Best tv shows like Southland
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Since premiering in 2009, Southland has redefined the police drama with its raw, authentic look at the lives and work of Los Angeles detectives and beat cops. The show centers on four main characters: Officer John Cooper (Cudlitz), a seasoned cop who will have to prove himself again after recovering from surgery; Officer Ben Sherman (McKenzie), who still has much to learn after recently completing his training rotation; Detective Lydia Adams (King), whose unending caseload hits closer to home; and Sammy Bryant (Hatosy), a former detective who decided to go back to being a uniform cop after the traumatic death of his partner.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 29000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 42 min
Plot tags: detective, captivating, serious, rough, realistic, suspenseful, exciting, epic, anime, thrilling
Best tv shows and movies like Southland (2009):
Similar in 77%
Cagney & Lacey (1981)
Plot Summary:
Mary Beth Lacey and Chris Cagney are teamed up as NYPD police detectives. Their opposing personalities (one is tough and the other sensitive) mesh to make this one of the great crime-fighting duos of all time.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 82%
L.A. Heat (1996)
Plot Summary:
L.A. Heat is an American action series starring Wolf Larson and Steven Williams as Los Angeles police detectives, in the tradition of films like Lethal Weapon. The series aired on TNT from March 15, 1999.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 455
Genere: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: detective, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast
Similar in 80%
Third Watch (1999)
Plot Summary:
The exploits of a group of men and women who serve the City of New York as police officers, firemen, and paramedics, all working the same fictional 55th precinct during the 3pm to 11pm shift - the 'Third Watch'.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: medical drama, detective, emotional, action adventure, serious, realistic
Similar in 80%
Law & Order Los Angeles (2010)
Plot Summary:
Law & Order: LA, originally titled Law & Order: Los Angeles, is an American police procedural and legal drama television series set in Los Angeles, where it was produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and developed by Blake Masters, it premiered on NBC on September 29, 2010, as a spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama Law & Order. The show received a full season pickup on October 18, 2010. On January 18, 2011, however, NBC announced that it was putting the series on hold indefinitely. According to a representative of the show, the scheduling change was not caused entirely by the recent cast shake-up. The network later announced a return date for the series, April 11, 2011; and the final episode scheduled for July 11, 2011. Law & Order: LA was canceled by NBC on May 13, 2011.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: serious, tense, realistic, suspenseful, detective, crime drama, rough, bleak, gloomy
Similar in 80%
Rookie Blue (2010)
Plot Summary:
Ambitious young cops try to prove themselves in their high-stakes careers, in which the smallest mistake can have deadly consequences. At the core of the close-knit group is perfectionist Andy McNally, whose father was a homicide detective before he burned out on the job. The series follows Andy and her four colleagues -- Dov Epstein, Gail Peck, Traci Nash and Chris Diaz -- as they experience the trials, triumphs and tribulations of police work, as well as its effect on their personal lives.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance
Country: Canada
Duration: 42 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, serious, realistic, sentimental, detective, sincere, queer cinema
Similar in 86%
Baretta (1975)
Plot Summary:
Baretta is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978. The show was a milder version of a successful 1973–74 ABC series, Toma, starring Tony Musante as chameleon-like, real-life New Jersey police officer David Toma. While popular, Toma received intense criticism at the time for its realistic and frequent depiction of police and criminal violence. When Musante left the series after a single season, the concept was retooled as Baretta, with Robert Blake in the title role.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, retro, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 86%
Prime Suspect (2011)
Plot Summary:
Prime Suspect is an American police procedural television drama series that premiered on NBC on September 22, 2011. It stars Maria Bello as Detective Jane Timoney. The series is a "re-imagining" of the original British series Prime Suspect. The series was created by Lynda La Plante and was redeveloped by Alexandra Cunningham who also serves as executive producer and writer. Peter Berg serves as executive producer and director. Sarah Aubrey, Julie Meldal-Johnson, Paul Buccieri, Lynda La Plante, and John McNamara all serve as executive producers. The series is produced by Universal Television, ITV Studios America, and Film 44. On November 14, 2011, NBC announced it would replace Prime Suspect in the Thursday night line-up with The Firm, beginning January 12, 2012.The final two produced episodes were broadcast by NBC on Sunday, January 22, 2012.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: tense, serious, suspenseful, realistic, detective
Similar in 80%
Robbery Homicide Division (2002)
Plot Summary:
Robbery Homicide Division was an American police procedural television series on CBS, created by Barry Schindel with executive producer Michael Mann. Schindel has been nominated for three Emmy Awards.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 403
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, serious, suspenseful, exciting, captivating, realistic
Similar in 82%
Blue Bloods (2010)
Plot Summary:
A drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan is the New York Police Commissioner and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood. He runs his department as diplomatically as he runs his family, even when dealing with the politics that plagued his unapologetically bold father, Henry, during his stint as Chief.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 46000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: captivating, serious, suspenseful, exciting, detective, realistic, idiotic
Similar in 76%
Adam-12 (1968)
Plot Summary:
Adam-12 is a television police drama that followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12. Created by R. A. Cinader and Jack Webb, who is known for creating Dragnet, the series captured a typical day in the life of a police officer as realistically as possible. The show ran from September 21, 1968 through May 20, 1975, and helped introduce police procedures and jargon to the general public in the United States of America.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: realistic, sincere, serious, stylized, detective, captivating, vintage
Similar in 82%
10-8: Officers on Duty (2003)
Plot Summary:
10-8: Officers on Duty is an American police drama television series. The series aired on ABC from September 28, 2003 to January 11, 2004. The title is in reference to the ten-code for "officer in service and available for calls.".
