Procedural Dramas 2000s

The early 2000s brought about a huge variety of television, but one of the most popular genres was the procedural drama series. Ask anyone who watched cable in the early to mid 2000s, and they’ll confirm that new crime solving shows were popping up everywhere! While some lasted longer than others, there are a handful of TV series that still stick out today (and have great bingeworthy seasons)!

A procedural drama is a cross of technical detail and typical television flair. TV programs in this genre are focused on how crimes are solved, most featuring some form of law enforcement. Episodes are self-contained, meaning that viewers don’t have to have seen the previous episode to understand the current one.

I won’t deny that I’ve watched every show on this list at least once. However, it’s more than my own opinion that got them on this list in the first place, it’s the millions of viewers that tuned in each week a new episode was aired.

Take a dive into the past with the best procedural drama series from the 2000s (some of which are still on air today)!

Creators: Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill Years Running: 2003 – Present Stars: Mark Harmon, Sasha Alexander, Michael Weatherly, Pauley Perrette, Sean Murray, Cote de Pablo, Emily Wickersham

Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs leads a group of colorful personalities in investigating crimes that range from murder to espionage to terrorism, in cases that are connected to Navy and Marine Corps personnel.

Original/Current Network: CBS Number of Seasons: 19

NCIS was an unexpected success, as it wasn’t until its third season that it ranked in the Top 20. As of 2021, it is the second-longest-running scripted, non-animated U.S. prime-time TV series currently on air. What makes NCIS special isn’t it’s “catch the bad guy” setting, but the characters themselves. While they appear two-dimensional or basic early on, each episode has you learning more about them. Whether it’s a flashback, dream, conversation, or simple habits that the character shows, viewers get to explore the characters throughout the series. This is a much better strategy than one large dump of information squeezed into an episode. NCIS has a bit of everything for viewers: comedic relief, emotional backstory, and a good mystery every week. NCIS became such a hit that there are three spin-offs: NCIS: Los Angeles (2009-present), NCIS: New Orleans (2014-2021), and NCIS: Hawai’i (2021-present)!

Creators: Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton Years Running: 2005 – 2010 Stars: Rob Morrow, David Krumholtz, Judd Hirsch, Navi Rawat, Alimi Ballard, Peter MacNicol

NUMB3RS is a drama about an FBI agent who recruits his mathematical-genius brother to help the Bureau solve a wide range of challenging crimes in Los Angeles. Inspired by actual events, the series depicts how the convergence of police work and mathematics provides unexpected revelations and answers to the most perplexing criminal questions.

Original Network: CBS, ION Television Number of Seasons: 6

If you think a show including mathematics as a main plot device would be boring, you’d be wrong in the case of NUMB3RS. As with other procedural shows, authorities using a consultant in a non-law enforcement field isn’t a new concept. NUMB3RS iteration of it just includes some mathematics lessons, including real life examples and imagery. What made this show enthralling wasn’t the math, however, it was the character development and connections. Whether it was the on-again-off-again relationships or the banter between father and sons, viewers felt like a part of the group when they watched the FBI team and CalSci consultants solve crimes (and share a meal afterwards). There’s even a book, The Numbers Behind NUMB3RS: Solving Crime with Mathematics, written by Keith Devlin and Dr. Gary Lorden, a consultant to the show along with Dr. Orara, a physics consultant. The book explains some of the mathematical techniques that have been used both in actual FBI cases and in other law-enforcement departments.

Creator: Jeff Davis Years Running: 2005 – 2020 Stars: Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler, A. J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Paget Brewster

An elite squad of FBI profilers analyzes the country’s most-twisted criminal minds, anticipating the perpetrators’ next moves before they can strike again. Each member of the “mind hunter” team brings his or her expertise to pinpoint predators’ motivations and identify emotional triggers to stop them.

Original Network: CBS Number of Seasons: 15

Obviously a television show that has 15 seasons has to be good, right? In the case of Criminal Minds, that’s absolutely correct! Any amateur crime sleuth or person with strong intuition would love a show that’s centered on the minds of criminals. While they don’t handle the everyday perpetrator, the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) uses their individual skills and training to create a profile of UnSubs and help local law enforcement stop more crimes from occurring. Sprinkled within each episode are witty banter, personal conflicts, and FBI bureaucracy to help build the world around each team member. While there were quite a few cast changes throughout its running, Criminal Minds had such a cult following that it had two spin-off series and a Korean version. Just one year after the final episode aired, Paramount+ green lit a 10-episode revival of the series, plus a true-crime docuseries, The Real Criminal Minds, which features a real former FBI profiler who examines real cases and behaviors. Read more about the revival in our guide of TV Show Reboots You Need to Know About (2021)!

TV Show Reboots You Need to Know About
Time to relive all your favorite shows!

Creator: Anthony E. Zuiker Years Running: 2000 – 2015 Stars: William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger, Gary Dourdan, George Eads, Jorja Fox, Paul Guilfoyle, Eric Szmanda, Robert David Hall, Louise Lombard, Wallace Langham, Liz Vassey, David Berman, Ted Danson

A dedicated group of forensic investigators at the Las Vegas Crime Lab works to solve crimes in Sin City.

Original Network: CBS Number of Seasons: 15