Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV.
Procedurals have long been one of the most dependable genres on TV, and even with shows of the past falling into forgotten territory, there are some near-perfect procedurals that deserve more attention. From police dramas and detective shows to medical series and unconventional mysteries, procedurals have the unique ability to blend cases of the week with slow-burning drama, which makes them some of the most intriguing shows to watch. While there are some shows that fade into the background despite lasting for years, others quickly become cultural phenomenons, taking over a generation of viewers with their heightened sense of suspense.
While some of these shows arrived before the advent of streaming and have thus faded into the background, others have been able to find a resurgence in the modern era long after their debuts. From ground breaking crime dramas and forensic pioneers to genre-bending mysteries and science-led investigations, the best procedurals represent some of the greatest TV shows ever produced. While their footprints may not dominate the streaming charts, they've left behind a lasting, often nostalgia-fueled legacy that makes them well worth revisiting in the modern era. These near-perfect procedurals deserve far more recognition than they've received in the past.
10
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
2008-2009
Based on Alexander McCall Smith's bestselling novels, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency was an HBO and BBC co-production that starred Jill Scott. Following Precious Ramotswe, a Botswanan woman who opens the country's first women-owned detective agency, the series ran for a single season that focused on everyday mysteries over violent crimes. The show's warm sense of optimism was rare for a procedural, and the production filming in Botswana made it a historic one, as well. Earning praise for the performances of Scott, Anika Noni Rose, and Lucian Msamati, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency was a refreshingly light watch.
9
Crossing Lines
2013-2015
Airing for three seasons between 2013 and 2015, Crossing Lines aired on NBC and followed a specialized International Criminal Court unit as they investigated crimes that crossed over into Europe. Starring William Fictner, Donald Sutherland, Marc Lavoine, and Tom Wlaschiha, the series was a rare look at international crime on US screens. Long before the thrill of FBI: International, Crossing Lines explored the challenges of coordinating investigations across more than one country, navigating legal systems in a way that actually dictated what could and couldn't happen in a case. An ambitious concept, the series has sadly faded from the spotlight.
Release Date
2013 - 2015-00-00
Directors
Susan Tully, Eric Valette, Daniel Percival, Kerric Macdonald, Niall MacCormick, Xavier Gens, Andy Wilson, Ashley Pearce, Michael Wenning, Ben Bolt, Bill Eagles, Diarmuid Lawrence, Hannu Salonen, Philippe Haïm, Stephen Woolfenden
Writers
Edward Allen Bernero, Corinne Marrinan, Frank Spotnitz, Francesca Gardiner, Wendy Battles, Jimmy Dowdall, Ben Harris, Spencer Hudnut, Rachel Anthony, Clive Bradley, Nicholas Meyer, James Moran, Jason Bernero, Erika Harrison
Adam Fidusiewicz
Artur Siomski
Bruce Davison
Tactical Leader
Christian Oliver
Sven Liebig
8
Silk Stalkings
1991-1999
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A series that ran on USA Network for 8 years, Silk Stalkings was on the air from 1991 through 1998. Following detectives Chris Lorenzo (Rob Estes) and Rita Lance (Mitzi Kapture) as they investigated various crimes among the wealthy elite of Palm Beach, Florida, the series became one of the biggest hits during the 1990s. Blending character-driven drama with an intense sense of mystery, Silk Stalkings had the makings of a great slow burn between its core characters and was able to pull off compelling mysteries week after week. The show's success was built on chemistry that ultimately paid off.
Release Date
1991 - 1999-00-00
Directors
John Paragon, Ralph Hemecker, Charles Siebert, Terrence O'Hara, Carl Weathers, David Schmoeller, Tucker Gates, Brian Trenchard-Smith, Jeff Woolnough, Peter Ellis, Maria Lease, James Darren, Linda Hassani, Tawnia McKiernan, Martin Wood, Rob Estes, Ron Ames, Andrew Stevens, Peter DeLuise, Don Michael Paul, Oley Sassone, Michael Levine, Paul Abascal, P.D. Van Arsdol
Writers
David E. Peckinpah, Gordon T. Dawson, Todd Trotter, Stephen J. Cannell, Darcy Meyers, Garner Simmons, Jay Huguely, William Bigelow, Ethlie Ann Vare, David Kemper, Michael Zand, Stephen G. Geyer, Elizabeth Comici, Brad Radnitz, David Barry, Morgan Gendel, Burt Prelutsky, Luciano Comici, Gerry Conway, Jack Bernstein, Doug Heyes, Jr., Michael Scheff, Darren Swimmer, Erica Byrne
Anthony Addabbo
Nino Cunnetto
Barry Jenner
Ben Hutchinson
7
Quincy, M.E.
1976-1983
Decades before forensics became the backbone of procedurals of all types, Quincy, M.E. was already giving audiences a look into the scientific methods behind solving crimes. A series that ran from 1976 through 1983, Quincy, M.E. followed Dr. Quincy (Jack Klugman), a medical examiner who often challenged the conclusions that police officers came to about cases. Uncovering the truth behind suspicious deaths, Quincy, M.E. helped establish storytelling conventions that became highly popularized by later franchises that dabbled in forensics, like CSI. Tackling public health and social issues in its cases of the week, the series did far more than mystery.
Release Date
1976 - 1983-00-00
6
Rizzoli & Isles
2010-2016
TNT's hit series Rizzoli & Isles was hugely popular throughout its seven-season run from 2010 to 2016, and has maintained an audience in the years since despite streaming options coming into play. Starring Angie Harmon as Boston detective Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as medical examiner Maura Isles, the series was adapted from the novels by Tess Gerritsen, balancing murder investigations with a genuine sense of humor and friendship. The dynamic between the leads became the lifeblood of the series, pulling in an emotional tether that helped elevate the series well beyond its contemporaries and allowing it to become a classic.
