‘Blue Bloods’: More Police Dramas Fans Should Watch Before Season 12

After watching Blue Bloods for 11 seasons, fans have learned almost everything they can about the Reagan family. The police procedural, starring Tom Selleck, is known for being a little more family-centered than other shows of its kind as its lead characters are all from the same family. While there is no crime drama exactly like Blue Bloods, there are dozens of dramas fans of the show should check out. We’ve put together a list of just a few of them and noted where you can find them.

Blue Bloods launched in September 2010 and anchors CBS’ Friday night lineup. The series is set in New York City and revolves around the Reagan family. Selleck stars as Commissioner Frank Reagan, with Bridget Moynahan as his daughter, ADA Erin Reagan. Donnie Wahlberg stars as Det. Danny Reagan and Will Estes plays Sgt. Jamie Reagan. At the end of Season 9, the family grew when Vanessa Ray’s Officer Eddie Janko married Jamie.

The series is also famous for its Sunday dinner scenes, which is truly unlike anything seen in other cop shows. While some shows may have colleagues gather for drinks, Blue Bloods has its characters gather around a dinner table to hash out their differences and discuss their cases. Blue Bloods will be back in the fall for Season 12. In the meantime, here’s a look at some other police dramas you might enjoy.

Mare of Easttown

In April, the HBO series Mare of Easttown became a hit with audiences and critics. Although the show, starring Kate Winslet as a Pennsylvania detective investigating the murder of a teenage mother, centers on a single case, Blue Bloods fans might enjoy the show’s family subplot. While the Sheehan family is definitely more dysfunctional than the Reagans, it is interesting to see how police work through the lends of family life. Mare of Easttown ran seven episodes and is available to stream on HBO Max.

Law & Order (Any Series)

Dick Wolf’s Law & Order franchise didn’t invent the crime procedural, but it did make it an unavoidable format on television. There’s a good chance that almost every American television viewer has seen at least one episode of a Law & Order show. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit might be the one most like Blue Bloods in that the show goes into the personal lives of the characters more often than the L&O shows ever did. Law & Order shows are available to stream on Peacock.

NCIS (Any Series)

While Blue Bloods has been airing on CBS for a long time, the NCIS franchise has been on even longer. The franchise launched in September 2003 as a JAG spinoff. The original show will be back for a 19th season in the fall. NCIS: Los Angeles will also return, alongside the new NCIS: Hawai’i. The shows have delved into the personal lives of the characters and how their NCIS work often clashes with their personal goals. NCIS shows are available to stream on Paramount+.

NYPD Blue

It’s impossible to ignore the impact NYPD Blue left on police dramas. The beloved series aired for 12 seasons on ABC, from 1993 to 2005. It is still considered among the best crime dramas ever made, winning 20 Emmys during its run. It helped raise audience expectations for police shows with its frank depictions of life on the streets. NYPD Blue also dove into the private lives of police officers, something Blue Bloods does every week. You can stream NYPD Blue on Hulu.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Looking for a laugh? The Fox/NBC workplace comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine provides a look at the funnier side of police work, featuring Andy Samberg as Det. Jake Peralta and a fantastic supporting cast. The show’s final season will air in August after writers decided to scrap scripts they had written before the renewed protests against police brutality in 2020. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is available to stream on Hulu.

Magnum P.I. (Original Series)

There’s no way we could not suggest another show starring Tom Selleck! The actor became a household name thanks to the original Magnum P.I., which aired on CBS from 1980 to 1988. The show’s distribution is actually handled by NBCUniversal, but it is only available to stream for free on The Roku Channel. You can find all eight seasons on the streaming platform.

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