Police procedurals dominate the realm of television, their focus on "case of the week" storytelling making for effortless binge-watching. Law & Order, CSI, and NCIS have become household names by following the tried and true formula of solving one case per episode, while also focusing on the people who solve these crimes to keep viewers invested from season to season.
While these shows tend to stay grounded and focus on realistic crimes, even copying real-life cases for inspiration, some procedural shows prefer to take a different angle. Whether it is science fiction or horror, almost every genre has featured its own take on the procedural format, often focusing on two mismatched partners as they solve larger-than-life crimes and unravel an overall conspiracy.
10 'The X-Files' (1993-2018)
-5.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Envisioning a timeline where aliens are real and under investigation by the government, The X-Files sees FBI agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) assigned these extra-terrestrial cases. With each episode featuring a strange new alien presence, The X-Files remains consistently unpredictable.
One of the most popular procedural shows of all time, The X-Files arrived at the perfect moment. A great time capsule for the atmosphere of the 90s, the show revels in the paranoia surrounding the arrival of a new millennium while also casting an eye to the past and the impact that aliens may have had in humanity's history.
9 'Evil' (2019-)
Working like a religious take on The X-Files, Evil follows Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers), a forensic psychologist who partners with David Acosta (Mike Colter), a priest in training, to investigate supernatural occurrences. Often these cases are related to the Catholic Church and feature demons and other creatures.
Evil appears to have gone under the radar for most viewers, with its fourth season set to air this year. Those who seek it out will discover an engrossing mix of the supernatural and crime genres, bolstered by great performances from a talented cast and an imaginative take on the procedural format.
8 'Grimm' (2011-2017)
When homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers he is the latest in a long line of "guardians", he is charged with protecting the world from mythological creatures. As Nick and his partners investigate cases, they regularly find themselves contending with a wide assortment of monsters.
As the name implies, Grimm uses the fairytales of the Brothers Grimm as its source material, taking the creatures from such stories and placing them in the modern day. While the show's structure resembles other crime shows, its focus on fantasy makes it a unique series in a genre flooded with common crooks.
Watch on Prime VideoWatch on Peacock
7 'Dexter' (2006-2013)
Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) works as a forensic technician for the police, helping to solve murder cases during the day while at night he operates as a serial killer. A vigilante, Dexter only hunts down other murderers, with both his professions often overlapping as he pursues the current criminals his office is investigating.
Dexter proved to be a big hit for Showtime, with its mix of dark crime and Hall's chilling but charismatic performance winning over viewers. It is rare for a cop show to showcase its heroes stepping over the line and committing crimes themselves, but Dexter remains a likable protagonist thanks to his strict moral code when it comes to murder.
6 'Gotham' (2014-2019)
A prequel to the Batman franchise, Gotham follows a young James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) as he arrives in Gotham City to work as a Detective, first assigned to the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. As Gordon struggles to clean up the streets of Gotham, 12-year-old Bruce Wayne begins his own origin story.
With Gordon and his partner Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) assigned a new case each episode, they regularly see themselves contending with iconic Batman characters. Younger versions of Penguin, Catwoman, and The Riddler feature heavily, while an abundance of characters make an appearance throughout the show's five seasons.
5 'Life on Mars' (2006-2007)
When Sam Tyler (John Simm), a Manchester police officer, is hit by a car, he finds himself awakening in 1973. As Sam struggles to adapt to the change in time period, he finds himself working for that era's police force, befriending a new squad of officers as he continues to solve crimes while trying to find a way home.
Life on Mars has been acclaimed for its dramedy approach to the crime genre, with the show never taking itself too seriously thanks to its fantasy premise. With Tyler unsure if he has really traveled in time or if he is in a coma imagining everything, viewers will become invested in his personal story alongside the cases he pursues.
4 'Inspector Rex' (1994-2004)
Set in Vienna, Inspector Rex follows the adventures of the best boy on the police force, a German Shepherd named Rex. Partnered with a team of human detectives, Rex and his partners solve an assortment of crimes, with Rex always proving to be the team's secret weapon against criminals.
Inspector Rex is the perfect show for anyone who loves police procedurals and dogs as it features plenty of lighter moments where Rex plays pranks on his co-workers. The series originally ran for 10 seasons before it was revived in 2008 in Italy, with Rex continuing his crime-fighting crusade in Rome.
3 'Police Squad!' (1982)
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
A parody of other police procedurals, Police Squad spoofs the tropes and themes of the genre to great effect. The series follows the fictional Police Squad, a crew of bumbling detectives led by Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) as they stumble through cases, each filled with plenty of sight gags and other jokes.
Despite critical acclaim Police Squad was canceled after only six episodes, with network executives citing its spoof format did not work on TV. This proved to be a blessing in disguise, however, as it led to the creation of The Naked Gun, a film version of the series and Nielsen's best spoof movie.
2 'Supernatural' (2005-2020)
After their monster hunter father goes missing, his adult children who have been trained in his craft set out to find him while slaying creatures along the way. As Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) travel across the country in search of their dad, they encounter vampires, werewolves, and almost every other monster imaginable.
While Sam and Dean are not police officers (despite them pretending to be countless times), Supernatural tends to follow the procedural format. Each episode sees the brothers arrive in a new location where they investigate a new case before they ultimately solve it and do battle with the one responsible.
1 'Lucifer' (2016-2021)
Another show that blends police drama with the supernatural, Lucifer sees Satan himself, played by Tom Ellis, leave his throne in hell to run a nightclub in LA. When a murder occurs outside, Lucifer is intrigued by the mystery and partners up with Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) to solve the crime.
Lucifer quickly gained a loyal following thanks to its entertaining mix of fantasy, comedy, and crime. Ellis and German share great chemistry as mismatched partners, while the show keeps things interesting by introducing other angels and demons to the plot.