1. Criminal Minds, IMDb score 8.2/10
A dark and twisted psychological thriller, Criminal Minds takes a unique twist on the cliche detective drama with the BAU, a FBI profiling unit. The show delves deep into the mind of the killer, with less focus on evidence and more on behavioral traits. The majority of episodes focus on one killer in particular. This focus on a new killer every week as well as the main cast has resulted in stunted character development: also, after a number of years on-air the episodes are either reminiscent of earlier crimes, or so disturbing, you have to wonder what happened to the writer that dreamed them up.
2. Law and Order SVU, IMDb score 7.7/10
I prefer this over the original because it pays a good amount of attention to both the courtroom and the crime scene. Character development is excellent, however, the majority of content involves sexual crimes or crimes involving children and is incredibly difficult to watch. Also, similarly to Criminal Minds, after being on the air for so long some of the material has become stale: there are only so many different angles a write can take to sex crimes.
3. CSI, IMDb score 7.9/10
The original CSI is an oldie but a goodie. CSI was one of the first shows to show the science behind crimes, and from a forensic point of view. CSI focuses on the physical evidence, and is in this way similar to the way more traditional detective shows follow clues.
4. Veronica Mars, IMDb score 8.4/10
Part of the reason I love this show so much is because it's what I would imagine a millennial Nancy Drew to be: Veronica Mars is a smart-mouthed high school private eye, who solves cases ranging from dog-nappings to her best friend's murder. It's a hilarious black comedy that is equal parts smart-mouth humor and gritty crime solving. The show has excellent character development, and I was crushed when I found out (6 years too late) that the fourth season was cancelled. I binge-watched this on Netflix over spring break, and loved every minute.
5. Bones, IMDb score 8.1/10
Bone's is a fantastic mix of nerdy science and action, and is the perfect show to watch with parents. I enjoy the camaraderie between Booth and Bones, two polar opposites. The show is, while lighthearted at moments, at it's core a detective based crime drama, and at that it excels.
6. Sherlock, IMDb score 9.3/10
Sherlock is a BBC knockout that features a overly empathetic everyman, John Watson, and the razor sharp and socially inept Sherlock Holmes. With 3, hour and a half long episodes per season, it is difficult to be satisfied when every finale ends on a cliffhanger. The time between seasons is also exceptionally long: however, as many fans can attest, it is well worth the wait.
7. True Detectives, IMDb score 9.4/10
True Detectives is a rare treat: A recalcitrant, brilliant and socially inept detective is paired with a good ole boy from down south who isn't as good as he'd like to think. While their relationship sounds very close to that and Sherlock and Watson, Harrelson and McConaughey bring a new dimension to the dynamic. This is another show that I couldn't put down, and I watched straight through. The masterful thing about this show is the writing of creator Nic Pizzolatto. Many of McConaughey's lines are deeply profound, and the complexity of his dialogue remains long after the show is over.
8. Psych, IMDb score 8.5/10
Psych is one of the best crime-comedies out there. The character development, with attention to interpersonal relationships is excellent and the show never fails to bring a smile to my face. The show is about a man, Shawn Spencer, who has a "psychic" talent, that is likely just a keener than normal sense of observation. Spencer solves crimes for the Santa Barbara PD, all while trying to convince everyone he's a psychic. It's a great show with lighthearted humor, the only improvement would be to cease and desist any and all musical episodes.
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