Best cop shows ranked

By Gena Oppenheim 4:18pm PDT, Sep 27, 2017

Freeze, and put your hands in the air! Well, you can actually keep your hands on the keyboard and click through Wonderwall.com's list of the best recent cop shows. With NBC's hit ensemble series "Chicago P.D." starting its fifth season on Sept. 27, we've ranked the top 15 television police dramas in recent years. So what are you waiting for? Flick on your blue-and-red lights and speed on through.

No. 15: "Castle"

ABC's "Castle" aired for a whopping eight seasons from 2009 to 2016. The crime drama followed Nathan Fillion's Richard Castle, a mystery writer who teams up with the New York Police Department to help investigate a murder that mirrored one of his novels. As he continues to tag along on homicide cases, his relationship with Detective Kate Beckett, played by Stana Katic, takes a romantic turn.

No. 14: "Southland"

When "Southland" was dropped by NBC after just one season in 2009, TNT came to the rescue! The cop show ended up lasting for five seasons on its new network, giving viewers a more raw look at the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Division. Former "The O.C." hottie Ben McKenzie was the initial face of the series, playing Officer Ben Sherman.

No. 13: "The Closer"

In 2012, "The Closer" ended its seventh season on the USA Network with record-breaking numbers — it was one of the highest rated cable dramas ever. During the 2005 police drama's run, Kyra Sedgwick won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her work as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson. She fiercely commanded the Los Angeles Police Department's Major Crimes division while using her special interrogation tactics to close some of the toughest cases.

No. 12: "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" stands out from other typical cop shows with a focus on forensics. The investigative drama was so popular with viewers that it lasted 15 seasons on CBS from 2000 to 2015 and produced an ongoing franchise with multiple spin-off series: "CSI: Miami," "CSI: NY" and "CSI: Cyber." The cast was centered around a team of crime scene investigators (played by actors including Marg Helgenberger and Laurence Fishburne) hired by the Las Vegas Police Department.

No. 11: "Chicago P.D."

"Chicago P.D." might have lost actress Sophia Bush going into its upcoming fifth season, but the police drama's ensemble cast is as solid as ever with newest member Tracy Spiridakos in the role of Detective Hailey Upton. The NBC cop drama follows a group of close-knit detectives in the Intelligence Unit of Chicago's 21st District who are overseen by tough guy Hank Voight, played by Jason Beghe.

No. 10: "Blue Bloods"

Tom Selleck plays New York Police Department Commissioner Frank Reagan on CBS's 2010 drama "Blue Bloods" (Season 8 premieres on Sept. 29, 2017). The series sets itself apart with an emphasis on family, focusing on three generations of police officers including Frank's retired-commissioner father and his two sons who are on the force: Will Estes as Officer Jaime Reagan and Donnie Wahlberg as Detective Danny Reagan. Despite holding different roles and ranks, their worlds often collide with every new case.

No. 9: "True Detective"

The HBO cop series "True Detective" earned five Emmy nods and a win after its first season in 2014. What makes the show unique is an ever-changing plot line as it switches locations and characters every season. Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson and Michelle Monaghan made up the original group of Louisiana State Police homicide detectives, whereas the second season took place in California with actors Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch and Vince Vaughn. With such an A-list roster already, we can't wait to see who appears in the upcoming third season.

No. 8: "NCIS"

CBS's "NCIS" — Naval Criminal Investigative Service — focuses on a special team designed to solve crimes involving the U.S. Navy or Marines. The 2003 series has seen so much success that it's set for a 15th season, premiering on Sept. 26, 2017, and boasts two spin-off series: "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "NCIS: New Orleans." Mark Harmon's Leroy Jethro Gibbs, supervising special agent, has been around since its start. His senior agent, Michael Weatherly's Anthony DiNozzo, left in 2016 after 13 seasons.

No. 7: "Criminal Minds"

CBS's 2005 series, "Criminal Minds," has also generated a substantial franchise for the network with two spin-offs: "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" and "Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders." But the original series is still going strong, having recently been renewed for a 13th season. The show delves deep into the twisted psyches of criminals being investigated and profiled by the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit.

No. 6: "Homicide: Life on The Street"

NBC's "Homicide: Life on the Street," which focused on a group of detectives in the Baltimore Police Department, successfully stayed on the air from 1993 to 1999. Andre Braugher made a name for himself in the lead role of Detective Frank Pembleton, winning an Emmy in 1998. Richard Belzer's character, Detective John Munch, was so well-liked that he moved it right on over to "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" when the series ended. The cop series is also on Time's list of the best 100 TV shows of all time.

No. 5: "NYPD Blue"

Jimmy Smits, Kim Delaney and Dennis Franz were just a few of the mainstay stars that made up the cast of 15th Precinct detectives on 1993's "NYPD Blue." The series, which delved into crime cases and the juicy personal lives of the investigators, was one of the longest running on ABC, remaining on the air until 2005.

No. 4: "The Shield"

FX's "The Shield" gave viewers a different take on the justice system. It was centered around a fictional Los Angeles Police Department group of detectives called the Strike Team. The corrupt anti-gang unit, headed up by Michael Chiklis' Vic Mackey, used illegal tactics to keep the peace. Michael ended up with both and Emmy and a Golden Globe for his work on the 2002 series, which ran for seven seasons.

No. 3: "The Wire"

HBO's "The Wire" was unfortunately overlooked when it came to awards and it tanked in the viewers department, but it ended up being acclaimed by critics as one of the greatest shows of all time. TV Guide even ranked the 2002 show at No. 6 on its list of the 60 best TV series of all time. Each of the five seasons focused on the Baltimore Police Department's interaction with a different Baltimore city system — the drug trade, the port industry, the government, the school system and the media. Critics hailed the police series for realistically pointing out the dysfunction of these institutions.

No. 2: "Law & Order"

NBC's "Law & Order" broke major records thanks to 20 seasons on the air from 1990 to 2010. Creator Dick Wolf set forth a unique concept for police dramas, which split each one-hour show between the investigation of a crime by the New York Police Department and the courtroom proceedings that followed. The Emmy-winning series is ranked at No. 14 on TV Guide's list of the 60 best shows of all time. Plus it was the start of a huge franchise thanks to its four spin-offs… one of which is coming up next on the list!

No. 1: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" began in 1999 as a spin-off of "Law & Order" and has since become a massive success all on its own! The on-screen chemistry between Mariska Hargitay's Detective Olivia Benson and Christopher Meloni's Detective Elliot Stabler carried the cop series through its first 12 seasons. Following Christopher's exit, Emmy winner Mariska has been able to keep the series afloat (it's currently going into its 19th season). "SVU," which focuses on sex crimes, is known for using enthralling plot lines that are pulled straight from real-life news headlines.