15 Best TV Shows Like Blue Bloods

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Premiering in 2010, the CBS crime drama "Blue Bloods" took on a more family-driven approach to the procedural genre. The show centered on the Reagan family, with one of its longstanding traditions including numerous members' extensive service in various aspects of law enforcement in New York City. The Irish Catholic clan is headed by patriarch Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck), a police commissioner with his children having each taken on different roles in the justice system. This premise juxtaposes family drama with crime story stakes, often punctuated by the family reconvening for dinner together every Sunday.

Though the "Blue Bloods" cast fought to keep their show going, it concluded with its 14th season in 2024. Fortunately, there is no shortage of police series that feature a close-knit cast at their core. While often not a full-on family like the Reagans, the characters in these shows have their own surrogate familial bond while upholding the law. Here are the 15 best TV shows like "Blue Bloods" providing a procedural with a more personal approach.

Compared to contemporaries like the original "Law & Order," the police drama "NYPD Blue" more prominently delved into its main characters' personal lives. Premiering on ABC in 1993, the series ran for over 250 episodes across 12 seasons, pushing boundaries in what was permitted for scripted network television. Focused on a precinct of police detectives working primarily in Manhattan, the series highlights how their darkly intense career affects them on and off the clock. Amid the rotating cast, the series' main constant is veteran detective Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz), who partners with a variety of colleagues throughout the show.

Beyond its then heightened depiction of sex and violence compared to other network shows of its era, there is a cinematic quality to "NYPD Blue." From its ambitious cinematography to the more mature stories that it tells within the procedural genre, the show broke fresh ground. Franz's performance as Sipowicz also sets a more abrasive template for "Blue Bloods'" Frank Reagan, a curmudgeonly veteran who takes plenty of proteges under his wing. One of the best TV crime dramas of all time, "NYPD Blue" excelled when it closely examined the characters behind the police work.

Forensic anthropology is the driving concept behind the 2005 procedural series "Bones," which ran for 12 seasons on Fox. The show is named for protagonist Temperance "Bones" Brennan (Emily Deschanel) whose nickname is inspired by her expertise in analyzing corpses in advanced states of decomposition. Bones works with the FBI to solve murders based on her forensic analysis, pairing her with special agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz), with whom she eventually marries. The show expands to include the personal relationships between members of the team, including Bones' best friend Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin) and the ensemble's entomologist Jack Hodgins (T.J. Thyne).

As consistently entertaining as the usual crime-solving elements are, "Bones'" biggest moments are rooted in its interpersonal relationships. The show provides a sense of humor about itself, offering a nice counterpoint to its grim premise. Both the humor and characters' personal arcs are borne from the main cast becoming a found family that grows throughout the series. A staple on Fox for over a decade, "Bones" wisely leans into the dynamic between its core ensemble.

A more hardlined cop drama than its network counterparts, despite starting on NBC, the 2009 series "Southland" revolved around the rough parts of Los Angeles. The show offered a look at both uniformed police officers and plainclothes detectives tackling crime throughout the City of Angels. The series' primary characters are officers John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz) and Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie), while Lydia Adams (Regina King) heads the detectives. As the characters toe a very delicate moral line in their attempt to uphold the law, their complicated personal lives become intertwined with their work.

"Southland" is the heir apparent to "NYPD Blue," albeit obviously following cops on the opposite American coast. Each of the main characters' domestic lives are thoroughly messy and affect their careers in different ways throughout the series. It's that personal edge that fuels the show's appeal, playing out more like a character drama than a run-of-the-mill cop drama. Magnificently acted from top to bottom and a juxtaposition of raw emotions and gritty crime action, "Southland" thrilled audiences for five seasons.

True to its title, the 2010 Canadian procedural "Rookie Blue" centered on fresh-faced police officers learning the ropes on the streets. Set in Toronto, the show follows a group of recent graduates from the police academy getting their first major assignment. Among the bright-eyed new recruits in for a reality check are Andy McNally (Missy Peregrym), Chris Diaz (Travis Milne), and Gail Peck (Charlotte Sullivan). Idealistic in what they want to accomplish with their jobs, the group quickly discovers what duty is actually like in the real world.

More than just charting a group of rookies starting their careers in law enforcement, "Rookie Blue" showcases the lives of young professionals taking a deep dive into their adult lives. Led by Andy, the group gets into serious relationships and struggles with balancing their work with their domestic goals. The expected genre action is still around but less harrowing and a more pronounced level of emotional investment. "Rookie Blue" was cancelled after six seasons but the procedural offered an interesting take on the genre from a Canadian perspective.

Tess Gerritsen's "Rizzoli & Isles" novel series was adapted for television by TNT, with the show premiering in 2010. Set in and around Boston, the show centers on the partnership between police detective Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and medical examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander). While differing in attitudes and perspectives, the two women are firm best friends and an effective crime-fighting duo, with Jane bringing the street smarts and Maura possessing forensic insight. In between taking on various cases, the pair's personal lives often play a major role in the story, including their respective families and love interests.

