15 Best TV Shows Like The Rookie

Police procedurals are a dime a dozen on primetime television. It's an inherently cinematic profession with chases and gun fights that get viewers invested from week to week. As such, it's a pleasant surprise when one turns out to be actually entertaining, which is a far easier task when you have the ever-charismatic Nathan Fillion at the helm. 

"The Rookie" proves how you can teach an old dog new tricks, as John Nolan (Fillion) moves from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles to join the city's police force despite being 45 years old. He's much older than the much younger rookies on the squad, but over the course of the show's run, he shows how a unique perspective can help with solving cases. 

The show mixes action with personal drama well, to the point where the show even sparked the spinoff "The Rookie: Feds for a while, until ABC cancelled it after just one season. But rest assured, there are plenty of other solid cop and detective shows like "The Rookie" to tide you over.

With leading man good looks and impeccable comedic timing, it's no wonder Nathan Fillion has steadily gotten work over the years. The gone-too-soon science-fiction series "Firefly" may have been his golden goose (and the one that got away for so many fans), but if you already like Fillion in "The Rookie," then there's a good chance you'll continue adoring him in the crime series, "Castle."

Fillion once again plays someone initially out of his depth in a new field. He plays Richard Castle, a mystery novelist who side hustles with the New York Police Department to help solve crimes. He's partnered with Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), and as the show goes on, the two develop a romantic connection. The two playing lovers is all the more impressive considering how much the two reportedly hated working together on the show. But Fillion is nothing if not a phoenix who can rise from the ashes because with "Castle" ending in 2016, the stage was set for him to lead "The Rookie" starting in 2018.

You can't talk about the best shows like "The Rookie" without talking about the granddaddy of all current police procedurals. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" has been going strong since 1999, telling darker stories officers of the law have to confront, as the central unit contends with sexually-related crimes and domestic violence cases. Grounding the show throughout its impressive run is Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), who has ascended through the ranks from junior detective in the first seasons to now being captain.

Even when "SVU" does ripped-from-the-headlines episodes (storylines where a case is inspired by the real world but uses fictional names and details), the series always makes sure to hone in on the characters. Seeing them deal with heavy cases and trying not to let it affect their personal lives makes for much of the show's drama. With over 500 episodes and counting, it can be daunting trying to binge-watch the entire series from the start. Luckily, you can check out the best "Law & Order: SVU" episodes to see if the show perks your interest. 

If you can look at the episode count of "Law & Order: SVU" and not get intimidated, we'd also suggest putting "NCIS" on your watchlist. It follows a specialized task force of agents investigating crimes related to the United States Navy, which can involve anything from murder to cybercrimes and everything in between. Leading this force for many years was Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, played by Mark Harmon. However, Harmon left "NCIS" in season 19 to pursue other projects, one of which is "NCIS: Origins." It shows the early days of Gibbs' career, who is now played by Austin Stowell. But Harmon still narrates and serves as an executive producer.

Gibbs' absence can certainly be felt on "NCIS," but amazingly, the show has persevered. Now, the show has more wiggle room to explore other characters, with the likes of Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) and Nicholas Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) getting more time to shine. And with myriad spinoffs, including "NCIS: Los Angeles," "NCIS: Hawai'i," and "NCIS: Sydney," there's plenty to dig into with this franchise. 

One issue with a lot of police procedurals out there is that they can get pretty heavy over time, especially if you binge-watch multiple episodes about murder and other violent crimes all in a row. You may need something to get those dark details out of your mouth, and "Psych" is the perfect fix.

The show is primarily a comedy, as it chronicles the misadventures of Shawn Spencer (James Roday), who uses his eidetic memory to convince everyone, including the Santa Barbara Police Department, that he's legitimately a psychic while getting plenty of aid on cases from his best friend, Burton "Gus" Guster (Dulé Hill). Murder can certainly be on the agenda while watching "Psych," but overall, the show retains a far more comedic and lighthearted tone, allowing it to never weigh too heavily on your soul.

Plus, "Psych" is the gift that keeps on giving. Despite ending its run in 2014, "Psych" has released several movies continuing the adventures of Shawn and Gus, and if creator Steve Franks has his way, more could definitely be on the way.

