The 12 Best Consultant Procedurals of All Time
Photos Courtesy of The CW, ABC, and USA TV Lists list
One could argue that there are too many procedurals on TV. From the Law & Order universe to the seemingly endless wealth of NCIS spinoffs, broadcast and cable networks (and even some streamers) have the police procedural market wholly and truly cornered. However, there is a subgenre within that oversaturated space that has been sorely lacking within the last few years, but represents the very best of this specific formula of TV series: the consultant procedural.
Unlike its stricter, by-the-book peers, these shows are defined by their outlier main character; rather than being an actual member of the police force, the central player is a consultant, often specializing in something other than the practices of law and using their out-of-the-box methods to solve cases that would otherwise remain out of the purview of their partners in law enforcement. From the psychic machinations of Shawn Spencer to the supernatural sway of Lucifer Morningstar, these outsiders work beyond the confines of red tape and break both the rules of policing and the traditional formula of TV procedurals.
While there used to be many offerings in this subgenre on networks like USA, ABC, and FOX, the pickings have gotten significantly slimmer in the years since the advent of Peak TV. But with the Season 1 finale of The CW’s Wild Cards now upon us, we figured it was time to celebrate this storied subgenre alongside the newest addition to its pantheon.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best procedurals featuring our beloved consultants working with the cops to crack the case.
12. Lie to Me
FOX’s Lie to Me is one of the shortest-running series on this list (besides the currently-airing Wild Cards) and that is a damn shame, since the concept for this show could have carried on for many, many more seasons. The series, which aired for three seasons from 2009 to 2011, follows Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth), a body language expert who uses microexpressions, vocal tells, and physical movements and stature to determine when a person is lying. Both him and his collegues at The Lightman Group frequently consult with both local and federal law enforcement teams to solve their toughest cases through their relatively unconventional means. Like Bones, Lie to Me is loosely based on the real-life work of Paul Ekman, a body language expert, professor, and frequent consultant for the police. This series is smart and engaging, offering an interesting look into a type of methodology that is too seldomly employed in the procedural genre.
11. Numbers
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I watched Numbers almost exclusively through reruns on the ION channel, and every episode was a genuine delight. When FBI agent Don Eppes (Rob Morrow) is faced with a puzzling case, he calls in the help of his genius mathematician brother Charlie (David Krumholtz). By using various mathematical means and the help of his colleges at the fictional California Institute of Science, Charlie is able to parse out the means, motives, and moves of the criminals at the center of these various crimes. The series ran for six seasons on CBS before being canceled, but its time on the air allowed it to creatively blend one man’s brilliant mind with the FBI strategies of his brother, all while their father attempts to keep the peace between them. It’s a unique series that puts another interesting spin on the typical procedural structure, bringing a brainy dorkiness to a subgenre filled with smooth charm.
10. Wild Cards
The CW’s Wild Cards is the newest entry into this storied subgenre, and in many ways, it feels like a love letter to a number of the series present on this very list. In fact, in the very first episode, Max (Vanessa Morgan) tells her newly-minted partner Detective Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti) that they are “like Bones and that dude from Buffy, Castle and that hot girl, A Star Is Born except you’re Lady Gaga and I’m Bradley Cooper.” The influence of shows like Psych and White Collar are clear from the jump, as Morgan’s Max puts on various goofy accents and uses her conwoman smarts to lead Ellis through her criminal world as she aids in his cases. Both Max and Ellis are on redemptive journeys (their partnership was born out of Max’s desire to stay out of jail and Ellis’ mission to undo his demotion to water cop), and their adorable dynamic anchors the sometimes silly cases thrown their way. Since it’s just starting out, it’s not quite as smart or seamless as its peers, but with hopefully many seasons on the horizon, it has plenty of potential to get there.
9. Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is the original consultant procedural. The series follows famed mystery writer Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) as she aids the police in solving murders around her quaint hometown of Cabot Cove, Maine—and anywhere else she goes, as bodies seem to start dropping as soon as she rolls into town. It aired for 12 seasons on CBS, and still retains its title as one of the most successful and longest-running shows to hit the airwaves, even earning Lansbury a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series every single season the show was on air (though she unfortunately never won). Muder, She Wrote is both timeless and distinctly of its era, smart and charming, and always a delight to watch. Jessica’s spunk and tenacity in solving these mysteries elevated its case-of-the-week hijinks, and has allowed the series to remain a true classic.
8. Elementary
Arguably the best Sherlock Holmes adaptation in decades, CBS’ Elementary is both an incredible modern update to the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle character, but also a delightful consultant procedural. The series follows a disgraced Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) as he flees to America following a stint in rehab, and is assigned a sober companion to live with him: Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu), herself a disgraced former surgeon who now helps addicts stay clean. But, of course, Holmes just can’t keep his nose out of a good mystery, so with the help of Watson’s medical expertise, he consults for the New York Police Department on their most head-scratching cases. Infinitely less annoying and pretentious than BBC’s Sherlock, Elementary thrived in both the mysteries and the interpersonal drama for its seven-season run, as its smart weekly capers and captivating relationship between Holmes and Watson cemented it as must-see TV, both as it was airing and still today.
