police procedural

Meaning

A subgenre of detective fiction and television drama that focuses on the detailed, realistic activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. Each episode usually features a self-contained case that is solved by the end of the hour.

Examples

• Law & Order is probably the most famous police procedural on television.

  Law & Order is probably the most famous police procedural on television.

• I love a good police procedural where they solve a new case every single week.

  I love a good police procedural where they solve a new case every single week.

• The show started as a standard police procedural but eventually became a deeper character study.

  The show started as a standard police procedural but eventually became a deeper character study.

• He writes scripts for a popular prime-time police procedural.

  He writes scripts for a popular prime-time police procedural.

• If you enjoy forensic science and detective work, you will love this police procedural.

  If you enjoy forensic science and detective work, you will love this police procedural.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ My favorite TV show is a police procedure.

  ✓ My favorite TV show is a police procedural.

  'Procedure' is a noun meaning a method or action, while 'procedural' is the specific noun/adjective used for this TV genre.

• ✗ I don't like police procedurals because they are too much dramatic.

  ✓ I don't like police procedurals because they are too dramatic.

  Avoid using 'too much' directly before an adjective like 'dramatic'; use 'too' instead.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Unlike highly serialized shows, a classic ___ usually wraps up the mystery in forty-five minutes.

  💡 A show focusing on the step-by-step investigation of a crime.

  Show answer

  police procedural

• She got tired of watching yet another ___ where the detectives always find the DNA evidence just in time.

  💡 A genre name emphasizing police methods.

  Show answer

  police procedural