In a sea of neon-lit procedurals and reality TV, Detroit 187 stands out as a realistic-but-gritty and compelling police drama. Detroit 187, as its title suggests, follows the city of Detroit's homicide division across various murder investigations. All is hardly ever what it seems; there is a crime-solving/mystery element to many episodes, and there's usually something more interesting behind every mundane clue.

This theme hangs over the show in a larger sense also. The city of Detroit is often dismissed as a crime-ridden, bombed-out, has-been city, but Detroit 187 goes out of its way to present the Detroit under the surface. We see a city full of hardworking, resilient people who turn abandoned buildings and empty lots and turn them into art projects and community gardens.

Michael Imperioli and James McDaniel stand out as part of the show's diverse ensemble cast. Louis Fitch (Imperioli) steals the show as an extremely talented police detective who holds his cards a little too close to his chest, while Jesse Longford (McDaniel) is a 30-year veteran cop bent on chasing the bad guys up until the day of his retirement. The homicide team also includes a brand-new rookie cop just hitting the streets and an officer who has recently transferred in from working undercover in narcotics. Detroit 187 is a crime drama in the vein of NYPD Blue that should not be missed by anyone who is into watching the detectives.