All articles tagged with #crime procedural
NBC canceled The Hunting Party after two seasons, with its May 7 finale serving as a series finale. The crime drama starred Melissa Roxburgh as FBI profiler Rebecca 'Bex' Henderson and followed a team chasing killers who escaped a secret prison called The Pit. NBC's 2026-27 lineup includes new series such as Line of Fire and Newlyweds, along with Sunset P.I. and a Rockford Files reboot, while canceling Brilliant Minds and Stumble.
Netflix's 'Dept. Q', co-created by Scott Frank and based on Jussi Adler-Olsen's novels, features Matthew Goode delivering a compelling performance as a misanthropic detective leading a diverse team to solve cold cases, with a well-crafted mystery and strong ensemble cast, promising potential for future seasons.
The CW's new crime procedural, Wild Cards, stars Giacomo Gianniotti and Vanessa Morgan as an unlikely detective duo, leaning into classic TV tropes with a murder mystery and a will they/won't they dynamic. The premiere ends with Max visiting her incarcerated father, played by Jason Priestley, hinting at hidden agendas and raising questions about trust and character backstories.
The long-running crime procedural franchises, "NCIS" and "Law & Order," continue to thrive and expand after decades on the air. The formulaic structure of these shows, with their familiar format of a "cold open teaser," three acts of investigation, and a last-act resolution, has remained largely unchanged and is a key factor in their enduring popularity. Despite the ever-changing landscape of television, these shows provide a sense of comfort and reliability for viewers, attracting millions of viewers each week. While spinoffs have been successful, there is a risk of diluting the brand, and careful consideration is needed when expanding the franchises.
Law & Order veteran Jesse L. Martin returns to NBC in the new crime procedural series The Irrational, set to premiere on September 25. Martin plays Alec Baker, a renowned professor of behavioral science who uses his unique approach to solve high-stakes cases involving governments, law enforcement, and corporations. The show completed production on its 10-episode first season prior to the writers' and actors' strikes and is inspired by the best-selling book Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely.