Crime shows in themselves are addicting, binge-worthy and an overall fun genre of television to watch. They come in many forms. From period shows, supernatural, K-dramas, thrillers, and even sci-fi and fantasy. There's a guilty pleasure for some audiences who enjoy the combination of the crime genre with alien lifeforms, zombies, the celestial, and even the bizarre.
This genre of television has no bounds. Since the plot often defies reality, there is a unique level of intrigue, especially when combined with cases of the unknown or spooky town occurrences. Over the years, some have held their own as being the best of the best and even classics. But there's always more to add to the must-watch list.
Rugal (2020): 6.4
The Netflix K-drama was originally based on a popular webtoon that gained a considerable fanbase. The webtoon was developed into a 16 episode series. It detailed the story of an elite police officer determined to rid the city of its largest crime organization.
The show has a certain element similar to the Bionic Man. After his wife is murdered and he loses his vision in one eye, the officer is given an opportunity to join a special task force. Given superhuman abilities after being equipped with biotechnology, he seeks justice and to clear his name.
Stitchers (2015): 6.9
Solving murders isn't so easy. In the Freeform show, Stitchers used a different technique to look into the minds of suspects. A Caltech student is recruited to be a Stitcher. She's "stitched" into the memories of the deceased to uncover new facts and evidence of their murder.
The show was short-lived but did a good job at keeping fans on the edge of their seats. It had its glorious moments of storylines while some episodes were meant more for background noise.
Life On Mars (2008): 7.4
There are two versions of the show Life On Mars. One is its original British show version from 2006 that got much higher ratings with an 8.3. The American adaptation premiere in 2008. The show is tagged as a science fiction and police procedural. It all starts when Sam Tyler (Jason O'Mara) is hit by a car while pursuing a kidnapper.
The twist is that he wakes up in the 1970s as a police officer. With no modern technology, he must solve crimes in this current time period. But the biggest question raised is whether or not Sam is in a coma and dreaming it all? Could there be some other force at play?
Invisible City (2021): 7.4
Netflix developed series that had captured audiences' attention. Invisible City is a fantasy series tied with murder and mythical entities. A detective uncovers fantasy creatures living amongst them while investigating a murder. The murder eerily resembles that of his own wife.
Amidst his investigation, he's opened to a new world and a newfound reality of what he really is. With the help of his new comrades, he learns there's an escaped evil spirit causing heinous deaths. Fans have praised the series for its intriguing and fresh take on fantasy creatures and storylines.
Haven (2010): 7.5
Haven became a popular SyFy show that premiered in 2010 and finished its run after five seasons. The show is tagged with almost everything from thriller, crime, supernatural, fantasy, and even sci-fi. In every episode, the viewers see a different crime occurs. Since they keep happening, an FBI Special Agent is sent to investigate the odd occurrences in the town.
Along the way, she learns that they are not what she expected, which speeds in the world of the paranormal and fantasy. More crimes occur as the town is plagued with "The Troubles." For new fans of the show, they will find themselves binge-watching for hours on Netflix.
iZombie (2015): 7.8
iZombie was a CW gem that ended too soon. After only five seasons, the crime and zombie adventures of Liv Moore (Rose Mclver) came to a close. Fans found themselves loving the show's storylines and mix of zombie and crime. It also had a different take on zombie abilities.
Liv was a doctor until an incident at a boat party lands her to become the undead. To keep her new reality a secret, she works at the county morgue. She's able to eat as many brains as she can but also takes on their personality and memories. With her skill, she helps the local detective solve some heinous murders.
Almost Human (2013): 8.0
Almost Human takes audiences into the year 2048. The future has its downfalls as the uncontrollable evolution of technology has caused crime to skyrocket. A new law is put in place where a police officer is paired with a combat-model-android.
Many have said the show has a similar feel to Will Smith's I, Robot. The show sees a troubled detective's initial dislike of androids arise after his partner is killed because of an android's miscalculation. He soon has to learn how to overcome his grudge when he is partnered with an almost human-like decommissioned android. Still not warming up to the idea, they solve the cities worst crimes.
Lucifer (2016): 8.1
Lucifer was a Fox show that fans rallied behind to keep on-air and for good reason. While there have been many versions of the ruler of Hell on television, none were like Lucifer Morningstars in Lucifer.
Lucifer (Tom Ellis) was tired of the cliché image given to him as the Ruler of Hell. He decides to venture up to Earth, open a nightclub, and does what he pleases. But he soon crosses paths with a female detective named Chloe (Lauren Germain). Together they solve murders while confronting Lucifer's complex family drama and their tumultuous love story.
Forever (2014): 8.3
Forever was a 2014 show that got an incredibly high rating but was only on-air for one season. The show did something right amongst fans despite it being canceled. The fantasy crime drama details the life of Dr.Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffudd), who is an immortal medical examiner and uses his years of acquired knowledge to help the NYPD. Now exhausted with his immortality, he looks for answers behind his predicament while helping solve murders.
Resident Alien (2021): 8.3
The SyFy show is science fiction mainly because its main character is an alien. Captain Hah Re (Alan Tudyk) crashed his ship on Earth while carrying out a mission. To blend in, he accidentally murders a local and assumes his identity. Since his human counterpart was a doctor, he is asked by local police to investigate a possible murder while also trying to stay under the radar to look for his ship. Fans will fall the R-rated and witty humor along with Hah Re's real purpose for his mission.