I'm going to make an obvious statement. I watch a lot of TV. I know. You really couldn't tell, could you? Well, cop dramas fall into one of my favorite categories. I don't watch them for the science. A chunk of the science is bunk and their timelines for testing are outrageously short. Last I heard, my state had an 18 month waiting period for DNA testing because of the backlog. If you absolutely must, you could have it rushed through a private lab, but good luck finding funding for that. I watch it because they tend to do a good job at character development and frequently have some fantastic witty banter. And as, I look down at the list, I really watch a lot of CBS.
BIS Top 5 Characters on a Cop Drama
Honorable mention: Adam Ross, CSI: NY (CBS)
I couldn't leave this one out. Adam, played by the charming A.J. Buckley, is a geeky lab tech in the New York crime lab who struggles some to fit in with his more suave coworkers. He loves what he does and works hard to prove himself. Even though he is mainly lab staff, he does appear some in the field. In some cases, he connects strongly with the victim (such as the one he met through ChatRoulette), which causes him to take sometimes quasi-legal measures to find the killer.
As a geek myself, I can understand how he is sometimes on the outside looking in, and his excitement at processing impossible evidence and finding answers.
5. Danny Williams, Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)
The remake of Hawaii Five-0 really meets the mark. Detective Danny Williams (Scott Caan) is one of the voices of experience in law enforcement for the Five-0. I'm not sure I'd call him a voice of reason but he helps keep partner, Steve McGarrett, in line. Danny portrays some of the most heartbreaking moments but masters the funny rants. His vents make up some of my favorite moments in the show as you can see from the amount of his quotes I have on the Hawaii Five-0 page. He's a tough guy with a good heart and interesting mind. They should also have him shirtless more often. That physique is too good to be hidden. (I do not even want to imagine how much effort goes into maintaining that body.)
4. Neal Caffrey, White Collar (USA)
It's hard not to like Neal (played by Matt Bomer). He's smart, charming, playful, and has a boyish vulnerability. The fact he has a sexy, lean frame and smooth moves doesn't hurt either. Neal has always held to his own code but until he became a consultant for the FBI that code didn't usually coincide with the law. Now that he's on the other side, he's finding that he can get just as much mental stimulation finding bad guys as he had while conning others. I appreciate his magpie mind. He'd make a fun and surprising friend or lover, but I bet trying to keep his interest piqued would get tiring. He's the type to keep looking for the next big find even if it does now happen to be on the right side of the law.
3. Matt Devlin, Law & Order: UK (BBCA)
Cynical but still somehow a romantic at heart, Matt Devlin (brilliantly played by Jamie Bamber of Battlestart Galactica fame) is the younger of a pair of detectives.I wouldn't call him a heart-on-the-sleeve kind of guy but his emotions aren't hidden either. He's the type you could have a great time with and still take home to the parents the next day. Being an unarmed cop requires toughness, but that doesn't mean you can't have heart. (By the way, I prefer Bamber speaking with his natural accent as he does here than the more American accent he used for BSG.)
I was initially a little wary of a new L&O spinoff but I think they've translated it for the British legal system wonderfully. It also shows that no matter how many differences there are in a culture, crime remains the same.
2. Spencer Reid, Criminal Minds (CBS)
Young. Smart. Awkward. If I had to to use 3 words to describe Dr. Spencer Reid (played by Matthew Gray Gubler), those are the ones I would use. In this list, he's the character who ranks lowest for social skills (obviously Neal would be on top there). I find it charming though. I even enjoy how he has a fact for every situation. Could you imagine having that much seemingly random information packed into your head? Okay, I'm a trivia buff so I can a little but nothing to that extreme. I can also see how it might get annoying. You'd never lack for conversation though. Not that a lack of conversation has to be a bad thing. Comfortable silence is nice sometimes.
I find him darling. I'm not sure what else to say about it. Even though he's too skinny to be classically handsome, he's still attractive and has a great, boyish smile. Now, if they'd not pair him up with the new chick on the show, I could settle back and enjoy more. I just don't like her (which is probably why I have a mental block on her character's name). I miss his long hair though. The first episode this season where he had short hair I (and my sister) both said, "Why'd they go and screw up his hair like that?"
1. Abby Sciuto, NCIS (CBS)
With all the other CBS shows I have listed, did you really think I was going to forget Abby? This goth geek rocks the lab.
For all her spunk and playfulness, Abby (Pauley Perrette) is a serious scientist who thrives on her job. She's not afraid to kick ass and take names, or give comfort and hugs. Abby is one of those ladies anyone would love to spend time around. When it comes to the lab though, just step back and let her to her thing.
If you've got a favorite character from a cop drama that's not listed here, tell me about them in the comments.
View other Bad Influence Speaks Top 5 lists here.