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 280
Genere: Drama, Crime
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, captivating, detective, realistic
Similar in 85%
The Chicago Code (2011)
Plot Summary:
The series follows officers of the Chicago Police Department as they fight crime on the streets and try to expose political corruption within the city.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, detective, dark drama, fast
Similar in 81%
L.A. Dragnet (2003)
Plot Summary:
Sgt. Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith methodically investigate crimes in Los Angeles.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, detective
Similar in 77%
Detroit 1-8-7 (2010)
Plot Summary:
Detroit 1-8-7 is an American police procedural series about Detroit's leading homicide unit, created by Jason Richman for ABC. It features an ensemble cast of actors including Michael Imperioli and James McDaniel. The series originally ran on ABC from September 21, 2010 to March 20, 2011. The show's executive producer, David Zabel stated, "This is a crime show but we will explore various nooks and crannies in the communities and within that context there's a lot of opportunity to see what's positive in the city and see what's heroic about the people fighting for what’s best for the city of Detroit." The 1-8-7 of the title is a specific reference to the California Penal Code designation for homicide, which has become a slang term for murder. The Michigan Penal Code designations for the various forms of homicide begin at 750. On May 13, 2011, Detroit 1-8-7 was canceled by ABC. With the cancellation, series creator Jason Richman has said he is pursuing options for the series to continue on cable television, also stating that chances for the move are "slim". The DVD set for the series was released on August 30, 2011.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 42 min
Plot tags: realistic, rough, serious, suspenseful, detective, crime drama, heroic
Similar in 86%
Homicide: Life on the Street (1993)
Plot Summary:
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Police Department's Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de facto series finale. The series was originally based on David Simon's book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets. Many of the characters and stories used throughout the show were based on events depicted in the book, which was also part of the basis for Simon's own series, The Wire on HBO. Although Homicide featured an ensemble cast, Andre Braugher emerged as the series' breakout star through his portrayal of Frank Pembleton. The show won Television Critics Association Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Drama in 1996, 1997, and 1998. It also became the first drama ever to win three Peabody Awards for best drama in 1993, 1995, and 1997. In 1997, the episode "Prison Riot" was ranked No. 32 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time. In 2007, it was listed as one of Time magazine's "Best TV Shows of All-TIME." In 1996 TV Guide named the series 'The Best Show You're Not Watching'. The show placed #46 on Entertainment Weekly's "New TV Classics" list.
IMDB Rating: 8.7
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: tense, realistic, detective, rough, serious, talky, neo noir, crime drama, thrilling, psychological
Similar in 84%
NYPD Blue (1993)
Plot Summary:
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwined several plots involving an ensemble cast. The show was created by Steven Bochco and David Milch and was inspired by Milch's relationship with Bill Clark, a former member of the New York City Police Department who eventually became one of the show's producers. The series was broadcast on the ABC network from its debut on September 21, 1993‚ and aired its final episode on March 1, 2005. It remains ABC's longest-running primetime one-hour drama series. In 1997, "True Confessions", written by Art Monterastelli and directed by Charles Haid was ranked #36 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time. In 2009, TV Guide ranked Hearts and Souls, Jimmy Smits' final episode written by Steven Bochco, David Milch, Bill Clark, and Nicholas Wootton and directed by Paris Barclay, #30 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: realistic, captivating, suspenseful, rough, serious, detective, erotic, sexy, thrilling, sentimental
Similar in 90%
Gang Related (2014)
Plot Summary:
Every villain has a noble cause, and every hero has a dark side. Detective Ryan Lopez is a rising star in Los Angeles' elite Gang Task Force. What the world doesn't know is that long before Ryan became a cop, he pledged allegiance to a different band of brothers – a powerful Latino gang called Los Angelicos. When Ryan's best friend and police partner is senselessly killed by a notorious gang member, Ryan teams up with longtime Task Force member Cassius Green who has been at the forefront of the city's war on organized crime. In this war between law enforcement and gangs, the series explores how only people who really know the streets can win the battle on the streets.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 46 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, exciting, realistic, suspenseful, crime drama, detective
Similar in 77%
Line of Duty (2012)
Plot Summary:
Steve Arnott is a young officer who’s fallen foul of his superiors for refusing to help in the cover-up of an operation that ended in the shooting of an innocent father. He seems ideal to join AC-12, an anti-corruption police unit, just as it starts to investigate Detective Chief Inspector Tony Gates, the regional force’s Officer of the Year.
