Entertainment site Tvline has published a ranking of the 15 greatest police procedural television series of all time. The list highlights shows that meticulously follow crimes from investigation to resolution, blending realism, character depth, and cultural impact. Topping the chart is the groundbreaking 1990s series Homicide: Life on the Street.
Police procedurals have long captivated audiences by detailing the step-by-step unraveling of crimes, offering resolution amid often grim narratives. In a recent article, Tvline compiles what it considers the pinnacle of this genre, spanning decades from the 1950s to the present.
The ranking begins with long-running staples like NCIS, which debuted in 2003 as a spinoff of JAG and features Mark Harmon's stoic Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs leading a team through naval investigations. Nearby entries include Criminal Minds from 2005, focusing on FBI profilers in the Behavioral Analysis Unit, with actors like Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, and Shemar Moore portraying complex characters amid psychological depth.
Mid-list highlights encompass Bones, airing 2005-2017 on Fox, where Emily Deschanel plays forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan partnering with David Boreanaz's FBI agent Seeley Booth. The F.B.I., from 1965-1974 on ABC, drew from real cases under J. Edgar Hoover's oversight, starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Elementary reimagines Sherlock Holmes in modern New York with Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu.
Higher ranks feature Adam-12's realistic portrayal of LAPD officers Martin Milner and Kent McCord from the late 1960s to 1970s. Hill Street Blues revolutionized the format in the 1980s with handheld cinematography and psychological insight, created by Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, ongoing since 1999, stars Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson tackling heinous crimes.
British entry The Sweeney from the 1970s emphasizes gritty realism with John Thaw and Dennis Waterman. Cagney & Lacey, 1982-1988, broke ground with female leads Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly in the NYPD. NYPD Blue, 1993-2005, pushed boundaries with Dennis Franz's Detective Andy Sipowicz amid raw depictions of urban policing.
Kojak, 1973-1978, icons Telly Savalas as the lollipop-loving lieutenant probing social issues. Dragnet, 1951-1959, codified the genre with Jack Webb's Sergeant Joe Friday insisting on facts. Law & Order, starting 1990, splits focus between cops and courts, boasting a revolving cast including Jerry Orbach.
Crowning the list, Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999) synthesizes innovation from predecessors, with experimental style and stars like Andre Braugher and Richard Belzer's John Munch, inspired by David Simon's book.