Diksha Sundriyal
Crime is a constant subject of fascination for the viewers. Be it the thrill of figuring out the perpetrator or understanding the workings of the crime solvers; viewers never get bored of watching a good crime show. The stakes are raised, and the crimes get grander and more diversified when the involvement of a government organization is exhibited. FBI has been a popular choice amongst the creators of TV shows. The advantage of using the FBI at face value is that any crime, ranging from murders and kidnappings to forgery and terrorism, can be brought onto the canvas. A lower police institution would reduce this range, and using the CIA would make it more of a spy thriller. FBI keeps it all balanced while hooking the viewers to their TV sets. If you too are a crime-show fanatic with a special inclination towards the suited investigators, here’s the list of top FBI TV series that should be on your ‘must watch’ list.
20. Quantico (2015-)
Priyanka Chopra’s debut in the American TV industry, ‘Quantico’ follows the story of Alex Parrish, an FBI agent who gets caught up in the conspiracy of a terrorist attack on Grand Central Terminal. The first season was split into two timelines, which was a smart way of storytelling, interwoven with each other to create more mystery around its characters and situations. It might not have pleased everyone, but ‘Quantico’ did carve a place for itself in the highly competitive TV industry where most pilots don’t see the light of day. You can stream the series here.
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19. Blindspot (2015-)
A woman who has no recollection of her past is found inside a duffel bag in Times Square. Her whole body has been tattooed, but she doesn’t remember or know anything about them. One of her tattoos mentions an FBI Special Agent who is then called to recognize her, but he doesn’t seem to know her. Soon, they find out that these tattoos are clues to the crimes that they will have to solve. You can watch ‘Blindspot’ here.
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18. Profiler (1996-2000)
A forensic psychologist, Dr. Samantha Walker works as a profiler for the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force. With her special insight into the psyche of the criminals, she helps the FBI catch criminals who would otherwise get away with heinous crimes. While she excels at her work, Samantha’s real motive to join the FBI is revealed. It turns out, a serial killer had murdered her husband, and she is employing the resources at her disposal to catch that serial killer.
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17. Perception (2012-2015)
Dr. Daniel Pierce is a genius neuropsychiatrist. But his talent comes at a cost. He suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, which results in him having severe hallucinations. One of the better things out of the hallucinations is a best friend who advises him through his ordeals. And the other advantage is his attention to subtle details that otherwise go unnoticed. Due to this ability, a former student seeks him out to work for the FBI in solving some of the most complex cases. You can watch ‘Perception’ here.
16. Sleeper Cell (2005–2006)
A series that was nominated for Outstanding Miniseries at the Emmys, ‘Sleeper Cell’ was created by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris. It follows undercover FBI agent Darwyn Al-Sayeed (Michael Ealy) who is tasked to infiltrate a terrorist sleeper cell headed by Faris al-Farik (Oded Fehr), an Arab extremist. On one hand, we get to see how Al-Sayeed tackles the task at hand. On the other hand, we see the functioning of the cell that is underscored by a dichotomy of its members who claim to be followers of Islam but their actions can easily be termed sinful. How these two sub-plots intertwine and whether Al-Sayeed can prevent the attack that is being planned are what we find out. You can stream ‘Sleeper Cell’ here.
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15. Bones (2005-2017)
Another beloved crime-drama that ended its run on a high note, ‘Bones’ brought something new to the table when it premiered. Mirroring the work-relationship of the FBI with the Smithsonian Institution, it showed FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth collaborating with forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brenner who was the team leader at the Jeffersonian Institute Medico-Legal Lab. Brenner provided scientific insight into the cases, which then Booth used to track down the criminals. You can stream the series here.
