Ubiquitous
2017-12-21 12:16:10 UTC
Television and movies could be considered merely ways of
entertaining ourselves, but to consider them nothing more than
entertainment is foolish, as they do have lessons to impart.
Regarding so-called crime shows, they can teach us a lot about the
human brain works and what is going on in the head of law breakers
who seek to do harm to others via crimes like murder. Here are 13
shows that could help you understand the worst of what society has
to offer.
1. Without a Trace
Originally airing from 2002 to 2009, CBS television program Without
a Trace is about a Missing Persons Unit based in New York City, New
York. Individual episodes focused on the efforts of the teamwhich
was part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (or FBI)to locate a
missing person before it was too late; it also examined the personal
the lives of the team members and the insight provided by their
personal lives.
While the show was a work of fiction, many of the cases on Without a
Trace were based on real-life cases, and the show would frequently
air information about real cases at the end of an episode. As a
result, at least two missing peoplea brother and sister who had
been kidnappedwere located.
It should be mentioned that locating a missing person within a few
days of him or her going missing is of vital importance; it becomes
exponentially more difficult to locate a person after about 72 hours
or so.
2. Americas Most Wanted
Americas Most Wanted aired from 1988 to 2011 on FOX and then again
in 2013 on cable. It is notable for several reasons. For one, at
times it featured pretty ghastly reenactments; more interesting,
however, is the fact that the shows host, John Walsh, is an anti-
crime activist as a result of the murder of his son in 1981. The
son, Adam, was abducted from a department store in Hollywood,
Florida. He was only six years of age. The boys head, which had
been severed from his body, was found two weeks after the abduction.
Americas Most Wanted offered insight into the minds of killers, and
also did a lot of good for the country; the show had a toll-free
number that viewers could call if they had tips about the crimes
described on the show. In fact, four days after the program was
first broadcast in 1988, a killer was captured as a result of
information disseminated via the program.
After the events of September 11, 2001, the show also focused on
criminals involved in terrorism. One show featured men working for
al-Qaeda.
3. Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice is a British Broadcasting Company television
program that began in 2008 and aired its last episode in October of
2009. The first season was about a young man accused of murder after
drinking too much and taking ecstasy one night, and the second was
about an abused woman who stabbed her husband. While both seasons
were well received and therefore worthy of a watch, the first
seasonin particularwas critically acclaimed. It won Best Drama
Serial in the British Academy Television Awards. The actor who
played the young man accused of murder won the Best Actor award.
In addition to being award winning, the show was notable for the
fact it was told from the point of view of the main character.
4. Criminals At Work
In case youve never heard of it, Criminals at Work is a
documentary-type series exploring crimes that people committed at
their workplaces or around them. Each episode features two real-life
incidents in which places of employment become crime scenes. Co-
workers of the criminals are interviewed, and the crimes are
explained by law enforcement and reporters who covered the crimes.
Because it interviewed so many people, the program does a very good
job of giving the viewer an accurate idea of what actually
transpired.
In general, we spend a lot of time with the people we work with,
which is what makes this show so disturbing. After all, how well do
you really know the person in the cubicle next to you?
5. American Crime
American Crime is an ABC crime drama that aired its final episode in
April of 2017. It received a lot of critical acclaim and starred a
number of well-known actors, including Regina King, Felicity
Huffman, and Lili Taylor.
All three seasons featured very different storylines as well as
characters, although certain cast membersfor example, Felicity
Huffmanremained without the show throughout the 3-season run.
The third season is considered by critics to be the best, having
been called both brilliant and moving. Despite the glowing reviews,
it was cancelled by ABC.
6. Lie To Me
Lie to Me, which aired on the FOX network. Is about a private
company called The Lightman Group, which assists law enforcement in
solving crimes. The main character, Dr. Cal Lightman, is an expert
on body language. The series is notable due to the lead being based
on a real personDr. Paul Ekmanwho is also an expert on body
language. In particular, he is an expert on facial expressions.
The characters on the show use their understanding of psychology and
body language to solve crimes, and viewers can learn from the
techniques utilized on the show to detect deceptive behaviors they
may encounter in their own lives.
Lie to Me was, despite being one of many police procedurals on the
air at the time and therefore a bit derivative, generally well
received by critics. It also won two Peoples Choice Awards in 2011,
one for Favorite TV Crime Drama, the other for Favorite TV Crime
Fighter.
7. The First 48
The A&E documentary series The First 48 gives a viewer an insiders
look at genuine homicide detectives who live and work all over the
United States. As a result, the viewer can learn a lot about the
mind of people who make the dreadful decision to take anothers
life. Having aired its first episode in 2004 and still currently on
the air, The First 48 demonstrates the use of forensics and other
detective skills that are employed by detectives when trying to
solve homicides.
