The Best Serial Cop Dramas of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated January 21, 2021 41.2k votes 5.3k voters 188.9k views94 items

List RulesVote up your favorite police dramas that unfold their complex stories episode-by-episode.

The best serial cop dramas of all time include long-running police television shows that managed to combine elements of mystery and suspense, captivating viewers along the way. TV fans might also enjoy best true crime TV shows and best British detective series. Top TV cop dramas have long been a major part of American television (with many ranking among the best TV shows of recent momory), and they've remained popular for decades. This list includes some of the greatest police TV dramas ever, so be sure to vote for your favorites, and vote down any programs you really didn't like.

A truly great television cop drama combines interesting, unique story lines with fast-paced action and a solid script. Having an extraordinarily strong ensemble cast doesn't hurt, either. What's the best cop show ever on TV? Many fans will argue that it's the brilliant, David Simon-created HBO drama The Wire. Others might maintain that the FX drama The Shield, which starred Michael Chiklis, is the greatest of all time. Another great example is the CBS drama Criminal Minds, the story of FBI agents who profile criminals. And, love them or hate them, it's hard to deny that the Law & Order franchise programs are almost always solid choices, too.

Older, classic serial cop dramas are also included on this list of the best cop shows, because they paved the way for more modern police procedurals. Among them: The ABC crime drama The Untouchables (1959 to 1963) and the long-running classic Dragnet. And of course, no list of the best serial cop dramas ever would be complete without Columbo, which starred the late, great Peter Falk as homicide detective Lt. Frank Columbo.

Hopefully everyone will find at least one or two favorite cop series among these fantastic serial cop dramas and vote the best to the top!

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297
169
Justified
Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy
Premiered: 2010
Genres (Tv): Crime drama, Neo-Western
2
561
352
Columbo
Peter Falk, Mike Lally
Premiered: 1968
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
3
599
390
Southland
Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy
Premiered: 2009
Genres (Tv): Crime drama
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4
586
371
Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti, Michael Warren
Premiered: 1981
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama
5
643
419
Law & Order
Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin
Premiered: 1990
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama, Legal drama, Legal
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The Wire
Dominic West, Lance Reddick
Premiered: 2002
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama
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295
The Mentalist
Simon Baker, Robin Tunney
Premiered: 2008
Genres (Tv): Police procedural, Mystery, Drama

8
740
490
NCIS
Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly
Premiered: 2003
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Action/Adventure, Police procedural, Drama, Thriller
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9
534
347
Castle
Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic
Premiered: 2009
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Crime, Drama, Mystery
10
794
528
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni
Premiered: 1999
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama, Live action, Legal drama
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Sherlock
Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman
Premiered: 2010
Genres (Tv): Crime drama, Mystery
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Hawaii Five-O
Jack Lord, James MacArthur
Premiered: 1968
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Action/Adventure, Police procedural, Crime, Drama
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385
NYPD Blue
Dennis Franz, Gordon Clapp
Premiered: 1993
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Crime, Drama, Live action
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14
707
485
The Shield
Michael Chiklis, Catherine Dent
Premiered: 2002
Genres (Tv): Crime drama, Action
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382
314
Miami Vice
Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas
Premiered: 1984
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama
16
344
254
Cold Case
Kathryn Morris, Danny Pino
Premiered: 2003
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama
17
372
182
Magnum, P.I.
Tom Selleck, John Hillerman
Premiered: 1980
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Action/Adventure, Police procedural, Drama, Adventure film
18
285
228
The Closer
Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons
Premiered: 2005
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama
19
365
240
Person of Interest
Jim Caviezel, Taraji P. Henson
Premiered: 2011
Genres (Tv): Crime drama, Action, Sci-fi
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20
318
254
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Kathryn Erbe, Vincent D'Onofrio
Premiered: 2001
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama, Live action, Legal
21
333
226
Monk
Tony Shalhoub, Bitty Schram
Premiered: 2002
Genres (Tv): Police procedural, Comedy-drama, Mystery
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704
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Blue Bloods
Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan
Premiered: 2010
Genres (Tv): Action/Adventure, Police procedural, Crime, Drama, Adventure film
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The Streets of San Francisco
Karl Malden, Michael Douglas
Premiered: 1972
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Action/Adventure, Police procedural, Adventure film, Action
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Criminal Minds
Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler
Premiered: 2005
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Crime, Suspense, Drama
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Jack Webb, Harry Morgan
Premiered: 1952
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