Procedural television series are some of the most well-established forms of entertainment. The procedural format allows for a foundation to be established that crafts a sense of familiarity into the series. With this familiarity established, the procedural series can explore a wide variety of premises and storylines while remaining grounded.
Several procedural series have become household names, such as Law & Order and NCIS. However, some procedurals have become lost in the ether and do not get the recognition they deserve. With so many new ways to access television, fans have a chance to rediscover some hidden gems of the genre.
10Justified is a Modern-Day Western Tale
Justified is a procedural series that modernizes the Western genre and introduces viewers to suave lawmen with a flair for justice. Justified follows Raylan Givens, a hotshot US Marshal who is sent back to his home state of Kentucky. His new assignment brings Raylan face to face with ghosts of his past and an old friend who has become a criminal mastermind. Raylan uses his deadeye aim and quick wit to solve crimes and take down all sorts of nefarious criminals hiding in the woods of Harlan County.
Rotten Tomatoes Score | 97% |
|---|---|
IMDb Rating | 8.6/10 |
Streaming Location | Hulu |
Justified has a lot to offer potential viewers. The characters themselves are a unique combination of quirky and rugged, which makes them incredibly fun to follow throughout the story. Justified also isn't afraid to be gritty and has a tinge of humor to it that creates a viewing experience that is perfect for fans of criminal procedurals and those looking to experience the genre for the first time.
Justified
TV-MA
Action
Crime
Drama
Enforcing his own brand of justice, U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a strong-willed, quiet law-man haunted by his past, returns to his native town to see that justice is served to those in need.
Release Date
March 16, 2010
Cast
Timothy Olyphant , Walton Goggins , Joelle Carter , Jacob Pitts
Main Genre
Drama
Seasons
6
Creator
Graham Yost
Network
FX
Streaming Service(s)
Hulu
Expand
9Elementary is a Bold Take on a Genre Classic
Sherlock Holmes is one of the most popular characters of the modern era. The stories of Sherlock Holmes have been adapted numerous times for television, films, and other creative mediums. Elementary is one of the most inventive spins on Sherlock Holmes yet but still manages to hold true to the spirit of the original story.
Rotten Tomatoes Score | 95% |
|---|---|
IMDb Rating | 7.9/10 |
Streaming Location | Hulu |
Related
5 Drama TV Shows That Reinvented The Genre (& 5 That Didn't)
Television dramas have come a long way. While many turn the genre on its head with unique ideas, others are not quite as inventive.
Elementary is set in New York City and follows a tortured Sherlock Holmes recovering from an addiction. He is assigned a 'sober companion' by his father and meets Joan Watson, a former surgeon now helping those struggling with addictions. Sherlock decides to train Joan as a civilian detective like himself, and together, they consult for the NYPD on cases ranging from grisly to the bizarre. Elementary isn't afraid to evolve elements of the original Sherlock Holmes canon, such as having the traditionally male character of Dr. John Watson be played by a woman. Elementary also does a great job of exploring other elements of Holmes that haven't been duly looked into by other adaptions, such as mental health and addiction.
Elementary
TV-14
Mystery
Drama
Crime
A modern retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, Elementary is set in New York City and details the adventures of Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) who becomes partner to the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes (Johnny Lee Miller) after first being assigned as his sober companion. Set up a procedural crime drama, the series includes multiple references to the original Holmes stories, often with surprising twists. Aidan Quinn and John Micahel Hill also star as Thomas Gregson and Marcus Bell, with John Noble as a notable guest star.
Release Date
November 27, 2012
Cast
Lucy Liu , Jon Michael Hill , Aidan Quinn , Jonny Lee Miller
Seasons
7
8Warehouse 13 is a Zany and Fantastical Procedural
Warehouse 13 is a quirky science fiction and fantasy series that blends elements of mystery and magic into a world full of endless imagination. Warehouse 13 follows a unique branch of the government that captures and studies mysterious artifacts that have supernatural abilities. After two Secret Service agents uncover one of their artifacts on the job, they are recruited to work at the titular Warehouse 13 and begin the journey of a lifetime.
Rotten Tomatoes Score | 90% |
|---|---|
IMDb Rating | 7.6/10 |
Streaming Location | Amazon Prime |
Warehouse 13 is one of the most underrated series of its era. The show features amazing performances from its cast, and the character dynamic is punchy and witty, which lends itself to crafting a found family dynamic that makes the show wholesome. Warehouse 13 is boldly inventive and combines elements of mystery, science fiction and fantasy to make a procedural series that promises a bold new adventure each week.
