Which country produces the best cop shows? It’s gotta be Hong Kong’s TVB crime and investigation dramas
TVB has always been a television staple growing up for me, but that’s because my parents came from Hong Kong. With the sheer number of K-Dramas, Taiwanese series and of course our very own Channel 8, not many Singaporeans grew up with TVB the way that I do. But if you ask around, many of them have actually have heard of TVB; specifically, Forensic Heroes, one of the classic crime and investigation TVB dramas that have captured the hearts of many Singaporeans.
The heart-thumping chase, mind-boggling crimes, cruel backstabs and heart wrenching romance — in addition to the Forensic Heroes series, we’ve also compiled the 13 best TVB police dramas.
Read on: Best TVB dramas of all time!
Best TVB Crime and Investigation drama
1. Line Walker 使徒行者 (2014)
TVB’s most popular police series, Line Walker takes undercover police dramas up a notch. After the his colleague’s mysterious death, Cheuk Hoi (played by Michael Miu) was responsible for locating and protecting the undercover cops that were under the deceased colleague.
Together with Sit Ka Keung (played by Raymond Lam), Ting Siu Ka (played by Charmaine Seah) and three others, they reveal more secrets, like the cause of his colleague’s death and the presence of a mole in the police force.
A second series, Line Walker: The Prelude, was later released in 2017. It stars Pakho Chau, Priscilla Wong and Benjamin Yuen.
Released in 2020, their third series features Kenneth Ma as the antagonist, and introduces new cast members like Owen Cheung and Mandy Wong.
2. Sinister Beings 逆天奇案 (2021)
Most police dramas centers around felonies and petty crimes. But what happens when an intelligent terrorist group targets the Hong Kong Police Force directly?
Hui Chun-sum (played by Ruco Chan) is an elite police officer in the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau. Just as he is about to transfer to the Special Duties Unit, the police force gets attacked by a mysterious and powerful force in the shadows. In order to protect his comrades and weed out the terrorists.
Also starring Rosina Lam, Ben Wong and Crystal Fung, Sinister Being has released their second season in 2024.
3. Every Move You Make 讀心神探 (2010)
Translating to the ‘Mind-reading Detective’, Senior Inspector Linus Yiu (played by Bowie Lam) has mastered the skills of Facial Action Coding System, body language study, microexpression interpretations and applied psychology to solve criminal investigations.
The show takes you on an interesting crime-solving journey. But the biggest challenge for this genius inspector is to manage the messy chemistry in his team which includes but not limited to Kristal Tin, Bosco Wong and Lai Lok Yi.
4. Always and Ever 情逆三世緣 (2013)
This crime series follows a love story through three lifetimes from the Song Dynasty, Hong Kong in 1950s and Modern Hong Kong.
This investigation TVB drama unravels when Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Inspector Circle Yuen (played by Bobby Au Yeung) accidentally kills his wife Phoenix Yeung (played by Esther Kwan).
His grief opened a hole in the timeline sending him back to the Song Dynasty where he meets Shueng-sheung, a scholar who looks exactly like Phoenix. As they travel forward in the timeline, they unveil the true reason behind their fate.
5. Secret Door (2023)
Zhong Zi Kiu (played by Ruco Chan) and Cheung Sam Yue (played by Mandy Wong) are childhood friends who met due to an unfortunate circumstance. Both fathers were involved in a robbery and were killed and incarcerated respectively.
After her father was imprisoned, Yue changed her name to start a new life. Even after she gave birth to her daughter, she never revealed her past identity. Meanwhile, Zhong worked as an insurance investigator.
Years later, they meet again due to a life insurance case that involves Yue’s husband, who died unexpectedly. As his insurance amount was increased a few months before his death, was his death a coincidence or pre-meditated? What else was Cheung hiding from him? As he seeks the truth, he opens various doors he should’ve kept closed, unravelling more and more unbelievable secrets.
6. To Get Unstuck in Time 隔世追兇 (2004)
This 2004 sci-fi and crime TVB series stars Roger Kwok as Ho Tin Guang, who discovered a way to communicate with his deceased father — unknowing of his true identity — from the past through an old telephone.