The real draw to "Rizzoli & Isles" is the entertaining interplay between the show's titular protagonists. The mysteries elements are consistently captivating but really just serve as excuses to see Jane and Maura play off of each other. Even as other characters play major roles in the protagonists' lives, the crux of the show is the crime-solving partnership between its leads like a modern "Cagney & Lacy." A celebration of friendship with a police procedural backdrop, "Rizzoli & Isles" offers seven seasons of relatively lightweight fun.

Author Craig Johnson's "Walt Longmire Mysteries" novel series was adapted for television as a show simply titled "Longmire" in 2012. Robert Taylor plays Longmire, the sheriff of a rural county in Wyoming next to a Cheyenne reservation. Longmire keeps his jurisdiction safe while working with his best friend Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips) regarding crimes taking place on reservation land. Walt is joined by his daughter Cady Longmire (Cassidy Freeman) and his deputy Vic Moretti (Katee Sackhoff), a single mother and recent transfer from Philadelphia.

With its remote Wyoming location, "Longmire" is a neo-Western though not as self-serious as many other shows in its genre. Walt's rapport with his family and friends fuel much of the show's appeal, offering thematic parallels to "Blue Bloods," especially between him and Cady. These similarities grow as the series advances, coming into focus with its sixth and final season on Netflix. A modern Western that relies effectively on its subtle charms and quiet pacing, "Longmire" is an understated and underrated crime show favorite.

The popular TNT crime drama "The Closer" received a sequel spin-off in "Major Crimes," which premiered in 2012. Following the departure of the preceding series' protagonist, the spin-off followed Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell) taking the reins as the head of the LAPD's major crimes division. Given Raydor's past work in the department's internal affairs office, her new team is wary about trusting her but she eventually earns their loyalty. This tension is exacerbated by Raydor's approach to achieve convictions through plea deals with suspects, a strategy that's divisively received.

"Major Crimes" finds an interesting direction to take the returning characters from "The Closer," especially Raydor. McDonnell plays her protagonist role with normally unflappable cool, but a clear intensity and zeroed-in focus under the surface. The show also humanizes her character quite a bit as Raydor takes in a foster son while forming a romantic relationship with one of her colleagues. Largely accessible for those who missed "The Closer," "Major Crimes" is a solid six-season procedural that breaks up the genre's usual boys' club perspective.

The 2013 Fox series "The Following" is a crime show that often veers into outright horror across its three-season run. The series stars Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy, a former FBI agent who rejoins the bureau when a serial killer he apprehended escapes. The fugitive murderer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), begins to form a lethal cult of personality around himself while plotting his revenge against Hardy. Subsequent seasons feature different cults and killers surfacing to be pursued by Hardy and his team while Caroll and his legacy continue to loom heavily.

An effective thriller needs to have uncomfortably personal stakes and "The Following" certainly qualifies on that score. The show is also surprisingly dark and violent for a network television series, bringing a noted brutality to its twisted characters. The evil family-like cult that Carroll leads provides a direct contrast to Hardy and his own personal relationships, informing the conflict. For an intense psychological thriller take on familial crime stories, "The Following" is powered by blood and fury in equal measure.

The hit 2012 series "Chicago Fire" spawned an entire line of spin-offs, including 2014's "Chicago P.D." The show focuses on an elite unit within the Chicago Police Department led by volatile veteran Hank Voight (Jason Beghe). Voight's father was a Chicago police officer who died in the line of duty while Hank occasionally takes on a surrogate father figure role for several of his colleagues. The show expands to feature the interpersonal relationships by the rest of its ensemble cast, including romantic relationships that form between them.

"Chicago P.D." has a bit of a harder edge and less immediately likable main characters than most contemporary network procedurals. That helps distinguish it a bit, leaning into a greater sense of moral ambiguity than many of its counterparts do. The individual character arcs aren't quite as pronounced as they are in shows like "Blue Bloods," but they are present and evolving in their own way. A fixture in the growing line of network civil service shows set in and around Chicago, "Chicago P.D." doesn't shy away from putting flawed characters in the spotlight.

A remake of the 1975 series of the same name, the 2017 iteration of "S.W.A.T." is a high-octane update of the classic procedural. The show is led by Hondo Harrelson (Shemar Moore) as he leads his team to defuse major crime situations around Los Angeles. As someone who grew up in the city's rough neighborhoods, Hondo brings a more socially conscious approach to his work, sometimes butting heads with his superiors. The show also examines its main characters' personal lives, including those of Hondo's close associates Deacon Kay (Jay Harrington) and Jim Street (Alex Russell).

