The Greatest Written Crime Collection in TV Historical past
Like every genre of television, crime series require a strong script in order to succeed.
Far from delivering suspenseful episodic stories alone, the best crime series make use of first-rate writing and dialogue, propelling their narratives forward with the intricate personalities of their lead characters, whether discussing series as well-known as The Sopranos and Breaking Bador as long-lasting as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Meet the crime series with writing that changed television.
1. The Sopranos (1999-2007)
Most viewers will have difficulty finding a show that surpasses the superior quality of The Sopranos. One of the most iconic television shows of all time, The Sopranos’ off-kilter and original approach to the gangster genre left audiences speechless from 1999 onward.
Featuring little to any wasted screen time, showrunner David Chase hooked viewers from the very get-go with his intelligent scripts, three-dimensional characters, and utilization of off-beat humor.
2. Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
The dramatic successor to The Sopranos, showrunner Vince Gilligan created his own unique take on the crime genre with 2008’s Breaking Bad. Paying meticulous references to pre-established crime and Western films, Gilligan painted a moving character study of an average teacher who devolves into an amoral, sociopathic criminal kingpin (Bryan Cranston).
One of the most famous TV shows ever made, the series’ spin-off continuations (Better Call Saul and El Camino) offer clear proof of its persistent popularity among contemporary audiences.
3. The Wire (2002-2008)
Next to The Sopranos, viewers will have a tough time finding a show more influential than The Wire. Through its roving cinematic lens, The Wire proffered an effective snapshot of systemic crime wreaking havoc in Baltimore, as well as the role societal institutions play in combating and controlling criminal tendencies. S
hifting from the point of view of low-level drug dealers to attorneys, reporters, and politicians, The Wire shows the interconnectivity required for the spread of crime, and how everyone–whether they mean to or not–plays a part in its development.
4. True Detective (2014-present)
Subsequent seasons aside, the opening season of HBO’s 2014 Southern Gothic anthology, True Detective, remains a narrative achievement in and of itself. Jumping back and forth between 2012 and 1995, the show’s central mystery and implementation of surreal Lovecraftian horror sets it apart from most other crime series out there.
Of course, the show’s astounding performances go hand in hand with its immaculate writing, with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey demonstrating keen dramatic chemistry together.
5. Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
While surrealism had figured into a select number of mainstream TV shows, it had never played as important a role as it did in David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks. A satisfying hodgepodge of conflicting genres, Lynch and Frost built their own idiosyncratic mythos with 1991’s Twin Peaks–a strange soap opera universe filled with coffee-obsessed F.B.I. agents, traumatized teenage lovers, and soul-snatching serial killer demons from a parallel dimension.
6. Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
Catching lightning in a bottle not once, but on two separate occasions, Vince Gilligan created the ideal follow-up to his renowned Breaking Bad series with 2015’s Better Call Saul. Falling into similar narrative territory as its earlier counterpart, Better Call Saul follows the gradual moral decline of aspiring attorney Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), Walter White’s shady lawyer in the Breaking Bad universe.
A fascinating prequel series with prologues for fan-favorite characters like Saul, cantankerous hitman Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), and ruthless drug dealer Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito), Better Call Saul serves as a fantastic addition to Gilligan’s award-winning series.
7. Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014)
Like Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul showrunner Vince Gilligan, David Chase had his hands full with creating a follow-up to his iconic Sopranos at the start of the 2010s. Rather than retreading familiar ground, Chase turned back the clock for 2010’s Boardwalk Empire, focusing on the world of Prohibition gangsters and the corrupt politicians who aided them.
As with The Sopranos, the show drew up a number of memorable characters–some fictitious, some based on historical reality (like ‘20s gangsters Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and Arnold Rothstein)–each of whom cast an outstanding actor in their respective roles.
8. Oz (1997-2003)
First released in 1997, television scholars tend to cite Oz as something of a phenomenon. Along with Six Feet Under, the series brought further attention to the infant HBO, helping the network gain a foothold among mainstream audiences at the time. Set at a notorious state prison for hardened criminals, Oz‘s high level of violence and exploration of nuanced characters set the standard for HBO series moving forward.
9. Justified (2010-2015)
An ideal halfway point from the wordier Deadwood and the neo-Western presentation of Yellowstone, Justified adapts the stories of Elmore Leonard’s fictional U.S. Marshal, Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant). Despite its hard-boiled tone, Justified shined brightest when it came to examining everyday life in the Southern U.S., featuring the same eccentric characters as Leonard’s other adaptations (Jackie Brown, 3:10 to Yuma, Out of Sight).
