Shoestring

Not every great procedural makes it onto the major platforms, and Shoestring is a reminder of why it is always worth looking beyond the obvious. 2 seasons and 21 episodes of content is out there — TV Butler finds it for you instantly without the guesswork. A 7/10 rating from a real audience is the kind of signal that does not lie — this was worth people's time when it aired, and it is worth yours now. The challenge with shows that are not on the biggest platforms is simply knowing where to look, and that is exactly what TV Butler is built for. Search by title, find out which service has it in your country, and go from there. No app-switching, no guessing — just a direct path to watching.

A classic from before the prestige-TV era, Shoestring follows a path that stands out in a crowded field. Shoestring is a BBC detective drana set in Bristol and starring Trevor Eve as private detective Eddie Shoestring, who operatee his own show on Radio West, the local radio station. The programme ran between 30 September 1979 and 21 December 1980, in two series with 21 hour-long episodes. Eve opted not to return after two series, as he wanted to diversify into theatre, so the production team changed the setting to Jersey and created Bergerac, also following a detective returning to work after a bad period in his life. Trevor Eve and Doran Godwin lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. The series ran for 2 seasons (1979–1980), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry episodes where the mystery takes a breath — Shoestring passes that test consistently.

Perfect for viewers who think they have already seen all the great crime dramas. Shoestring is the one that tends to prove them wrong. The writing earns its twists rather than manufacturing them, and the result is a show where the resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary. Fans of Jake and the Fatman will recognise the tonal balance between tension and character work. The complete run is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. If you are going to commit to one procedural this month, make it this one.