The title refers to 48 hours; often, the series episodes focus on
the first two days of an investigation into a homicide. In general,
the first 48 hours are considered vital to a homicide investigation,
as most homicides are believed to be solved within that period of
time; on the show, most crimes are solves within 48 hours.
The show, while popular and long-running, has generated controversy
more than once. Witnesses faces are often exposed, ostensibly
putting them in danger, and the show is granted notable levels of
access to police departments throughout the United States. In one
case, an episode focused on a Florida man charged with murder who
was later found to be innocent and then released from custody.
8. The Killing Season
Also an A&E program, The Killing Season debuted in 2016 and focuses
much of its time on the Long Island Serial Killer. While other
killers receive a bit of attention, the producers are obviously
interested in the Long Island Serial Killer, and rightfully so.
Also known as the Craiglist Ripper or the Gilgo Beach Killer, The
Long Island Serial Killer has likely killed more than 10 people in
the past 20 years; those people were all connected to prostitution.
Four victims were found in 2010, and six more were found in 2011.
No one knows who the serial killer is, although he is currently
referred to as Unsub, which stands for unknown suspect. The killer
is believed to be a Caucasian man and may or may not be affiliated
with law enforcement. He uses burlap sacks to contain the bodies of
his victims.
There are several persons of interest in the case, but no one has
been convicted of the killings. If you happen to have any
information about the Long Island Serial Killer, please contact
local authorities and then do yourself a huge favor and stay as far
away as possible from the person you suspect.
9. Blue Bloods
Blue Bloods is an interesting and sort of unique police procedural
because it largely focuses on several generations of one family, the
Reagans, most of whom are NYPD police officers and therefore solve
crimes. Their Sunday dinners are signature scenes on the show,
making Blue Bloods a family drama in addition to a police
procedural.
The show is also noteworthy for starring Tom Selleck, who is
probably better known for starring as Thomas Magnum in the 80s
crime series Magnum, P.I.
Donnie Wahlberg, who was a founding member of New Kids On the
Block and was also in several of the Saw films, also plays a member
of the Reagan family.
The show has been well-received by critics and the ratings are
solid, which means the Reagan family will likely be on our
television screens for quite a while longer. Currently, the show has
aired over 160 episodes and is in its eighth season.
10. Cold Case
Cold Case, which originally aired from 2003 to 2010, is about a
Philadelphia detective and her colleagues who specialized in solving
cold cases, which are cases that have not been completely solved and
arent really being actively investigated.
The detectives would interview witnesses and investigate crime
scenes and generally ascertain what led to the death of the victim.
As police procedurals tend to do, it offered an interesting look
into the minds of those willing to kill a fellow human being.
Typical for the genre, many of the stories on Cold Case were based
on real-life homicides or events.
11. Bones
Bones ran for a remarkable 11 seasons on FOX, from 2005 to 2017.
Based on the writings of a real-life forensic anthropologist, the
shows main characterplayed by Emily Deschanel, the sister of the
ever-adorkable Zooey Deschanelis a forensic anthropologist (they
study bones, hence the name of the show) who uses her medical
knowledge to help the FBI investigate homicides.
Her partner is an FBI agent played by David Boreanaz, who many
remember as playing a vampire-with-a-soul from Buffy the Vampire
Slayer and its spin-off Angel.
The show could be incredibly graphic when depicting dead bodies, and
it should be commended for introducing several fleshed-out, well-
written bad guys over the shows rather long run on television. It
should also be praised for making the bold choice to kill off
several well-liked members of its large supporting cast over the
years.
The leads also had fantastic chemistry with one another; in
addition to being a police procedural, it is alsoin its own wayan
adorable romantic comedy starring two very capable actors.
12. Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds has been on the air for 13 seasons, and almost 300
episodes have been produced. In short, the series revolves around
FBI profilers who spend their days and nights analyzing criminal
behavior. As a result, the viewer learns quite a bit about the
criminal mind, especially because the show makes a point to focus
primarily on the psychology of the criminal and not necessarily the
crime he or she committed. The personal lives of the charactersand
as you can imagine, there have been a number of characters who have
come and gone over 13 yearsare also a focus of the show.
13. The Detectives
The Detectives first aired on the British Broadcasting Corporation
(BBC) in 2015 and is a documentary about the Serious Sexual Offenses
Unit of the Greater Manchester Police. One of the primary subjects
of the show is the real-life case of the disc jockey Raymond Teret,
who was convicted of rape as well as indecent assault (against
minors, making it even worse) a few years ago. It wasnt the first
time he was convicted of a sex crime in the United Kingdom.
The shows listed, if watched, will give you a pretty keen insight
into the criminal mind. Be warned, however, if you watch too many
episodes of any of the shows in a row, you might be reluctant to
ever leave your house or interact with your family ever again!
entertaining ourselves, but to consider them nothing more than
entertainment is foolish, as they do have lessons to impart.