While Grimm is a fantasy series that doesn't often fashion itself after a traditional procedural, the series is a procedural at its core. Running from 2011 through 2017, the series starred David Giuntoli as detective Nick Burkhardt, who despite being a Portland native, discovers that he is a Grimm, a guardian tasked with maintaining a level of balance between the mythical and the human. Each week, Grimm combined police investigations and a mythological mystery that created a winning formula for the series, which made it a consistently safe bet throughout its six-season run. Grimm is a true fantasy procedural blend.
Release Date
2011 - 2017-00-00
Directors
Norberto Barba, Terrence O'Hara, Aaron Lipstadt, Eric Laneuville, Peter Werner, David Solomon, John Behring, Steven DePaul, Darnell Martin, Karen Gaviola, Omar Madha, Rob Bailey, Clark Mathis, David Straiton, Holly Dale, Tawnia McKiernan, Carlos Ávila, David Greenwalt, Hanelle M. Culpepper, John Gray, Lee Rose, Michael W. Watkins, Paul A. Kaufman, Allan Kroeker
Writers
Dan E. Fesman, Brenna Kouf, Richard Hatem, Jeff Miller, Naren Shankar, Sarah Goldfinger, Kyle McVey, Akela Cooper, Thania St. John, Catherine Butterfield, Jose Molina, Martin Weiss, Mary Page Keller, William Bigelow, Marc Gaffen, Todd Milliner, David Simkins, Nevin Densham
David Giuntoli
Nick Burkhardt
Silas Weir Mitchell
Monroe
4
Warehouse 13
2009-2014
A Syfy series that ran from 2009 through 2014, Warehouse 13 followed Secret Service agents as they tracked down supernatural artifacts that are housed in a secret government warehouse week after week. Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) and Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) anchored the show, and made it clear that their work wasn't simply a find and seek mission. Instead, the agents had to recover artifacts that had unique abilities and created mysteries that required a deep investigation throughout the show's run. With creative cases, a lovable ensemble, and a strong sense of character, Warehouse 13 was a uniquely built series.
Release Date
2009 - 2014-00-00
Directors
Chris Fisher, Constantine Makris, Tawnia McKiernan, Stephen Surjik, Howard Deutch, Jace Alexander, Michael McMurray, Michael W. Watkins, Millicent Shelton, Vincent Misiano, Andrew Seklir, Eric Laneuville, Jay Chandrasekhar, Jennifer Lynch, Jeremiah S. Chechik, Ken Girotti, Matt Birman, Matt Earl Beesley, Matthew Hastings, Robert Duncan McNeill, Stephen Cragg, Larry Teng
Writers
Jack Kenny, Drew Z. Greenberg, Bob Goodman, Benjamin Raab, Deric A. Hughes, Holly Harold, Nell Scovell, Andrew Kreisberg, David Simkins, Diego Gutierrez, John-Paul Nickel, D. Brent Mote, Jane Espenson, Matthew Federman, Marque Franklin-Williams, Stephen Scaia, Tamara Becher
3
Numb3rs
2005-2010
Airing on CBS from 2005 through 2010, Numb3rs starred Rob Morrow and David Krumholz as Don and Charlie Eppes. Don, an FBI agent, and Charlie, a mathematical genius, worked together to solve difficult cases throughout the series, and while the gimmick could've become stale, the series constantly reinvented how it used its core methods. Excelling at making difficult mathematical concepts accessible, the series was able to keep its characters and their relationships close to the chest, never losing sight of their importance to the overall story. Numb3rs brought in compelling cases and emotional drama to ensure the series worked well.
Release Date
2005 - 2010-00-00
2
The Closer
2005-2012
A TNT series that ran from 2005 through 2012, The Closer starred Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, an interrogation expert who was tasked with leading the LAPD's Priority Homicide Division. While the series was able to blend crime drama with investigation, The Closer often built its cases on getting confessions from its criminals and then navigating the political side of law enforcement. Sedgewick's performance is one of the best in procedural history, with a sharp and consistent sense of self from the character throughout the show's run. The Closer is incredibly popular, but deserves more modern attention.
Release Date
2005 - 2012-00-00
Network
TNT
Directors
Arvin Brown, Elodie Keene, Steve Robin, Nelson McCormick, David McWhirter, James Duff, Kevin Bacon, Roxann Dawson, Gloria Muzio, Roger Young, Scott Ellis, Anthony Hemingway, Michael Pressman, Nicole Kassell, Stacey K. Black, Tawnia McKiernan, Adam Arkin, Charles Haid, Craig Zisk, Greg Yaitanes, Jesse Bochco, Jon Tenney, Lesli Linka Glatter, Matt Earl Beesley
Writers
Steven Kane, Mike Berchem, Adam Belanoff, Michael Alaimo, John Coveny, Hunt Baldwin, Duppy Demetrius, Leo Geter, Ken Martin, Wendy West, Jim Leonard, Ralph Gifford, Carson Moore
1
Without a Trace
2002-2009
A CBS series that ran from 2002 through 2009, Without a Trace followed the FBI's Missing Persons unit in New York City, following agents as they attempted to find their victims before time ran out. Led by Anthony LaPaglia as Jack Malone, the ensemble cast of Without a Trace is what made it a tremendous series. With Poppy Montgomery, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Enrique Murciano, Eric Close, and Roselyn Sánchez, the series had an incredible amount of talent to pull from within each episode. Focusing on the victims rather than the perpetrators, Without a Trace used an interesting mix of storytelling styles.
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ph: Scott Green/©NBC/courtesy Everett Collection
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