Running for eight seasons, "S.W.A.T." featured procedural action with a memorable main ensemble that audiences got increasingly invested in. Seeing Hondo and Deacon's personal lives grow and endure numerous challenges because of their line of work fuels much of the show's underlying emotional stakes. The show received a continuation spinoff, with "S.W.A.T. Exiles" tapping original cast members to rejoin Hondo as he inspires a new generation. A long-running procedural that consistently balanced its action and dramatic elements, "S.W.A.T." successfully reinvigorated a television classic.

After creating the perennially popular "Law & Order" franchise, Dick Wolf took his knack for crafting audience-pleasing procedurals to a federal level with "FBI." Premiering on CBS in 2018, the series focuses on an FBI office based out of New York City and protagonist Maggie Bell (Missy Peregrym). Coming from a family with a longstanding tradition of careers in law enforcement, Bell is a special agent with the bureau who often takes point out in the field. Bell's primary partner is undercover veteran O.A. Zidane (Zeeko Zaki) as their team takes on major crime cases around the city.

Another fan-favorite procedural led by a strong performance from Missy Peregrym, "FBI" is another crime show built right in Wolf's usual comfort zone. From those looking for another protagonist hailing from a multigenerational line of crime-fighters, as with "Blue Bloods," Peregrym's Maggie Bell certainly fits the bill. She has a strong ensemble cast around her, including Zaki and Jeremy Sisto, with the latter having previously starred in Wolf's "Law & Order." Powered by its memorable leads, "FBI" hits plenty of familiar tropes but it employs them well.

Fan-favorite actor Nathan Fillion headlines the ABC police procedural series "The Rookie," starring as protagonist John Nolan. After getting divorced and happening to stop a bank robbery, Nolan decides to relocate to Los Angeles and become a police officer. Despite being the oldest rookie on the force, Nolan is determined to prove himself as he makes a difference around the city. While advancing through the ranks, Nolan's fresh start extends to his personal life as he gets remarried.

Beyond its protagonist and his efforts to build a new family, "The Rookie" keeps its core cast particularly close together. This includes fellow rookie Jackson West (Titus Makin Jr.) who, echoing "Blue Bloods," is following in his father's footsteps to become a police officer. Also mirroring the Reagan family saga, Nathan Fillion has a 10-year plan for "The Rookie," going deeper with its main characters. A procedural that takes advantage of Fillion's usual charm, "The Rookie" balances its police action with genuine heart.

Tony Hillerman's "Leaphorn & Chee" novels get an engrossing television adaptation with the AMC series "Dark Winds." In addition to serving as an executive producer, Zahn McClarnon stars as protagonist Joe Leaphorn, a tribal police officer in Navajo County during the '70s. He is joined by fellow officers Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) in investigating violent crimes committed around reservation land. Their work ranges from bank robbers hiding out on the reservation to a domestic terrorist menacing their jurisdiction with federal authorities uninterested in their plight.

"Dark Winds" earns a place on this list because of the rapport between Leaphorn and his closest officers juxtaposed by his tragic home life. At the start of the series, Joe and his wife Emma (Deanna Allison) are still reeling from the loss of their son. This gives his dynamic with the younger Chee and Manuelito a subtle fatherly resonance that deepens across the show. Powered by violent twists and an authentic '70s vibe, "Dark Winds" has provided consistent crime thriller entertainment since 2022.

After an extended hiatus from "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Christopher Meloni returned to the franchise to reprise his fan-favorite role as Elliot Stabler. The veteran New York City police detective takes point in the spin-off series "Law & Order: Organized Crime," which premiered in 2021. 

The show gives Stabler a very personal reason for getting back into action as he uses his new position in the NYPD to search for his wife's killer. This has him working as part of a special task for investigating organized crime throughout the city, with the squad led by Ayanna Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt).

"Organized" makes the list above other "Law & Order" shows because of the personal nature of Stabler's mission this time around. The family focus expands to include Elliot's brother Randall Stabler (Dean Norris), who becomes a major part of the show as it progresses. This is matched by recurring antagonists pitted against the team in contrast to other series in the wider franchise. While it may not rank as highly as other "Law & Order" shows in terms of overall quality, "Organized Crime" brings a welcome sense of character investment to the franchise.

The "Blue Bloods" series finale was thankfully not the last that audiences saw of the Reagan family. The series received its own continuation spin-off series with "Boston Blue," following Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) after he takes a job with the Boston Police Department. 

Danny's new partner is Lena Silver (Sonequa Martin-Green), a detective whose own family has an extensive history of working in law enforcement in the city. The series has Danny acclimating to working in a new jurisdiction and becoming a fixture in Lena's own familial traditions as they keep Boston safe.

Premiering the year after "Blue Bloods" wrapped, "Boston Blue" feels like an organic sequel to its long-running predecessor. The show brings familiar characters back in a big way, providing interesting new directions for them in the wake of Danny's relocation. Given Lena's family and their traditions, the show feels like a gentle remix of the preceding series, though not overly derivative. Any major fan of "Blue Bloods" should check out "Boston Blue" to see where the Reagan family story goes next.