Are these the best detectives in TV history?

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The police procedural is one of the most well-worn TV genres, and yet the small-screen detectives just keep on coming - complete with their various drinking problems, short tempers and lack of social skills.

For good reason: crime mysteries make for some of the most compelling dramas, whether the cases are neatly resolved at the end of each episode, or spun out over season-long arcs, as popularised by Nordic Noir (and arguably invented by Twin Peaks).

While the question of 'whodunnit' might be the reason we keep tuning in from one week to the next, it's the complex character of the individual detective that keeps us hooked, series after series.

With detectives as popular as ever - from Kip Glaspie in Collateral to Broadchurch's Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller - we asked members of our Screen Babble Facebook group to tell us their favourites.

Luther star Idris Elba will be reprising his role (Photo: BBC)

The British favourites

Among the more recent British sleuths, Luther was a popular choice with three nominations, perhaps in anticipation of Idris Elba reprising his role as the tough DCI John Luther for series five.

Others in the group, such as Jez Garrett, paid tribute to the "wonderfully written" character of Catherine Caywood in Happy Valley (she's a sergeant as opposed to a detective, but we can loosen the definition), Donald Grant suggested "Rebus, as played by Ken Stott" and several singled out Jimmy Perez in Shetland.

Nick Long opted for Aurelio Zen from the 2011 BBC three-part drama - "brilliantly played by Rufus Sewell from the much missed Michael Dibdin’s wonderful novels" - while Alex Watson voted for Sherlock, "especially in the early episodes".

John Thaw as Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sgt Lewis (Photo: ITV)

The suggestion of the young Morse in ITV's Endeavour prompted an interesting exchange between two members of the group:

Greer Nicholson: "I love Endeavour, more than Morse or Lewis."

Jez Garrett: "Morse fact: Colin Dexter had it written into his will that no one else is ever allowed to play (senior) Morse, as John Thaw was so good. So Endeavour can only ever be the younger version."