11 Best Cop Shows Of All Time, Ranked

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Civilians have been fascinated by the ins and outs of police work for many decades now, and there are countless television shows about cops, law enforcement, and other aspects of the United States justice system that have aired since television became a household staple. Such a large number of cop shows have aired on TV, in fact, that we are bound to have left out some great ones from this list (for a list of crime TV shows focusing on not just cops, but also private investigators, journalists, and even criminals themselves, check out Looper's 50 best crime shows of all time). There are also many awful cop shows that people have probably forgotten about.

To decide the best cop shows ever made, we looked at critical and audience scores from sites like Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, as well as individual reviews. Also, because there are many cop shows that are now upwards of 30 or 40 years old, we thought about the cultural legacy of various series. While "Cagney and Lacey" may not be as high quality as "The Closer," for example, it has stood the test of time thanks to the legacy of its iconic police partners. And while we didn't shy away from shows that embrace TV cop tropes, we also didn't hesitate to include other series that take a more unconventional approach to their depiction of law enforcement. 

Even though many people have never watched an episode of "Cagney and Lacey," the name of the show (and its titular detective duo) usually sparks recognition. Between the show's two leads, Sharon Gless (who played Christine Cagney) and Tyne Daly (who played Mary Beth Lacey), "Cagney and Lacey" took home a total of six Primetime Emmys for best lead actress in a drama, and aptly it is the work of Gless and Daly that made the show so watchable. There had never before been a buddy-cop series about two women, and its production was influenced by the second-wave feminism that had blown through America and its culture in the '60s and '70s.

Detectives Cagney and Lacey were both career women cops, but they had many differences in personality and motivation. Cagney valued her independence as a single woman, whereas Lacey was more focused on the realistic obstacles of being a day-to-day working mother and wife. The show depicted both women in their professional and personal pursuits, and the series operated more like an examination of the two characters and their dynamic rather than a "case of the week" procedural (though they had plenty of weekly cases). "Cagney and Lacey" broke real barriers in television, and specifically the depiction of law enforcement.

• Cast: Sharon Gless, Tyne Daly, Al Waxman

• Creator(s): Barbara Avedon and Barbara Corday

• Aired: 1982-1988

• Where to watch: Pluto TV

Premiering in 2014, "True Detective" is an anthology series in which every season — there have been four to date — is a self-contained story with its own unique tone and cast. Each season has merits and demerits, but none of the newer installments of the series have come close to matching the quality of Season 1, which was a veritable sensation when it came out in 2014. 

Season 1 centers on Louisiana State homicide detectives Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) and bounces between two time periods; the first focuses on their investigation into the murder of a woman named Dora Lange in 1995, and the second takes place in 2012, when they are compelled to revisit the case due to recent, seemingly connected murders. Luckily for viewers, the show managed to stick the landing in its third act, with the ending of "True Detective" Season 1 a satisfying conclusion to a gripping story.

Season 1 of "True Detective" is the reason the series fits into this list's top 10, while Season 2 is the reason it doesn't break the top five. Season 2 was seen as self-indulgent, overly complicated, and too bleak to enjoy, with the season earning a 47% aggregate critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the fact that the third and fourth seasons are held in much higher regard, Season 2 really took the wind out of the series' sails and definitely lowered its overall cultural profile.

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams

Creator(s): Nic Pizzolatto

Aired: 2014-present

Where to watch: Max

The only true comedy on the list, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is an effervescent show that finds levity in serious topics without shying away from important discourse. "Saturday Night Live" alum Andy Samberg leads a brilliant ensemble cast as Detective Jake Peralta, a pranky man-child with a gift for solving crimes. Peralta works with a crew of distinct personalities, including the artistic, cerebral (yet very muscular) Sergeant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews), the food-obsessed, shameless Detective Charles Boyle (played by an underrated Joe Lo Truglio), and the upstanding, hard-working, pop culture-loathing Captain Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher), to name just a few. 

The show features intense, police work-driven episodes like Season 5, Episode 14, "The Box," in which Peralta and Holt strive to get a confession out of a murderous dentist (Sterling K. Brown), as well as whackier, workplace sitcom fare like Season 2 Episode 3, "The Jimmy Jab Games," in which Jake competes against his fellow detectives in a series of made-up challenges. The show also touches on many important topics, including the horrors of America's prison system, racial profiling, and workplace sexual harassment. It never loses its sense of fun nor its optimistic outlook, but "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" doesn't hesitate to leave space for heavier fare.