IMDB Rating: 8.7
IMDB Votes: 68000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: realistic, tense, suspenseful, serious, detective, crime drama, atmospheric, dark, sitcom, deep
Similar in 86%
Chicago P.D. (2014)
Plot Summary:
A riveting police drama about the men and women of the Chicago Police Department's District 21 who put it all on the line to serve and protect their community. District 21 is made up of two distinctly different groups: the uniformed cops who patrol the beat and go head-to-head with the city's street crimes and the Intelligence Unit that combats the city's major offenses - organized crime, drug trafficking, high profile murders and beyond.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 43000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, serious, suspenseful, detective, realistic, crime drama
Similar in 83%
Law & Order (1990)
Plot Summary:
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It originally aired on NBC and, in syndication, on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24, 2010. At the time of its cancellation, Law & Order was the longest-running crime drama on American primetime television. After The Simpsons, both Law & Order and Gunsmoke tied for the second longest-running scripted American primetime series with ongoing characters.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 43000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: detective, tense, realistic, rough, clever, serious, suspenseful, crime drama, dramatic, thrilling
Similar in 87%
Bosch (2014)
Plot Summary:
Based on Michael Connelly's best-selling novels, these are the stories of relentless LAPD homicide Detective Harry Bosch who pursues justice at all costs. But behind his tireless momentum is a man who is haunted by his past and struggles to remain loyal to his personal code: “Everybody counts or nobody counts.”.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 81000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 51 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, exciting, detective, neo noir, tense, crime drama, mind blowing, crime thriller, gloomy
Similar in 84%
Justified (2010)
Plot Summary:
A character drama based on the 2001 Elmore Leonard short story "Fire in the Hole." Leonard's tale centers around U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens of Kentucky, a quiet but strong-willed official of the law. The tale covers his high-stakes job, as well as his strained relationships with his ex-wife and father.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 116000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 3400 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, realistic, neo noir, dramatic, detective, southern gothic, crime drama, neo western, exciting
Similar in 75%
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)
Plot Summary:
In the criminal justice system, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 119000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: detective, tense, clever, captivating, crime drama, grindhouse, rough, bleak, serious, realistic
Similar in 80%
NCIS (2003)
Plot Summary:
From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, a team of special agents investigates any crime that has a shred of evidence connected to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, regardless of rank or position.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 159000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: captivating, exciting, serious, detective, crime drama, suspense, semi serious, tense, cliffhanger, thrilling
Similar in 89%
Luther (2010)
Plot Summary:
A dark psychological crime drama starring Idris Elba as Luther, a man struggling with his own terrible demons, who might be as dangerous as the depraved murderers he hunts.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 152000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, psychological thriller, tense, detective, rough, serious, crime drama, exciting, dramatic, suspenseful
Similar in 78%
The Fall (2013)
Plot Summary:
When the Police Service of Northern Ireland are unable to close a case after 28 days, Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson of the Metropolitan Police Service is called in to review the case. Under her new leadership, the local detectives must track down and stop a serial killer who is terrorising the city of Belfast.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 116000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: psychological thriller, psychological, captivating, serious, tense, detective, crime drama, suspenseful, atmospheric, noir
Similar in 77%
NYC 22 (2012)
Plot Summary:
NYC 22 is an American police procedural drama which ran on CBS from April 15 to August 11, 2012. The series was a mid-season replacement for CSI: Miami. On May 13, 2012, both series were canceled by CBS.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, tense, detective, psychological, captivating, suspense, disturbing, rough, suspenseful
Similar in 85%
The Shield (2002)
Plot Summary:
The story of an inner-city Los Angeles police precinct where some of the cops aren't above breaking the rules or working against their associates to both keep the streets safe and their self-interests intact.
IMDB Rating: 8.7
IMDB Votes: 86000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 47 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, rough, suspenseful, realistic, cynical, dramatic, detective, crime drama, serious
Similar in 80%
The Wire (2002)
Plot Summary:
Told from the points of view of both the Baltimore homicide and narcotics detectives and their targets, the series captures a universe in which the national war on drugs has become a permanent, self-sustaining bureaucracy, and distinctions between good and evil are routinely obliterated.
IMDB Rating: 9.3
IMDB Votes: 367000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 59 min
Plot tags: clever, tense, cynical, detective, serious, rough, captivating, dramatic, suspenseful, exciting
Similar in 78%
End of Watch (2012)
Plot Summary:
Two young officers are marked for death after confiscating a small cache of money and firearms from the members of a notorious cartel during a routine traffic stop.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 264000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: emotional, tense, suspense, independent film, realistic, harsh, brutal, hood, captivating, heroic