I would like to preface this by saying that I love a good cop show, but I do understand the certain amount of cop-aganda these shows promote. However, I believe the actual stories of the characters are worth watching.
1. Law and ORDER: Special Victims unit
A spin-off of the multi-season hit Law and Order, Law and Order SVU has been my comfort show since middle school. I spent last summer watching all of the middle seasons that I was too young to watch when they came out. The quality of the episode can be dictated by the main characters, Olivia Benson and Detective Finn Tutuola’s hairstyle. If the opening shot features Ice T as Tutuola with a slick-back ponytail or Mariska Hargitay as Benson with a fierce pixie cut, be prepared to catch up with the cases of the young and reckless duo. If you see Tutuola with waves and a fade and Benson with a flowing lob, you are being blessed with the knowledge and wisdom of the seasons from this decade. This show is pretty heavy with content detailing sexual assault, murder, and other heinous crimes, but I spent my adolescence consuming this show because it helped with my fears of the world as a young woman.
2. Abbott Elementary
If you spent any time on Buzzfeed’s YouTube channel back in the early 2010s, you are well acquainted with the Quinta Brunson, the mind behind Abbott Elementary. The show is shot mockumentary style with confessionals, side-eyes to the camera, and all the “breaking of the fourth wall” moments you can dream of. This show is on the ABC channel, with episodes airing on Hulu. I love the comedy in this show and quirks of characters like Principal Ava, who is just a baddie with a plan that no one else knows, and Jacob, who is the ultimate social justice warrior. If you haven’t started watching yet, this is your sign to.
3. 9-1-1
This show is about a handful of firefighters, cops, and emergency personnel whose lives are intertwined. It features seasoned actresses Angela Bassett (Sgt. Athena Grant), Jennifer Love Hewitt (Maddie Buckley), and rising stars like Oliver Stark (Buck). Each episode is based on different emergencies, with character development along with it. The show is at the end of its eighth season on ABC, however, I am not fully caught up. I have narrowly avoided spoilers for the last episode on TikTok. My mom and I will most likely spend the summer finally catching up, but she is even more behind than I.
4. The Rookie
The Rookie follows the life of ‘geriatric’ rookie officer John Nolan as he works his way up through the LAPD. Each episode follows a different crime and plot line around Nolan, his family, or his love life. Some other characters in the show are fellow rookie officer Lucy Chen, as well as training officers Tim Bradford and Angela Lopez. The show is currently wrapping up its seventh season, airing weekly on ABC.
5. The Cleaning Lady
The Cleaning Lady follows a Filipina surgeon, Toni, who is in the United States illegally to get care for her sick preschooler. When she is caught at the wrong place at the wrong time, she offers her services as a cleaning lady to a Vegas gangster. Toni will stop at nothing to provide for her family and save her son’s life, even if it means getting her hands bloody. The Cleaning Lady has been renewed for a fourth season to air in May on FOX.
Whether you love these shows as much as I do or have too many streaming services to keep up with cable, take a chance. These shows provide a space for new actors to get noticed and provide a consistent paycheck for those working behind the scenes.