The Best Police TV Shows

What it's about: 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.

Where to Watch: 60 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (HBO MAX & HBO). 60 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (HBO). 60 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: A close-knit anthology series dealing with stories involving malice, violence and murder based in and around Minnesota.

Where to Watch: 30 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu). 30 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A missing child causes four families to help each other for answers. What they could not imagine is that this mystery would be connected to innumerable other secrets of the small town.

Where to Watch: 18 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix).

What it's about: A single-camera ensemble comedy following the lives of an eclectic group of detectives in a New York precinct, including one slacker who is forced to shape up when he gets a new boss.

Where to Watch: 143 episodes (99%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu & fuboTV). 19 episodes (13%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (TBS & NBC). 142 episodes (98%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: An American anthology police detective series utilizing multiple timelines in which investigations seem to unearth personal and professional secrets of those involved, both within or outside the law.

Where to Watch: 24 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (HBO MAX & HBO). 24 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (HBO). 24 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: An agent in the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit develops profiling techniques as he pursues notorious serial killers and rapists.

Where to Watch: 19 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix).

What it's about: CIA officer Carrie Mathison is tops in her field despite being bipolar, which makes her volatile and unpredictable. With the help of her long-time mentor Saul Berenson, Carrie fearlessly risks everything, including her personal well-being and even sanity, at every turn.

Where to Watch: 1 episodes (1%) are available to watch free online (Showtime). 96 episodes (98%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Showtime & fuboTV). 96 episodes (98%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (Showtime). 86 episodes (88%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: The body of Laura Palmer is washed up on a beach near the small Washington state town of Twin Peaks. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper is called in to investigate her strange demise only to uncover a web of mystery that ultimately leads him deep into the heart of the surrounding woodland and his very own soul.

Where to Watch: 30 episodes (63%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix, Showtime, Hulu & 1 other). 30 episodes (63%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: Bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell, Lucifer Morningstar abandoned his throne and retired to Los Angeles, where he has teamed up with LAPD detective Chloe Decker to take down criminals. But the longer he's away from the underworld, the greater the threat that the worst of humanity could escape.

Where to Watch: 67 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix). 67 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: 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.”

Where to Watch: 60 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video).

What it's about: Sterling Archer is the world's most daunting spy. He works for ISIS, a spy agency run by his mother. In between dealing with his boss and his co-workers - one of whom is his ex-girlfriend - Archer manages to annoy or seduce everyone that crosses his path. His antics are only excusable because at the end of the day, he still somehow always manages to thwart whatever crises was threatening mankind.

Where to Watch: 110 episodes (96%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu). 26 episodes (23%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (FX). 111 episodes (97%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: An anthology series centered around some of history's most famous criminals.

Where to Watch: 19 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix). 19 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A link in their pasts leads an honest cop to a fugitive gang boss, whose cryptic warning spurs the officer on a quest to save Mumbai from cataclysm.

Where to Watch: 16 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix).

What it's about: 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.

Where to Watch: 20 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (HBO MAX & Starz). 20 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (Starz). 20 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play, Prime Video & 3 others).

What it's about: The murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart.

Where to Watch: 24 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix). 24 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: When Buy More computer geek Chuck Bartowski unwittingly downloads a database of government information and deadly fighting skills into his head, he becomes the CIA's most vital secret. This sets Chuck on a path to become a full-fledged spy.

Where to Watch: 90 episodes (99%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video). 91 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Thanks to his police officer father's efforts, Shawn Spencer spent his childhood developing a keen eye for detail (and a lasting dislike of his dad). Years later, Shawn's frequent tips to the police lead to him being falsely accused of a crime he solved. Now, Shawn has no choice but to use his abilities to perpetuate his cover story: psychic crime-solving powers, all the while dragging his best friend, his dad, and the police along for the ride.

Where to Watch: 1 episodes (1%) are available to watch free online (IMDb TV). 119 episodes (98%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video). 121 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A modern-day drama about a crime-solving duo that cracks the NYPD's most impossible cases. Following his fall from grace in London and a stint in rehab, eccentric Sherlock escapes to Manhattan where his wealthy father forces him to live with his worst nightmare - a sober companion, Dr. Watson.

