The 10 Best 2000s Police Procedural TV Shows, Ranked (original) (raw)
Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk and Melora Hardin as Trudy Monk in Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie
Image via Peacock
Published Mar 22, 2024, 5:00 PM EDT
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Police procedurals have been a television staple for decades, enough that it's hard to imagine a time when they weren't a part of TV's weekly lineup. The genre tells the stories of people whose jobs are to solve crimes every single day, and although these shows can be formulaic, there's a certain comfort in knowing what you'll get week after week, episode after episode, and that the good guys (almost) always win and justice prevails.
The popularity of police procedurals has never waned, even with recent criticisms of them, but the genre was especially popular in the 2000s, with great shows which set the standard for what a great police procedural can be. Some of the series of the time have gone on to become among the longest-running TV shows of all time, with new episodes continuing to air even now.
10 'Castle' (2009-2016)
Created by Andrew W. Marlowe
Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle and Stana Katic as Kate Beckett standing together in a police precint in Castle
Image via ABC
In Castle, after a murder used novelist Richard Castle’s (Nathan Fillion) books as inspiration for his killings, homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) turned to Castle for help in tracking the murderer down. Castle decided to stay with the police force as research for his novels, and his and Beckett’s very different personalities often led to them butting heads—until they started dating. Castle ran for eight seasons on ABC, from 2009 until 2016.
The format of the police procedural hasn’t changed much over the years, but Castle put a new spin on it with its premise. The series was also a more lighthearted take on the genre, often leaning on comedy, but it still presented its fair share of dark, disturbing cases. As the series progressed, it also leaned in to the great chemistry between Castle and Beckett and explored their romance, despite high-profile reports of tension between the two stars.
Castle
Release Date
2009 - 2016-00-00
A suave, best-selling author teams up with a strait-laced detective to solve crimes in New York City.
9 'The Mentalist' (2008-2015)
Created by Bruno Heller
The cast of The Mentalist - Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Amanda Righetti, Owain Yeoman, and Tim Kang - in an interrogation room
Image via CBS
After using his observation skills to make a career as a so-called psychic, Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) revealed himself and began working as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation in order to track down Red John, a serial killer who murdered Patrick’s wife and daughter, in The Mentalist. As the series progressed, Patrick began a romance with colleague Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney). The Mentalist aired on CBS for seven seasons with over 100 episodes.
Patrick was a fascinating character;the murders of his wife and daughter left him traumatized and out for revenge, but his behavior within the CBI made him frustrating to work with in Lisbon. And Patrick was just one of the things which made The Mentalist stand out from other shows at the time with a similar premise. Among others were the brutality of Red John and Jane’s colleagues, Lisbon especially.
A famous "psychic" outs himself as a fake, and starts working as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation so he can find "Red John", the madman who killed his wife and daughter.
Release Date
September 23, 2008
Main Genre
Crime
Seasons
7
8 'Monk' (2002-2009)
Created by Andy Breckman
Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) looks uneasily around as his colleagues focus on a damaged car behind him in Monk.
Image via USA Network
In the aftermath of his wife’s murder, detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) developed Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Monk, which aired on the USA Network. Although he lost his job with the San Francisco police, Monk continued to work with the squad as a consultant. The show lasted eight seasons and over 100 episodes, and Monk returned in 2023 with Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie which streamed on Peacock.
Monk was entertaining to watch as the detective balanced his cases with his OCD, and he was among TV’s most likable detectives, as well as the most brilliant, with a keen eye which impressed even his peers. Critics agreed—Shalhoub won three Emmy Awards for his performance over the show’s run. It was also a huge hit, with its series finale setting the record for the most-viewed scripted drama on cable television, although it was eventually beaten by The Walking Dead.
Monk
Release Date
2002 - 2009-00-00
The series follows Adrian Monk, a brilliant former San Francisco detective, who now consults the police as a private consultant whilst battling with an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
7 'Bones' (2005-2017)
Created by Hart Hanson
Emily Deschanel as Brennan and David Boreanaz as Booth standing together in 'Bones'
Image via Fox
In Bones, FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) works with the Jeffersonian Institute’s forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) on cases where the only thing left of the bodies were bones. The two had a slow-burn romance over the course of the series. Bones aired on Fox and lasted 12 seasons and over 200 episodes. It was loosely based on the novels and experiences of the actual forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, who also worked on the show as a producer.
