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There’s been a murder! Hasn’t there? In new comedy show , detective Knut Ångström (Matthew Holness) tries to solve a murder where there is neither a body nor murder. Ångström comes from a long heritage of comedy cops who cause hilarity rather than upholding the law. Here are eight of the funniest detectives…

Running for a criminally short six episodes in 1982, Police Squad! spawned Detective Frank Drebin, played by Leslie Nielsen. While the show never got a second series, it gained a cult following through repeats and went on to inspire three Naked Gun movies. Lampooning cop dramas of the time, each episode handled a different case.

Leslie Nielsen as Frank Drebin

The show was known for its quickfire gags and sight humour, which actually contributed to its cancellation. It was canned due to viewers actually having to watch it to appreciate it – the fact it was taken off air should itself be under investigation!

Funniest Lines:

“Who are you and how’d you get in here?”
“I’m a locksmith… and I’m a locksmith.”

DI Vivienne Deering (Joanna Scanlan) – No Offence

Blunt but warm with turns of phrase that would make a sailor blush, DI Vivienne Deering is a true force of nature. Played by Joanna Scanlan, she leads the detective team for the fictional "Manchester Metropolitan Police" with a combination of fear and respect. Created by Shameless writer Paul Abbott, No Offence follows Deering and her team investigating a gang war and a serial killer who targets children with Down’s Syndrome. No Offence engages in serious topics and manages to not only balance its drama and comedy, but excels at both.

Funniest line:

“If my dad knew what we were thinking, he’d be turning in his grave. Thank f*** he was cremated.”

Inspector Clouseau – The Pink Panther

Although Clouseau was in the first film of the series, The Pink Panther, he was not its central focus. The bumbling inspector was the break-out star from the ensemble film and became the lead in subsequent films (excluding Inspector Clouseau) until the death of Peter Sellers, who played him to such brilliant effect. Incompetent in every way, Clouseau was famed for being attacked by his manservant Cato in order to improve his self-defence skills.

Clouseau always managed to get the culprit, even though it was through a series of accidents rather than deductions. In the first film, Clouseau investigates the theft of the Pink Panther diamond and goes on to solve murders, the theft of the Pink Panther (again) and a plot to destroy the world.

Funniest Lines:

“This is very strange. I do not ever recall receiving the fortune cookie in a Japanese restaurant.”
“What does yours say?”
"Beware of Japanese waitress bearing fortune cookies..."

Played by Suranne Jones and pronounced Anne Old Man, DC Oldman is the partner to DI Jack Cloth in Charlie Brooker’s A Touch of Cloth. Tackling crimes in the City of Town, the series parodies shows such as Luther with characters that have over-wrought personal lives and will do anything to solve a case, even if it’s illegal. Heavily influenced by Police Squad!, A Touch of Cloth is packed with background visual gags and puns on both of the lead characters' names. The show ran for three series.

Funniest Lines:

“I’m not laughing. I haven’t laughed since my wife died.”
“Why did you laugh when your wife died?”

Sergeant Nicolas Angel is the pinnacle of efficient policing. He’s so good, in fact, that he makes the rest of the Metropolitan Police look bad and so he’s reassigned to the sleepy village of Sandford. Hot Fuzz centres on the contrast between urban and country living, with lots of the humour focusing around the no-nonsense attitude that Angel takes to the village’s seemingly lax approach.

The second in the unofficial "Cornetto" trilogy from Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the film grew out of their love of action films. Drawing inspiration from films like Bad Boys 2 and Point Break, it wears its references on its sleeve, with Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) making Angel watch both of them.

Funniest Lines:

“Oy! When's your birthday?”
“22nd of February.”
“What year?”
“Every year!”
“Get out!”

At 6ft 7in, DI Sleet towers over the string of celebrity rookie cops that he’s partnered up with. Created and played by Tom Davis, Sleet is the central figure in a show that actively tries to defy definition.

Tom Davis as DI Sleet

As implied by the title, each week there is a murder in the fictional town of Successville, which is populated only by celebrities.

These celebrities are played by comedians; however the rookie cop that Sleet is partnered with is a real celebrity. It’s a reality show by way of a sitcom that’s mostly improvised.

Funniest lines:

“I am a robot salesman by the name of Robert Salesman.”
“You’re a Robert salesman by the name of Robot Salesman.”
“No I sell robots.”
“Well which one is it? Robert or Robot…”
“My name is Robert Salesman…”
“It’s very confusing.”
“Well if you let me explain, it’s not actually that hard.”

Writers will do anything to find inspiration and avoid writing. In Bored to Death, Jonathan Ames starts moonlighting as a private detective, even though he doesn’t have a license or training. All of his methods come from having read so many crime and thriller novels. The series follows Ames, his best friend Ray and his boss George as their lives intermingle with Ames’ cases. The show is also written by Jonathan Ames, upon whom the fictional star of the show is based. The series ran for three series between 2009 and 2011 with a movie script currently in production.

Funniest Lines:

“Are you Harry Berganron?”
“Depends whose asking.”
“We are.”
“Whose we?”
“Depends whose asking.”
“I am.”
“Who’s I?”
“Depends whose asking.”

While many comedy detectives solve cases through incompetence, Dirk does many things that may seem incompetent but are in fact vital to solving the crime. Tangential as his actions may be, they are key to investigations as a holistic detective. Using the basis that everything is connected to solve crimes, don’t be taken aback when he bills you for a new fridge to find your cat. It’ll all work out in the end.

Created by Douglas Adams from the unfinished Doctor Who story Shada, Dirk was the central figure in two novels which involved time travel, the Norse gods and missing cats. The novels have been adapted twice for TV, the first starring Stephen Mangan as Dirk and the most recent incarnation stars Samuel Barnett.

Funniest line:

“The more Susan waited, the more the doorbell didn't ring. Or the phone.”

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