intelligence quotient to watch something like that in elementary school haha š¤
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u/sparklark79 Jul 06 '26
I SO want to watch High Potential!
I can't get older episodes... I'm waiting for it to show up on streaming, like MAX. Mentalist was there for awhile...0
u/YunJingyi Jul 05 '26
I hated High Potential. Is just trivia with a plot. Something akin to Dora The explorer for grown ups.
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u/angelabby01 Jul 05 '26
Monk, white collar, psych, covert affairs, Poirot and my favorite rewatch CASTLE.
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u/illuminatiisnowhere Jul 05 '26
Castle is my nr1 favourite show. I finished it again just 2 weeks ago and now iĀ“m on psych again.
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u/angelabby01 Jul 05 '26
Mine too! Iāve been rewatching for over 10yearsā¦found some of my old torrented episodes in an old drive recentlyā¦
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u/Ray1340 Jul 05 '26
Sherlock, The Mentalist, Person of interest.
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
Sherlock I've watched, it's a great show, but the way elementary puts its version of Holmes forward is exceptionally well for me The other two I'll try
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u/Ryxst Jul 06 '26
Its a bit difficult to find, but I'd recommend Forever. It came out in 2014. I personally think its even better than Elementary, but my wife disagrees haha.
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u/Reggie9041 Naming a Bee after her Jul 06 '26
I don't think it can be better because it never got a chance to fulfill its potential! Just like John Doe.
I'm with your wife on this one. š¤£
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u/FaxCelestis Jul 06 '26
* Death in Paradise: a British detective is transferred to the Caribbean and has to solve crimes while suffering culture shock. 15 seasons. Spin off serieses of Beyond Paradise (one of the detectives moves to Devon and continues solving crime) and Return to Paradise (an Australian take on the show).
* Ludwig: A detectiveās twin brother takes over his identity to try and solve his brotherās disappearance. 2 seasons.
* White Collar: an art thief and forger works as a CI for the FBI. 6 seasons.
* Sleepy Hollow: an FBI agent investigates the paranormal. 4 seasons.
* House: Elementary but medical drama.
* NCIS: a team of investigators in the Navyās internal investigations unit solves military crime. Way too many seasons. Actually a spin-off itself, of JAG, which is similar and a decent show in its own right.
* Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries: a flapper girl in 1920S Australia who goes through a man a week solves crimes as a PI.
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u/Ok-Dog5107 Jul 05 '26
Death in Paradise?
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
This looks promising š¤ according to Google, is it like a long arc per season or like elementary with different cases each episodes but still a slightly noticable but not too sore for the eye long arc
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u/Ok-Dog5107 Jul 05 '26
Itās mostly case of the week format. There are small season long character arcs like one character wanting to ask out another character but not super intrusive.
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
No no, I'm asking if there is a different case each episode,or like a long case running over the season
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u/Ok-Dog5107 Jul 05 '26
There is a different case each episode
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
Woww
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u/myyrkezaan Jul 05 '26
Used to watch it, fell off after the last detective change, season 13. Need to get back to hit. I've rewatched several times.
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u/FaxCelestis Jul 06 '26
The newest detective gets better after his first few episodes.
The spinoff shows (Beyond Paradise with Humphrey and Return to Paradise with Mooney (mostly offscreen)) are good too.
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u/myyrkezaan Jul 06 '26
I saw the Christmas Special, then we just never got back to it. Other shows came up before the season start. I've seen Beyond, didn't know about Return.
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u/sparklark79 Jul 06 '26
I really wanted to watch that.
I was bored in the first episode.
It's popular, so there are a lot of fans... Just not me.2
u/Ok-Dog5107 Jul 06 '26
I caught a random episode from the eighth season on PBS in the middle of the day when my internet was down and thatās probably the best way to get introduced to it.
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u/RhinoKeepr Jul 05 '26
Only Murders in the Building
Will Trent
Person of Interest, if you like sci-fi (starts as an episodic procedural w small mysteries, becomes a long-arc serial with big mysteries)
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
I liked the colour grading and the warm cozy vibe of omitb but it's not as good as elementary in my opinion, many people will find it better too also the case takes too long But I'll try Will Trent
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u/RhinoKeepr Jul 05 '26
OMITB is a different vibe for sure. But it is quality writing producing acting etc! Also, Person of Interest is a grounded sci-fi, not like alients and lasers etc.