Like Castle, Bones was a somewhat lighthearted police procedural and often used humor, and it also featured a romance between its two leads thanks to their onscreen chemistry - something which only contributed to the show’s appeal and became central to it. Although Bones typically focused on the case of the week, it did occasionally delve into serialized plots. It was a hit for Fox with a devoted fanbase, and still to this day, it’s the network’s longest-running scripted drama.
F.B.I. Special Agent Seeley Booth teams up with the Jeffersonian's top anthropologist, Dr. Temperance Brennan, to investigate cases where all that's left of the victims are their bones.
Cast
Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, T.J. Thyne, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley, Eric Millegan, John Boyd, Brad Grunberg, Cynthia Preston, George Gerdes, Kathleen York, Kathryn Winslow, Kim Raver, Laura Niemi, Leigh McCloskey, Marco Sanchez, Matthew John Armstrong, Michael Rothhaar, Paul Cassell, Rick Peters, Yelyna De Leon, Brandon Barash, Christopher Toler, Danielle Panabaker, Earnestine Phillips, Eddie Shin, Jennifer Hasty, Ken Luckey, Missy Doty, Rob Evors
Seasons
12
6 'Criminal Minds' (2005-2020)
Created by Jeff Davis
Prentiss and Hotch investigate child abductions in "Mosley Lane" (Criminal Minds).
Image via CBS
To solve some of the country’s most disturbing murders, a group of FBI agents worked together in the bureau’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in Criminal Minds. Cases in Criminal Minds often involve serial killers, with the team racing to track down their suspect before they can strike again. The series aired on CBS for 16 seasons and over 300 episodes, then was rebooted as Criminal Minds: Evolution in 2022 by streaming service Paramount+.
The fact that Criminal Minds was rebooted a mere two years after it went off the air - and how long it lasted in its original run - was a testament to its popularity and quality. The series often featured disturbing cases and had its fair share of shocking plot twists over its 16 seasons, and, as is common with police procedurals, cases sometimes delved into the personal lives of investigators and their loved ones.
Criminal Minds
Release Date
September 22, 2005
Criminal Minds follows the elite team of FBI profilers in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) as they analyze and track down the country’s most dangerous serial killers and criminals. Led by experienced agents like Jason Gideon, Aaron Hotchner, and later David Rossi, the team delves into the minds of the perpetrators, using psychological profiling and investigative techniques to anticipate their next moves. Each episode features intense and often chilling cases, while also exploring the personal lives and challenges faced by the team members.
Cast
Kirsten Vangsness, Matthew Gray Gubler, A.J. Cook, Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson, Shemar Moore, Paget Brewster, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez, Daniel Henney, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Mandy Patinkin, Lola Glaudini, Josh Stamberg, C. Thomas Howell, Danny Nucci, Derek Webster, Nestor Serrano, Cade Owens, Zach Gilford, Ryan-James Hatanaka, Damon Gupton, Rachel Nichols, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Andre Royo
Seasons
19
Main Genre
Crime
5 'Southland' (2009-2013)
Created by Ann Biderman
Regina King brandishes her service weapon as she stands in front of graffiti-covered wall in the series Southland
Image via Warner Bros.
Southland followed the police in Los Angeles, featuring an ensemble cast as the officers balanced their personal and professional lives. The series was largely focused around rookie cop Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie), who was paired with veteran John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz), and Sherman’s reservations about pursuing a career as a cop after seeing Cooper’s tough approach to policing. Southland was on the air for five seasons, from 2009 until 2013, and first premiered on NBC but moved to TNT.
Southland provided a more raw approach to the police procedural, with an almost documentary-style camera work and flawed characters who presented an alternative to the way police were often portrayed on TV. Cudlitz in particular stood out as Cooper, and while he would later become known for his role as Abraham on The Walking Dead, Southland featured some of his best work as an actor. Unfortunately, though, the series ended on a cliffhanger.
Southland: Focusing on the lives of LAPD officers and detectives, Southland explores their intense and emotional experiences both on and off the job. The series delves into the challenges they face in maintaining justice and order in Los Angeles while navigating personal dilemmas and moral complexities.
