Aren’t we all just suckers for a good crime show? Full of action, hot cops and crazy stories of death and mystery. Law and Order, Criminal Minds, CSI, Bones, Castle, NCIS. The list goes on and on. But why do we feel the need to watch TV shows about crime? It seems like law breaking and danger would be something people would steer clear of, but no, it is quite the opposite.
1. They are exhilarating!
Crime shows are exciting. Something about watching them makes you feel like you’re living on the edge. Seeing people fighting for their lives is so thrilling and people can’t seem to get enough, especially when the characters get justice in the end.
2. You are a good person, so you can watch people be awful on TV…
Seeing the disgusting people in these shows makes you feel good about the crime-free life you live. You follow the law (for the most part… YOLO) and don’t put others in danger with your actions. In real life, you see people do bad things and get away with it all the time, so it is nice to finally see bad guys get caught and punished like they deserve. But you don’t have to worry about that because you are a good person and would never hurt a fly right? Of course you are.
3. We feel prepared for being put in sketchy positions IRL
With the variety of knowledge about protecting yourself picked up from the occasional crime show, you are ready to conquer any crime that comes your way. If they can do it on TV… It can’t be THAT hard, right? Seeing the characters kick-ass on TV gives you the confidence that you could potentially do the same. But let’s be real, take a self-defense class instead of trusting the cops of Law and Order SVU to teach you to protect yourself.
4. The mystery of it all
In most crime shows a crime is committed at the beginning and the rest of the episode is all about figuring out who done it. You are definitely bound to yell at the TV, “IT WAS JERRY! HER BOSS! IT WAS HIM THE WHOLE TIME!” and stress eat during the entire episode. The good news is, it really is quality bonding time learning to hate fictional TV characters with your friends, or if you disagree on who did it… friendships could be broken. I warned you here first.
5. It shines a light on real problems in society
Yes, Crime shows are fun to watch, but the material for episodes has to be based on something from real events. Rape, sexual assault, murder and everything else these shows talk about are happening to real people every day. You may think that crimes in shows are portrayed as worse on TV, but in reality, they are probably worse in real life. Crime shows also point out the obscene number of crimes that people get away with. They are pointing out the problems so that they can be fixed. Remember this the next time you watch a crime show so you can be sensitive and aware of things happening in your community and around the world.
6. There are some STRONG female characters in crime shows
Who run the world? In crime shows, usually the girls. Even if sometimes a male co-worker makes a sexist comment they always come back with something that makes you say, “Dayuuum. That’s a boss ass b*tch”.
Example A:
Example B:
Example C:
Even though it is strange that people today are so fixated on crime shows, the reasons are valid. So go home, snuggle up, put on a good crime show and solve the case. A tip from me: a tub of ice cream always gets my detective gears turning… Go get em’ girl.
Photo Sources: