The 10 Most Disappointing Crime Series of the Last Decade

1. Ironside (2013)

Starting our list is the remake of a classic, Ironside. This series, shot entirely in New York City in over 50 different locations, attempted to ride the coattails of the popular 60s-70s series about a paraplegic detective. Blair Underwood of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fame donned the wheelchair in this ill-fated iteration. He was perhaps the only bright spot in an otherwise dull show. The series was unceremoniously canned after just nine episodes, joining the 'quickly forgotten' list.

2. The Following (2013-2015)

The Following had such a promising premise and stellar cast, but alas. FBI Agent Ryan Hardy, played by Kevin Bacon, is drawn out of retirement to catch a serial killer, Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), who's creating a cult of murderers. The show started strongly, creating an eerie atmosphere and bringing a fresh angle to the crime genre.

However, it quickly lost steam, becoming increasingly convoluted and absurd. For a show that tried to delve into the mind of a serial killer, it ironically lacked depth. A Rotten Tomatoes rating of 58% reflects its lukewarm reception.

3. Stalker (2014-2015)

Stalker was a series that attempted to tackle the complex issue of, well, stalking. Despite having a solid cast, including Maggie Q and Dylan McDermott, it largely fell flat due to its overly sensationalistic portrayal of stalking. The show was often more interested in shocking its viewers with gruesome and exploitative scenes rather than offering a nuanced exploration of the crime. Sadly, it ended up contributing to the very culture it sought to critique, and was cancelled after just one season to no one's surprise.

4. Eye Candy (2015)

Based on R.L. Stine's novel of the same name, Eye Candy follows Lindy Sampson (Victoria Justice), a tech genius who hunts cyber killers. The concept could have been intriguing, but the execution was way off. Despite the efforts of Justice, the series lacked a realistic portrayal of technology, and the cyber-stalking storyline quickly became repetitive. Despite the promise of its title, Eye Candy offered little more than a sugar crash, lasting only one season.

5. Backstrom (2015)

Backstrom, a series based on a Swedish book series by Leif G.W. Persson, followed the abrasive and self-destructive Detective Everett Backstrom (Rainn Wilson). It had potential, with a cast that included Dennis Haysbert and Kristoffer Polaha. However, the titular character's incessant rudeness and the show's overall dark tone made it hard to enjoy.

Despite Wilson's best efforts, the character of Backstrom was more annoying than endearing. In a weird twist of casting, Page Kennedy, who played officer Frank Moto, is a rapper in real life!

6. Gang Related (2014)

Gang Related centers around Ryan Lopez (Ramon Rodriguez), a gang member sent to infiltrate the San Francisco Police Department. The series is a cliche-ridden carousel of crime tropes: corruption, loyalty conflicts, and betrayal. Despite a strong cast that included Terry O'Quinn and Jay Hernandez, Gang Related lacked originality and authenticity, leading to its cancellation after just one season. According to Rotten Tomatoes, it garnered a disappointing 41% approval rating. Not the show you'd want to spend your time on.

7. Rosewood (2015-2017)

Rosewood follows the life of Dr. Beaumont Rosewood Jr. (Morris Chestnut), a private pathologist working in Miami. Though it promised a sunny, scenic backdrop to grisly crime scenes, the show quickly fell into a predictable procedural pattern, which felt stale amidst more innovative crime series of the era.

Despite Chestnut's charm, the lack of character development and over-reliance on the Miami setting made Rosewood more of a faded postcard than a hit series. It ran for two seasons and became increasingly boring before being cancelled, with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 9%.

8. Murder in the First (2014-2016)

Murder in the First is a series that attempted to break the mould by focusing on a single murder case across an entire season. While the premise was promising, the execution failed to deliver. The series, which starred Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson, suffered from an overly complicated plot and poorly developed characters. It also failed to leverage its San Francisco setting, missing an opportunity to add more depth and atmosphere. After three seasons, the show was cancelled, leaving a trail of unrealized potential in its wake.

9. Training Day (2017)

Based on the Oscar-winning film of the same name, Training Day was a disappointing venture into television. The series followed Officer Kyle Craig (Justin Cornwell) as he partnered with the morally ambiguous Detective Frank Rourke (Bill Paxton). The show attempted to replicate the edgy dynamic of the original film, but it ended up feeling more like a run-of-the-mill police procedural. Tragically, it was Paxton's last role before his untimely death. The series ended after one season, leaving a Rotten Tomatoes rating of just 24%.

10. Wisdom of the Crowd (2017-2018)

Wisdom of the Crowd tried to bring a tech-savvy twist to the crime genre. Starring Jeremy Piven as a tech billionaire who creates a crowdsourcing app to solve his daughter's murder, the show presented an interesting idea. However, the series faltered in its execution, with a lack of depth in both its characters and tech insights. Its one-dimensional portrayal of crowdsourcing crime-solving ended up feeling more like a gimmick than a genuine exploration of technology's role in modern crime-fighting.