ABC police shows have rarely failed to impress fans.
The 7 shows in this list do more than just seek criminals. These shows blur the lines between law and lawlessness and frequently feature criminals who are complicated, anguished, or ethically outdated counterparts of their enforcement. Each series on this list delves into psychological depth and provides more than just entertainment.
These stories reveal the emotional disaster behind the badge, whether set in a creepy little hamlet or the sun-drenched city of Los Angeles. This is a list of the 7 most twisted ABC police shows, where law meets madness.
Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.
Here is the list of the 7 ABC police shows that were as twisted as the criminals they caught:
7. The Rookie (2018)

The Rookie is an ABC police show that revolves around John Nolan. John is in his 40s and comes to join the LAPD as their oldest rookie. He leaves his former life and moves to Los Angeles for a fresh start. His co-workers challenge him because they do not believe in him due to his age. He and his team deal with hard and occasionally risky crimes as he comes into his own throughout the seasons.
The storyline centering Jason, Oscar, Nolan, and Bailey reveals that the show itself is twisted as the bad guys. In the show, dreaming comes to an end when violence breaks out.
6. Will Trent (2023)

Will Trent is an ABC police show about a police agent named Will. He grew up a difficult foster child who was dyslexic. Nevertheless, Will is a genius in crime-solving. His cases are usually connected to criminal corruption in the police, serial murder, kidnapped children, etc.
In season 2, he arrests his partner and friend Angie because he finds out that she lied about a killer. It is a strong scene where Will realizes that Angie hid a murder to save a child. He is torn, but he arrests her. He is in love with her, but there is a history between the two, and he has to work.
The hero's ability to confront individuals he cares about in that scene reveals Will Trent's derangement. Justice and trust are at odds, just like the dishonest criminals they capture. Thus, we can argue that Will Trent has a twisted plot.
5. Killer Women (2014)

Molly Parker, a former beauty queen turned Texas Ranger, is the protagonist in the ABC police show Killer Women. She is in a high-end, male-dominated profession. All of the episodes feature female offenders with deep motivations or pain. It's based on the Argentine show Mujeres Asesinas. This police show aired in 2014 with eight episodes and ended after one season.
The viewers of Killer Women witness Molly confront a female murderer who is also an abused individual. Despite the brutality of the killer's actions, Molly needs to comprehend her motivation. The plot of this show is twisted. The 'villain' seems more empathetic, but is also more dangerous. The latter part of the show reveals the extent of the twistedness as the concepts of justice and pain blur the boundaries between good and evil.
4. Happy Town (2010)

Happy Town is also an ABC police show based in a small town in Minnesota, Haplin. At first glance, all seems peaceful, yet people have started to disappear. A stranger known as the "Magic Man" was involved in the kidnappings. The town is tense, and seven people have gone missing mysteriously. As the story progresses, the disappearance is traced to an old German film entitled Die Blaue Tuer (The Blue Door).
Viewers have been gripped by suspense as the deputy sheriff shows a strange film to the villagers. The silence covers the room. The visual aesthetics of the film serve as a reminder to people about the lost individuals. It's terrible when the stranger's presence suddenly seems so real. Happy Town's troubles mirror its darker side, revealing the town's underlying issues.
3. Lady Blue (1985-1986)

Lady Blue is an ABC police show set in Chicago. The show follows Detective Katy Mahoney. Katy is rough and brutal in dealing with violent cases. She has a tendency to violate the norms. Her actions are so harsh that the surveillance agencies dubbed her Dirty Harriet (a reference to Dirty Harry). The show was accused of being violent, and as a result, it was canceled after a single season.
In one episode of Lady Blue, Mahoney barges into a building. She puts her gun up, blasting doors down and knocking off bodies. Her violent punch startles the civil populace as well as law enforcement officers. The degree of Lady Blue's twistedness is shown in this incident. The detective is as tough and violent as the robbers she confronts. Justice and vengeance have no definite border. Her methods reveal the dark circumstances she faces, rendering her just as erratic as the lawbreakers themselves.
2. Body of Proof (2011-2013)

Dr. Megan Hunt is the lead character of the ABC police show, Body of Proof. She was a top-tier neurosurgeon. She joins the field of medical examining after a road incident (and a surgery mishap). She is now the one who can solve murders by studying bodies. She observes secret hints under bruises, marks, and organs. She plays a part in assisting police to apprehend murderers through her expertise in medicine.
The show takes place in Philadelphia and features a mix of science and crime conveyed through clear, hard cases. In one instance, Megan is analyzing a teenage girl who died, but Megan discovers a hidden hand on her back anemone. The use of that print results in the discovery of the actual murderer, who is another student. The victim had been suffocated at the instigation of a sketchy kid. The incident shows that the Body of Proof is twisted.
1. Wicked City (2015)

Wicked City is an ABC police show set in 1982 Los Angeles. A serial killer couple is pursued by two detectives, Jack Roth and Paco Contreras, on the Sunset Strip.
In this TV series, the murderer is a kind and attractive man named Kent Grainger. He selects ladies at nightclubs, plays a tune for them on the radio, and then kills them in his vehicle. He is shortly afterwards associated with the nurse Betty Beaumontaine. Betty is also quite wicked in her way, and she could pair up with him. The production intermingles the 80s songs, glamour, and assassination.
During one creepy scene, Kent ties up Betty during intercourse and requests that she pretend that she is dead. She obeys. Her silence makes him become aroused. Even the scene that should be intimate becomes deadly. The scene highlights the twisted nature of Wicked City. It erases the boundary between desire and death. These murderers are charismatic. These appear to be romantic, yet they are dangerous and evil.
Such stories challenge the audience's perceptions of heroism, right and wrong, and the cost of truth. Ultimately, the worst thing is not the criminal, but how the protectors get too close to what they are fighting. These shows are twisted, raw, and riveting, and they redraw the lines of crime television.