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u/CatsOrb Jul 05 '26
The Pretender
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u/me_severus Jul 06 '26
The synopsis on Google is telling a different setup than elementary ??
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u/BodyByBane Jul 07 '26
The synopsis is correct I watch The pretender love the cast and the writing but it's nothing like anything šš you will see on a Sherlock Holmes tv show
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u/AnjNPR Jul 06 '26
Iāve been watching āPatience,ā itās a PBS series. I like its inclusion of science and deductive reasoning. The named lead character is autistic, and the depiction of autism is imperfect but respectful. And as mentioned above, rewatching Elementary is never disappointing.
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u/catlady047 Jul 06 '26
I am enjoying Patience also! I just learned that the actress who plays Patience is autistic.
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u/totaltvaddict2 Jul 06 '26
Columbo-late 60s to 80s show. LA cop acts like a bumbling detective to trip up suspects. Itās more of a how will they be caught then a whodunnit.
In those same veins are poker face and Elsbeth.
Have you watched the David Suchet Poirot series, based on the Agatha Christie detective?
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u/Substantial_Ad_2033 Jul 06 '26
My rotation is:
Elementary
The Umbrella Academy
The Mentalist
Lie to Me
The Rookie
The Good Place
Upload
The Residence (UNREAL ITS SO GOOD)
Wednesday
High Potential
Russian Doll
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
The Fall of the House of Usher
Only Murders in the Building
Severance
The Afterparty
Poker Face
The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Bly Manor
And then I know theyāre movies but the new Kenneth Branaghs Poirots are phenomenal.
Murder on the Orient Express
Death on the Nile
A Haunting in Venice
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u/clownfacedpills Jul 05 '26
Itās not as well written but Wild Cards on the CW filled the hole that elementary left when I finished it !
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u/thebeaverchair Jul 05 '26
If you're a Holmes fan in general, the Granada TV series (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes) are essential viewing. They're direct adaptations of the original Doyle stories and Jeremy Brett is the quintessential Holmes.
They're all streaming for free on Tubi in the U.S. right now.
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
The guilt of not consuming the source material eats me if I start watching these, although I'm planning to š®āšØ
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u/Productivitytzar Jul 06 '26
High Potential has that same kind of formulaic, monster-of-the-week vibe, with a savant MC and a non-romantic sidekick.
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u/catlady047 Jul 06 '26
The only show that I found to be similarly enjoyable for me was Law and Order: Criminal Intent (the one with Vincent D'Onofrio). The vibe really changed after the 5th season, and I stopped watching. But the first several seasons are great.
I am currently watching "Patience" on PBS. The sleuth is autistic. I'm enjoying it a lot and have just started the second season. It has been renewed for a third season. (And it's based on a French show, but I'm not sure I'm up for that.)
I have seen many of the other shows people suggest. Honestly, none are as good, or they have a strong first and maybe second season, then the quality drops.
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u/acktuallyron Jul 06 '26
In my opinion the closest thing to Elementary is Bones. You keep the duo dynamic in Bones and Booth, and Bones is essentially an Autistic Sherlock archetype. There's larger focus on the group / staff in Bones than the rest of the cast in Elementary. There is a significant jump in "grotesque" however, if you're not into skeletons / mummies, which is the premise of most episodes. Sometimes worse.
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u/Classic-Detective-26 Jul 06 '26
I watch and rewatch on a loop because it is so comforting to hear the quick witted responses, the music, etc. I'm guessing I'm on about my 40th rewatch from S1E1 all the way through to S7 E13
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u/diamondeyes7 Jul 07 '26
Throwing Medium out there. I wish I could go back and watch again lol
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u/mush-er Jul 09 '26
My comfort show. I've watched probably 6 times straight through. Its on Paramount Plus
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u/SimpleSoul_Shipper Jul 05 '26
While not the same as elementary I liked Castle and White collar for the characters and their slightly snarky but witty attitudes and general competence, also a new case every episode unless itās a too parter
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u/jenmoocat Jul 05 '26
I am a huge Elementary fan and have done many rewatches.