Where to Watch: 11 episodes (7%) are available to watch free online (CBS). 154 episodes (99%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu & CBS All Access). 154 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: When 2% of the world's population abruptly disappears without explanation, the world struggles to understand just what they're supposed to do about it. The drama series 'The Leftovers' is the story of the people who didn't make the cut. Based on the bestselling novel by Tom Perrotta, 'The Leftovers' follows Kevin Garvey, a father of two and the chief of police in a small New York suburb, as he tries to maintain some semblance of normalcy when the notion no longer applies.

Where to Watch: 28 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (HBO MAX & HBO). 28 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (HBO). 28 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A troubled war veteran is assigned to protect a controversial politician who may be the target of a terror plot.

Where to Watch: 6 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix).

What it's about: 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.

Where to Watch: 90 episodes (98%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu). 92 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: When CIA analyst Jack Ryan stumbles upon a suspicious series of bank transfers his search for answers pulls him from the safety of his desk job and catapults him into a deadly game of cat and mouse throughout Europe and the Middle East, with a rising terrorist figurehead preparing for a massive attack against the US and her allies.

Where to Watch: 16 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video). 8 episodes (50%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 4 services (iTunes, Google Play & 2 others).

What it's about: Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects—and he’s bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But will Light succeed in his noble goal, or will the Death Note turn him into the very thing he fights against?

Where to Watch: 37 episodes (100%) are available to watch free online (Crunchyroll, Tubi & Vudu). 37 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix & Hulu). 37 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 3 services (Google Play, Vudu & YouTube).

What it's about: A drama about the investigations of AC-12, a controversial police anticorruption unit.

Where to Watch: 29 episodes (97%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu, AcornTV, BritBox & 2 others). 8 episodes (27%) are available to stream on a TV everywhere service (AMC). 30 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $0.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: After Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt discovers he's descended from an elite line of criminal profilers known as "Grimms," he increasingly finds his responsibilities as a detective at odds with his new responsibilities as a Grimm.

Where to Watch: 123 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video). 123 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: After a serial killer imitates the plots of his novels, successful mystery novelist Richard "Rick" Castle receives permission from the Mayor of New York City to tag along with an NYPD homicide investigation team for research purposes.

Where to Watch: 173 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: 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.

Where to Watch: 6 episodes (26%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video). 18 episodes (78%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: An elite team of FBI profilers analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. The Behavioral Analysis Unit's most experienced agent is David Rossi, a founding member of the BAU who returns to help the team solve new cases.

Where to Watch: 5 episodes (2%) are available to watch free online (CBS). 287 episodes (88%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix & CBS All Access). 322 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: The Killing is an American crime drama television series based upon the Danish television series Forbrydelsen. Set in Seattle, Washington, the series follows the various murder investigations by homicide detectives Sarah Linden and Stephen Holder.

Where to Watch: 44 episodes (98%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu). 45 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $0.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: 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.

Where to Watch: 5 episodes (1%) are available to watch free online (CBS). 400 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix, CBS All Access & fuboTV). 24 episodes (6%) are available to stream on a TV everywhere service (USA). 398 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: 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.

Where to Watch: 6 episodes (3%) are available to watch free online (CBS). 219 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video, Hulu, CBS All Access & 1 other). 218 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Person of Interest follows former CIA paramilitary operative, John Reese, who is presumed dead and teams up with reclusive billionaire Finch to prevent violent crimes in New York City by initiating their own type of justice. With the special training that Reese has had in Covert Operations and Finch's genius software inventing mind, the two are a perfect match for the job that they have to complete. With the help of surveillance equipment, they work "outside the law" and get the right criminal behind bars.

Where to Watch: 103 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix). 103 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Starting over isn’t easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being an LAPD officer. As the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis.

Where to Watch: 5 episodes (13%) are available to watch free online (ABC). 20 episodes (50%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu). 15 episodes (38%) are available to stream on a TV everywhere service (ABC). 40 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: Sydney Bristow, an agent who has been tricked to believe she is working for the U.S. government, is actually working for a criminal organization named the Alliance of Twelve. Upon learning this, Sydney becomes a double agent for the real CIA.

Where to Watch: 105 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video). 105 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $0.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: 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.

Where to Watch: 15 episodes (3%) are available to watch free online (NBC & USA). 481 episodes (99%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix, Hulu & 1 other). 40 episodes (8%) are available to stream on a TV everywhere service (NBC & USA). 481 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play, Prime Video & 4 others).

What it's about: The series centers on the conflict between a group of rebels from the year 2077 who time-travel to Vancouver, BC, in 2012, and a police officer who accidentally accompanies them. In spite of being many years early, the rebel group decides to continue its violent campaign to stop corporations of the future from replacing governments, while the police officer endeavours to stop them without revealing to anyone that she and the rebels are from the future.