Regarding so-called crime shows, they can teach us a lot about the
human brain works and what is going on in the head of law breakers
who seek to do harm to others via crimes like murder. Here are 13
shows that could help you understand the worst of what society has
to offer.
1. Without a Trace
Originally airing from 2002 to 2009, CBS television program Without
a Trace is about a Missing Persons Unit based in New York City, New
York. Individual episodes focused on the efforts of the teamwhich
was part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (or FBI)to locate a
missing person before it was too late; it also examined the personal
the lives of the team members and the insight provided by their
personal lives.
While the show was a work of fiction, many of the cases on Without a
Trace were based on real-life cases, and the show would frequently
air information about real cases at the end of an episode. As a
result, at least two missing peoplea brother and sister who had
been kidnappedwere located.
It should be mentioned that locating a missing person within a few
days of him or her going missing is of vital importance; it becomes
exponentially more difficult to locate a person after about 72 hours
or so.
2. Americas Most Wanted
Americas Most Wanted aired from 1988 to 2011 on FOX and then again
in 2013 on cable. It is notable for several reasons. For one, at
times it featured pretty ghastly reenactments; more interesting,
however, is the fact that the shows host, John Walsh, is an anti-
crime activist as a result of the murder of his son in 1981. The
son, Adam, was abducted from a department store in Hollywood,
Florida. He was only six years of age. The boys head, which had
been severed from his body, was found two weeks after the abduction.
Americas Most Wanted offered insight into the minds of killers, and
also did a lot of good for the country; the show had a toll-free
number that viewers could call if they had tips about the crimes
described on the show. In fact, four days after the program was
first broadcast in 1988, a killer was captured as a result of
information disseminated via the program.
After the events of September 11, 2001, the show also focused on
criminals involved in terrorism. One show featured men working for
al-Qaeda.
3. Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice is a British Broadcasting Company television
program that began in 2008 and aired its last episode in October of
2009. The first season was about a young man accused of murder after
drinking too much and taking ecstasy one night, and the second was
about an abused woman who stabbed her husband. While both seasons
were well received and therefore worthy of a watch, the first
seasonin particularwas critically acclaimed. It won Best Drama
Serial in the British Academy Television Awards. The actor who
played the young man accused of murder won the Best Actor award.
In addition to being award winning, the show was notable for the
fact it was told from the point of view of the main character.
4. Criminals At Work
In case youve never heard of it, Criminals at Work is a
documentary-type series exploring crimes that people committed at
their workplaces or around them. Each episode features two real-life
incidents in which places of employment become crime scenes. Co-
workers of the criminals are interviewed, and the crimes are
explained by law enforcement and reporters who covered the crimes.
Because it interviewed so many people, the program does a very good
job of giving the viewer an accurate idea of what actually
transpired.
In general, we spend a lot of time with the people we work with,
which is what makes this show so disturbing. After all, how well do
you really know the person in the cubicle next to you?
5. American Crime
American Crime is an ABC crime drama that aired its final episode in
April of 2017. It received a lot of critical acclaim and starred a
number of well-known actors, including Regina King, Felicity
Huffman, and Lili Taylor.
All three seasons featured very different storylines as well as
characters, although certain cast membersfor example, Felicity
Huffmanremained without the show throughout the 3-season run.
The third season is considered by critics to be the best, having
been called both brilliant and moving. Despite the glowing reviews,
it was cancelled by ABC.
6. Lie To Me
Lie to Me, which aired on the FOX network. Is about a private
company called The Lightman Group, which assists law enforcement in
solving crimes. The main character, Dr. Cal Lightman, is an expert
on body language. The series is notable due to the lead being based
on a real personDr. Paul Ekmanwho is also an expert on body
language. In particular, he is an expert on facial expressions.
The characters on the show use their understanding of psychology and
body language to solve crimes, and viewers can learn from the
techniques utilized on the show to detect deceptive behaviors they
may encounter in their own lives.
Lie to Me was, despite being one of many police procedurals on the
air at the time and therefore a bit derivative, generally well
received by critics. It also won two Peoples Choice Awards in 2011,
one for Favorite TV Crime Drama, the other for Favorite TV Crime
Fighter.
7. The First 48
The A&E documentary series The First 48 gives a viewer an insiders
look at genuine homicide detectives who live and work all over the
United States. As a result, the viewer can learn a lot about the
mind of people who make the dreadful decision to take anothers
life. Having aired its first episode in 2004 and still currently on
the air, The First 48 demonstrates the use of forensics and other
detective skills that are employed by detectives when trying to
solve homicides.
The title refers to 48 hours; often, the series episodes focus on
the first two days of an investigation into a homicide. In general,
the first 48 hours are considered vital to a homicide investigation,
as most homicides are believed to be solved within that period of
time; on the show, most crimes are solves within 48 hours.
