Television audiences like seeing law enforcement officers putting cuffs on miscreants, so most police procedurals tend to score big in the ratings department. Consequently, most of these shows last long and are widely known even among fans of other genres. Great examples areLaw & Order: SVUandBlue Bloodswhich all stretched past the 10-season mark and are still going strong.
Surprisingly, a few police procedurals never became as popular as their creators and the networks behind them hoped. Great examples of such shows can be found in the2000swhen the genre’s popularity was as high as ever. While it might be presumed that these shows failed or stayed obscure because of their low quality, that’s hardly the case. Many of them were great and are worth revisiting.
10Raines (2007)
Work could be a lot easier for homicide detectives if murder victims could talk and, inRaines, communication with the dead is very much a reality. In the show, Detective Michael Raines (Jeff Goldblum) has frequent involuntary hallucinations that involve the ghosts of dead people speaking to him. Once the murders are solved, the hallucinations stop.
Delightful Whodunnit Plots
Rainespinches the style ofpopular whodunnit moviesto create a compelling saga in each episode. Even though the dead men tell their tales here, getting the culprit is never straightforward. There are plenty of film noir subtleties too, making the show both stylish and entertaining. As for the performances, Goldblum tries hard to channel Kojak and Columbo’s mannerisms. Thankfully, he mostly succeeds.
Buy it on Apple TV+ or Amazon
9Ashes to Ashes (2008 – 2010)
Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashesis a sequel to one themost critically acclaimed British shows of the 2000s,Life on Mars. Its central character is Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes), a London Metropolitan Police officer who regains consciousness in the ‘80s after being shot during a hostage situation in 2008. There, she is forced to learn how to coexist with the stubborn DCI Gene Hunt.
Fantasy Elements and Political Backdrops
Even though it isn’t as popular as the parent series,Ashes to Ashesis still a robust, cleverly structured project, yet it never comes off as difficult to follow. Instead of setting the events in everyday society, political backdrops are used. For example, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s campaign features in the first season, while the Falklands War affects law enforcement funding in Season 2.
Besides that, there are numerous supernatural elements. For most of the series, viewers are left guessing whether Drake is alive or dead, or whether she has simply time-traveled. It’s not until the series finale that the answer is given.
Stream it on Brit Box
8Karen Sisco (2003 – 2007)
Created by author Elmore Leonard and based on one of the characters from his books,Karen Siscofollows Karen (Carla Gugino), a fearless U.S. Deputy Marshal, based in Florida’s Gold Coast as she flushes out both hard-boiled criminals and petty offenders in the area. Carla also has difficulty getting along with her coworkers, so she constantly goes to her dad — a retired Miami police officer turned private detective — for advice.
A Protagonist Worth Rooting For
It is widely believed that the only reason Karen Sisco failed to attract many eyeballs is because it had been placed in the same time slot asLaw & Order. This was a huge risk on the network’s part, and it sure didn’t pay off. In the series, Karen is as fierce and resourceful as she is in the source material and the 1998 movie,Out of Sight.
And she isn’t the kind of protagonist who just presses suspects against walls and goes home. Through her, fans learn a thing or two about how to overcome workplace challenges. Those who wish to see more of her can check out Season 3 of FX’sJustifiedwhere she makes a guest appearance.
Stream it on Plex
RELATED:10 Great Police Procedural Shows of the 1950s
7Killer Instinct (2005–2006)
Det. Jack Hale (Johnny Messner) fromKiller Instinctalso doesn’t get along with his colleagues. It’s easy to see why his fellow San Francisco Police Department officers don’t like him. He is a snob who enjoys taking unnecessary risks. Furthermore, his dad is a serial killer serving a prison sentence. Because he has the same mannerisms as his old man, many of his coworkers keep wondering if he, too, has a homicide bone inside him.
Deviant Crimes
Police procedural fans are presumably tired of seeing basic stories such as store robberies and gang murders, soKiller Instinct’s creator made an effort to offer something different.
In the series, the officers are members of the Deviant Crimes Unit, meaning they only take on bizarre cases. One such case involves a killer who paralyzes victims using spider bites before murdering them in their beds. Another involves a bride exploding during her wedding reception. More such cases are available, so viewers are unlikely to be bored while watching the underrated procedural.
Buy it on Amazon
6Wanted (2005)
The DEA, USMS (United States Marshals), FBI, LAPD, and ATF, are all cool law enforcement organizations, so the creators ofWantedfigured they would stuff all of them inside their series, rather than focus on one. The plot here thus focuses on a task force comprising members of each of these branches as they hunt down LA’s most wanted fugitives.
Super Crew
As is the case with any other show that features a super team,Wantedtriggers an endless sense of exultation. It’s like watching the Avengers in action, as each member of the task force has a special skill that the rest do not possess.
Given the dynamics, everyone needs each other, so the teamwork is beautiful to watch. Regarding the criminals, they are all movie-level types of villains. They all bore their subordinates with endless monologues, and kill people who don’t deserve to die. Unfortunately for them, the protagonists are always ready to go over and beyond to put them behind bars.
