Foreign series about the police: a list of the best

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In light of the latest trends that marked the crisis of feature films, television, changing the public's perception of the narrative, is gradually becoming the art of the future.

Means of aestheticization of foreign culture

The series that TV viewers are offered unobtrusively set standards of behavior, patterns of emotional reactions in society. Since their inception, they have captured a significant niche in television and a considerable piece of air. Speaking about the popularity of foreign TV films, it should be noted that the development of the storyline of each project for the domestic audience serves as a means of aestheticizing a foreign culture. According to the rating, foreign series about the police are the most popular in the Russian Federation. The list presented in this publication includes the best telenovelas according to the IMDb rating.

Based on a true story

American drama crime series "Aquarius" with David Duchovny in the title role began its triumphant march on blue screens in 2015. The project lasted two seasons,received rave reviews from viewers and positive film critics. Its IMDb rating is 7.00. The film takes place in Los Angeles in 1967. Hollywood detective Sam Hodiak (David Duchovny) and police officer Brian Shafe (Grey Damon) work undercover to investigate missing girl Emma Karn (Emma Dumont). The teenage girl is the daughter of Grace Karn (Mikayla McManus), the ex-lover of Hodiak. An investigation into the circumstances of the disappearance lead law enforcement officers to Charles Manson (Gethin Anthony) and his cult, which members proudly call "The Family". The plot of the project is mainly based on real events, however, some characters and branches of the storyline are fictional. It should be noted that the TV project did not include the murders that made the maniac famous. The narrative includes the early stages of the criminal activities of the killer.

Production Features

If during the casting at the preparatory stage of the production of the television movie, the performer of the key role was approved immediately and unambiguously, there were problems with the candidacy of the performer who should embody the main antagonist. The creators for a long time could not find an actor who was to play Charles Manson. As a result, the series "Aquarius" still got a villain. On the screen, the maniac known to the whole world for his murders was played by Gathin Anthony, familiar to the audience in the image of Renly Baratheon in the Game of Thrones.

John McNamara worked on the script for both seasons; amongThe cast of the film, in addition to the leading actors, noticeably stands out Gray Damon, who has significant films like True Blood and the American Oldboy to his credit.

Great show

When American television people are asked to name the best national TV movie, they are more likely than others to name the series "The Wire". Indeed, David Simon seems to have specially created a grandiose show to receive this title. Five seasons of the TV project from different points of view (police, workers, drug dealers, schoolchildren, journalists, politicians), using the example of a single B altimore, demonstrate the process of degradation of the American metropolis. The production of the film began in 2002. Its IMDb rating is 9.30, so it deserves to top the list of the best foreign series about the police. At the same time, due to the complex structure and deep immersion in American realities, the show is less accessible for understanding by a foreign audience.

Charging attention

The American television police drama series The Wire is the brainchild of David Simon, a writer and ex-crime journalist. The plot is largely based on the life experiences of one of the author's friends, Ed Burns, who produced the series. Burns served in the B altimore Police Homicide Department prior to producing, being directly involved in drug investigations. Each season of the TV movie focuses the viewer's attention on a separate area of the city's life and the participation of law enforcement agencies in it, whilethe narrative retains plot ties to previous seasons. The cast is mostly represented by little-known actors; during the creation of individual episodes, real residents and politicians of the city were invited to the project. The series was highly acclaimed for its detailed coverage of themes, sharp exploration of social themes, and realistic depiction of metropolitan life. The David Simon Show has been repeatedly recognized as the best among foreign series about the police. At the same time, the series does not have significant awards.

Werewolves in uniform

Traditionally, foreign series about the police assure the viewer that there is no one in the world more honest than law enforcement officers. Traditionally - but not in the "Shield", created by Sean Ryan, inspired by real events taking place among the LAPD. The show has been running since 2002, has seven seasons, each of which lifts the veil of secrecy over the activities of the corrupt "Shock Group". The Shield has an IMDb rating of 8.70. The main characters of the TV movie are portrayed not as inveterate scoundrels, but as complex, contradictory personalities, capable of both heroic and disgusting deeds. The show has been nominated five times for an Emmy and three times for a Golden Globe. The Shield was a huge influence on later TV crime movies like Graceland. Although his characters are prettier and more decent than the characters in The Shield.