7. Monk
In the line-up of leading consultants in these series, Mr. Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) might be the most peculiar. Near-crippled by his OCD-driven fear of germs and contamination (an ailment that sprung up after the murder of his wife), Mr. Monk aids the San Francisco police department as a consultant after being fired from his full-time job as a homicide detective. Though he will always be a little preoccupied by germs and smells and stains and hand sanitizer, Monk’s unique ability to capture detail and parse out the answers to even the toughest mysteries allows him to continue to thrive with the help of his former boss and his two delightful assistants. Monk is a series that never punches down at its main character, while also never shying away from how much this disorder affects Monk’s life, all in the midst of its case-of-the-week fun every episode. And even though the Peacock continuation movie, Mr. Monk’s Last Case, was a bit of a disappointing return, Monk and his world are still more than worth seeking out.
6. White Collar
From USA, the same network that became the home for breezy and stylish procedurals, White Collar is another fun, case-of-the-week series worthy of a binge. The show follows Matt Bomber’s Neal Caffrey, a high-profile criminal that was finally captured by FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay). However, after an inmate escapes from a high-security prison, Peter offers Neal the deal of a lifetime: his freedom in exchange for becoming an FBI criminal consultant. White Collar hinges on the relationship between the charming Neal and buttoned-up Peter, and only gets more intriguing as Neal refuses to leave his criminal past behind him. Joined by his friend and co-conspirator Mozzie (Willie Garson), Neal’s criminal hijinks and his helping hand offer an addicting duality across the series’ six seasons.
5. Bones
Based partially on the life and career of real forensic anthropologist and crime author Kathy Reichs (who also acted as a producer on the series), FOX’s Bones follows anthropologist and author Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), also known as “Bones” for her uncanny ability to find clues within the bones of victims, and Special Agent Seely Booth (David Boreanaz), whose mistrust of science after his time in the Army makes for a delightful odd couple at the center of this series. Bones ran for 12 seasons at FOX, and over the course of its run, proved to be delightfully entertaining and fun to watch, with its episodic case-of-the-week nature never truly getting old. And of course, the slow-burn relationship between Bones and Booth remains one for the ages.
4. Lucifer
Despite becoming less of a procedural in its move to Netflix for its final two outings, Lucifer is still one of the best examples of this particular subgenre, and an incredible series in its own right. Based on the DC character of the same name, Lucifer follows the titular devil (played by Tom Ellis) as he worms his way into the heart of Detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German), eventually becoming her consultant for his nightlife connections and his supernatural ability to draw people’s desires out of them using a single question. This series is one of the only entries in the consultant procedural subgenre to dive directly into the supernatural, blending Neil Gaiman-inspired biblical stakes with its LA-typical, weekly crime capers, and it thrives in the ways it subverts expectations and breaks the mold of procedural expectations. It moves further away from weekly hijinks in its final two seasons, as the binge model is implemented after Netflix saved it from cancellation on FOX, but it still remains one of the best series in this storied genre, and a delightful binge all-around.
3. Castle
ABC’s Castle takes a page out of Murder, She Wrote’s book, throwing a famous mystery writer into the depths of real-life stakes and crime, but trades in the friendly and witty Jessica Fletcher for the charming and egotistical Richard Castle (Nathan Fillian). Paired with by-the-books detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), Castle aids his new partner and the New York Police Department in catching criminals, using his narrative prowess with mysteries to help piece together these very real cases. What began as a partnership born out of innocent research for Castle’s next novel eventually blossoms into an incredible partnership and a beautiful friendship (and eventual slow-burn relationship) between Castle and Beckett, anchoring this series and its case-of-the-week antics to the dynamic they share. Throw in the charming detectives Esposito (Jon Huertas) and Ryan (Seamus Dever) and Castle’s eccentric mother Martha (Susan Sullivan) and his sweet daughter Alexis (Molly Quinn), and Castle becomes a consultant procedural that fires on all cylinders: smart cases, lovable characters, and an incredible dynamic at its center.
2. The Mentalist
Like its peers, The Mentalist‘s charming consultant and smart police work makes it stand out in the overcrowded landscape, but its differences even within its own subgenre allow it to remain one of the best shows to utilize this break in formula. The series follows Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), whose unusual methods and acute attention to detail makes him an undeniable asset to the California Bureau of Investigations as a consultant. Working alongside senior agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney), Jane uses his status as a consultant to not only aid the CBI in investigating various crimes, but also to hunt serial killer Red John, who murdered his wife and daughter. The series manages to strike a brilliant balance between serialized and episodic, allowing new viewers to jump in during practically any episode through its procedural format, but its long-running storyline following the hunt for Red John allows The Mentalist to thrive in its serialized elements. The series ran for seven seasons on CBS, and remains rewatchable and fun in its afterlife on streaming and in syndication.
1. Psych
I know, you know that Psych is the best consultant procedural to ever hit the airwaves. Following faux-psychic Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) and his partner Ghee Buttersnaps—I mean, Burton Guster (Dulé Hill)—as they assist Santa Barbara Police Department detectives Juliet O’Hara (Maggie Lawson) and Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson), Psych utilizes all the genre conventions of the typical procedural and mixes them with Shawn’s unconventional methods and a referentially-’80s sense of humor to create a series that is smart, hilarious, and heartfelt. Across eight seasons and three spinoff movies, this series manages to provide compelling cases alongside its hilarious and unusual antics, all elevated by charming and moving lead performances by all involved. It’s a true delight all around, and represents the very best of this concept on the small screen.
Anna Govert is the TV Editor of Paste Magazine. For any and all thoughts about TV, film, and her unshakable love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you can follow her @annagovert.
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