Release Date
April 9, 2009
Seasons
5
Main Genre
4 'The Closer' (2005-2012)
Created by James Duff, Michael M. Robin, and Greer Shephard
kyra sedgwick staring off camera in The Closer
Image via TNT
CIA-trained interrogator Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) relocated from Atlanta to Los Angeles to run the LAPD’s Priority Homicide Division, which handled high-profile cases, in The Closer. Brenda’s reputation for not only solving cases but getting suspects to confess earned her a reputation as a “closer,” giving the series its name. In addition to the cases, the series also delved into the personal lives of the LAPD, especially Brenda herself. It ran on TNT for seven seasons, with just over 100 episodes.
The Closer was both critically acclaimed and beloved by audiences. In addition to the case of the week typical of police procedurals, the series also explored larger issues within the department. Sedgwick was great to watch as the tough, yet charming and likable Brenda, and she was the heart of the show. But her colleagues were just as enjoyable, as they each brought their own distinct personalities to Priority Homicide and its cases.
Release Date
June 13, 2005
Seasons
7
3 'CSI' (2000-2016)
Created by Anthony E. Zuiker
'CSI' Season 14 Episode 5 'Frame by Frame'
Image via CVS
CSI followed a group of Las Vegas investigators working the night shift as they used forensic science to solve crimes, initially under the supervision of Gil Grissom (William Petersen). The series spawned an entire franchise, consisting of three spin-off shows, each set in a different city and with one focused on cyber crimes. CSI lasted 15 seasons, with over 300 episodes. The series was rebooted in 2021 as CSI: Vegas, with some of its original cast returning.
CSI took a look at police procedurals from the perspective of forensic science used to find evidence at the scene of a crime, as opposed to the detectives working the case. CSI was among the most interesting police procedurals, thanks to the vast number of cases it featured and the fact that they were often gruesome or raised more questions than answers. The show’s success led to it being one of the longest-running shows of all time.
Release Date
October 6, 2000
Seasons
15
2 'NCIS' (2003-Present)
Created by Donald B. Bellisario and Don McGill
NCIS Team starring Gary Cole, Sean Murray, Katrina Law, and Wilmer Valderrama
Image via CBS
NCIS follows the team of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, dedicated to solving crimes involving America’s Navy. It is now in its 21st season. The show itself was a spin-off of JAG and has now led to a major franchise consisting of four additional spin-offs, with at least two more on the way, including a prequel series set in the early ‘90s titled NCIS: Origins, and the franchise as a whole is approaching its milestone 1,000th episode.
With over 20 seasons behind it, NCIS is one of the longest-running shows of all time, thanks to its popularity—the show is the most-watched scripted series on network television, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Its focus on crimes involving the Navy means the team investigates a variety of different types of crimes, although the show frequently features homicides, and the team sometimes has direct ties to a case.
Created by
Donald P. Bellisario
First Episode Air Date
September 23, 2003
Cast
david mccallum, Sean Murray, Mark Harmon, Brian Dietzen, Pauley Perrette, Rocky Carroll
First TV Show
Latest TV Show
NCIS: Hawaii
1 'The Wire' (2002-2008)
Created by David Simon
Dominic West as Jimmy McNulty in 'The Wire'
Image via HBO
The HBO series The Wire took a look at the narcotic scene in Baltimore, from the perspectives of both drug dealers and law enforcement. It also explored government and bureaucracy, unions, public education, the media and more, notably how they were all connected. Dominic West starred as James “Jimmy" McNulty, a detective working to take down kingpin Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris). The show lasted five seasons, with 60 episodes, spanning from 2002 until 2008.
The Wire has been hailed as not only one of the greatest shows of the 2000s, but of all time, and, of course, one of the best HBO has ever released. It’s also been credited with helping revive the police-procedural genre. In some ways, it wasn’t a police procedural at all - or rather, an anti-cop show, not just because it didn’t follow the genre’s familiar format; it took a look at corruption and other flaws within the justice system.
The Wire
Release Date
2002 - 2008-00-00
Cast
Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce, Deirdre Lovejoy, Andre Royo, John Doman, Michael Kenneth Williams, Frankie Faison, Clarke Peters, Corey Parker Robinson, Wood Harris, Idris Elba, Aidan Gillen, Jamie Hector, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Michael Kostroff, Reg E. Cathey, Tristan Mack Wilds, Chris Bauer, Clark Johnson, Tom McCarthy, Neal Huff, Jermaine Crawford, Michelle Paress
Seasons
5
Main Genre