EVOLUTION OF THE PROCEDURAL DRAMA

The procedural drama has been a TV staple for 10 years now.  The reigning champion of the genre remains the original C.S.I. and its 2 spinoffs - Miami and New York.  But the procedural is evolving.  The C.S.I.'s were all about the gagdets, the machines, and the science.  The characters were almost incidental.  All you needed was an inciting incident - a murder, and the digital effects would handle the rest.  I only watch C.S.I. Miami and even then, it's to see my condo on network TV every week in the establishing shots (C.S.I. Miami is filmed in Manhattan Beach California, although they do come to South Florida for a few weeks to shoot exteriors for the season).

Then about four years ago, a new form of the procedural was born in Dr. House.  House is also a procedural drama, but with a new twist on a decade old format.  The difference is that House is "the gagdet".  Whereas the machines have always done the trick, now, House is the "trick".  Two more shows joined this new twist on the procedural.  The new #1 show of the TV season with over 19 million viewers weekly is THE MENTALIST.  And the other new show is FOX's Lie To Me.  Both Thomas Jane (the aforetomentioned Mentalist) and Dr. Cal Lightman (LTM) are also the trick.  Thomas Jane uses his extensive skills in subtly manipulating people and Dr. Cal Lightman analyzes microexpressions (facial recognition techniques), turning him into a human lie detector.  Both shows are a welcomed edition to an evolving genre.