Blue Bloods Who? 5 Criminally Underrated Police Procedural Dramas
Move over, Reagan family.
If there's one genre that continues to thrive no matter what, it's crime and police procedurals. People are curious to look behind the curtain of one of the most dangerous jobs out there, one that is constantly surrounded by corruption and scandal.
However, many great shows are forgotten as soon as they're over, and that's an injustice we can fight ourselves by keeping the legacy of these shows alive through social media. Here's a list of 5 underrated TV shows about the police, according to Redditors.
New York Undercover (1994-1999)
Dick Wolf's New York Undercover was not only a huge success at the time it aired, but could easily compete with any current police procedural on television. The best thing about it, apart from the brilliant writing and lots of action, is that it didn't drag on like many other shows. New York Undercover succeeded in ending on a high note.
Southland (2009-2013)
Southland was definitely one of NBC's biggest failures at the time. The network decided to stop production on Season 2 after 6 full episodes, but luckily for fans, the show was picked up by TNT and ran much longer than expected. Southland is many things, but above all it's authentic, raw and dramatic in the best possible way.
Reno 911! ( 2003- 2009, 2020-2022)
A direct parody of another iconic cop show, Cops, Reno 911! was always quite provocative in its humor. While dealing with crime, the show was not afraid to make jokes about politics, gender, race, and the general incompetence and inability of the police to control the situation the way they should. Even better, the 2020s revival is just as funny and unapologetic.
Homicide: Life in the Streets (1993-1999)
One of NBC's classics that isn't remembered nearly enough, despite the wild success the show had when it was on the air. Despite being filmed in the 90s, it's still just as well-written, suspenseful and entertaining today, so if you're looking for a show to suck you in, Homicide: Life in the Streets is the one for you.
The Shield (2002-2008)
The best thing about The Shield is the way the show doesn't try to polish the characters and put them in the best possible light just because they're cops. There is a lot of depth and a lot of flaws to each and every one of them, which makes them more realistic and a little bit more relatable. This change in the narrative was much needed.
Source: Reddit