Considering "9-1-1" is co-created by Ryan Murphy, it's perhaps no surprise to see it frequently venturing into "camp" territory and offering wilder crimes than what you might see in the likes of "Law & Order: SVU" and "NCIS." "9-1-1" is all about the professional and personal lives of Los Angeles first responders, and they've had some doozies of cases over the years, including a man getting blown away in a strong gust of wind while in a bounce house and folks getting trapped while on a roller coaster. The pilot is all about a baby getting stuck in a home's plumbing system, which really sets the tone for the entire show. 

Like other procedurals before it, "9-1-1" has established its own universe with "9-1-1: Lone Star" and "9-1-1: Nashville" following in its wake. Even a change of networks can't stop this behemoth. Its original home of Fox cancelled the series in 2023, but it soon found a new home at ABC. Like a baby in a pipe, this show's going to wiggle its way out of a jam one way or another. 

When it comes to having two strong leads, a show lives or dies by the actors' chemistry. One of the biggest selling points of the hit Fox series "Bones" is the central relationship between Temperance "Bones" Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz), who had a thoughtful way of getting along on the show for its entire run. 

There's an inherent romantic dynamic between the two that gets played out over the show's 12 seasons, but it's also just plain fun watching the two work together to solve cases. Bones is the expert in this field while Seeley often fills the role of the audience surrogate who doesn't always know what's going on but is along for the ride. It's not entirely dissimilar to the dynamic between Mulder (David Duchovny) and the more skeptical Scully (Gillian Anderson) on "The X-Files."

Will-they-won't-they subplots can help bring levity to otherwise serious shows, especially ones specifically about decaying bodies. Anyone who likes the romantic subplot between Lucy Chen (Melissa O'Neil) and Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) on "The Rookie" should get a kick out of "Bones." 

Crime shows like "The Rookie" have expanded beyond the trappings of cable TV and have entered the realm of streaming. Paramount+'s "Mayor of Kingstown" is a far grittier take on the genre compared to what some audiences might be used to seeing. Instead of a crime-of-the-week format, the show follows Mike McLusky's (Jeremy Renner) rise to power. He becomes the new mayor of Kingstown, which is defined by its rampant lawlessness and corruption. 

Many crime series fall under the category of "copaganda." They present cops as all-virtuous entities of justice, and in the event there is a corrupt cop, the shows tend to make a point that they're the exception, not the rule. "Mayor of Kingstown" takes a far bleaker view toward the criminal justice system and has zero qualms over presenting its inherent flaws and systemic injustices. the series presents a city where those in charge of upholding the law are just as bad (if not worse) than the standard criminals, making it stand apart from many of its contemporaries.

For a far more charming procedural series, "Monk" expertly weaves between comedic and dramatic moments. It follows the titular Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) who has obsessive-compulsive disorder but works through it in therapy to continue doing consultant work for the San Francisco Police Department. The show naturally gets some aspects of living with OCD wrong, but Shalhoub's performance keeps audiences invested as they watch him grow and become more confident in pursuing the case of his wife's death. 

Unlike some other whodunnits, "Monk" places emphasis on its characters above all else. The show tends to have a new crime every episode, but frequently, those cases take a backseat so that we can see Monk or one of his compatriots deal with something in their personal lives. This is a big reason why "Monk" continues to make for great comfort viewing. Yes, there are murders afoot, but the series hones in on these characters trying to improve their lives and mental states, something everyone can learn from and strive for. 

"Reacher" on Amazon Prime Video asks one very important question: Can you find the biggest dude imaginable and have him fight somehow even bigger dudes? It's an oversimplification, but the fight scenes really are a joy to watch in the show starring Alan Ritchson. Reacher, based on the books by Lee Child, follows a new plotline every season where the titular Reacher drifts into a new locale and gets wrapped up in some new mystery that requires his special set of skills to help solve. This mystery gets tied to some grander conspiracy

Child is actually a big fan of Ritchson's performance, particularly how he actually reads the books to understand the character on a deeper level. As far as shows like "The Rookie," "Reacher" may seem like a stretch. It's largely about Reacher needing to work outside the confines of the law, despite being a former military police major, to get to the bottom of whatever's going on. But even if you're only interested in some cool fights, the show has you covered there, too. 

