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The Best Procedural Dramas of All Time

Updated January 13, 2021 1.5k votes 289 voters 12.4k views53 items

List RulesVote up the best dramatic procedural series, whether they follow crimes, courts, or high-tech problems.

Procedural dramas can get your adrenaline pumping and keep you hooked from the get go, but which procedural dramas are the best? With stories and cases that are wrapped up by the end of the episode, the greatest procedural dramas have been staples of TV nights for years. From the Law and Order franchise to shows like Bones and Scandal, pick your favorites below!

The best procedural drama TV shows may focus on episodic cases from medical to criminal, they also have memorable casts of characters that audiences are easily invested in. Shows like Psych, Castle, and even Criminal Minds have tight-knit casts of characters who work to solve cases as a team, even when they are in the midst of a dramatic disagreement. The list of procedural drama television shows below includes information like the program's cast and premiere date when available.

This list answers the questions, "What is the best procedural drama show of all time?" and "What are the greatest procedural drama shows?" Don't let your favorite procedural dramas in history get to the bottom of the list - be sure to vote them up so they have the chance to reach the top.

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83
40
The Mentalist
Simon Baker, Robin Tunney
Premiered: 2008
2
69
30
Castle
Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic
Premiered: 2009
3
85
51
Bones
Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz
Premiered: 2005
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4
61
32
Psych
James Roday, Dulé Hill
Premiered: 2006
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5
50
23
White Collar
Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay
Premiered: 2009
6
41
17
Monk
Tony Shalhoub, Bitty Schram
Premiered: 2002
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7
32
8
The Wire
Dominic West, Lance Reddick
Premiered: 2002
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39
17
Lie to Me
Tim Roth, Kelli Williams
Premiered: 2009
9
46
27
Criminal Minds
Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler
Premiered: 2005
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10
29
12
Luther
Idris Elba, Warren Brown
Premiered: 2010
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11
38
24
NCIS
Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly
Premiered: 2003
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12
31
15
Murder, She Wrote
Angela Lansbury, William Windom
Premiered: 1984
13
29
16
NUMB3RS
Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz
Premiered: 2005
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14
25
16
Law & Order
Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin
Premiered: 1990
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15
16
10
Body of Proof
Dana Delany, Jeri Ryan
Premiered: 2011
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16
22
17
Hawaii Five-0
Leonard Freeman, Alex Kurtzman
Premiered: 2010
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17
18
15
Medium
Patricia Arquette, Miguel Sandoval
Premiered: 2005
18
27
27
Scandal
Kerry Washington, Henry Ian Cusick
Premiered: 2012
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19
12
7
Major Crimes
Mary McDonnell, G. W. Bailey
Premiered: 2012
20
14
9
Cold Case
Kathryn Morris, Danny Pino
Premiered: 2003
21
19
18
Blue Bloods
Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan
Premiered: 2010
22
9
7
The Shield
Michael Chiklis, Catherine Dent
Premiered: 2002
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23
9
8
NYPD Blue
Dennis Franz, Gordon Clapp
Premiered: 1993
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24
11
10
CSI: Miami
David Caruso, Emily Procter
Premiered: 2002
25
8
6
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Laurence Fishburne, Marg Helgenberger
Premiered: 2000
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