The Best Cop Shows to Binge-Watch on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon

When you're trying to get lost in a story, nothing else hits quite like a quality cop show. Whether it's a Dick Wolf drama where the bad guy usually gets his due, a prestige cable series that raises complicated questions about the criminal justice system in lieu of a gift-wrapped ending, or a comedy about bungling officers trying their best, these captivating shows have a way of sucking one in for hours on end.

This might come as a bit of a surprise to some of you (though perhaps not if you're reading this), but there are a lot more fantasy programs out there than just HBO's Game of Thronesand Netflix's The Witcher (though both are on this list).

How the coronavirus will impact the television industry is one big unknown, so CBS is sticking with what works and has renewed the majority of its schedule. Of course NCIS is coming back.

As the old saying goes, April showers bring May flowers, but what do we get out of those May flowers? The best TV shows and films to watch on Netflix, that's what. The world's most dominant streamer is adding some wonderful new content to watch as the world's self-isolation enters its second (third?) month.

There are a lot of TV shows and movies coming to Hulu in May, but we know you don't have time to sift through everything on the giant list to find the golden nuggets in between all the crap! Besides, that's our job, and we love it.

May has officially arrived and brought with it plenty of sunshine and blooming flowers and probably even worse seasonal allergies. But that also means a new month full of great TV shows and films hitting streaming services, and there are some great options to soak up while you wait out the coronavirus.

We’re going to be spending a lot of time indoors for the next few weeks it would seem.

There's nothing like the unscripted drama of real people fighting to see their dreams realized, which is why reality competition shows are so addictive. And with Netflix's already stacked library constantly expanding, it's becoming increasingly difficult to figure out which of these shows are worth that weekend binge since most tend to get lost in the mix.

Hulu has announced everything that's coming to the streaming service in April, but you are much too important to spend time sorting through a long list of shows and movies for peasants. Lucky for you, I have no pride and am more than happy to your dirty work, selecting only the finest TV shows and movies on Hulu in April that are worthy of your time.

Why go outside against the advice of doctors, scientists, and your overly concerned mom, when you can stay inside and be safe? Be a good human and watch TV in your house. If you need something to watch on Amazon Prime Video, these are the best TV show and movie options coming to the service in April 2020. Highlights include arthouse horror movie The Lighthouse and sweet sci-fi series Tales From the Loop.

Along with Netflix and Hulu, Amazon Prime Video is one of the leading streaming platforms with an award-winning collection of original films and TV series as well as buzzworthy acquisitions that have crossed over from the U.K. In the 13 years since it first launched in September 2006 with its pilot TV program, the service has found its footing with popular series like and its series adaptation.

With most of the world still on lockdown, every day has been a smoke-filled haze for some staying home in self-quarantine while we shelter from the coronavirus pandemic. That gets magnified 420x for the unofficial stoner holiday April 20 (4/20), and there's never been a better day to stay home, have a full devil's lettuce salad, and watch some TV through bloodshot eyes (provided it's legal in your state, of course).

You don't have to be a moody, hormonal teenager to enjoy watching programming about moody, hormonal teenagers. We've all been there, so it's all familiar to us. And between the edgy murder mysteries, irreverent comedies, heartwarming coming-of-age dramas, and supernatural romances, Netflix has an expansive slate of teen TV shows that make it easy to find your perfect binge for any mood you might be in.

Looking out the window is getting pretty old. Why not really escape your self-quarantine with a little out-of-this-world action from the greatest genre (we're biased) of television there is? Science-fiction TV is the perfect vacation from the realities of the world, offering moral questions about our present in a glossed-up package of spaceships, advanced technology, and the unexplained.

Netflix changed the game when it first debuted original programming in 2013. Since then, the streaming platform has produced a deep vault of original programming to suit any viewer's mood, from historical dramas () to Spanish-language primetime soaps () to zany ensemble comedies (). Oh, and there’s no shortage of must-watch docuseries, fascinating home shows and addictive reality series.   

Looking for something to stream while in quarantine? With more time on our hands than ever as we all stay in amid the coronavirus pandemic, there are hundreds of television shows that you'll now have time to start watching (or rewatching, in some cases).

Derek Hough and his longtime girlfriend Hayley Erbert dress up in their Beauty and the Beast costumes while performing the song “Be Our Guest” at home for the Disney Family Singalong special!

CBS All Access is the Eye network’s subscription-based on-demand platform, featuring a mix of original programming as well as a deep vault of past CBS hits and classic TV series. Since launching in October 2014, the streaming service has given longtime fans two new series within the franchise, spun off fan-favorite Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) into her own series and revitalized for a whole new generation. 

First launched in November 2019, Disney+ is among the latest streaming platforms to emerge in the wake of the success of Netflix and Hulu. While only a few months old, the subscription video on-demand service boasts a deep vault of family-friendly content from Walt Disney Studios and Television as well as Marvel, National Geographic, Pixar, and the franchise.