The show, while popular and long-running, has generated controversy
more than once. Witnesses faces are often exposed, ostensibly
putting them in danger, and the show is granted notable levels of
access to police departments throughout the United States. In one
case, an episode focused on a Florida man charged with murder who
was later found to be innocent and then released from custody.
8. The Killing Season
Also an A&E program, The Killing Season debuted in 2016 and focuses
much of its time on the Long Island Serial Killer. While other
killers receive a bit of attention, the producers are obviously
interested in the Long Island Serial Killer, and rightfully so.
Also known as the Craiglist Ripper or the Gilgo Beach Killer, The
Long Island Serial Killer has likely killed more than 10 people in
the past 20 years; those people were all connected to prostitution.
Four victims were found in 2010, and six more were found in 2011.
No one knows who the serial killer is, although he is currently
referred to as Unsub, which stands for unknown suspect. The killer
is believed to be a Caucasian man and may or may not be affiliated
with law enforcement. He uses burlap sacks to contain the bodies of
his victims.
There are several persons of interest in the case, but no one has
been convicted of the killings. If you happen to have any
information about the Long Island Serial Killer, please contact
local authorities and then do yourself a huge favor and stay as far
away as possible from the person you suspect.
9. Blue Bloods
Blue Bloods is an interesting and sort of unique police procedural
because it largely focuses on several generations of one family, the
Reagans, most of whom are NYPD police officers and therefore solve
crimes. Their Sunday dinners are signature scenes on the show,
making Blue Bloods a family drama in addition to a police
procedural.
The show is also noteworthy for starring Tom Selleck, who is
probably better known for starring as Thomas Magnum in the 80s
crime series Magnum, P.I.
Donnie Wahlberg, who was a founding member of New Kids On the
Block and was also in several of the Saw films, also plays a member
of the Reagan family.
The show has been well-received by critics and the ratings are
solid, which means the Reagan family will likely be on our
television screens for quite a while longer. Currently, the show has
aired over 160 episodes and is in its eighth season.
10. Cold Case
Cold Case, which originally aired from 2003 to 2010, is about a
Philadelphia detective and her colleagues who specialized in solving
cold cases, which are cases that have not been completely solved and
arent really being actively investigated.
The detectives would interview witnesses and investigate crime
scenes and generally ascertain what led to the death of the victim.
As police procedurals tend to do, it offered an interesting look
into the minds of those willing to kill a fellow human being.
Typical for the genre, many of the stories on Cold Case were based
on real-life homicides or events.
11. Bones
Bones ran for a remarkable 11 seasons on FOX, from 2005 to 2017.
Based on the writings of a real-life forensic anthropologist, the
shows main characterplayed by Emily Deschanel, the sister of the
ever-adorkable Zooey Deschanelis a forensic anthropologist (they
study bones, hence the name of the show) who uses her medical
knowledge to help the FBI investigate homicides.
Her partner is an FBI agent played by David Boreanaz, who many
remember as playing a vampire-with-a-soul from Buffy the Vampire
Slayer and its spin-off Angel.
The show could be incredibly graphic when depicting dead bodies, and
it should be commended for introducing several fleshed-out, well-
written bad guys over the shows rather long run on television. It
should also be praised for making the bold choice to kill off
several well-liked members of its large supporting cast over the
years.
The leads also had fantastic chemistry with one another; in
addition to being a police procedural, it is alsoin its own wayan
adorable romantic comedy starring two very capable actors.
12. Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds has been on the air for 13 seasons, and almost 300
episodes have been produced. In short, the series revolves around
FBI profilers who spend their days and nights analyzing criminal
behavior. As a result, the viewer learns quite a bit about the
criminal mind, especially because the show makes a point to focus
primarily on the psychology of the criminal and not necessarily the
crime he or she committed. The personal lives of the charactersand
as you can imagine, there have been a number of characters who have
come and gone over 13 yearsare also a focus of the show.
13. The Detectives
The Detectives first aired on the British Broadcasting Corporation
(BBC) in 2015 and is a documentary about the Serious Sexual Offenses
Unit of the Greater Manchester Police. One of the primary subjects
of the show is the real-life case of the disc jockey Raymond Teret,
who was convicted of rape as well as indecent assault (against
minors, making it even worse) a few years ago. It wasnt the first
time he was convicted of a sex crime in the United Kingdom.
The shows listed, if watched, will give you a pretty keen insight
into the criminal mind. Be warned, however, if you watch too many
episodes of any of the shows in a row, you might be reluctant to
ever leave your house or interact with your family ever again!
--
Dems & the media want Trump to be more like Obama, but then he'd
have to audit liberals & wire tap reporters' phones.
Dems & the media want Trump to be more like Obama, but then he'd
have to audit liberals & wire tap reporters' phones.