Together, they help each other solve their crimes with information from their respective timelines. Things were going smoothly until Ho finds out who was behind the phone and the truth behind his death. In an attempt to change history, he meddles with the timeline and causes irreversible change.
7. Flying Tigers 飛虎
Elites of the Hong Kong Police Force, The Flying Tigers specialises in counter-terrorism, hostage rescue and high-risk crimes. This series of bravery and camaraderie centers around the Flying Tigers opposing high-threat criminal organizations. So steel yourself for adrenaline pumping action scenes
The franchise produced the following series: Tiger Cubs (2012), Tiger Cubs II (2014), Flying Tiger (2018) and Flying Tiger II (2019).
8. Legal Maverick 踩過界 (2017)
Blinded after an accident, Hope Man (played by Vincent Wong) persevered and worked hard to become a lawyer. Eventually, he earned the title ‘Blind Legal Knight’ in the legal profession. Like Marvel’s Daredevil, his other senses were also enhanced.
Together with Gogo (played by Owen Cheung), his flatmate and private detective, and Deanie (played by Sisley Choi), his female legal executive with mob connections, these three musketeers challenges criminals to uphold justice.
Legal Mavericks released their second season in 2020.
Read on: The best legal dramas from TVB
9. Witness To A Prosecution 洗冤錄 (2000)
Taking place in the Qing Dynasty, the story centres around the protagonist Song Chi (played by Bobby Au Yeung), a nighttime keeper who was framed for murder along with with Tong Sze (played by Jessica Hsuen). He was later cleared of his name by coroner Ma Kwai (played by Lau Kong) and decided to study under him.
Pioneering the incorporation of forensic science into crime investigations, Song Chi later becomes Sung Yik’s (played by Frankie Lam) personal forensic medical doctor. They solve many mysterious cases together as Song Chi continues developing his skills as a coroner.
Witness To A Prosecution was met with positive reviews and also yielded Bobby Au Yeung the “Best Actor’ award in 2000. A sequel was later released in 2003.
10. Forensic Heroes 法政先鋒
Forensic Heroes is an iconic TVB crime series unbeknownst to many. Complementing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) with the sophisticated art of forensic science, this is one crime/investigation drama that should not be missed.
Cast for the five seasons of Forensic Heroes:
1. Bobby Au-Yeung, Frankie Lam, Yoyo Mung, Linda Chung
2. Bobby Au-Yeung, Frankie Lam, Kevin Cheng, Sharmaine Sheh,Yoyo Mung, Linda Chung
3. Wayne Lai, Maggie Cheung, Kate Tsui, Ron Ng
4. Raymond Wong, Selena Lee, Shaun Tam, Alice Chan Wai, Rebecca Chu, Roxanne Tong
5. Bosco Wong, Benjamin Yuen, Venus Wong, Sisley Choi, Jacky Cai, Tony Hung
11. The Four 四大名捕 (2008)
Adapted from a novel, The Four tells a tale of four constables who work together to solve cases and attempt to oust the corrupt prime minister of the Song Dynasty. The appeal of this series is the incorporation of chinese martial arts and the dynamics among the four hot blooded constables with vastly different personalities and beliefs.
But what’s even better than the plot is the epic cast, featuring Raymond Lam, Kenneth Ma, Sammul Chan and Ron Ng.
12. A Pillow Case of Mystery 施公奇案 (2006)
Taking place in the Song Dynasty, A pillow Case of mystery is a fantasy-detective drama. Newly appointed magistrate of Kung-do County, Sze Sai Lun (played by Bobby Au Yeung) encounters a spirit enclosed in a pillow who helps him solve challenging cases by giving him riddles and clues.
The series was such a hit that a sequel, A pillow case of mystery II was later released in 2010.
13. D.I.E 古靈精探 (2008)
We’ve all heard of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). But what about the Death Investigation Extension (D.I.E)? As cool as it sounds, the D.I.E was established as an excuse for superiors to send away unwanted subordinates.
Despite cracking many major cases, Yue Chi-Long (played by Roger Kwok) was banished to D.I.E as he constantly falls asleep on his job. Little do they know that his weird habit is due to his extrasensory abilities which allows him to see images of a deceased person’s past life when he touches their personal belongings.
After winning ‘Best Drama’, a second series ‘D.I.E Again’ is released in 2009.
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