Are you also a fan of crime tv shows? Well, I’ve got a couple suggestions below, check out the list of my favorite crime tv shows. Now, I want to leave a little disclaimer, in order to end up on my favorites list the Tv show must have been completed all seasons. Grab your favorite spot on the couch, your security blanket, a joint, some wine, and get your binge-watch list ready.

Batman: The Animated Series – This was the first crime tv show that I fell in love with. Listen, I don’t care if it’s a cartoon. This series had all the action-packed drama, the best criminals/villains, and some great storylines. Always remember, Batman is the world’s greatest detective and superhero, so naturally he deserves to be on my list.

The Corner – Before HBO released The Wire, they released a gem called The Corner. This mini-series shows how drugs have infested a Baltimore neighborhood and how they have affected the residents. This was probably one of the first tv shows that I have ever seen that showed how families are battling extreme poverty and drug addiction. This show is definitely a must-watch for anyone who loved The Wire.

 Homicide: Life on the Street: The precedent for Law & Order, If you’ve watched this show and Law & Order: SUV, then technically you have followed Detective John Munch’s(Richard Belzer) entire career 😩. This show is absolutely amazing, it gives you a cops’-eye view of one of the most challenging and dangerous jobs in Baltimore.

Law & Order: SUV – This show needs no introduction, if you’re a fan of crime tv shows then I’m pretty sure at some point in life you’ve watched Law & Order 😩. Listen, I know I made a disclaimer earlier that a tv show must have finished to make it on my list, however, this show is different. This show sets the standard pretty high when it comes to crime tv! Law & Order was the very first show where we got to see a crime play out from the start (the act being committed) to the end where we see the criminal in court. Despite the other versions of Law & Order come and go, Law & Order SUV is still holding down the front. I’ve watched literally every season since its first release in 1999, so yeah it belongs on my favorites list.

The Shield – Hands down one of the best cop shows EVER! I absolutely loved the way this show exposed the inner working of dirty cops. In this series, we follow Detective Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and his Strike Team where they use criminal methods to coerce information and stage arrests, and take a share of various drug busts. The Shield and the Strike Team were inspired by a unit within the Los Angeles Police Department called the Rampart Division Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH). The finale for this show was one of my favorite endings of all time.

The Wire – This series needs no introduction as well, also set in Baltimore I like to think of this show as a combination of The Corner and Homicide: Life on the Streets. Raw, real, and uncut are just a few words I can use to describe this phenomenal show. Each season focuses on a different institution of the city; the illegal drug trade, the port system, the city government & bureaucracy, education & schools, and the print news medium and their relationship to law enforcement.

Dexter – One of my favorite hidden gems, I love to binge-watch Dexter. Every time I watch this show, I picture myself in Maimi working with Dexter in the blood splatter unit 😩😩. I’m not sure if I would be able to handle all of that blood, but I think it’s so cool that he solves crimes by just analyzing the blood on a crime scene. Dexter pretty much solves crimes during the day and goes on a serial killing spree at night 😩😩. How could you not love Dexter! Don’t get me wrong, I like the fact that he only murders guilty people, he’s not walking around killing random people. I must say, I definitely enjoy the roller coaster ride Dexter takes me on while he’s trying to solve crimes while hiding his own.

Narcos: Mexico – Narcos the original was an amazing tv show, however, Narcos: Mexico took the cake for me! This show explores the origins of Mexico’s infamous drug cartels and corrupt government. It also focuses on the early days of the DEA and agent Kiki Camarena whose death sparked the “war on drugs”. Something I really enjoyed while watching this series is the growth of the Mexican cartels and the DEA and how powerful they’ve become. Both trying to take each other out, yet both become unstoppable. If you love crime and history then you should check out Narcos: Mexico, I love the historical gems that they drop throughout each episode. I must say, as a stoner girl one of my favorite parts of Narcos: Mexico is learning about the formation of seedless marijuana, I felt like I watched the birth of the chronic.

El Chapo – Another one of my favorite hidden gems, after watching Narcos: Mexico on Netflix I found this masterpiece. Now, Narcos: Mexico gives you some historical gems, however, El Chapo was dropping those jewels man! I absolutely loved this show, action-packed from the very first episode up until the last. In Narcos: Mexico we get a soft introduction to El Chapo, however, this show gives us the real deal. To let you know how real the El Chapo series is, there’s an ex-Mexican Police officer by the name of Ed Calderon who said this show was as real as it gets. If you’re a fan of Narcos or Narcos: Mexico then you need to watch El Chapo.

Breaking Bad – Listen, at one time in life you couldn’t tell me that Jesse and Walt weren’t my best friends, OK! This has to be one of the best storylines written for tv, the character developments, the action-packed drama, Jesse’s shenanigans, Saul being Saul, and Walt’s blue magic pure brilliance🤩, I could go on for days. What makes me love this series so much is the fact that it really isn’t focused around gangsters running a drug empire, but follows a mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher desperate to earn as much money as he can for his cancer treatment. Things may start off a bit slow but trust me, make sure you buckle up because you’re in for one heck of a roller coaster ride.

Power – Again, when it comes to well-written storylines, Power is another huge favorite. This show follows the life of James “Ghost” St. Patrick, owner of one of the dopest nightclubs ‘Truth’ and leader of one of the most vicious drug cartels in New York City. If you noticed I didn’t say ‘by day’ and ‘by night’, because baby, listen to me when I tell you, Jamie be cutting it up at all hours of the day, OK😩😩😩. Action-packed from the beginning until the very end, Power will not disappoint. Every cast member brings their A-game and you will instantly fall in love with one of them, Tommy, Jamie’s best friend, and ruthless enforcer being my favorite. Similar to Law & Order, Power has birthed a few spin-offs which are quickly making their way to my favorites list.

A few honorable mentions before I head out, these are shows that started off great and have some amazing potential – BMF (Black Mafia Family), Power: Book II Ghost, Power: Kanan, Ozark, and Chicago P.D. I hope you were able to get some suggestions from my favorites list. What are some of your favorites? Leave them down below.

xo