Спасская (Seasons 1–5)

Spasskaya (2020) is a Russian detective series you can watch online on iFILM, anchored by a strong female lead from Karina Andolenko. Anna Spasskaya works in the Sochi criminal investigation department and unravels cases that leave her colleagues stuck. The show is rated 12+.

She's principled and doesn't mind coming across as a stickler. With her superiors she stays blunt, she cracks suspects calmly, and she puts unruly subordinates back in their place when needed. Her real edge is the knack for spotting an unlikely theory in the deadest of cases and latching onto the one detail everyone else walked past. That sharp eye, the family says, came down to her from her grandmother.

On the surface her private life looks settled: a well-off husband brings coffee to bed and keeps urging her to quit the dangerous job. But the idyll cracks faster than it seems, and the cases start brushing up against her own home. Sunny Sochi here is no postcard — it's the backdrop for hard stories. A good pick for anyone who likes a detective tale with a tough heroine and southern color. Stream Spasskaya (2020) online on iFILM.