“Murderville” is a detective series developed for television by Krister Johnson. It revolves around Terry Seattle, a homicide detective with the city police department who struggles to move on from the death of his partner. In each episode, Terry is joined by a special guest star as they attempt to solve a new murder case.
The series is a mix of murder mystery and comedy genre, as the guest stars’ performance is almost entirely improvised. It is based on the British series “Murder in Successville” and received mixed reviews from critics. If you enjoyed the show’s unique format and want to explore these offbeat shows further, we’ve compiled a list of similar shows for you. You can watch most of these shows like “Murderville” on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.
6.Key & Peele (2012-2015)
“Key & Peele” is a comedy sketch series created by and starring Keegan-Michael Key (“Parks and Recreation”) and Jordan Peele (“Get Out”). The inventive, resourceful and hilarious series features skits on many social topics that will leave viewers in awe of the comedic talent of the creators and performers. If you found the narrative of “Murderville” more imaginary than serious, “Key & Peele” will certainly please you. Plus, it features a ton of exciting guest stars such as Ty Burrell, Jason Schwartzman, and Rashida Jones, to name a few.
5. Who owns it anyway? (1998-)
‘Whose line is it anyway?’ is an improv comedy series created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson. It features four regular performers who participate in various improv games that require them to create characters, storylines, songs, and dialogue on location. If ‘Murderville’ sparked an enthusiasm for improv comedy in you, ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ is the absolute pinnacle of the genre and will be an ideal choice to explore the art form.
4. Only Murders in the Building (2021-)
Created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, “Only Murders in the Building” follows three true-crime podcast enthusiasts who set out to solve a murder case in their apartment building. Like “Murderville”, the series is a light-hearted take on the murder mystery genre and features many original characters. Likewise, it mixes comedy and crime in a single melting pot to give viewers a new and unique experience.
3. Escape the Night (2016-2019)
“Escape The Night” is a reality television series in which a group of guests face off against intriguing characters and embark on a night filled with adventure, mystery and fantasy. The series is created by Joey Graceffa and features popular YouTube stars and internet celebrities. Similar to “Murderville,” the show employs a hybrid format that is a mix of scripted and improvisational elements. Therefore, ‘Murderville’ fans will surely be entertained by ‘Escape The Night’.
2. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000-2015)
“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” is a procedural drama series created by Anthony E. Zuiker. It follows a group of crime scene investigators who use physical evidence to solve complex murder cases. If you enjoyed the murder cases in “Murderville,” you’ll find that “CSI” strikes an equal balance of fast pace and suspense in its narrative as well. Additionally, both shows rely on physical evidence, which means viewers can play along and solve the cases on their own.
1. Murder in Successville (2015-2017)
“Murder in Successville” is a British series that follows Detective Inspector Desmond Sleet, who teams up with a celebrity guest in each episode to solve a murder case. However, unlike the American iteration, the guest stars are characters with actors trying out the role similar to a sketch comedy. Nonetheless, the mysteries are both hilarious and thrilling, and the basic recipe is always the same. Therefore, as a precursor to “Murderville”, the series takes the top spot on our list.
Read more: Is Murderville scripted or improvised?