Crimes, no matter how big or small, have been a fascinating topic of conversation for decades. Simple curiosity is why we find ourselves looking for something attention-grabbing to watch on TV. If the show we settle on just so happens to involve a murder or mysterious disappearance, it's all the more reason to watch.
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Whether you prefer a true crime series, a documentary, or a fictional police procedural, there's something for everyone. With the seemingly endless streaming services we have access to nowadays, we're not lacking a source for our gritty fix. The latest drama to hit TV screens is Fox's new show Alert: Missing Persons Unit, which aired on January 8th and became the network's most streamed launch since 911: Lone Star. Alert: Missing Persons Unit is the newest in TV shows with a focal point on specialized crime units, and while we're excited to see how it goes, there are others that fall into the same subgenre that is also worth checking out.
1 'Alert: Missing Persons Unit' (2023-)
Thousands of people go missing every year. Whether it be from foul play, personal struggles, or mysterious circumstances, people vanish without a trace. Fox's new show Alert: Missing Persons Unit centers on a team of individuals within the Philadelphia Police Department who specialize in missing person cases and bringing the victims home.
The show stars Scott Caan as Jason Grant and Dania Ramirez as Nikki Batista as they do everything in their power to bring missing children home. After losing their son the same way years prior, the pair, alongside the MPU, do what they can so other families don't have to experience the same pain they went through years before. Alert: Missing Persons Unit airs Monday's 9/8 central on Fox and streams on Hulu the following day.
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2 'FBI' (2018-)
FBI comes from the mind of the iconic Dick Wolf: the Wolf Entertainment, CBS Studio, and Universal Television production is now on its fifth season with a current running total of 89 episodes.
The show centers on high-profile criminal activity on the FBIs radar through New York City's field office. Since first appearing on the small screens in 2018 from a straight-to-series commission, it has expanded with two further spin-offs, FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International, which like many of Wolf's shows, form their own interconnected universe.
3 'Chicago P.D.' (2014-)
Chicago P.D. is one of three sister shows that collectively makeup what's known as One Chicago. As part of the Wolf Entertainment Universe, the popular series runs alongside Chicago Fire and Chicago Med on NBC.
The police procedural of the three shows follows an elite team of detectives under the leadership of their sergeant, Hank Voight (Jason Beghe). The Chicago Police Department's Intelligence Unit deals with some of the worst crimes imaginable on the Windy City's streets and bends the rules to get results.
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4 'Line of Duty' (2012-2021)
Line of Duty is a multi-award-winning and highly praised British police procedural following authorised firearms officer Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) as he joins the Anti-Corruption unit to discover and stop corruption within the force.
It takes viewers on undercover ops, interrogations, and lengthy investigations throughout its six seasons and, according to The Independent, has rightfully earned its title as one of the greatest cop shows of all time.
5 'Bones' (2005-2017)
Bones is a specialized crime procedural with a focal point on forensic anthropology, a term used to describe the study of identifying the deceased when the victim is seemingly unidentifiable from the cause of death, for example, burns, extensive decomposition, or otherwise mutilated. The show follows a team working within the FBI on currently unsolved case files.
The series ran for twelve years between 2005 and 2017, airing 246 episodes over its twelve-season run. The show is primarily a fictional story but took some inspiration from the novels of real forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, an expert in the field of forensic science. Bones was generally well received, even sparking a spin-off called The Finder. However, the show only lasted one season before Fox canceled it after just thirteen episodes.
6 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation' (2000-2015)
As one of the longest-running primetime TV shows during its run, the original CSI series Crime Scene Investigation aired consistently for fifteen years between 2000 and 2015. It consisted of 337 episodes throughout its time and resulted in multiple spin-offs and the creation of an entire universe for the franchise.
The police procedural takes viewers on the investigative side of crime solving, using evidence of all kinds found at the scene to help get the answers needed. CSI and most of its multiple spin-offs may have come to an end over the years, but its latest successor. CSI: Vegas is currently airing its second season on CBS.
7 'NCIS' (2003 - Present)
A clever combination of genres, this police and military procedural drama is currently on its 20th season with 447 episodes under its belt. The CBS series NCIS first aired in 2003 and has since gained a reputation as a more than worthy addition to primetime television.
The series follows a specially trained group of people within the Navy and Marine Corps Naval Criminal Investigations Services (NCIS), with a focal point on major and high-priority offenses that come directly through that system. What started as a backdoor pilot became an ever-growing franchise on the CBS network.
8 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit' (1999-)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, also called Law & Order: SVU, is a highly-rated Wolf Entertainment crime drama that's been airing on NBC for over two decades. It first appeared on TV screens in 1999 as the first spin-off to its predecessor, Law & Order, and after almost 25 years, it's still going strong.
Now 24 seasons and 527 episodes in, the show has done incredibly well for itself, sparking numerous other spin-offs to follow in its footsteps. SVU centers on a team of elite NYPD detectives who specialize in helping victims of sexually-based criminal offenses in and around the streets of New York.
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9 'Hawaii Five-0' (2010-2020)
Hawaii Five-0 is a popular police procedural that ran from 2010 until 2020. It followed a team of specially trained individuals given total immunity to make the island of Hawaii safer, no matter the cost. The series is a modernized reboot of the 1970s classic Hawaii Five-O that aired between 1968 and 1980, doing incredibly well for itself.
The specialized Five-0 task force consists of Steve McGarrett, Danny "Danno" Williams, Chin Ho Kelly, and Kono Kalakaua (Alex O'Loughlin, Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim, Grace Park) as they tackle the worst of the worst crimes across the Aloha State. From terrorism threats to murder and everything in between, this group has seen it all. "Book 'em, Danno!"
10 'Criminal Minds' (2005-)
For almost two decades, this now nearly 18-year-old crime series has gripped audiences with its unique showcasing of a very particular way of bringing down criminals. The CBS series centers on the psychological methods of catching those responsible for some of the most heinous offenses possible.
Focusing on a team of individuals specialized in behavioral analysis, Criminal Minds follows profilers working within the FBI to prevent the occurrence of further crimes before their suspects can act again and cause more harm. This heavy hitter is a great contender if you're looking for a long-running gritty binge-worthy series to get stuck into.
KEEP READING: The 18 Best 'Criminal Minds' Episodes, Ranked