Cast: Andre Brauer, Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero

Creator(s): Mike Schur and Dan Goor

Aired: 2013-2021

Where to watch: Peacock

Set in England, Season 1 of "Broadchurch" follows local Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) and consulting Detective Inspector Alex Hardy (David Tennant) as they investigate the murder of a young boy in a fictional seaside town called Broadchurch. Part of what makes "Broadchurch" so compelling is that it focuses on a small town rather than a large city, and explores the ways in which the heinous murder of Danny Latimer (Oskar McNamara) affects various individuals and institutions in the town itself.

Between leads Olivia Colman and David Tennant and supporting actors like Jonathan Bailey, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jodie Whittaker, and more, "Broadchurch" has one of the most impressive casts of any show on this list. Everyone who appears on the series does an incredible job of portraying characters flummoxed and/or devastated by tragedy. The best part about "Broadchurch," though, is the reveal of Danny's killer — it's shocking, heartbreaking, and ties together every loose thread.

Cast: David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker

Creator(s): Chris Chibnall

Aired: 2013-2017

Where to watch: Peacock

"The Shield" is different from many other cop shows in that it aims to depict flagrant disregard for the law on the part of its main characters. It's about a fictional, experimental division of the LAPD designed to work out of a drug- and gang-ridden neighborhood to keep the peace and monitor criminal activity. Detectives Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and Shane Vendrell (Walton Goggins) lead the division's Strike Team — a group of detectives and officers who use criminal tactics to achieve their ends and take a portion of loot from division drug busts. 

"The Shield" doesn't hesitate to depict the violence perpetrated both by criminals and cops. The show often juxtaposes the work and home lives of members of the Strike team, especially in the case of Mackey, who — despite his often-remorseless acts of violence (including fatally shooting a Strike Team member and having a dog maul a suspect) — is ultimately a very loving father. None of the show's characters see much of a happy ending, seemingly enforcing the show's ultimate truth that violence only begets violence.

Cast: Michael Chiklis, Catherine Dent, Walton Goggins

Creator(s): Shawn Ryan

Aired: 2002-2008

Where to watch: Hulu

"Luther" is one of the best cop shows to come out of England and one of the best detective shows in TV history. It stars Idris Elba as the titular character and Ruth Wilson as Alice Morgan, his villainous counterpart and eventual romantic interest. While "Luther" is a cop show, it takes a cinematic, thriller-esque approach to Luther's work as a Detective Chief Inspector for London's Serious Crimes Unit (which would be called the "major crimes unit" in the United States). John Luther is single-minded and obsessive over his work to a point where his personal life greatly suffers, but he is very good at his job. 

Elba is stellar and lends great depth to his character, but it is Luther's relationship with psychopathic killer Alice Morgan that stands out. At first, Luther attempts to investigate and arrest Morgan for her many crimes, but when he is unable to make anything stick, Morgan (who is infatuated with Luther) becomes something of a confidante and companion to him as the show goes on. Morgan gives Luther precious insight into the minds of the criminals he pursues and proves pivotal in several deeply personal pursuits. The series ended in 2019, but Netflix followed up with a film, "Luther: The Fallen Sun," in 2023.

Cast: Idris Elba, Ruth Wilson, Indira Varma

Creator(s): Neil Cross

Aired: 2010-2019

Where to watch: Hulu, Britbox

While many great cop shows tend to be ensembles, there are others that focus on the exploits of one particularly talented crime-solver. Brilliant investigative minds often belong to private detectives, since they are frequently incapable of following rules that a cop has to follow on TV, but sometimes characters can be both eccentric and ingenious as well as employed in law enforcement. Such is the case for Lieutenant Columbo (Peter Falk), a razor-sharp criminal investigator who works on homicide cases for the Los Angeles police department.

Every episode of "Columbo" sees a different supporting cast playing various officials, suspects, victims, and more, and all 69 installments of "Columbo," (we've ranked the best episodes) clock in just under the length of a feature film. While most cop shows tend to center around identifying the killer or criminal offender, "Columbo" actually shows the perpetrator committing the crime at the start of each episode; the audience knows from the beginning who the real killer is. The exciting part is actually seeing how Columbo himself solves the crime.

The character presents himself as slovenly and non-threatening to outsiders, putting suspects at ease, but in reality, his keen observational skills and reasoning allow him to develop and confirm his hypothesis every time. Peter Falk created one of TV's most indelible personalities with "Columbo."

Cast: Peter Falk

Creator(s): Richard Levinson, William Link

Aired: 1968-2003

Where to watch: Peacock, Prime Video, Tubi

"The Wire" is frequently named as one of the greatest television dramas of all time, so it should be a no-brainer that it would also be one of the best cop shows of all time. The only reason "The Wire" isn't higher on this list is because it explores many more official systems within the city of Baltimore's ecosystem beyond that of law enforcement. "The Wire" is an ensemble show that boasts stand-out performances from individuals like Idris Elba and Michael K. Williams, but a lot of its praise derives from the show's commitment to realism and its impactful, unadorned writing.