14. The X-Files (1993–2018)
The original 9-season run (1993-2002) of this sci-fi detective series was followed by a revival in 2016 (Season 10) and then returned in 2018 (Season 11) for the final time. Created by Chris Carter, ‘The X-Files’ follows FBI Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who look into the cases in the X-files i.e. cases with incomplete investigations, which are shelved/marginalized/unsolved and incorporate paranormal elements. These include a supposed alien invasion, mutants, monsters, and other villainous characters. The series looks at these from two contrasting POVs of Mulder, a supernaturalist, and Scully, a skeptic. ‘The X-Files’ can be streamed here.
13. Get Gotti (2023- )
This three-part mini docuseries directed by Sebastian Smith follows the rise and fall of John Gotti, boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Showcasing mob culture in New York during the 1980s, a period that was the perfect time to be a criminal, the efforts made by the federal authorities to arrest him (he was arrested in December 1990), and the dynamics within the mob circle, ‘Get Gotti’ uses interviews from persons associated with Gotti, officials, archival footage and photographs, and re-enactments to take us on a deep dive into the life of one of the most infamous gangsters the world has ever seen and will ever see. You can stream ‘Get Gotti’ here.
12. FBI True (2023- )
Executive Produced by FBI-agent-turned-producer Anne Beagan and ‘FBI’ co-creator Craig Turk, ‘FBI True’ is a docuseries wherein FBI agents talk freely about their jobs, sharing stories about their missions inside and outside the borders. The wins, the losses, the costs, the stakes, through conversations between agents, we get to know how they handled some of the biggest cases that have come the FBI’s way. From manhunts to hostage rescues to raids, we get a never-before-seen view of all of these and more. ‘FBI True’ can be streamed here.
11. The Looming Tower (2018)
This mini-series is based on The New Yorker journalist Lawrence Wright’s 2006 non-fiction book ‘The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11.’ Created by Dan Futterman, Alex Gibney, and Lawrence Wright, it follows the rivalry between the FBI and the CIA, amid the rising threat of Osama bin Laden-led terrorist group al-Qaeda, which may just have been one of the reasons that contributed to 9/11. How the respective counter-terrorism units of the two agencies fought for information, which compromised the country’s security is what we see in this brilliant drama. You can stream ‘The Looming Tower’ here.
10. The Night Agent (2023- )
One of the latest shows surrounding the FBI, ‘The Night Agent’ is a gripping action thriller that follows undervalued FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) whose job is to man an emergency phone line reserved for calls from spies in the field. Just when he thinks that things cannot get more boring for him, a distress call from a young woman named Rose (Luciane Buchanan) who is about to be killed, unless he helps her, takes the shape of a shocking conspiracy whose roots go deep within the very government he serves, one involving the vice president, and the White House chief of staff. Created by Shawn Ryan and based on Matthew Quirk’s novel of the same name, ‘The Night Agent’ can be streamed right here.
9. FBI: Most Wanted (2020- )
Created by René Balcer, this series follows a special team of FBI agents, the New York Fugitive Task Force led by Special Agent Jess LaCroix, whose job is to bring the most wanted to justice, that alone above anything else. Always ready for anything, the elite team operates undercover, tracking those who will lead them to their target. The first spin-off of the drama ‘FBI,’ created by Dick Wolf and Craig Turk, ‘FBI: Most Wanted’ stars Julian McMahon, Kellan Lutz, Roxy Sternberg, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Nathaniel Arcand and YaYa Gosselin among others. You can stream it here.
8. Hannibal (2013–2015)
Based on Thomas Harris’ novels, ‘Hannibal’ is developed by Bryan Fuller and follows FBI investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) who is hired by the head of the FBI Behavioral Sciences division, Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne), to look into the case of serial killing. To help Graham cope with the investigation, Crawford suggests he consult forensic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen). Unbeknownst to Graham or Crawford, Lector is a cannibalistic serial killer. The series thus explores the complicated relationship between Graham and Lector as both try to figure each other out; a double-exploration underscored by a series of murders in Minnesota. How the relationship takes a toll on both the characters and how the toll maneuvers their actions have been shown in a surreal and intriguing manner. You can stream ‘Hannibal’ here.
