As we inch closer to another season finale of Chicago PD, you’ll want to find something else to watch. You don’t want to just jump into another Dick Wolf series, though, which means no Law & Order shows. So, what do you watch, then?
The great news is there are plenty of shows like Chicago PD. Some offer great crime storytelling, while others focus on the team and the development of characters. Here are five shows you’ll want to check out as a Chicago PD fan.
The Blacklist
Let’s start with another NBC series that you’ll want to check out, if you haven’t already. The Blacklist stars James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington. Or is he? That’s the biggest question throughout the series, as there are all sorts of twists and turns as we figure out who he is and why he’s been on the run for so long — and also why he’s back now.
The series opens with him turning himself in as one of the most wanted fugitives in the United States. That leads to him being arrested, but he will only talk if he gets to work with one person in particular. You see, he has a list of names of other most wanted fugitives, and he can make sure they are all captured. Is the FBI willing to trust him?
The Blacklist is available on Peacock.
Alert: Missing Persons Unit
If you want something on the slightly grittier side, which Chicago PD tends to offer, then you’ll want to turn to the FOX series Alert: Missing Persons Unit. This series follows a unit within the Philadelphia Police Department that tracks down missing people. It doesn’t matter who they are. If there’s an Ambert Alert out for them, they will track them down!
There is a personal storyline at the same time. Nikki and Jason are ex-spouses, breaking up after the loss of their son, Keith. You see, Keith went missing, and when a boy turns up claiming to be their long-lost son, they have to navigate all the questions that come with that.
Alert: Missing Persons Unit is available to stream on Hulu.
Found
It’s back to NBC for the next show, and this is perfect if you want grittiness and a thoughtful, important series. Found follows a team of private contractors who are available for hire to help find missing people. They tend to be the people the police puts no effort into finding, and they know what that can be like considering they have all faced some sort of personal trauma involving themselves or someone close to them being taken.
There is a personal element for the leader of the team, Gabi. She has her own prisoner in her basement — the man who took her years earlier who goes by the name of Sir.
Found is available to stream on Peacock.
Criminal Minds
Do you need something with plenty of episodes to work through? You’re not alone, and Criminal Minds is the next on our list. This series brings us the psychological elements of investigations, as we follow the Behavioral Analysis Unit on their hunt for some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States. This is more of a case-of-the-week form of storytelling, although there are some multi-episode arcs and the revival Evolution has a more serialized element to the story.
Each character brings their own flare to the show, and they are all needed in some sort of way. We have a hacker, a genius, some great federal agents, and more. The series can get a little dark and twisted, though, so keep that in mind.
Criminal Minds is available to stream on Paramount+ and Hulu.
SWAT
Finally, it’s time to turn to SWAT to see how the LAPD handles things. Like Intelligence, this team has a strong bond, and each member brings something different to investigations. They know how they can rely on each other, and they support in times of trouble.
Together, they form 20-Squad, and they do what they can for the safety of their home. There are different types of cases to work, with some involving human and drug trafficking and others involving racial motivations. The start of the series brought to light how a Black man can struggle to be a part of his community and part of law enforcement, and while it has moved away from that a little, there is still an element of it that comes up now and then.
SWAT is available to stream on Paramount+ and Netflix.