One thing that sets the cop-centered plotlines of "The Wire" apart from other procedurals is its equal focus on criminals, who are more than just a horde of nameless antagonists. The show's officers interact with sympathetic addicts and neighborhood figures like Bubbles (Andre Royo) and Omar (Michael K. Williams), while depending on criminal informants. The show often steps away and returns to various characters, as they have different relationships with the many systems under the microscope each season. By the end, viewers come to understand the unending cycle of poverty, violence, and drug use that make it so difficult for many inner-city residents to escape a bleak existence.

Cast: Dominic West, Wendell Pierce, Idris Elba, Lance Reddick, Michael K. Williams

Creator(s): David Simon

Aired: 2002-2008

Where to watch: Max

The ominous, ubiquitous "dun-dun" that opens every episode of "Law and Order" and closes every credit sequence is synonymous with the gruff, matter-of-fact tone of creator Dick Wolf's police procedural. The show focuses first on the discovery and investigation of a crime by police and then on the ensuing criminal trial pursued by district attorneys. For 20 years, respected actors like Jerry Orbach and Sam Waterston brought Wolf's vision to life, and the show itself spawned several massively successful spin-offs like "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Law and Order: Criminal Intent." 

Dick Wolf has admitted that his obsession with crime is weird. He holds police officers and criminal prosecutors in very high regard, and as such "Law and Order" is a show that sits squarely on the side of the day-to-day detectives, officers, attorneys, and other professionals who contribute to the functioning of America's justice and penal system. While "Law and Order" follows both cops and district attorneys, the trial of any given offender really just represents the true end of a detective's work. 

"Law and Order" has 20 syndicated seasons constantly running on TNT and USA Network (not counting spin-offs) and guest-starring on an episode is considered a rite of passage for New York-based actors. It is so omnipresent in pop culture that to put it any lower than the third spot on this list would be an injustice.

Cast: Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston, S. Epatha Merkerson

Creator(s): Dick Wolf

Aired: 1990-2010; 2022-present

Where to watch: Peacock, Hulu/Disney+

Based on a nonfiction book called "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets" by journalist David Simon, the same man who would go on to make "The Wire," "Homicide: Life on the Street" was a grim, layered cop drama that aired on NBC in the '90s. The series followed various staff of a Baltimore police precinct as they sought to continue fighting an ever-losing battle against crime in a city overrun with drugs and violence. Andre Braugher's performance as Detective Frank Pembleton won him a Primetime Emmy during the series' run and was widely praised as one of the best aspects of the series, but overall it was not a fun show to watch. 

David Simon later timed his own show, "The Wire," to perfectly align with the birth of prestige television on HBO, but the tone of "Homicide: Life on the Street" was about a decade ahead of its time, and as such, was one of many cop shows canceled during the 1990s. That said, it must have been a good enough experience to work as an actor on "Homicide: Life on the Street," as both Braugher and Richard Belzer would go on to star in future police procedurals. Nowadays, "Homicide: Life on the Street" is considered one of the most well-written and accurate police series that has ever aired on television.

Cast: Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, Melissa Leo

Creator(s): David Simon

Aired: 1993-1999

Where to watch: Peacock

"Hill Street Blues," a police procedural following the staff of a police precinct on Hill Street in an unnamed city, aired for seven seasons in the 1980s. While on the air, "Hill Street Blues" won 26 Primetime Emmys and was nominated for a total of 98, winning eight in its first season alone and four for outstanding drama series. "Hill Street Blues" was the first cop series to do many things that would be repeated in shows to come, including using hand-held, single-camera cinematography. 

Each episode of the show usually depicted one day of work at the Hill Street station and followed various officers and station mainstays throughout plotlines of varying lengths, and every credit sequences was preceded by a cold-open precinct meeting consisting of a briefing and officer role-call. 

The show sought to depict various philosophies surrounding ethics and police work through different characters, with many officers struggling between maintaining their integrity and getting the job done. "Hill Street Blues" was one of the first police procedurals (if not the first) to depict layered characters and police work in its totality — including bureaucratic obstacles, interpersonal workplace relationships, and more. It allowed room for levity, though, unlike many shows that followed in its footsteps, and was widely appreciated while on the air.

Cast: Daniel J. Trevanti, Michael Warren, Bruce Weitz

Creator(s): Steven Bochco

Aired: 1981-1987

Where to watch: Available for purchase on Apple TV and Prime Video