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7. Criminal Minds (2005-)
With thirteen seasons in its account and another commissioned, ‘Criminal Minds’ is perhaps the longest-running crime show. And its constant renewals are well-earned. It focuses on the FBI’s special Behavioural Analysis Unit, which is a group of profilers. These profilers study the previous crimes, and based on their deductions, they predict the next move that the criminals might make, which in turn helps to catch them. ‘Criminal Minds’ can be streamed right here.
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6. The Blacklist (2013-)
While ‘The Blacklist’ is an intelligent show with a gripping storyline and exciting plot twists, its main charm rests on James Spader’s classic and eccentric Raymond “Red” Reddington. Red was a US Navy officer, but something in his life changed everything. He went rogue and later rose to the ranks of the most-wanted list of criminals. While he evaded capture for so long, one day he surrendered to the FBI and offered to help catch some very high-profile criminals, the ones that even the FBI doesn’t know about. He had two conditions for this service: first, complete immunity, and second that he would only work with Elizabeth Keen, a new FBI recruit. You can watch ‘The Blacklist’ here.
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5. White Collar (2009-2014)
One of the best shows to ever grace the television, ‘White Collar’ was intelligent, humorous, exciting, and beautiful, all at once. “It takes a thief to catch a thief.” This is the mantra that kickstarted this show. Neal Caffery is a conman who evaded capture for a long time until the FBI agent Peter Burke finally outwitted him. But it is not easy to trap Neal in one place. He runs away, and for a while, it seems like he’ll be out of the hands of the law for quite some time. But then, Neal surrenders and makes a deal with Peter. He demands to be set free in exchange for helping to catch criminals like him. The series can be streamed here.
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4. The FBI Files (1998-2006)
While TV shows try to concoct their crimes and cases to keep their characters busy, they sometimes derive inspiration from the real cases that the FBI worked on. It is hard to figure out one from the other, except in ‘The FBI Files.’ This show takes the actual cases that were handled by the FBI and re-enacts them with the actors and the made-up sets. Paying attention to detail and showing the inner workings of the Bureau, ‘The FBI Files’ is a show you must watch if you want something more authentic. It can be streamed here.
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3. The FBI (1965-1974)
Since ‘Mindhunter’ is set in the late 70s, there is a very good chance that you’ll get to hear some familiar names from it in ‘The FBI.’ Like ‘The FBI Files,’ this show used real cases of the FBI as part of their storyline. But while the former was more of a documentary-drama, ‘The FBI’ was closer to ‘Mindhunter’ in the style of its storytelling. What adds to the authenticity of this show is that ex-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover served as a consultant for this show. You can stream it here.
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2. Mindhunter (2017)
A gem of a show, ‘Mindhunter’ does what other shows rarely attempt. Based on the book of the same name and its characters inspired by real-life people, it focuses more on the mental machinations of a criminal than the crime itself. Along with the individual lives of its characters, it also sheds light on the politics inside the FBI and how things get done there. There is not much blood or gore or even action in this show, nothing superficial to incite excitement. But there are performances so strong that they’ll send a chill down your spine and leave you gasping for breath like Holden in the last scene of the first season. ‘Mindhunter’ can be streamed here.
1. Twin Peaks (1990–2017)
Directed by Mark Frost and David Lynch, ‘Twin Peaks’ is considered one of the best TV shows ever. It ran for three seasons (releasing in 1990, 1991, and 2017 respectively) and follows FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) and Sheriff Harry S. Truman (Michael Ontkean) as they take on an intriguing case of the death of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) in Twin Peaks (fictional town), Washington. Surreal, uncanny, and involving off-beat humor and supernatural elements, to begin with, the series is bound to take you by surprise with its treatment of a murder mystery set against the backdrop of a town with dark secrets and eccentric inhabitants. To be a part of the investigations, you can stream ‘Twin Peaks’ here.
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