Warehouse 13
Sci-Fi
When Secret Service agents Myka Bering and Pete Lattimer are reassigned to Warehouse 13 in rural South Dakota, they find themselves part of a team of agents tasked with tracking down and recovering supernatural artifacts, to be stored in the warehouse.
Release Date
July 7, 2009
Cast
Eddie McClintock , Joanne Kelly , Saul Rubinek , Genelle Williams , Allison Scagliotti , Aaron Ashmore
Seasons
5
7The Shield Deserves More Praise
The Shield is unlike a typical police procedural. Instead of a series that treats police with a certain reverence or attitude where they can do no wrong, The Shield approaches police from a whole new perspective. The Shield follows a gang of corrupt LAPD detectives who stray outside of the law for justice while also using their illegal activities for their own benefit.
Rotten Tomatoes Score | 96% |
|---|---|
IMDb Rating | 8.7/10 |
Streaming Location | Hulu |
The Shield is an incredibly dark and gritty procedural series. This dark nature of the series makes it selectively appealing to audiences, allowing a great series to fly under the radar. The Shield is one of the most intense police procedural series and is unafraid to show a darker side of law enforcement and humanity that some series shy away from. Fans can be assured that in The Shield, it's unknown what twisted thing will come next.
The Shield
Drama
Action
Drama series following the lives and cases of dirty cop Vic Mackey and the corrupt LAPD unit under his command.
Release Date
March 12, 2002
Cast
Michael Chiklis , Catherine Dent , Reed Diamond
Seasons
7
Creator
Shawn Ryan
Number of Episodes
88
6Rizzoli & Isles is an Underrated Buddy Cop Series
Rizzoli & Isles is one of the most underrated buddy-cop-style police procedurals. This Boston-based police procedural follows a sarcastic Detective, Jane Rizzoli, and stylish medical examiner, Dr. Maura Isles, as they combine their skillsets to solve a variety of crimes in one of the most storied U.S. cities. A big draw for Rizzoli & Isles is the great dynamic between Rizzoli and Isles as they share a true and layered friendship despite coming from different walks of life.
Rotten Tomatoes Score | 88% |
|---|---|
IMDb Rating | 7.6/10 |
Streaming Location | Available for Purchase on Amazon Prime |
Related
10 Police Procedurals That Ruined The Genre
Police procedurals such as Cop Rock and Fastlane did more harm than good to the popular television genre.
Rizzoli & Isles has all the makings of a well-balanced procedural series. The cases seen on Rizzoli & Isles are the right blend of familiar and interesting that makes them appealing to fans of procedural series. With the friendship and unofficial partnership of Rizzoli and Isles acting as the heart of the series, seeing them work together makes for fantastic entertainment on whatever case is being covered that week.
Rizzoli & Isles
5Law & Order: UK Takes the Franchise Global
Law & Order: UK is arguably the most underrated series in the Law & Order franchise. The series is set in London and follows the classic Law & Order dynamic in which the apprehension and prosecution of a diverse variety of criminals. By moving this traditionally American series across the pond to the U.K., a whole new legal system with its own unique nuances and cultural details.
Rotten Tomatoes Score | N/A |
|---|---|
IMDb Rating | 7.7/10 |
Streaming Location | AMC+ Channel on Amazon Prime |
Law & Order: UK ran for multiple seasons and featured some of Britain's finest actors, including Ben Daniels and Bradley Walsh. The series made excellent use of Britain's interesting criminal cases to use as inspiration and commentary for episodes, similar to how Law & Order functions in the US series. Fans of the original Law & Order and other procedurals are missing out by not watching Law & Order: UK.
Law & Order: UK
TV-14
Crime
Drama
Mystery
UK version of the long-running U.S. TV drama that tells the stories of two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime; and the attorneys, who prosecute the offenders.
Release Date
October 6, 2010
Cast
Bradley Walsh , Robert Glenister , Harriet Walter , Freema Agyeman , Jamie Bamber , Jessica Gunning
Main Genre
Crime
Seasons
8
Creator
Dick Wolf
4Numb3rs is a Unique Kind of Police Procedural
Numb3rs is a fantastic 2000s-era police procedural. The series follows a pair of brothers who work together to solve crimes, one as a tough FBI agent and the other as a genius mathematics professor. Numb3rs elevates certain tropes found in police procedurals, such as the buddy cop dynamic and the consultant with a special skill by merging these types of dynamics and including a sibling relationship, turning the dynamic of Numb3rs into something wholly new.
