10 Crime Dramas With Humor Like ABC’s High Potential

ABC’s High Potential has become a popular show, combining crime-solving with a quick-witted sense of humor. Many viewers are now searching for shows like it. The series, inspired by the 2021 French and Belgian show HPI, features Kaitlin Olson as Morgan Gillory, a highly intelligent woman who starts working as a consultant with the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division.

Morgan, who started as the office cleaner, works with Adam Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) throughout the show High Potential. From the beginning, they’ve had a strong connection, and a potential romance has been slowly developing. So far, the show has been successful by combining self-contained cases with a unique sense of humor, keeping viewers engaged.

ABC’s High Potential season 2 is a big hit for the network, achieving record viewership. The show, which airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET and returns on March 3rd, isn’t alone in blending crime-solving with comedy. While some detective shows focus on dark and serious themes, others, like High Potential, successfully use humor to attract viewers.

Since High Potential is currently on break due to the Olympics, many viewers are searching for new shows to watch. They’re hoping to find something with a similar feel – funny, but also smart and well-written, just like High Potential.

10. Elementary

The CBS series Elementary, which ran from 2012 to 2019, offered a modern take on the classic Sherlock Holmes stories, starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu. It’s a particularly compelling adaptation, largely due to the evolving dynamic between Holmes and Watson.

Despite initial comparisons to the BBC’s Sherlock, Elementary soon developed its own unique identity. The show successfully combined comedy, drama, and crime-solving, quickly attracting a loyal audience and sharing a similar appeal with High Potential.

9. Veronica Mars

Premiering in 2004, Veronica Mars blended teen drama with the style of a classic film noir. The show starred Kristen Bell as Veronica, a clever and resourceful high school student in the somewhat shady town of Neptune, California. She worked as an investigator alongside her father, Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni), a former sheriff who had fallen from grace. Still dealing with the loss of her best friend, Lily Kane (Amanda Seyfried), Veronica is a sharp and quick-thinking beginner in the detective world.

The show originally aired from 2004 to 2007 and featured both overarching seasonal mysteries and self-contained episodes. This combination allowed for strong character growth and made each season feel meaningful. Despite being canceled, dedicated fans raised money for a movie in 2014, which eventually led to a fourth season in 2019.

8. Lucifer

The show Lucifer centers on the Devil himself, who decides to take a vacation in Los Angeles and opens a nightclub. He unexpectedly forms a close connection with Chloe Decker, a police detective and former actress, and their relationship is a key part of the series. Originally airing for three seasons on Fox before being canceled, Lucifer continued its run on Netflix.

Despite its strong supernatural elements, Lucifer still follows a familiar crime-solving structure, adding humor to each case. The show has been a critical and popular success, and its unusual concept has made it one of the most memorable crime dramas of recent years.

7. Psych

Psych is a detective show starring James Roday and Dulé Hill that aired on USA Network from 2006 to 2014. Roday plays Shawn Spencer, a crime consultant for the Santa Barbara police with an incredible memory. He pretends to be psychic to solve cases, and Dulé Hill plays Burton “Gus” Guster, his smart and supportive best friend and partner.

Psych is incredibly popular, and its clever concept combined with its distinctive humor have kept it a fan favorite for years. The show has continued to draw audiences with several TV movies and streaming films, proving that Psych remains a series people can’t resist watching.

6. The Rookie

Premiering in 2018, The Rookie is an ABC show that combines police procedural drama with lighthearted humor. The series stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, who initially gained attention as the LAPD’s oldest rookie officer. Over eight seasons, the show has evolved, but continues to appeal to audiences worldwide with its mix of funny moments and crime-solving storylines.

5. Castle

Nathan Fillion starred in the ABC series Castle, which aired from 2009 to 2016. The show features Fillion as Richard Castle, a popular mystery novelist who teams up with the New York City Police Department as a consultant. Throughout the series, Castle primarily works alongside homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) and her team, and the two form a compelling partnership.

The show Castle quickly became popular thanks to its unique blend of crime-solving and humor. It successfully combined the elements of a police procedural with a developing romantic relationship between the main characters, Castle and Beckett, which played out over the show’s many seasons.

4. White Collar

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I absolutely loved White Collar! It was on TV from 2009 to 2014, and it starred Tim DeKay as FBI agent Peter Burke and Matt Bomer as Neal Caffrey, this incredibly charming con artist who ends up working with the FBI. They teamed up to solve all sorts of clever white collar crimes, and what really hooked me was the dynamic between them – it was so complex and interesting to watch their relationship evolve. The show really got into the details of high-stakes cons and crimes, which made it really unique and captivating.

The show White Collar became increasingly popular as it went on, captivating viewers with its unique setting and characters. A major draw was the strong on-screen connection between actors Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay, which kept audiences coming back each season. Now that all the seasons are available for streaming, there’s talk of a possible reboot.

3. Will Trent

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ABC’s Will Trent is a standout crime drama on television right now. The show, inspired by Karin Slaughter’s novels, centers on GBI agent Will Trent (played by Ramon Rodriguez) as he solves tough cases. Trent, who has dyslexia, also grapples with a challenging past that frequently connects to the investigations he’s working on.

With a mix of typical crime-solving plots and a remarkably strong cast, Will Trent stands out on network television. The show takes the time to develop its characters over multiple seasons, making them feel real and complex – a quality that sets it apart from other police procedurals.

2. Wild Cards

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Wild Cards is a Canadian crime drama that airs on The CW. The show stars Vanessa Morgan, famous for her role as Toni Topaz in Riverdale, and Giacomo Gianniotti. Morgan plays Max Mitchell, a professional con artist who teams up with Cole Ellis (Gianniotti) to avoid going to jail.

Max and Cole have a strong connection that quickly develops into something more than just a working relationship. While solving cases, they learn about each other’s pasts, but their ability to think fast on the job always comes first. With clever conversations and engaging, self-contained episodes, Wild Cards is a show you won’t want to miss.

1. Poker Face

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Poker Face, created by Rian Johnson and available on Peacock, is a clever mystery series. Each episode features a new case, but the show also has an overarching story. Natasha Lyonne plays Charlie Cale, who travels the country solving murders thanks to her incredible ability to detect lies. Though it unfortunately ended in 2025, Poker Face is a series you won’t want to miss.

2026-02-25 03:22