TV Crime Dramas

[Xevious]

What's with these shows? Law and Order (multiple incarnations), CSI (multiple incarnations), Criminal Minds, Cold Case, Without a Trace, Castle, The Closer, The Glades, NCIS (multiple), Justified, Dark Blue, Rizzoli and Isles... those are just ones I can think of that are currently running. There have been countless others dating back to the inception of weekly television. Most have the same basic premise with a slightly different twist. A crime happens, they catch the bad guy, the end, rinse and repeat next week. Most of the characters are easily accessible cardboard cutouts with no complexity or original personalities.

My wife watches them, so I catch some on occasion. I recently saw L&O: SVU and Cold Case episodes with the exact same storyline. Some father is wrongly accused of burning his children alive in his house. The fire marshal is convinced that an accelerant was used because there are strange marks in the hallway, and thinks the father started the fire because he has no burns on his feet even though he had to run down the hall to exit the front door. Some civilian chemist is brought in and debunks the whole thing, criticizing how easy it is to become a fire marshal in the process. The marks on the floor were caused by the flashback when the father exited the front door (to find another way in) and let more oxygen in the house. Anyway... that was both episodes. And I'm sure there are countless other examples because I don't even watch those shows.

How many of these programs do we really need? I guess plenty of people enjoy them or else they wouldn't be on the air. And the same arguments could be made for medical dramas and the like. I just don't find episodic television all that interesting anymore. If I'm going to invest my time to something, I want it to be worth it without starting over every episode.

On the other hand, I freakin' love shows about real crimes... like Forensic Files. I could watch that shit all day.

[TDMVPDPOY]

it always teh same shit

[scampers]

I actually rather like Criminal Minds and NCIS (not the spinoff version). I used to like CSI quite a bit in its first few seasons. Other than that, most of those shows are crap.

And yes, Forensic Files is the shit. And Cops is always good for a laugh now and then.

[Xevious]

And yes, Forensic Files is the shit.
:tu

[EmptyMan]

Out of those I just watch Criminal Minds and Justified.

[TDMVPDPOY]

csi is bs, u ever see any cop tryin to be like hiracio with the shades and looking into the sunset? no :D

[Xevious]

csi is bs, u ever see any cop tryin to be like hiracio with the shades and looking into the sunset? no :D
What's with him always standing sideways while he's talking to people? He's always shown in profile.

[Trainwreck2100]

Thats that ripped from the headlines texas killed an innocent man blah blah. bullshit

[MI21]

Watch Dexter.

[MannyIsGod]

Dude all TV fits into a few categories now with some exceptions. I mean there are 3403948309 shows on DIY home improvement now with some sort of a twist. Most reality TV is the same shit. You watch till people fight each other.

I used to SVU. That and the original L&O were the best IMO. But yeah, all TV is pretty much alike with a few exceptions.

[AnthonyM]

^ Yeah SVU used to be worth watching, but they've clearly run out of stuff...only so many ways a girl can get raped, or a child can get molested.

[Zelophehad]

I used to SVU. That and the original L&O were the best IMO.

Yeah, on the original L&O the criminals would get away with it a few times a year, which gave the show some suspense at least.

[Venti Quattro]

I watch CSI, NCIS, L&O and Numbers.

[IronMaxipad]

All those shows are terrible.

You need to watch, The Wire, The Shield, and Dexter. :toast

[ChumpDumper]

They're called procedural dramas.

Old people love them, and that's basically the network audience these days.

[Mister Sinister]

NCIS for me.

[HoratioCain]

What's with him always standing sideways while he's talking to people? He's always shown in profile.


http://s3.amazonaws.com/lre-pr/People/CSI_HoratioCaine.jpg

Looking at schizophrenia...you my friend.....fit the profile.



Yeeeeeaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!

[JudynTX]

http://s3.amazonaws.com/lre-pr/People/CSI_HoratioCaine.jpg

Looking at schizophrenia...you my friend.....fit the profile.



Yeeeeeaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!

:lol :lol I don't like you.

I'm not a fan of the shows you mentioned. I do like The First 48 , Intervention and Forensic Files. :tu And Cops for laughs. :lol

[Stringer_Bell]

I wouldn't put Justified anywhere near the Procedural Crime Drama genre. It's a character driven show and the plot isn't similar to those shows.

SVU and Criminal Minds are the only ones I can stomach, the others bother me for all sorts of reasons. I prefer "cop shows" like Walker Texas Ranger or Special Unit 2. Also, COPS is awesome.

[Bender]

I recently saw L&O: SVU and Cold Case episodes with the exact same storyline. Some father is wrongly accused of burning his children alive in his house. The fire marshal is convinced that an accelerant was used because there are strange marks in the hallway, and thinks the father started the fire because he has no burns on his feet even though he had to run down the hall to exit the front door.
I saw another show with about the same plot, but I've never seen L&O or any of the others you mentioned, except CSI... so it must have been a CSI.

CSI got on my bad side after one episode where one of them picked up an empty cartridge case, looked it over, and said "this was fired out of a handgun with a high-capacity magazine...".

WTF ?!

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Along with medical and law dramas these shows will probably always be around. It's a profession where writers don't have to strain too hard to invent situations of life or death consequences. I look at the tried and true formula of the shows as the equivalent of a recipe. You average cooks will crank out something predictable while a good cook will still find a way to make it their own. For every one of these that manages to catch on well enough to overstay its welcome there are plenty of utterly forgettable ones that just fade away year after year.

On the plus side if you ever need to get out of jury duty conventional wisdom says that both lawyers and prosecutors will do their best to get rid of potential jurors who watch too many of these shows.

[mrsmaalox]

What's with him always standing sideways while he's talking to people? He's always shown in profile.

Ha that's what I loved about Vincent D'Onofrio on L&O Cutie Pie--- he always did that head cocked sideways until it's almost upside down, when he interrogated the perp. And he always made them crack!

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_RkNljh7_byA/S7J8Sz9D53I/AAAAAAAAAXA/XPOaRJDnx9Y/Goren1.jpg

that pic is too huge :(

[ashbeeigh]

My parents watch at least one of these a night. It's ridiculous. I can stand like 2-3 a week and that's pushing it. I'll watch Flashpoint because I can't get over the fact that the Pink Ranger is a character and i think it's funny. I'll watch Criminal Minds if I'm in the mood and CSI Miami if there isn't anything else on. But otherwise I cannot stand them. They're all the same shit.

Oh, but I love me some Psych. That Sean Spencer is a cutie pie.

[Bender]

Vincent D'Onofrio on L&O Cutie Pie

That Sean Spencer is a cutie pie
I guess I'm missing out on Cutie Pie TV

[JoeChalupa]

I still watch L&O, cold case, csi ny, without a trace, not that that should surprise anyone. I like Jeff Goldblum on L&O. I liked the Cleaner but I think that was cancelled.
I have heard good things about Dexter but have not watched it and the Shield was good too.

[Bender]

Dexter's a great show. He's a real cutie pie.

[ashbeeigh]

I guess I'm missing out on Cutie Pie TV

I didn't even catch that she used the same word to describe him that way. And yes, yes, you are missing out on CPTV.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Man. My dad always watch this show and it seems like it's on all day whenever I go back home. He mustve seen every episode 25 times, at least. The music is very gloomy.

[Soul_Patch]

First 48 > all those shows...why watch fake shit when you get to see real deal murders.

[JudynTX]

First 48 > all those shows...why watch fake shit when you get to see real deal murders.

+1 Have they ever shown SAPD?