War with the mafia

In 1986 by Gustav Reininger and Chuck Adams inThe Crime Story television series was created in the crime drama genre. The project has two seasons and an IMDb rating of 8.40. At the center of the television movie is Lieutenant Mike Torello, who heads the special department of the Chicago police. Its structural unit was created specifically to combat organized crime. The situation is complicated by the fact that a new mafia group appears in the metropolis, which does not take into account other criminal clans that have long settled in Chicago. The gang is led by an unprincipled, tough young gangster Ray Luca, who is rapidly moving up the "career ladder". He wishes to take the throne of the city's underworld. By the way, foreign series about the police rarely take the relationship between representatives of law and order and mafia structures as the basis for the narrative. But in the work of Adams and Reininger, the plot is built on a long confrontation between Torello and Luca, who killed the son of one of Michael's friends.

Extremely authentic

An interesting fact from the features of the production process of the project is that individual members of the film crew are directly involved in the world that the Crime Story series demonstrated. For example, Adamson and the lead actor of Torello, actor Dennis Farina, served in the Chicago Police Department. And John Santucci, who presented the image of Polly Taglia on the screen, was a professional thief. Most of the crime novel's scenes were based on real-life crimes once committed by John. This reliability was highly appreciated by film critics and the audience.

Inspired by Holmes and Colombo

British psychological detective series "Luther" was presented to the public in 2010. Since then, the project has acquired five seasons, a huge army of fans and an IMDb rating of 8.60. Neil Cross was inspired to create a masterpiece by Sherlock Holmes and the equally famous detective Colombo. The narrative of the series "Luther" is famously twisted around the personality of the protagonist - the outstanding detective John Luther. The story clearly demonstrates the difference between the concepts of a "dirty" cop and "dirty" methods. The success of the protagonist lies in the high rate of solving crimes, thanks to personal intellectual data and an extraordinary way of conducting an investigation.

The protagonist of the TV movie, Luther, is similar to Sherlock with an unconventional approach to solving crimes and a unique deduction. And the format of the show was borrowed from Columbo: the viewer immediately knows who the criminal is, but does not know how he will be caught.

In June 2017, the creators announced that they had extended the picture for the 5th season - they plan to shoot 4 more episodes, work on which will begin in early 2018. Therefore, we can safely say that the brainchild of Neil Cross is the most modern among foreign series about the police.

Think like a maniac

Television multi-part thriller "Thorn: Dormouse" was created in 2010 by director Stephen Hopkins. The show received mixed reviews from TV and film experts and an IMDb rating of 6.80. The script for the series "Thorn" is based on a series of British crime novels.writer Mark Billingham. The main character, Police Inspector Tom Thorn, is investigating a series of mysterious murders. Three victims fell at the hands of the attacker, but for the fourth time the maniac failed to complete what he started. His victim, Alison Willets, managed to survive. Unfortunately, the girl cannot help the inspector in the investigation, as she cannot get out of the pseudo-coma state. Outwardly, Alison has all the signs of a real coma: she cannot speak and move, while the unfortunate one hears and feels everything that is happening around her. The detective understands that the attacker will not stop, in order to interrupt the activities of the raging maniac, he needs to understand what drives the criminal's sick fantasy, learn to think like him.

Recommended for viewing

In addition to the listed foreign series about the police, the following, no less interesting projects can be recommended for viewing:

• "Defective Detective" (2002). The protagonist of the series, Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub), is the funniest and most "defective" detective on American TV. Due to the peculiarities of his character, he is always accompanied by a nurse who helps him get along with his endless phobias and complexes. But even in moments of panic attacks or other quirks, Monk remains an astute detective, instilling confidence in viewers suffering from physical or mental ailments. IMDb telenovela rating - 8.00.
• “C. S. I. Scene of the crime "(2000). This series is most hated by American prosecutors. Fascinating forensic show about police officersfrom Las Vegas convinced viewers that any crime can definitely be solved by carefully analyzing the collected evidence. Therefore, every time prosecutors have to explain to the townsfolk that in reality everything is not as scientific and simple as in C. S. I. The show began airing in 2000 and is still running, having completely changed its ensemble cast. That's what it means - the power of a grand story idea!