Bonesenjoyed an impressive twelve-season run, and these other crime shows may help fill the gap left after the Fox show came to an end. Centering on forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and FBISpecial Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz),Boneswas loosely inspired by the life of forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs and her series of novels.Bonesputs its own unique spin on the tried and true format of many crime procedurals, as the characters solve new murder mysteries each episode.
Most of the cases onBonesinvolve, well, bones, asDr. Brennan and her team determine how victims were killed by studying their remainsat theJeffersonian Institute in Washington, DC. Agent Booth assists with their cases, conducting investigations to support the scientific findings of Brennan and her team. Booth and Brennan are polar opposites in many ways, but they have an undeniable connection that develops into a romance throughout the show. With its dark humor, compelling side characters, and dynamic leads,Bonesdeveloped a winningcrime showformula.
Inspired by the series of novels by Tess Gerritsen,Rizzoli & Islesfollows Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander).Like Booth and Brennan, Rizzoli and Isles have very different personalitiesand distinct approaches to solving cases.
Rizzoli confidently follows her instincts, but she can be reckless (like Booth), while Isles relies on her intellect and can be socially awkward (like Brennan).
Throughout the show’s seven seasons, Rizzoli and Isles work together solving murders, and while there is obvious chemistry between the two leads, they never become romantically involved. There aren’t many crime dramas with two women in the lead roles, and,likeBones,Rizzoli & Islesdelivers fun banter, interesting cases, and compelling characters.
InThe Closer,Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) serves as deputy chief at the LAPD, andshe uses her skills as a CIA-trained interrogator to obtain confessionsand close tricky cases. Although Johnson is at the lead ofThe Closer,the show features an ensemble cast, including J. K. Simmons as Assistant Chief Will Pope.
Throughout its run,The Closerreceived praise from audiences and critics alike and earned Kyra Sedgwick an Emmy and a Golden Globe.
Many of the crimes depicted inThe Closerdeal directly with Los Angeles culture as Johnson and her team investigate high-profile murders.The Closerfocuses on the interrogation part of criminal investigations, but Johnson’s methods sometimes put her at odds with her colleagues.LikeBones, The Closerhas a strong and intelligent woman at its centerand features a cast of compelling characters.
Following a group of special agents at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service,NCISremains one of the longest-running scripted American shows of all time.The show has often been one of the most-watched shows on televisionand has inspired numerous spin-offs, some more successful than others. For much of the show’s run,Agent Gibbs (Mark Harmon) served as the leader of NCIS, and he and his team investigated crimes related to the US Navy and Marine Corps.
As the NCIS agents solve cases and uncover secrets, the show also explores their lives and relationships with one another. LikeBones,NCIShas a large cast of characters who play well off each otherand who come to feel like family as the show progresses. Many of the show’s spin-offs, likeNCIS: Los AngelesandNCIS: New Orleans,also fit this mold.
The Mentalistfollows Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), a former con man who posed as a psychic and became a minor celebrity. After a serial killer murders Patrick’s wife and daughter, he abandons his career as a fake psychic and begins consulting for the California Bureau of Investigation.Jane uses the skills and knowledge he developed as a con man to help the CBIsolve cases while he searches for his family’s killer.
Throughout the series, Patrick works with Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney), the leader of the Serious Crimes Unit at the CBI.The two have a combative relationship that turns into a slow-burning romance,much like that of Brennan and Booth onBones.Like many of the shows on this list,The Mentalistcombines episodic standalone mysteries with season-long storylines that become more prominent in later seasons of the show.
Psychleans more into comedy thanBones,often verging on the ridiculous, but the show has a surprising amount of heart. Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dulé Hill) make for great protagonists, and their friendship provides some of the show’s best moments.The story follows Shawn as he uses his keen observational skills and eidetic memory to pose as a psychicand consult for the Santa Barbara Police Department.
As they assist in solving various cases, Shawn and Gus work alongside Detectives Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) and Juliet O’Hara (Maggie Lawson). Lassiter has little patience forShawn’s supposedly psychic abilities, but he grudgingly comes to respect Shawn’s insights on cases. While there aren’t many shows likePsych,Bonesfans will likely appreciate the show’s humorand fun character dynamics.
For those who want a show like Bones, but with more supernatural flair, Lucifer offers a particularly interesting take on the crime drama.The show centers on the Devil himself, Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis),who has taken a job running a nightclub in Los Angeles. He also serves as a consultant for the LAPD, where he meetsDetective Chloe Decker (Lauren German).
Decker is serious and determined, while Lucifer, a reckless and flippant playboy, is quite the opposite.Lucifer is intrigued by Decker from the start,as she is immune to his ability to make humans tell the truth. With the romantic tension between its two leads and the often comedic tone,Luciferchecks many of the same boxes asBones.
4Elementary
2012 – 2019 On CBS
In this contemporary take on the famed British detective,Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller)is a recovering drug addict who assists the NYPD. Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) initially serves as Holmes' sober companion, aiding him throughout his addiction recovery, butshe eventually becomes his crime-solving partner.
Although Holmes and Watson are never involved romantically, they grow closer throughout the series, as friends and partners.
Elementaryoffers a fresh take on Sherlock Holmes anddelivers interesting investigations, fun twists, and witty humor.Like Brennan inBones,Holmes has a high intellect and eye for detail that help him solve cases. Although the series has a similar feel toBonesin many ways, it incorporates more ongoing storylines, often involving characters from Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Holmes stories.
3Castle
2009 – 2016 On ABC
Following mystery author Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and NYPD homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic),CastlemirrorsBonesin many ways. Initially,Beckett has little patience for Castle as he tags along on her murder investigations.But his insights often prove helpful, and the two begin to develop feelings for one another despite their very different personalities.
LikeBones, Castlefocuses on the relationship between its two leads, but also has an intriguing cast of side characters who grow and develop throughout the show.Castle’s episodes are mostly standalonestories, but also incorporate an overarching storyline about the unsolved murder of Beckett’s mother.CastleandBonesboth have similar tones, as well,incorporating humor into even their most serious murder investigations.
The X-Filescenters on FBI Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), whohave a similar dynamic toBones’Booth and Brennan.Like Booth, Scully believes in God, but she is also a practical scientist like Brennan. Mulder, on the other hand, believes in the paranormal and leans on his intuition like Booth.
Like Booth and Brennan, it took Mulder and Scully several seasons before they finally acknowledged their romantic feelings for one another and became a couple. BothBonesandThe X-Filesfeature compelling standalone episodeswith the occasional longer story arc mixed in.The X-Filesmay be more sci-fi thanBones,but it has similar character dynamics and also incorporates a quirky sense of humor.
Centering on the criminal profilers of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU),Criminal Mindsran for fifteen seasons on CBSbefore being revived by Paramount+ two years later. The show follows a lovable ensemble cast of characters (much likeBones) who investigate cases involving serial killers, kidnappings, and strange murders across the country.
Led by Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson) for the first eleven seasons, the agents at the BAU use their knowledge in psychology to track down dangerous unsubs (unknown subjects).Criminal Mindsbecame one of CBS’s most popular shows, and the renamedCriminal Minds: Evolutionremains a hit for Paramount+. With a group of characters who feel like family and hundreds of intriguing cases,Criminal Mindshas plenty to recommend it to fans ofBones.
