Plainclothes

Plainclothes has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in the US on MUBI, and in the UK on Now TV Cinema. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Tom Blyth leads a cast that carries the story without ever feeling mechanical. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on MUBI.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Plainclothes earns its spot. The plotting in Plainclothes is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. In 1990s New York, an undercover police officer receives an assignment to lure and arrest gay men. However, he's surprised to discover a scintillating connection with one of his targets. As their secret connection deepens and internal pressure to deliver arrests intensifies, he finds himself torn between duty and desire. Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2025. What makes Plainclothes hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, Plainclothes delivers. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Tom Blyth anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.