5The Evidence (2006)
The Evidence
The Evidencefollows San Francisco Police Department’s Inspector Cayman Bishop (Orlando Jones), who is still dealing with depression stemming from the murder of his wife. The grief serves as motivation to clean the streets, so he does so with the help of his hilarious partner and a medical examiner. As he investigates various cases, he also works hard to solve his wife’s murder case.
Viewers Get an Exclusive Peak
The show’s format is guaranteed to wow all genre lovers since viewers are given an exclusive peak at the evidence before the officers even find it. There is just a general “audience participation” feel to the show. Each episode begins with a revelation of the item that holds the clue, leaving fans itching to push Bishop in the right direction and make him look where he isn’t focusing on. The cinematography is wonderfully done too, resulting in an all-round perfect series.
4The Inside (2005)
The Inside
The Insidechronicles the professional adventures of the rookie FBI Agent Rebecca Locke (Rachel Nichols) after she is assigned to the Los Angeles Violent Crimes Unit (VCU) following the death of another officer.
Rebecca has a history of trauma, having been held captive for close to two years when she was a child, so she relates with victims and goes out of their way to help them. Additionally, she has a complicated relationship with the VCU’s director, Virgil “Web” Webster (Peter Coyote), who keeps on manipulating her.
The “Criminal Minds” Template
Perhaps the show’s biggest undoing is its similarity toCriminal Minds. Like the popular procedural, it has characters capable of analyzing the minds of both criminals and victims. In addition to that, the word “unsub” gets thrown around a lot. Still, it has its distinctive elements that make it worthy of adulation. Rebecca is the perfect symbol of problem-solving while the rest of the characters are the true definitions of real friendship. Even better is the fact that mental health is a recurring theme.
3Keen Eddie (2003–2004)
Keen Eddie
Keen Eddiefollows NYPD Detective Eddie Arlette (Mark Valley) as he solves cases in London. Eddie’s ‘fish out of water’ scenario comes about when he is sent to the UK to help Scotland Yard solve the same drug case he has been investigating. After cracking the case, he chooses to stay in London rather than go back to America. When he is not working, Eddie keeps trying to woo his landlord’s daughter, Fiona, by badmouthing her boyfriend.
Flirtatious Banter
The cases are all the standard kind. It’s in the dialogueKeen Eddietruly stands out. Eddie and the male Scotland Yard officers are shown to be playboys, so they keep going to a swingers club and chasing strange romance fantasies. Apart from Fiona, Eddie has a crush on the superintendent’s assistant, Carol, who he refers to as Mrs. Moneypenny.
The two constantly engage in banter full of double entendres and naughty humor. For example, when she once gets herself in danger, and he asks what her position is, she responds with “on all fours.” And when he asks her “How are you, Miss Moneypenny?” she responds with “Completely…shaved.” It is also implied that Carol’s responses are all in his head since no one else ever hears them.
2Standoff (2006 – 2007)
Undoubtedly one ofthe most recommendable shows about hostage situations,Standofffollows agents from the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit as they neutralize various hostage situations in Los Angeles. The show’s chief protagonists are the witty negotiators Matt Flannery (Ron Livingston) and Emily Lehman (Rosemarie DeWitt), who not only charm criminals into surrendering but also charm each other into a romantic relationship.
A Nonchalant Approach to Crime-Fighting
Matt and Emily are the show’s greatest assets, and they constantly impress because of their unemotional approach to crime-fighting.
The two talk to hostage-takers the same way they talk to their friends and colleagues, resulting in some interesting dialogue. “Jesus! You sound upset,” Emily is once heard telling a teen threatening to bomb a coffee shop. “I cannot do this anymore,” she adds, before walking away and leaving the criminal confused. The two main characters keep arguing too, but their wrangles are often comical rather than worrying, leaving viewers envious of the special bond they share.
RELATED:15 Longest–Running Cop Shows of All Time
1Southland (2009 - 2013)
Southland is a television drama series that delves into the lives of Los Angeles police officers, detectives, and their partners as they navigate the complexities of law enforcement in a diverse city. The show provides a raw and realistic portrayal of the challenges faced by the LAPD and stars Ben McKenzie, Michael Cudlitz, and Regina King. Each episode explores the professional and personal aspects of the characters' lives, highlighting their dedication and resilience.
Southlanddwells on the personal and professional lives of various LAPD officers.
The key characters are the rookie officer, Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie), his training officer, John Cooper (Michale Cuidiltz), who is hiding the fact that he is gay, Detective Lydia Adams (Regina King), who feels guilty about living with her mother; Officer Chickie Brown (Arija Bareikis), who dreams of being the first woman on the LAPD’s SWAT unit; and Detective Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy), whose domestic life keeps leaking into his professional life.
Perfect for Action Lovers
The procedural prioritizes stunts as much as it does characterization, so action lovers will find it very appealing. Despite having the appearance of ‘Average Joes," these officers keep putting their lives at risk to close cases. Consequently,Southlandreceived three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Stunt Coordination, winning twice.
The plots are equally compelling too. After all, this is a project overseen by Ann Biderman, Christopher Chulack, and John Wells, all of whom are Emmy winners.
Stream it on Tubi