Rotten Tomatoes Score | 93% |
|---|---|
IMDb Rating | 6.9/10 |
Streaming Location | Amazon Prime |
Numb3rs uses mathematical analysis in a way that has never been used before in a police procedural. The series makes itself accessible to all viewers and strikes the perfect balance between analysis and action. The true heart of Numb3rs is family, as the relationship between both brothers and their father, as well as their coworkers who become found family, creates a deep bond that drives them in their work and home life. Numb3rs may seem unappealing to those who aren't mathematically inclined, but it is, without a doubt, worth a watch.
3Cold Case is an Emotional Rollercoaster of a Procedural Series
Cold Case is a very powerful police procedural series. Cold Case follows a team of homicide detectives who investigate cold cases, which are murder cases that have gone unsolved for a period of time. The series centers around young and insightful Detective Lilly Rish, who has a unique connection to these cases.
Rotten Tomatoes Score | 95% |
|---|---|
IMDb Rating | 7.6/10 |
Streaming Location | Max |
Related
10 Best Police Procedural Arcs Of All Time
From True Detective's excellent first season to the hunt for Red John in The Mentalist, many police procedurals have impressive story arcs.
Cold Case sets itself apart from other police procedural series by incorporating several stylistic details to craft a deep emotional effect on viewers. Cold Case uses flashbacks to transport those watching back to the time of the original crime, which brings these dated cases back to life. The final emotional punch of Cold Case is when a character, usually Detective Rush, sees the victim's ghost at the end of the episode. Cold Case features fascinating and diverse cases that evoke visceral and emotional reactions from viewers every week, and every case is more powerful than the one before it.
Cold Case
TV-14
Crime
Drama
Mystery
A dedicated female detective leads a team of investigators in Philadelphia as they reopen unsolved murders, known as "cold cases." Using modern technology and new evidence, they give closure to the victims' families, unraveling each case's complex web of emotions and secrets from years past.
Release Date
September 28, 2003
Creator(s)
Meredith Stiehm
Cast
Kathryn Morris , Justin Chambers , Thom Barry , John Finn , Jeremy Ratchford , Danny Pino , Tracie Thoms
Main Genre
Crime
Seasons
7
2The Rookie: Feds Deserves to Step Out of the Shadows
The Rookie: Feds does not receive the appropriate credit it deserves for being a truly fantastic series. The series was pigeonholed as the short-lived spinoff of the popular police procedural The Rookie. However, The Rookie: Feds has many of its own merits and deserves its individuality. The Rookie: Feds follows a rookie FBI Agent learning the ins and outs of being an FBI agent after being one of the oldest rookies the FBI has ever seen.
Rotten Tomatoes Score | 86% |
|---|---|
IMDb Rating | 5.3/10 |
Streaming Location | Available for Purchase on Amazon |
The team dynamic of The Rookie: Feds is one of the best parts of the series. Leading actress Niecey Nash steals the show and makes every character interaction feel fresh and compelling. Every character has a nuanced backstory and personality that gives them strong individuality. These dynamic characters make any case they work interesting and make The Rookie: Feds worth the watch.
The Rookie: Feds
Police Procedural
Special Agent Simone Clark, the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy, is assigned to support the LA field office.
Release Date
September 27, 2022
Cast
Niecy Nash-Betts , Frankie Faison , James Lesure , Britt Robertson , Felix Solis , Kevin Zegers
Seasons
1
Number of Episodes
22
Network
ABC
1Homicide: Life on the Street is a Classic Police Procedural Almost Lost to Time
Homicide: Life on the Street is a classic 90s crime series that hasn't been given the opportunity to be embraced by modern viewers. Now with the series being added to Peacock, fans have the chance to give some new love to this old series. Homicide: Life on the Street follows detectives of the Baltimore Police Department as they investigate hard-hitting crimes.
Rotten Tomatoes Score | 91% |
|---|---|
IMDb Rating | 8.7/10 |
Streaming Location | Peacock |
Homicide: Life on the Street first introduced fans to Law and Order: SVU staple character John Munch, who continued playing the same character decades after Homicide: Life on the Street concluded. Homicide: Life on the Street is an incredibly raw series that doesn't pull any punches when it comes to cases or interpersonal dramas regarding the characters. Homicide: Life on the Street is perfect for fans who love the tone and edge of '90s police procedurals.
