There are plenty of great crime solvers on television including detectives, police officers, investigators, and more, but one of the more fascinating types of crime solvers is the private investigators, often endearingly called a sleuth. They go against the grain and do their own thing, solving mysteries in their own way without the inconveniences of law and order always putting up red tape.

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They often think outside the box and solve problems in a creative way, which is entertaining to watch and displays their true intelligence, making them the most favorable type of tv investigator. Over the years there has been plenty of great on-screen private eyes that captivate the audience as they smartly solve the case, sometimes before the police even manage to lift a finger. It's difficult to pick the best of the best but some stand out more due to their impressive list of closed cases.

Thomas Magnum (Magnum P.I.)

Tom Selleck and Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum.

Thomas Magnum from the 1980's series and recent reboot Magnum P.I. was not someone you would expect to be solving mysteries as he was essentially an overgrown bachelor with a lot of luck. But it's hard to deny he wasn't good at his job and he defiantly proved to be in demand in Hawaii. He might rely on his charm more than skill but he had to have some level of intelligence to solve all the crimes he did in the show's two incarnations. The smartest thing about Magnum would have to be that he never let himself gt sterres out, his laid-back demeanor made him more open to the. He's lucky there wasn't a test but with his luck, the answer key might have floated into his lap. answers.

Jim Rockford (Rockford Files)

Jim Rockford on the phone.

Although it has been off the air for decades many still remember the street smart private eye that was Jim Rockford on The Rockford Files. He used his smarts to outwit criminals and win the case. Rockford had a great social intelligence about him, allowing him to read people and find the best solution. He represented the blue-collar crowd and was always strapped for cash which proved to be a great motivator for solving cases and his resourcefulness is what sets him apart from other television sleuths. He is proof that it doesn't always take a fancy education or upbringing to create intelligence.

Dex Parios (Stumptown)

Dex Parios.

Another P.I. with a keen eye is Dex from Stumptown. After serving in Afganistan she was left with a bad case of PTSD which sometimes leads to her not making the smartest choices but that does not take away the fact that she really smart and once she found her place in the PI world gambling and drinking slowly start to be replaced by the thrill of catching the bad guy

Dex uses her observation skills and wit to become a human lie detector, something that comes in very handy in her line of work. She has a knack for reading people and finding people and when her mind fails her and she messes up, she can rely on her skills as a bad-ass fighter.

Veronica Mars

Veronica holding up a taser.

In Veronica Mars' first season she was only seventeen and she could still match wits with most of the people on this list. She is often compared to Nancy Drew in that regard, but if comparing television versions of the characters, Nancy Drew holds no candle to Veronica as although both teens use their friends to aid them in their cases, Nancy on the CW's version of her, relies too much on her friends to be considered a match to the rest of the sleuths on this list.

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Veronica often proved to be smarter than the adults in her town, outwitting the bad guys and even the Sherriff on numerous occasions. Mars was cunning and clever enough to follow the leads and even managed to solve the town's biggest crime when no one else could, all with her classic quick-witted sass. The recent revival of the series shows that Veronica still has a knack for digging up the truth even after all these years, making it seem like sleuthing is just like riding a bike.

Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh (Crossing Jordon)

Jordan Cavanaugh.

Before Jerry O'Connell and Katherine Hahn became household names they were on a little show called Crossing JordonCrossing Jordan was aptly named because medical examiner Jordan Cavanaugh was someone you did want to be on the bad side of. She was tough and independent and had a gifted mind that allowed her to look at a crime scene and solve the puzzles of what happened there, all at a pace that far surpassed the local police force, which caused her to be sought out as a private investigator quite often. . She had a unique way of looking at things and had great instincts that often led her right to the murderer.

Shawn Spencer (Psych)

Shawn Spencer touches his temples during a psychic episode in Psych

Shawn Spencer of Psych was smart enough to fool everyone into thinking he was a psychic. In reality, he was just gifted with an eidetic memory and can quickly process information and use it to figure out clues. He manages to keep a brilliant scam going for years which might be dishonest but it allowed him the access to solve many crimes and help a lot of people.

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He was blessed with a unique brain and with practice and honing his skills, he manages to use his brain as an amazing tool. He might not always use it the right way but he deserves to be on this list with brilliant private eyes because his brain is his ultimate superpower. That and Gus.

Spenser (Spenser For Hire)

Spenser.

Adding to the list of PIs from decades past is Spenser (no last name) from the show opener for hire which aired in 1985. Spenser looked tough and intimidating on the outside but was actually quite intelligent, loving to read, and even being a skilled cook. His passions gave him knowledge in a wide range of areas and allowed him to solve many different kinds of cases. He was fascinated by learning new facts that fascination with learning is what added to his brilliant way of solving crimes. Sadly the recent movie based on the show, Spenser Confidential, didn't quite replicate the way he was both very cool but yet very intelligent at the same time.

Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote)

Jessica Fletcher.

Murder She Wrote aired years ago now but the brilliant character of Jessica Fletcher is still remembered fondly today and has gone on to influence many of the mystery shows of today. In the show, Fletcher was a writer who used her creative thinking to help solve crimes in the small town of Cabot Cove and the surrounding areas in Maine. She often outwitted the criminals in no time and always gave local law enforcement a run for their money.

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She thought outside the box and knew how criminals thought due to her experience of writing believable mysteries. Richard Castle of Castle is a great modern-day example of her but his character holds no candle to the intelligence of Angela Lansbury's iconic character

Adrian Monk (Monk)

Adrian Monk at a table

Adrian Monk of the hit show Monk solved a massive amount of cases at a rapid rate. If it wasn't for his severe O.C.D. Adrian Monk could be leading the FBI. But maybe it is his O.C.D. that helps him creatively look at a crime scene and notice things the police missed. His quirks may have made him hard to work with but there was a reason the police continued to use his assistance in cases. Monk was extremely intelligent and he never let anything get past him and his compulsive need for everything to be just so helped him point out anything that was out of place, leading him right to the answers.

Sherlock Holmes

Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes.

The character of Sherlock Holmes created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has been beloved by generations and because of that, he has seen many incarnations on the screen. Most recently he has been portrayed in the BBC show Sherlock and the CBS show Elementary. While each show has a different take on the famous sleuth, both follow the brilliant detective solving mysteries as a private investigator. His brain works in a truly unique way and few can rival his intelligence. It is hard to imagine any other sleuth outranking him as the only one to ever match wits with him is the veil genius that is Moriarty. He just has a clever way of processing the world that unfathomable to most but the world is lucky to have such an extraordinary mind around to help solve the trickiest of cases.

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