How Crime Drama Remains One of Television’s Most Entertaining Genres
Television producer and entertainment commentator Mbuyiselo Vilakazi on why audiences love to play detective and why the best mysteries keep us guessing.
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As a lawyer turned creator, I think there are a few reasons crime drama has remained one of television’s most enduring genres. The first is obvious: suspense. But I think there is something even more compelling at work; our fascination with motive.
We want to understand why people do the things they do. What pushed someone to commit a crime? What are they hiding? And, perhaps most importantly, can we work it out before the detective does?
That is where crime drama becomes particularly engaging. You are not simply watching a story; you become part of the investigation.
You are sitting there thinking, “I think this person did it,” or “There’s definitely something they’re not telling us.” You are collecting clues, questioning people's stories, changing your suspects and trying to solve the case alongside the characters. As a viewer, you feel involved.
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For me, that is the secret of a good whodunnit: it gives the audience a job to do.
There is something inherently human about trying to work out whether someone is telling the truth. We like to believe we can read people. We think we can tell when someone is lying, hiding something or behaving suspiciously. Crime dramas tap directly into that instinct and constantly challenge us: are you actually as good at reading people as you think you are?
That is why a well-written mystery can keep you watching even when you think you have figured it out. The moment you become convinced you know who is responsible, another clue appears, another suspect becomes interesting, or something you thought you understood suddenly looks completely different. It is that feeling of being one step away from the answer that keeps audiences coming back.
What makes BBC BRIT's Death Valley an interesting new addition to this genre is that it plays with the conventions. Rather than presenting a traditional detective partnership, it pairs Timothy Spall as an eccentric retired actor, famous for playing a television detective, with a socially awkward real-life detective investigating murders in Wales, played by Gwyneth Keyworth. The result is a show that combines mystery, humour and character in equal measure, reminding us that some of the best crime dramas don't just ask who committed the crime, but whether the people investigating it can work together in the first place.
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That combination matters because crime drama does not have to be relentlessly dark to be compelling. In fact, some of the most entertaining mysteries understand that audiences want to enjoy the journey as much as they want the answer. A great crime drama can make you think, surprise you and make you laugh, sometimes within the same episode.
What I appreciate about BBC BRIT's current crime and mystery line-up is that it reflects just how broad the genre has become. Audiences can move from a crime comedy such as Death Valley to mysteries rooted in food, art, history or small-town communities, while still enjoying the same fundamental pleasure of trying to solve the puzzle before the final reveal.
But the appeal of a good mystery does not necessarily end when the episode does. If anything, that is often when the conversation really starts.
TV is at its best when it becomes a shared experience. People watch a crime drama and immediately want to compare notes. Did you see what I saw? Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Who do you think did it?
Those conversations happen in WhatsApps, on social media, in the office and around the dinner table. They are also a big part of why people like me, who work in television commentary, can build audiences around entertainment. People do not only want to consume television; they want to talk about it.
South African audiences in particular have always enjoyed television that invites participation. Whether it is debating a reality competition result, discussing sport or sharing theories about a mystery, viewers increasingly want to be part of the conversation rather than simply watch from the sidelines. And a great mystery gives people something to debate; it creates theories, arguments and predictions. Perhaps that is also why the genre has remained so flexible. The basic ingredients remain familiar - a mystery, suspects, clues and a desire to know what happened -but the setting, tone and characters can completely change the experience.
Looking at BBC BRIT's crime nights, what stands out is not how similar these programmes are, but how differently they approach the mystery format. A Taste for Murder takes the whodunnit into the culinary world, proving that almost any setting can become the backdrop for a great mystery. The Art Detectives blends crime-solving with art, history and hidden secrets, while Brokenwood Mysteries demonstrates the enduring appeal of strong characters and a distinctive community setting.
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For me, that is exactly what keeps the genre fresh. Audiences know what they are getting into - there is a mystery to solve - but they do not necessarily know how that mystery is going to be packaged. The setting can change, the tone can change, the characters can change, but that fundamental invitation to the audience remains: come and see if you can figure this out.
In my experience, there are three things that ultimately separate a memorable crime drama from one that is quickly forgotten.
First, you need a genuinely good twist. Not simply a twist for the sake of having one, but a reveal that makes you think back to everything you have watched and realise the clues were there all along.
Second, there needs to be a strong human element. The mystery can be clever, but if you do not care about the people involved, it is difficult to become emotionally invested in the outcome.
And finally, there needs to be some sense of justice or at least a conclusion that makes you question what justice actually means.
That last point is particularly important. Crime dramas are ultimately about people, choices and consequences. The mystery may keep us watching, but it is the human story and the morality underneath it that can make a show stay with us.
Ultimately, that is why I think the genre has endured for so long. From Agatha Christie’s classic murder mysteries that established the conventions of the genre to today's more inventive crime comedies and character-led investigations, the formula continues to evolve without losing what made audiences fall in love with it in the first place.
And when a crime drama can give us something to solve, something to care about, and something to argue about afterwards, it has already done something that plenty of television struggles to achieve: it has given us a reason to keep watching and a reason to keep talking after the credits roll.
Whether you prefer a traditional whodunnit, a crime comedy or a mystery set in an unexpected world, the genre continues to prove that audiences do not simply enjoy watching the clues unfold. They enjoy becoming part of the investigation. Tune into BBC BRIT on DStv Channel 120, on Monday and Tuesday evenings for crime and mystery.
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