Crime shows and cop dramas are now doing booming business on OTT platforms. While you wait for the next season of the latest ones you’ve watched, here are some police procedurals, with multiple seasons, that you can binge watch. And they are just as watchable today as when they first released.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
(1999-present)
The first spin-off of Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU is the longest running primetime television show of all time. Starring Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler (till 2011) and Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson, SVU dealt with dark subjects mostly of a sexual nature. Like its parent show, SVU also combined police procedural with prosecution, making it a riveting watch.
Where to watch: JioCinemas and Netflix
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
(2000-2015)
This was the original show that spun off a whole franchise. Running for 15 seasons, CSI stood apart from the other police shows by focusing on the use of science in solving crimes. It follows a group of criminologists in Las Vegas who cracked cases using scientific analysis, mainly in labs. This created a whole new crime show template of focusing on forensics.
Where to watch: Netflix
NCIS
(2003-present)
Standing for Naval Criminal Investigative Service, NCIS combines military drama with police procedural and a healthy dose of comedy. Led by Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, it follows a team of investigators who focus on solving crimes involving the Navy and the Marine Corps. The show is the seventh longest running show on television and has spawned two major spin-offs.
Where to watch: Netflix
Blue Bloods
(2010-2024)
Starring Tom Selleck as NYPD Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, Blue Bloods changes the format of focusing on a group of detectives to revolve around the Reagan family and their legacy in the police force. It combines police procedural with interpersonal drama, as each family member covers different aspects of law and order in New York, making it a hugely satisfying watch.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Line of Duty
(2012-2021)
This British cop drama is set in the Anti-Corruption Unit 12 (AC-12) of the fictional Central Police and follows DS Steve Arnott and DC Kate Fleming as they investigate corruption within the police ranks, especially its links with organised crime. The police investigating the police makes for high and intense drama, with the long interrogation scenes being the highlight.
Where to watch: Netflix
