Here in the United States most cop shows are non-stop violence, explosions, blood-spattered, clip-a-minute hodgepodges of rapid fire entertainment where viewers seldom get to solve a crime by using their brains.
Most, not all, are nothing more than hot actresses or actors eye candy that depend more on shock value than true suspense. While some tension is created American audiences don't appreciate what a slow burn is when it comes to suspense-the British do.
One such example of an exemplary detective TV series is Foyle's War starring Michael Kitchen.
Set during WWII in Hastings, Mr. Kitchen plays DCS Christopher Foyle who serves as detective chief superintendent. He works crimes on the home front and contends not only with domestic issues but the effects of the war on his community.
In Set 1 Foyle deals with a murdered conscientious object, a would be saboteur, a Nazi murder and a plot to steal British art treasures. All are edge-of-your-seat suspense stories with so many twist and turns that viewers can become dizzy and yet---Doyle unravels each.
The Acorn Media DVD extras include interviews of cast, crew and the director.