What are the most popular cop and detective TV dramas from the 21st century?

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Hi. I'm just a little curious about this. I haven't watched regular TV in a long time.

A large number of the cop dramas and detective dramas I've seen were from the '80s and '90s. There are a number of cop and detective dramas I can recall from the '70s and earlier, like Barnaby Jones, CHiPs, Charley's Angels, Hart to Hart, Starsky and Hutch, Kojak, Hawaii 5-0, Columbo, The Rockford Files and Quincy, M.E. I've only recently discovered an old cop drama called Police Story. A lot of these old shows are currently on TV in reruns.

I enjoy watching reruns of NYPD Blue.

The only cop and detective dramas I've seen and know of that originated this century are the 3 CSI series, the two NCIS series, Blue Bloods, The District and three of the Law and Order series - Criminal Intent, Trial by Jury and LA.

Please help. Thank you.

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Type: Question • Score: 6 • Views: 3,094 • Replies: 45

I don't know if it was "popular" but the first season of True Detective was pretty good. Everyone says the series went downhill after the first season and I never bothered to watch any more of it. But the character Rust Cohle speaks some pretty good lines and Woody Harrelson as his partner/fall guy is good as well.

Quote:

I think human consciousness, is a tragic misstep in evolution. We became too self-aware, nature created an aspect of nature separate from itself, we are creatures that should not exist by natural law. We are things that labor under the illusion of having a self; an accretion of sensory, experience and feeling, programmed with total assurance that we are each somebody, when in fact everybody is nobody. Maybe the honorable thing for our species to do is deny our programming, stop reproducing, walk hand in hand into extinction, one last midnight, brothers and sisters opting out of a raw deal.

...Rust Cohle

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@JGoldman10,

Bones (2005–2017): about a a forensic anthropologist
Castle (2009–2016): about a crime novelist working with a detective
Elementary (2012–2019): Modern American version of Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock (2010-): Modern British version of Sherlock Holmes
Lucifer (2016–2020): about the devil leaving Hell to work as a police consultant
9-1-1 (2018-): about first responders in Los Angeles
Perry Mason (2020) HBO reboot miniseries
The Mentalist (2008-2015): drama about a fake psychic working with the police
Psych (2006-2014): comedy about a fake psychic working with the police
Southland (2009-2013): a more realistic police drama set in LA
Gotham (2014-2019): about the Gotham City police from the Batman comics.

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I don't know what's popular, but I can tell you what I like.

I really like Bosch. In fact, I like it so much that I've even read some of the novels now.

The various mysteries that PBS Masterpiece Mystery imports from the UK are always worthwhile.

I like Luther (Idris Elba). But season five ended on a bit of a nasty cliffhanger, and season six might be a few years off. I'd recommend just watching seasons one through three, and leaving seasons four and five until season six comes out.

I've heard good things about a Norwegian series called Wisting (warning: spoken in Norwegian, subtitles required). I've not yet gotten around to seeing it though, so I can't personally testify as to how good it is. It's on my long-range to-do list.

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@Rebelofnj,

Rebelofnj wrote:

The Mentalist (2008-2015): drama about a fake psychic working with the police

I concur. That's a good one. I wasn't thinking of series that have already ended. Note that The Mentalist has an overarching storyline that proceeds from the first episode to the last episode, so watch 'em in order. Definitely start with the very first episode.

Another one that has ended but was really good is Person of Interest. It also has a cool sci-fi artificial intelligence twist to it in the later seasons. It also has an overarching storyline, so it is best watched in order.

Cold Case and Without a Trace from the '00s were good too. If you have a Roku, they are both available for free (with advertisements) on the Roku Channel. They may well be available free-with-adds elsewhere too.

There was a good series called Moonlight about a reasonably-human-friendly vampire private detective. It only lasted a single season. I believe it is available for free (with advertisements) on one of the CW Network apps on the Roku. If you don't have a Roku, this CW Network app might be available on other devices.

Monk was broadcast this century. So was In Plain Sight. And Saving Grace. And also The Closer and its spin-off Major Crimes. And Rizzoli & Isles. All of them are good.

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@oralloy,

Quote:

There was a good series called Moonlight about a reasonably-human-friendly vampire private detective.

For a quick second, I thought you were talking about the 80s detective show Moonlighting starring Bruce Willis, then I remembered there was no vampire.

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@Rebelofnj,

You know about Moonlighting?

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@JGoldman10,

JGoldman10 wrote:

There are a number of cop and detective dramas I can recall from the '70s and earlier, like Barnaby Jones, CHiPs, Charley's Angels, Hart to Hart, Starsky and Hutch, Kojak, Hawaii 5-0, Columbo, The Rockford Files and Quincy, M.E. I've only recently discovered an old cop drama called Police Story. A lot of these old shows are currently on TV in reruns.

I forgot to mention Dragnet. The classic series is an oldie but a goodie. It's nothing like that comedic film adaptation that starred Dan Akroyd and Tom Hanks.

Why does Hollywood sometimes decides to make comedic film adaptations of classic cop and detective dramas - shows that weren't meant to be comedic in the first place? I don't get it.

Starsky and Hutch wasn't comedic but they made a comedic film adaptation of it.

Neither was 21 Jump Street but they made two comedic film adaptations of it.

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@JGoldman10,

Charlie's Angels (TV Series 1976–1981)

S.W.A.T. (TV Series 1975–1976)

S.W.A.T. (TV Series 2017– )

New York Undercover (TV Series 1994–1999)

The Rookies (TV Series 1972–1976)

Spenser: For Hire (TV Series 1985–1988)

A Man Called Hawk (TV Series 1989)

Police Woman (TV Series 1974–1978)

Flashpoint (TV Series 2008–2012)

Baretta (TV Series 1975–1978)

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@JGoldman10,

Ironside (TV Series 1967–1975)

Adam-12 (TV Series 1968–1975)

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Hill Street Blues (TV Series 1981–1987)

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@Real Music,

I liked Hill Street Blues too. I liked Dennis Franz in this show and in NYPD Blue.

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@Real Music,

Wrong century I think. Note the thread topic.

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In a recent poll Inspector Morse was voted the best crime drama of all time.

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@oralloy,

Yes, I was going to say that. This thread is more about 21st century cop and detective TV dramas.

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@Rebelofnj,

I was going to list HBO's Watchmen series (2019), but I'm not sure if it qualifies.

Technically, it is a drama, it features police officers and detectives in the lead roles, and it revolves around a mystery.
But I think most people would view it as a comic book series due to the superhero elements (masked heroes throughout) and sci-fi elements (hi-tech machines, alternate history).

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@Rebelofnj,

You're familiar with Moonlighting?

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@JGoldman10,

Yes. It is not exactly an obscure show, especially as one of the lead stars went on to be a action movie star.

1 Reply

@Rebelofnj,

Didn't the show come out before you were born? How did you learn of it and watch it?

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@JGoldman10,

I never actually revealed my birth year.

Plus, many of these shows are available through streaming, on DVD, or on regular reruns on cable.

Why do you care about my viewing habits?

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What are the most popular cop and detective TV dramas from the 21st century?

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