If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Bad Girls is available on streaming right now. With 8 seasons behind it, the show has had time to find its rhythm and keep it. With 42 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch Victoria Alcock work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Available now — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Bad Girls is worth clearing space for. At its heart, Bad Girls understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. Bad Girls is a British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1 June 1999 to 20 December 2006 and starred Simone Lahbib, Mandana Jones, Debra Stephenson, Linda Henry, Jack Ellis and many more throughout the eight-year run. The series was broadcast in 17 countries and was produced by Shed Productions, the company which later produced Footballers' Wives and Waterloo Road. It is set in the fictional women's prison of Larkhall, and features a mixture of serious and light storylines focusing on the prisoners and staff of G Wing. Credit to Victoria Alcock and Kika Mirylees for grounding it — this is a cast that earns the twists. Across 8 seasons (1999–2006), it never lost the thread that made it worth starting. What makes Bad Girls hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, Bad Girls delivers. The tonal similarities to Vigil are real, though Bad Girls carves out its own identity quickly. 8 seasons in, there is no shortage of material once you get started. Victoria Alcock's performance is the kind that shows up on best-of lists years later. If you have been looking for something to fill the gap left by a recently finished story, this is a reliable answer.

Bad Girls wrapped up in 2006, created by Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus — and 8 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.