5 Sci-Fi Shows That Are Perfect For Fans Of Cop Dramas

Cop dramas are a staple of network television, with shows like "NCIS" and "Law & Order: SVU" acting as proof that, if there are people watching something, it can easily run for decades. Streaming has gotten into the game as well, with the popularity of series like "True Detective" and "Mindhunter" reinforcing interest in the genre.

However, sometimes you want to try something a little different, something new. For police drama fans looking to expand into other genres, sci-fi is the perfect option. While sci-fi is often associated with otherworldly adventures and living on a spaceship for years at a time, there are plenty of series with a similar feel to cop dramas.

They manage to incorporate what we love about procedurals, like strong partnerships and interesting cases, with a science twist, often through time travel or the supernatural. These projects show that you don't have to go to space to investigate extraterrestrials, that parallel universes might exist, and that anyone can become a believer if they solve enough cases. 

What happens when police officers travel through time to prevent a terrorist attack? That's what "Continuum" follows. Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols) is a protector, a member of the City Protective Services, in a 2077 dystopian Canada. She accidentally travels back to 2012 when criminals flee from her present. Now in the past, she gets a job with the Vancouver Police Department while trying to prevent the terrorist group from changing time forever.

Kiera works with Detective Carlos Fonnegra (Victor Webster), creating the essential pair for every great cop drama. However, Kiera is constantly hiding that she's from the future, especially since the group is now after her, and eventually, Carlos keeps his own secrets. Set against the entire premise of time travel and knowing what's coming in the future, it makes for a nearly seamless combo of the best of both genres.

Critics consistently enjoyed the show, with "Continuum" averaging an 88% across its four seasons on Rotten Tomatoes. As a 2010s Canadian series, it flew under the radar initially, making it an ideal project to go back to, especially for police drama fans looking to try out sci-fi.

FBI Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) takes on cases for the Fringe Division, a department centered around cases rooted in unexplainable phenomena, with non-agent Peter Bishop's (Joshua Jackson) help in "Fringe." They may look into cases that seem mundane on the surface, but they're often connected to a parallel universe. While there are similarities between the universes, there are core differences, with landmark events that changed the course of history in the other reality.

"Fringe" is the most one-for-one show on this list, with a case-of-the-week style and a fun pair investigating them. The major difference is the majority of their cases are rooted in speculative science and a different reality, though they do include crimes seen in police dramas, just with a more sci-fi twist. It incorporates the idea of multiple timelines without time travel, interesting science experiments, and even a sketchy biotechnology company, bringing together several sci-fi staples in an engaging way.

Critics gave "Fringe" a 91% across five seasons on Rotten Tomatoes, with many complimenting co-creator J. J. Abrams' work. Yes, the same mind behind "Lost" is also behind "Fringe." While that alone makes it a great sci-fi watch, the investigative duo and cases will appeal to every cop drama fan.

The History Channel's historical sci-fi drama "Project Blue Book" follows a veteran and an astronomer as they research UFOs. They're working for the government, investigating cases on behalf of the U.S. Air Force, to better understand possible sightings of aliens. Astronomer Dr. J. Allen Hynek (Aidan Gillen) tries to explain everything with science, whereas veteran Captain Michael Quinn (Michael Malarkey) takes a more hands-on approach, even trying to recreate different situations.

While the series is based on a study by the U.S. government, it has the great partnership present in most cop dramas. Both men typically end up in the realm of skepticism, but each approaches their takes in a different way. Hynek looks to science while Quinn looks to his experience in the Air Force. Each episode sees the dynamic duo look into a different case, mimicking the case-of-the-week format common for procedurals as they look into extraterrestrial activity.

"Project Blue Book" has a 67% from critics and 90% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes across its two seasons. With 20 episodes, it's perfect to watch over the course of several weekends.

FBI Agents Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) are tasked with the most unique cases in "The X-Files." Like the CBS series "Cold Case," Mulder and Scully take over unsolved cases, looking for answers. However, what they investigate tends to have a supernatural component, which is why no one solved them initially. Over the show's run, the duo uncover government secrets and Scully begins to understand why Mulder is more willing to believe in the unknown than she is.

Don't let the 74% on Rotten Tomatoes fool you, because "The X-Files" has everything we love about cop dramas: suspense, intrigue, a strong partnership, and a case-of-the-week feel. Sure, there are overarching plots, just as there are with most dramas, but if the paranormal element was stripped away, it would be a police drama. The push and pull of Scully and Mulder is captivating, and their work holds your attention, with the former trying to logically come to conclusions while the latter is more open to the unexplained.

There are nine seasons and a theatrical movie as part of the original run, making "The X-Files" the perfect series to binge for fans of police dramas. Combined with two additional seasons in the 2010s and another film, there are over 200 episodes, providing weeks of binging material.

"Travelers" features special agents traveling through time, taking over other bodies, and trying to protect the future. The team lead, Grant MacLaren (Eric McCormack), is now in the body of an FBI agent, while other operatives take on the lives of a single mother, a high school student, and a social worker, to name a few. They follow the orders of an AI computer who's calculating how to save the world and which people they need to body jump into.

While one of the main characters does work for the FBI, the entire premise of "Travelers" feels like we're following a law enforcement department working the biggest case of their career. They're going undercover in a way, since they have to take over these lives as seamlessly as possible, while also working toward their objective of preventing life-ending events, which has a "Quantico"-like feel to it. Except, instead of going through the FBI Academy, they're going back in time.

With three seasons, "Travelers" has a 100% from critics and a 97% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Like "Continuum," it's an underrated Canadian sci-fi series that's worth the watch, especially for fans of police dramas.