Police Shows, The cop genre is one that transcends time and geographical and cultural boundaries, as audiences around the world are able to recognise and identify the common traits that are embodied by the organisation that is charged with protecting and securing law and order in society. While some shows like CID, CSI and Crime Patrol have had (and some still do) runs spanning years and even decades, the rise of streaming platforms has allowed creators to tell small, targeted stories that explore specific interactions between the police and criminals. Such series are also a dime a dozen, however, as it is very easy for the creators to rely upon tropes and clichés without adding much depth. With that in mind, here are some police shows that you can, and should, binge right now.
Delhi Crime
This miniseries centres on the abhorrent 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case in Delhi, and how the police had to balance the public, the media, the victim’s family with doing their duties by the book. The series also deals with the impact of the lead officer, Vartika Chaturvedi, and how the details of the case make her reconcile her identities as a woman and as a police officer.
Streaming on Netflix
Sacred Games
While the aforementioned themes take a backseat in the second season, the first season very much deals with the realities of being a police officer in India, and aspects like corruption, police brutality and how the officer’s own sense of morality is taken for a spin by their superior officers, not just the criminals. Saif Ali Khan makes a career resurgence by playing Mumbai Police Inspector Sartaj Singh, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays notorious gangster Ganesh Gaitonde. Nawaz’s character arc is explored in-depth, as are the similarities and differences in the police in the days of yore and the current version.
Streaming on Netflix
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a sitcom about police officers and doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Yet, unlike many others, its clever humour and consistent quality have given it a massive international following, causing NBC to pick it up when it was initially cancelled by Fox. Despite its genre, B99 does not shy away from basing episodes on topics like race, LGBTQIA+, corruption, intra-departmental competition and the public perception of the police. It is a very entertaining show with high rewatch value, and the diverse cast members all put in stellar performances.
Streaming on Netflix
