Best Police Procedural

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Best 1 Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Rivers of London introduces Peter Grant, a newly minted London police constable who discovers he's become an apprentice wizard. Aaronovitch masterfully blends police procedural elements with a fascina...

9.7 Brilliant
2 In the Woods
In the Woods

Tana Frenchs debut novel is a haunting, atmospheric police procedural that transcends the genre. Detective Rob Ryan investigates the murder of a young girl in a small Irish town, a case that mirrors a...

9.7 Brilliant
3 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

Building on the short-lived TV series 'Police Squad!', The Naked Gun features Leslie Nielsen in his most iconic role as the bumbling Detective Frank Drebin. The film is a relentless assault of visual...

9.6 Brilliant
4 Mystery Road
Mystery Road
From N/A (Available through subscription services like iView in Australia and potentially others internationally)

Mystery Road is a critically acclaimed crime drama series set in Western Australia's remote Kimberley region. The show follows Detective Jay Swan, a troubled former Melbourne cop, as he investigates m...

9.5 Brilliant
5 Beyond Evil
Beyond Evil

Beyond Evil is a 2021 psychological thriller revolving around two detectives, Lee Dong-hyuk and Han Joo-won, investigating a cold case that resurfaces in a small town. The drama masterfully blurs the...

9.4 Excellent
6 Batman: Year One
Batman: Year One

Batman: Year One, written by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, offers a grounded and realistic portrayal of Bruce Wayne's first year as Batman and James Gordon's early days as a police officer in G...

9.3 Excellent
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7 Louise Penny's 'Still Life'
Louise Penny's 'Still Life'

The first book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series, 'Still Life,' introduces readers to the charming village of Three Pines in Quebec. When a local artist is found murdered, Chief Inspector Gamache...

9.2 Excellent
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8 Deewar (1975)
Deewar (1975)

Deewar is a gritty crime drama that explores themes of morality, justice, and societal corruption. The films portrayal of a police officer and his criminal brother, both driven by their own sense of r...

9.2 Excellent
9 M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth Series
M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth Series

M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth series transports readers to the picturesque Scottish Highlands, where the titular character, a former London police officer, finds solace and a new career as a local cons...

9.1 Excellent
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10 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

This series is the definitive television adaptation of Masamune Shirow's manga. It follows Major Motoko Kusanagi and Section 9 as they investigate high-tech crimes in a future where cybernetic bodies...

8.9 Very Good
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11 Tropa de Elite (Elite Squad)
Tropa de Elite (Elite Squad)
From Varies (rental ~$3.99, purchase ~$9.99 USD)

Tropa de Elite, released in 2007, is a gritty and intense police procedural that follows an elite squad of Rio de Janeiro police officers as they battle drug traffickers and corruption within the forc...

8.8 Very Good
12 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law & Order: SVU, a cornerstone of the Law & Order franchise, focuses on the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit, handling sexually based crimes. It distinguishes itself through its...

8.8 Very Good
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13 Columbo
Columbo

Columbo is a classic television series featuring a seemingly bumbling detective who always solves the case, but in an 'inverted detective story' format the audience knows the murderer from the beginn...

8.7 Very Good
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14 Memories of Murder (2003)
Memories of Murder (2003)

Memories of Murder is a gripping crime thriller inspired by real-life unsolved serial killings in South Korea. The film follows two bumbling detectives struggling to catch a killer while grappling wit...

8.7 Very Good
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15 The Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
The Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett's 'The Night Watch' is a darkly humorous and cleverly written novel set in Ankh-Morpork, a city heavily inspired by London. The story follows the Night Watch, a dysfunctional police fo...

8.5 Very Good
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16 The Wire Pilot
The Wire Pilot

The Wire pilot offers a gritty and realistic portrayal of the drug trade in Baltimore, introducing viewers to the perspectives of both law enforcement and criminals. The pilots complex narrative struc...

8.5 Very Good
17 Bright (2017)
Bright (2017)

Set in an alternate present where humans and orcs coexist, 'Bright' follows a human police officer partnered with an orc as they uncover a dangerous conspiracy involving a powerful magical artifact. W...

8.5 Very Good
18 Cargo 200
Cargo 200

Cargo 200 is a bleak and unsettling crime thriller set in the criminal underworld of 1990s Moscow. The film follows a police detective investigating a series of murders involving bodies found in cargo...

8.4 Very Good
19 Devils on the Door
Devils on the Door

Jiang Wen's 2000 film is a complex and atmospheric crime drama that follows a police detective investigating a series of mysterious deaths. The film explores themes of corruption, justice, and the mor...

8.4 Very Good
20 Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch
Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

Midnight Riot is the third book in the Rivers of London series, continuing Peter Grant's adventures as a wizard and police officer. This installment delves deeper into the magical history of London, i...

8.4 Very Good
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21 The Shadow Murders by Helene Tursten
The Shadow Murders by Helene Tursten

Helene Tursten's 'The Shadow Murders' introduces detective Emmett Hede, who investigates a series of murders linked to a historical event. The novel combines a gripping crime narrative with a fascinat...

8.3 Very Good
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22 Bosch
Bosch

Bosch, based on Michael Connelly's novels, follows Harry Bosch, a Los Angeles Police Department homicide detective known for his relentless pursuit of justice. The series is characterized by its gritt...

8.3 Very Good
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23 Unbelievable
Unbelievable

Unbelievable is a gripping miniseries based on the true story of Marie Adler, a teenager who recants her rape report, leading to accusations of lying. The series follows two detectives as they investi...

8.3 Very Good
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24 The Red Notice
The Red Notice

The Red Notice, a 2016 thriller, revolves around a special task force that investigates cases involving supernatural phenomena marked with a red notice. The drama blends police procedural elements wit...

8.2 Very Good
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25 Hawaii Five-0
Hawaii Five-0

The 2010 reboot of 'Hawaii Five-0' updates the original 1968 series for a modern audience. It follows a state-level task force led by Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett, who is assigned to combat se...

8.2 Very Good
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26 NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue

NYPD Blue broke ground with its realistic portrayal of police work and its willingness to tackle adult themes. The show followed the detectives of the 15th precinct in New York City as they investigat...

8.1 Very Good
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27 Cold Case
Cold Case

Cold Case follows a Los Angeles Police Department detective and a young partner as they investigate unsolved murder cases from the past. The series is known for its unique premise, its use of flashbac...

8.1 Very Good
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28 Hierro
Hierro

Hierro is a Spanish crime thriller series set on the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands. The series follows a police officer haunted by his past as he investigates a series of disturbing crimes...

8.1 Very Good
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29 Borderliner (Grenseland)
Borderliner (Grenseland)

Borderliner, a Norwegian crime drama, focuses on a border guard who becomes entangled in a dangerous smuggling operation. The series explores themes of corruption, loyalty, and the challenges of maint...

8.0 Very Good
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30 Paradise PD
Paradise PD

Paradise PD is a raunchy and satirical animated comedy series following a dysfunctional police department in a small town. The show's humor is often crude and offensive, pushing boundaries with its da...

8.0 Very Good
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