The violent nature of many of the crimes explored on other procedurals inherently make for captivating content. "White Collar" sets out on the path less traveled by honing in on embezzlement, fraud, and other white collar crimes, as suggested by the title. And there's another layer to this show's intrigue, as the main character is former con artist Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) who's recruited by the White Collar Crimes Unit of the FBI after getting incarcerated in exchange for an early release. 

Having the main character of a procedural be a former criminal himself gives the show some fun contrasts. Viewers never quite know what they can trust coming out of Neal's mouth, but when he allows others to peer inside to his true, more sympathetic nature, it makes it all the more heartwarming. Plus, a long-awaited "White Collar" reboot is reportedly in the works, so it'd be good to catch up on the series now. 

While shows like "The Rookie," "Psych," and "Monk," can have comedic moments, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is a straight-up sitcom. Its primary objective is to be funny, and it just so happens to take place inside a police precinct, following cops and detectives work through more oddball cases. Even then, the show knew when to tackle issues like racism and stop-and-frisk practices with tact.

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" definitely knew how to have fun with its ensemble cast too. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) as the man-child who falls in love with Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) offered some genuinely sweet moments, and it was always a blast to see the crew engage in a Halloween heist every year. However, easily the best character on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is Raymond Holt, played by the late, great Andre Braugher. His no-nonsense attitude frequently contrasts with the zanier cast members, but that just leaves the door open to say something so low-key hilarious that it completely catches you off-guard.

Cops tend to get a lot of attention on television, but firefighters certainly deserve plenty of praise as well. Anyone who wants a break from watching cops and robbers would do well to turn on "Station 19," which follows a similar format to those types of procedurals where we see these workers putting their lives in danger and how their work impacts their personal lives. 

"Station 19" is also great supplementary viewing for any fans of "Grey's Anatomy." It's a spinoff from that series, with the two intersecting pretty frequently since "Station 19" first aired in 2018. In fact, the "Grey's Anatomy" episode, "You Really Got a Hold on Me" functions as a backdoor pilot. Cops tend to get all of the glory on TV shows. They're the ones making arrests and saving citizens, but firefighters and medical professionals do plenty to keep the general public safe. They deserve just as much (if not more) attention, and it's nice to see there are some shows celebrating those jobs. 

For over a decade, many people decided to spend their Friday nights with the Reagan family on "Blue Bloods." It's another police procedural, but it differentiates itself from others on this list by honing in on one single family all working within various roles of New York City law enforcement. Patriarch Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) works as the NYPD commissioner while his kids work as a detective, police officer, and assistant district attorney. 

This makes the show's dynamics all the more interesting because not only are there regular family squabbles, but they also frequently butt heads regarding their respective professions. And they don't mind hashing things out at the weekly Reagan family dinner. It's one thing to get into a disagreement with a coworker, but it's harder to duck issues when you know you'll come face to face with someone causing you problems later in the week. Whatever arguments materialize are soon squashed because at the end of the day, family conquers all. 

Kaitlin Olson has proved herself one of the funniest actors working today on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," committing so hard to the role that she actually ate a whole cake for an episode. She's still very funny in ABC's "High Potential," but she's surrounded by a far less chaotic group of characters.

Shep lays Morgan Gillory, an incredibly intelligent individual with an IQ of 160 who's recruited by the LAPD to help them solve crimes. There's an odd couple dynamic at play when she's partnered with the no-nonsense Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata). "High Potential" expertly balances comedic and dramatic moments. Olson's past comedic background works well here, as her high intelligence often means she doesn't have time for pleasantries, and she just gets straight to the point. But you can't argue with results, and even though this show is still early in its run, there's a lot of potential (pardon the pun) here.

There are clearly a lot of shows like "The Rookie" that present different aspects of the cop experience. Some are funny; some are deadly serious. But if you want something off the beaten path that shares a lot of the DNA of "The Rookie," look no further than the Canadian series, "Rookie Blue."

Rather than focus on one single rookie who initially seems out of his depth, "Rookie Blue" follows several who have just joined the force as they navigate this new world. There are a lot of responsibilities that come with the badge, but even though they have the job, that doesn't mean they stop learning. Each of the main rookies have something they're trying to prove and a different approach to law enforcement that gets tested throughout the show's six seasons. Most importantly, it shows that being a cop is a job just like any other. There's a learning curve, but hopefully, someone doesn't screw up too badly before thoroughly learning the ropes.