When CBS unveiled its new fall lineup a few weeks ago, it was clear the police procedural was stronger than ever: Every single drama on the network is a cop or coplike show. But CBS isn’t the only culprit. NBC is still plugging away with SVU, and USA, TNT, Fox, and ABC all churn out some by-the-book shows, too. The shows fall into some specific but overlapping categories that we have highlighted here. Many feature the Über-genius investigator, typically paired with an exasperated but devoted partner. Others pair character opposites, like someone who’s all heart with someone who’s strictly by-the-book. And then there are the procedurals that employ and delight in a pervasive sexual tension between two characters. This diagram only covers current or soon-to-air shows, which means the full and historical universe of police procedurals is even more redundant — and reliably satisfying.
