Your favorite three crime/mystery TV shows...?

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are EXCELLENT. The attention to detail in these shows, from the location shooting to the vehicles they pair with each character, are impeccable. There's just something about the production quality of these shows that set them apart from everything else.

The Law & Order shows are standards, but I watch SVU more than the rest. Been watching that one since the beginning. The subject matter is pretty screwed up sometimes, but it does well when people get revenge and justice. The new Organized Crime one is really good so far.

We finished Criminal Minds earlier this year. I enjoyed it until the last couple of seasons, where it felt like those left on the show were just going through the motions. They are talking about bringing it back soon, but I'm not sure it will be as good as it used to be.

Currently marching through NCIS right now. Really liking it, but made it to season 14 and some of the stars of the show are leaving, which is unfortunate.

Another one that I haven't seen mentioned is Boardwalk Empire. I really enjoyed that show. Steve Buscemi in a serious, sleazy, villainous role was something I wasn't prepared for, but he pulls it off amazingly well.

For the classics, I dig Rockford Files a lot. Still holds up, and still fun. I am a little biased, though.

dxman92 said:

The Flight Attendant on HBO Max with Kaley Cuoco (sp?) was pretty entertaining first season.

The Blacklist was good the first couple seasons but now how long is his blacklist? Seems like it goes on forever.

Blacklist was great for 5 seaons, but now it just plays on Red's perceived ruthlessness and Liz's rookie cluelessness.  Everyone hates everyone, everyone has targets on their backs, and it's just awkward for the sake of being awkward.  More of a soap opera these last few seasons.

1988RedT2 said:

I've always enjoyed cop shows, crime dramas, whatever you call them.  I couldn't limit myself to just three.  You'd have to give me three from each decade, or something like that.

60's:  Andy Grffith, Get Smart (does that count?), Adam-12

70's:  Charlies Angels,  Rockford Files, Columbo

80's:  Magnum PI, Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice

90's:  Homicide, Law & Order, NYPD Blue

00's:  The Mentalist, Bones, NCIS

Getting thin now, since this is about when I quit watching TV:

10's:    Elementary, Rizzoli and Isles

I really love watching Rizzoli and Isles because both of those ladies are so appealing and it is so playfully written.

 

Your list has a lot of the really indicative examples from each decade.  It seems like each "generation" of TV crime shows was a political statement.  Adam-12 was more of the "He's a harmless hippie, he'll sober up and we'll question him later."  Dragnet was more like "He's a worthless, freedom-hating, eagle-molesting hippie, berkeley due process, throw him in jail for 8 days to make him talk."  I recall watching three episodes on Retro TV one night.  The first was Dragnet (violating the rights of hippies in monotone with no remorse).  The second was Star Trek (the one where everyone gets shot with spores from a plant, gets high, and loves everyone... oh, and suddenly understands the universe). The third was Petticoat Junction which was a special where they go to DC to talk to their congressman, and it turns into a pro-war "tour" of DC and why George Washington and Abraham Lincoln would want you to sign up to kill Vietnamese people.

I was hoping the next show would be HR Puffinstuff to balance things out, but alas, it was I Love Lucy.

I don't know if I can consider Andy Griffith a crime/police show, unless what you call crime is that Jimmy caught more catfish than Tommy did.

Charlie's angels was more of a comedy for me.  If you want an example of every possible way to handle a firearm in the most dangerous possible manner, two episodes should do it.  For example:  The Full Sabrina position:

Or the Half Sabrina

Whatever you do, make sure the muzzle is as close to your head/face as possible, and the chamber is as close to your ear as possible.  That way, in case of encountering the bad guy, you have the greatest possible chance of taking a chunk of lead in your brain, but at the very least you'll have 2nd degree burns and total deafness on the right side of your face as the hairspray in your well-teased and oxygenated hair erupts into flames.

Still.  They were fun to watch.

914Driver said:

Some of the British ones are good, Vera for example; but sometimes I know they're speaking English but I just can't follow.

My bride and I watch a lot of British crime dramas.  Usually have the subtitles on even though they are in 'english'.

Justified, so many good characters and dialogue, you were never sure who the good and bad guys were.

Original Hawaii 5-0, Jack Lord was a badass.

Perry Mason.  It personified 60's cool.    

BBC stuff is top notch. They actually take time to develop characters. That really sucks you in. 

Hinterland

The Stranger

Broadchurch

The Sinner

The Five

Seven Seconds

The Killing (one of my favorites)