Where to Watch: 42 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Patrick Jane, a former celebrity psychic medium, uses his razor sharp skills of observation and expertise at "reading" people to solve serious crimes with the California Bureau of Investigation.

Where to Watch: 149 episodes (98%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video). 149 episodes (98%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A drama set in the East End of London in 1889, during the aftermath of the "Ripper" murders. The action centres around the notorious H Division – the police precinct from hell – which is charged with keeping order in the chaotic streets of Whitechapel. Ripper Street explores the lives of characters trying to recover from the Ripper's legacy, from crimes that have not only irretrievably altered their lives, but the very fabric of their city. At the drama's heart our detectives try to bring a little light into the dark world they inhabit.

Where to Watch: 38 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix). 38 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: A raw and authentic look into the Los Angeles crime scene, going far inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families. The show centers on four main characters: Officer John Cooper, a seasoned cop who will have to prove himself again after recovering from surgery; Officer Ben Sherman, who still has much to learn after recently completing his training rotation; Detective Lydia Adams, whose unending caseload hits closer to home; and Sammy Bryant, a former detective who decided to go back to being a uniform cop after the traumatic death of his partner.

Where to Watch: 43 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu). 43 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $0.99 on 7 services (iTunes, Google Play & 5 others).

What it's about: Respected police officer John River, a gifted cop with a troubled mind, struggles to come to terms with the recent loss of a colleague, and chases a suspect across London - with tragic consequences. Now at odds with the authorities, River ends up in a precarious position as he seeks to bring closure to the mother of murdered teenager, who blames him for failing to keep his promise.

Where to Watch: 6 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Prime Video).

What it's about: Happy Valley is a dark, funny, multi-layered thriller revolving around the personal and professional life of Catherine, a dedicated, experienced, hard-working copper. She is also a bereaved mother who looks after her orphaned grandchild.

Where to Watch: 12 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: The series focuses on an eccentric motley crew that is the Smith family and their three housemates: Father, husband, and breadwinner Stan Smith; his better half housewife, Francine Smith; their college-aged daughter, Hayley Smith; and their high-school-aged son, Steve Smith. Outside of the Smith family, there are three additional main characters, including Hayley's boyfriend turned husband, Jeff Fischer; the family's man-in-a-goldfish-body pet, Klaus; and most notably the family's zany alien, Roger, who is "full of masquerades, brazenness, and shocking antics."

Where to Watch: 11 episodes (4%) are available to watch free online (Adult Swim). 274 episodes (96%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Hulu & fuboTV). 36 episodes (13%) are available to stream on a popular TV everywhere service (TBS & Adult Swim). 283 episodes (99%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 5 services (iTunes, Google Play & 3 others).

What it's about: A wary CIA officer investigates a charismatic man who sparks a spiritual movement and stirs political unrest. Who exactly is he? And what does he want?

Where to Watch: 10 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix).

What it's about: FBI agent Audrey Parker arrives in the small town of Haven, Maine to solve a murder and soon discovers the town's many secrets—which also hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of her lost past.

Where to Watch: 78 episodes (100%) are available to watch free online (Tubi). 78 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix). 78 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Complex, offbeat Detective Charlie Crews returns to the force after serving time in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Crews’ new lease on life has provided him with a Zen-like outlook, peace of mind and no need for vengeance, an attitude which can be challenging to maintain when someone he cares about is threatened — or when he is investigating the mystery surrounding the murder he was falsely accused of.

Where to Watch: 32 episodes (100%) are available to watch free online (NBC). 32 episodes (100%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 6 services (iTunes, Google Play & 4 others).

What it's about: Columbo is a friendly, verbose, disheveled-looking police detective who is consistently underestimated by his suspects. Despite his unprepossessing appearance and apparent absentmindedness, he shrewdly solves all of his cases and secures all evidence needed for indictment. His formidable eye for detail and meticulously dedicated approach often become clear to the killer only late in the storyline.

Where to Watch: 38 episodes (55%) are available to watch free online (IMDb TV). 5 episodes (7%) are available to rent or buy from $1.99 on 1 service (Prime Video).

What it's about: A group of online justice seekers track down a guy who posted a video of him killing kittens.

Where to Watch: 3 episodes (100%) are available to stream on a popular subscription service (Netflix).