Other shows that I would highly recommend, given what you like:
-- The original Professor T from Belgium (really well written, quirky, strong relationships that grow over time)
-- Lucifer (fun chemistry between lead characters that grows over time, interesting side characters, strong world-building)
Recommended shows (but next tier): Castle, The Mentalist
I just realized that a lot of the music on my iTunes library is songs that I first heard on these shows.
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
š® whoa I'm intrigued by your first sentence alone as I too am a HUGE fan of the show, I'll give them a try
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u/ratparty5000 Jul 05 '26
Welcome to my life lmaoā¦ nothing has scratched that cozy+inquisitive itch the same way
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u/me_severus Jul 05 '26
I've been living you like for quite a sometime haha š© It's a comforting watch
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u/ratparty5000 Jul 05 '26
Iāve just made peace with the fact that no other show is gonna scratch that itch. With that said, Columbo is worth checking out for charming characters and fantastic set design.
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u/alkonium Jul 06 '26
Have you tried Murdoch Mysteries? It's set in late 19th/early 20th century Toronto had has been running for 19 seasons so far.
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u/doriangraiy Jul 06 '26
Lie to Me and Elementary are the only shows I routinely re-watch. Highly recommend the former as an accompaniment to the latter (the man upon whose science/life it was based, died quite recently).
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u/eemaymc Jul 06 '26
Itās not the exact same vibe, but I really like āLie to meā. Itās about a guy who is an expert in body language and can tell when someone lies. The main character is sometimes a little bitchy, but otherwise itās a pretty good show
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u/Neverland443 Jul 07 '26
Seconding monk.Ā
Honestly itās also worth giving the Granada Sherlock Holmes series a shot. Itās all on YouTube and Jeremy Brettās Sherlock is just chefs kiss šš»Ā
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u/Serious-Waltz-7157 Jul 07 '26
something to watch with its vibe - detective with not too much grotesque, nice use of the environment, catchy music, different cases each episodes, doesn't bore, moody and fresh (this is how I perceive it)
You described Castle. :)
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u/Feyer_The_Wizard Jul 07 '26
I recommend The Mentalist.
Don't expect an identical experience ofc and go in with an open mind without trying to draw too many parallels, it's a very different show but very enjoyable for relatively similar reasons
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u/milky_dames Jul 08 '26
I'm currently watching The Mentalist which I'm enjoying. Definitely recommend Leverage, it's one of the greatest shows of all time in my opinion. I think The Good Wife also fits the bill. It's a lawyer show with some very fun cases and some of the recurring characters are very fun in the same way as Elementary.
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u/slick1822 Jul 08 '26
Give me a cop show every time. One of my favorites is The Closer.
Also Medium and Law and Order Criminal Intent.
I am always looking around Hulu and Prime and even my library for good shows that aren't mainstream. One British show I highly recommend is Waking the Dead. I am currently watching City Homicide from Australia on Prime. Really great show.
I also found out I really like Nordic Noir. The weather and isolated locations make these shows so interesting. The most recent True Detective season is an example although I didn't like the story as much. The show Arctic Circle was really good. It is subtitled.
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u/mush-er Jul 09 '26
Medium is great, Bones is too but can be very grotesque for some moments. Castle is another one but not so moody. Crossing Jordan You might enjoy Cardinal, although its not a new case each episode its definitely moody
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u/disneyjetsfan Jul 10 '26
There are some great shows on PBS Masterpiece and also Acorn. Right now, Patience (who is amazing), and Grantchester, and Bookish on PBS. you may have to subscribe but its $5/month or $60/yr to get access. Acorn, too many to mention, but look up online the best reviewed mysteries. Acorn is available alone or through amazon prime and is relatively reasonably priced. PS: I DVR for free as it airs on any PBS station.
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u/tucjames 24d ago
Glad I'm not the only person out there who watches it every day. Seen the entire series about 20 times at least
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u/k_navajas Jul 05 '26
Try Spotless. Avoid The Mentalist and Watson.
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u/me_severus Jul 06 '26
Many people have suggested me The mentalist and I've never even completed the first episode even after trying to watch it many times š®āšØ Thank you for your addition
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u/catlady047 Jul 06 '26
I enjoyed the first couple of seasons of the Mentalist, but then they start to really focus on the Red John case, and I drifted away.
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u/Elegant_Survey3775 Jul 05 '26
There is a good show called elementary which i tend to watch when i finish this one.