5 crime dramas to watch after S.W.A.T. season finale

The sixth season of S.W.A.T. came to an end on May 19, 2023, as the finale aired on CBS. Although the show was announced to be canceled after the sixth season, the cancelation was reversed on May 8, 2023, when a seventh season of 13 episodes was announced. The sixth season premiered on CBS in October 2022.

S.W.A.T. is one of the most popular police procedurals on television as it follows some very interesting characters that are closely involved with the system, making their lives almost intertwine with crime and investigation. Like all other procedurals, S.W.A.T. attempts to expose some of the most interesting things about the police department and is set in Los Angeles.

Like S.W.A.T. there are many other procedurals and crime dramas that explore specific cases and characters to comment on the system at large. Such shows also tend to go on for very long and enjoy a consistent audience across generations.

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The Shield and other crime dramas like S.W.A.T.

1) Blue Bloods

Following the Reagans, an Irish Catholic family of police officers, Blue Bloods expresses the moral and ethical aspects of a police officer's life. It also creates a narrative that explores social issues, with each character representing various aspects of police work and law. The show boasts a brilliant performance by Tom Selleck in the lead role.

Despite being a procedural drama like S.W.A.T., Blue Bloods shines best during scenes about familial drama and conflict which raise important questions about differences and compromises.

Blue Bloods premiered on CBS in September 2010 and has been renewed for a fourteenth season which was announced in March 2023. It is one of the longest-running CBS crime dramas.

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2) The Shield

The Shield is the show that built the universe in which S.W.A.T. occurs. It premiered in 2002 as a show that follows some corrupt police persons who are supported by the system to further their political agenda.

The show explores the moral grey area in the system and how that affects various parts of the hierarchy. The Shield consists of seven seasons, the last of which aired in 2008.

It is one of the most popular police procedurals as it attempts to comment on raise pertinent issues when it comes to the flaws in the system. The well-written characters and the dilemmas make the story all the more interesting and addictive. Many procedurals that came after The Shield were inspired from the writing of this show.

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3) When They See Us

Although When They See Us is not a procedural drama, it is one of the most effective narratives around the bias and injustice that color the modern system of governance.

It follows the case of an assault of a jogger in New York, following which five young men have to fight to prove their innocence against a system that is quick to label them as convicts.

Unlike procedurals, When They See Us takes its time to unfold and dig deeper into the emotional turmoil of the victims. While other shows are more interested in the elements enabling the system, this one focuses on the victims who are burdened by the sins of others. The narrative attempts to be more emotional and provocative than informative and fast-paced.

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4) Dexter

Dexter is another very creative and intriguing show that features a protagonist who is in the forensic part of the police department. However, the character has homicidal tendencies and kills perpetrators at night, making his arc a rather interesting and fairly eerie one. Michael C. Hall leads as the protagonist with ease and effortlessness.

The show premiered in 2006 and, like S.W.A.T., commented on the ways of the police department as well as the kind of power it offers to those who comply and conform to it.

It was highly successful and was finally canceled in 2013 after the final season aired and left a consistent fan base disappointed. Dexter combines procedural drama with action to create a great show.

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5) The Killing

The Killing, despite not being very popular across the globe, is one of the best shows to have ever been made. Although it is a thriller and a crime drama that involves all the limitations and powers offered by the police department, it takes its own sweet time to tell the story of politics and sin. The very first case in the show is followed for about two seasons before it is shown to be solved.

Brilliant world-building, character arcs, and thematic consistency make the show extremely interesting to watch. Moreover, it also raises very important questions about love, grief, and justice, making it relevant for modern times. There are four seasons of The Killing which aired before the show was canceled in 2014.

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The sixth season finale of S.W.A.T. aired on May 19, 2023, as we await the final and seventh season which is under development as of now.