Police procedural shows have always been popular with viewers. We love the "good stress" adrenaline rush, the excitement of the hunt, and the cathartic release with the capture of the bad guy: it's the secret behind the genre's enduring success.

RELATED: 10 Best Cop Procedurals That Aren't 'Law and Order'

The world of TV features determined officers of the law that go above and beyond the call of duty on a week-to-week basis. TV shows like Will Trent and The Wire give us characters who will do everything they can to make a difference or save a life.

10 'Will Trent' (2023-)

Will Trent on ABC starring Ramon Rodriguez
Image via ABC

Special Agent Will Trent (Ramón Rodríguez) works for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in the show Will Trent. He boasts the highest case clearance rate, and that sparks jealousy not only in his department but with the Atlanta Police Department as well.

Even though Trent is socially awkward and not the most cordial, his passion (or obsession) for unraveling cases indicates that he will pursue all angles to solve the case. Viewers are given hints about his tough childhood and understand why he toils so hard to make a difference.

9 'The Wire' (2002-2008)

Wendell Pierce and Dominic West in 'The Wire'
Image via Max

The Wire, set in Baltimore, has become plagued with drugs, gangs, and terrible violence due to years of institutional failure. Detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) leads the show along with Detective Shakima "Kima" Greggs (Sonja Sohn) and Detective Bunk Moreland (Wendell Pierce) as they not only have to catch the criminals they know but some hidden in their own department.

For all of McNulty's flaws his defiant mindset and feeling of moral superiority, to name just a few- it is evident that he cares profoundly about his job. He makes decisions that might be manipulative but only when he believes it will help grab the offender.

8 'Criminal Minds' (2005 – 2020)

Reid played by Matthew Gray Gubler in Criminal Minds
Image via CBS

FBI criminal profilers, part of its Behavioral Analysis Unit, are the focus of the TV show Criminal Minds. Featuring a slew of unforgettable characters, including Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner (Thomas Gibson), and Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), the show uses incredible profiling methods to investigate and solve crimes.

RELATED: The 18 Best 'Criminal Minds' Episodes, Ranked

Part of the appeal of Criminal Minds is the diversity of the characters. While Reid is awkward and bizarre, he has unimaginable skills to hunt criminals, and Hotch's relentless perseverance consistently solves the cases.

7 'Blue Bloods' (2010-)

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Image via CBS

Blue Bloods recounts a multi-generational family of cops in New York City. Tom Selleck plays Frank Reagan, who is not only the head New York Police department but also the head Reagan family.

RELATED: 9 Best Episodes of 'Blue Bloods,' Ranked

Reagan keeps a picture of Teddy Roosevelt in his office, which makes sense because he is much like the former president. Roosevelt was a New York Commissioner and did a superb job reforming the New York police department at the time. Reagan desires to do the same. He is a no-nonsense officer who wants victims to feel protected and criminals off the streets as quickly as possible.

6 'The Blacklist' (2013-2021)

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The Blacklist follows Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader), one of the FBI's Most Wanted offenders, now turned FBI informant, and the list he has assembled of other notorious criminals called the "Blacklist."

Reddington seems to know something about everything. He is shrewd, innovative, and clever. Even though Reddington is not emptying the streets of awful criminals for the most altruistic motives, he nevertheless gets the job accomplished.

5 'Monk' (2002-2009)

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Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk stars in the police comedy-drama series Monk. Monk is a former San Francisco Police Department detective who now operates as a consultant for them. Except for his near-crippling obsessive-compulsive disorder, he has few issues when it comes to solving countless cases.

No matter Monk's odd way of cracking cases, he does precisely that; he solves the cases. Shalhoub does a fantastic job of balancing the need for mental health awareness with the comedic conditions that Monk lends to itself.

4 'NYPD Blue' (1993-2005)

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Set in the 15th Precinct in New York City, NYPD Blue follows an ensemble cast including Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) and Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) as tough and gritty police detectives.

Sipowicz is undoubtedly a harsh, stubborn, short-tempered cop, but he is also honorable and devoted. Despite his battles with anger and alcoholism, Sipowicz had strong principles, with loyalty at the top. His highest priorities are his partner and the victims of the cases he is working.

3 'The Rookie' (2018-)

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Image via ABC

In the TV show The Rookie, Nathan Fillion, portrays John Nolan, who becomes the oldest rookie at the Los Angeles Police Department in his forties. After Nolan divorces and moves from Pennsylvania, he inadvertently becomes part of a bank robbery, which prompts him to join the police academy.

It is practically impossible not to like Nolan and cheer for his second chance in life. Starting from the bottom floor makes Nolan much more committed to solving each case and ensuring the right person ends up behind bars for the crime.

2 'Chicago P.D.' (2014-)

chicago pd

Chicago P.D. follows officers and the Intelligence Unit of the 21st District of the Chicago Police Department. Headed up by Detective Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe), they chase some of the most dangerous perpetrators on the streets of Chicago.

Voight takes tremendous pride in his job and works hard to protect Chicago. Even though his procedures might not be the most vanilla, he observes his own code of fairness. He will not accept someone getting away with harming someone else.

1 ‘Mindhunter’ (2017 - 2019)

Mindhunter

Following the establishment of the Behavioral Science Unit in the Federal Bureau of Investigation by Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), Mindhunter recounts how the agents visited different sociopathic killers to establish a profiling method.

RELATED: 8 Crime Drama Shows Like 'Black Bird' to Watch Next, From 'Mindhunter' to 'The Alienist'

Ford and Tench encountered an impossible case and developed a method that helps agents today solve cases. Even though Ford and Tench did not arrest the killers, their hours of interviews and research have made one of the most profound differences in law enforcement.

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