Category:Police Procedural

A Police Procedural is concerned with an accurate representation of the day to day realities and procedures of the police. It's a very specific sub-genre of crime fiction. The Police Procedural is almost the antithesis of the Cop Show. The Police Procedural is characterized by the lack of emphasis on the character's personal lives and the increased focus on the nuts-and-bolts of law enforcement.

This term is also sometimes used specifically to describe the "Reverse Whodunnit" style of crime drama made famous by Columbo, despite the fact that most examples have very little to do with actual police procedure.

Both the Police Procedural and the Cop Show are sometimes called "Precinct Shows". They share a common assumption: that the police are the good guys.

See also: Crime-Time TV, Forensic Drama, Buddy Cop Show, Cop Show, Police Procedural Parody.