History Main / CriminalProcedural

* Examples: ''Series/TheSopranos'', ''Series/TheWire'', ''Film/TheGodfather'' (Book and Movie), most of Creator/MartinScorsese's crime films (i.e. ''Film/GoodFellas'' and ''Film/{{Casino}}''), ''Scarface'' ([[Film/Scarface1932 1932]] and [[Film/Scarface1983 1983]] versions), ''Breaking Bad'' (roughly second half), ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'', ''Film/EasternPromises'', ''Franchise/JohnWick'' and ''Film/TheProfessional''.

'''Hardcore/Organised Criminals''' are the least popular protagonists for Criminal Procedurals, largely because they have to be shown to be despicable people in order to come across as being remotely realistic. It's also difficult to play down the crimes that they commit: murder, extortion, dealing in highly dangerous drugs, etc. As a result, such series tend to be very adult in tone and morally complex, and therefore not attractive to advertisers. Where there is humour, it tends to be pitch black.
* See also: TheMafia, TheCartel, TheMafiya, {{Yakuza}}, TheTriadsAndTheTongs, GangBangers, TheIrishMob, KosherNostra, TheYardies
* Examples: ''Series/TheSopranos'', ''Series/TheWire'', ''Film/TheGodfather'' (Book and Movie), ''Breaking Bad'' (roughly second half)

* Also from Tarantino is ''Film/PulpFiction'', whose main characters are [[ThoseTwoBadGuys two contract killers]], their imposing boss, a boxer who's killed a man in the ring by way of ripping the boss off, and two sweetheart stickup artists whose victims include the contract killers, although [[MuggingTheMonster "victim" isn't really the right word]].

* [[LongRunningBookSeries John D. Macdonald's extensive chronicles]] of "salvage consultant" Travis [=McGee=] include several adventures in which [=McGee=] discovers a con game and plots to take it down with a con of his own. ''Pale Gray for Guilt'' and ''Darker than Amber'' both show, in particularly impressive and plausible detail, both how the innocent victims got taken and how Travis and his best friend and accomplice Meyer work the big con on the con men.

* ''Film/Sicario'': Mostly based on the activities of Mexican organized criminal groups operating in America and Mexico and American/Mexican [=LEO=] responses.
** ''Film/SicarioDayOfTheSoldado'', a continuation of Sicario, except that it escalates with black ops.

[[/index]]

* ''Pale Gray for Guilt,'' part of [[LongRunningBookSeries John D. Macdonald's extensive chronicles]] of "salvage consultant" Travis [=McGee=], details in impressive and plausible detail both how the innocent victim got taken, and how Travis and his best friend and accomplice Meyer work the big con on the con men.

* ''Series/{{ProdigalSon}}'': in flashbacks: the Surgeon was a prolific serial killer, brought down by a simple phone call to the neighborhood police.

* ''Series/{{ProdigalSon}}: The Surgeon was a prolific serial killer, brought down by a simple phone call to the neighborhood police.

* ''Series/{{ProdigalSon}}: Malcolm Bright is a gifted criminal psychologist, using his twisted genius to solve crimes and stop serial killers.

'''Outsiders/Hangers On''' are the next rung down on the popularity ladder. Generally petty crooks, fencers, forgers, dealers of soft drugs and other people who are on the wrong side of the law but not sufficiently nasty to put off the viewing audience. Expect the really nasty criminals to pop up more regularly, usually as a plot device if the protagonists owe them money/drugs/something else. The outsiders are usually cowardly or otherwise non-violent. These guys typically star in dark comedies.

'''Convicts''' do not fit comfortably into the popularity ladder. This is because, since they have been taken off the street and are (in theory) paying for their crimes, they don't necessarily have to be shown committing criminal acts. Or, when they do commit such acts, they are usually in flashbacks, as a part of the convict's origin story - or against fellow inmates, which attacks can be seen as justified to some viewers. As a result, series set in {{prison}} can have wildly different tones, from harrowing to comedic.

* ''Series/BreakingBad'' about a mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher turned meth cook turned drug kingpin. Features an excellent ProtagonistJourneyToVillain.

[[ConMan Con Men]] and [[GentlemanThief Gentlemen Thieves]] are the most popular, since it's easy to make them sympathetic to the audience by making [[TheMark their victims]] rich and greedy. They are also usually charismatic and attractive. Their shows are usually light in tone and there will almost certainly be one episode where they actually help the police to take down a violent (and therefore "bad") criminal. There may be a recurring police officer who tries (and fails) to capture the protagonists, or who coerces them into helping him out with his investigations.

* ''Pale Gray for Guilt,'' part of [[LongRunningBookSeries John D. Macdonald's extensive chronicles]] of "salvage consultant" Travis McGee, details in impressive and plausible detail both how the innocent victim got taken, and how Travis and his best friend and accomplice Meyer work the big con on the con men.