10. The Shield (2002-2008)
One of the grittiest TV series to ever air on FX, The Shield offers a sharp rebuff to the traditional values associated with the police procedural drama. Following a band of corrupt police officers dealing with the ongoing fallout of brutality scandals, The Shield’s thematic subject matter called for viewers to question their own stance on law and order, as well as the difference between vigilantism and genuine justice.
11. Fargo (2014-present)
In a surprising twist, Noah Hawley’s Fargo TV series exists as a significant improvement upon the already superb Coen brothers film of the same name. Like its namesake, the anthology series provides a plot twist-heavy crime narrative overladen with quirky humor from one season to the next. As with any anthology series, certain seasons rank far better than others, yet Fargo continues to remain fresh, bold, and original with each new addition to the series.
12. Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999)
While The Wire tends to receive the most critical attention of the two, Homicide: Life on the Street presented a factual rendition of Baltimore’s crime-filled streets a decade before The Wire ever did. Based on David Simon’s nonfiction book, the series underscores the often intense difficulty police officers face in the line of a duty, as well as their lasting commitment to a job that seems to make little difference in lessening their city’s criminal population.
13. Dexter (2006-2013)
Though the finale left most viewers disappointed, Dexter has cultivated a widespread following of avid fans since the series began in 2006. Challenging audience sensibilities in more ways than one, the show’s troubled main character (Michael C. Hall) served as an ideal segue from the anti-heroism of Tony Soprano to the villainous transformation of Walter White, forcing viewers to question the morality of Dexter’s actions in each and every episode.
14. NYPD Blue (1993-2005)
Adopting the lessons he’d learned from working on Hill Street Blues, Sopranos co-creator David Milch continued to challenge the preconceived norms surrounding the police procedural genre with NYPD Blue, turning his attention to the sharp divide between officers’ personal and professional lives. Though it met with some degree of controversy for its coarse language and adult subject matter, NYPD Blue’s realistic take on crime proved revolutionary for its day and age.
15. Columbo (1971-1978)
Before C.S.I. edo Magnum P.I., audiences tuned in week in and week out to follow the exploits of Peter Falk’s intrepid homicide detective, Lieutenant Columbo. In an inversion of the police procedural drama, showrunners Richard Levinson and William Link relied on the complete epitome of the stereotypical detective: an unkempt everyman with the intelligence of Sherlock Holmes. The stylish departure proved a success, helping Columbo earn consistent high praise as time drew on.
16. Barry (2018-2023)
If viewers can imagine a comedic version of Breaking Bad, then they can imagine HBO’s Barry. Written by and starring SNL alumnus Bill Hader, Barry blends a poignant understanding of human trauma with plenty of memorable comedic sequences.
As a result, the ensuing show belongs to a mishmash of conflicting genres, from a gripping episodic drama to a Tarantino-esque dark comedy series.
17. Hill Street Blues (1981-1987)
One of the earliest police procedural dramas to question the foremost tropes of the genre, Hill Street Blues drew on all the angst and moral uncertainty expressed by members of 1980s American culture.
With a significant focus spent on an ensemble cast in lieu of a set protagonist, the show detailed the inner struggle between right and wrong in a black-and-white system that left little room for interpretation.
18. The Bridge (2011-2018)
The fact that several remakes of The Bridge have seen a release over the years should serve as ample proof of the original series’ above-par quality. An all-too-rare Nordic crime mystery, what begins as a simple murder in The Bridge soon spirals out into something far more disturbing.
Climbing to the same storytelling heights as Zodiac edo Seven, The Bridge’s unsettling mystery and characterization rival the inaugural season of True Detective.
19. Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)
One of the highest-rated shows to air on Netflix, one might describe Peaky Blinders as the interwar equivalent to Deadwood.
A sensationalized portrait of the infamous Peaky Blinders gang that ruled over London from the 1880s to the 1910s, Peaky Blinders depicts the end of an era in British crime–an era defined by rapid industrialization, communist upheaval, and the imminent birth of European fascism.
20. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999-present)
The fact that Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has held its prestigious place on primetime television since 1999 should tell viewers all they need to know about this legendary police procedural series.
The first and best Law & Order spin-off, the show’s shifting cast members have allowed the series to remain as engaging as ever, whether following in the footsteps of Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) or current star Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay).
The post The Best Written Crime Series in TV History first appeared on Wealth of Geeks.
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