Reality crime shows have become all the rage in recent years on cable television. With the huge advances in forensic medicine, the shows have become a favorite guilty pleasure. There is something about reality crime shows that grabs your attention and will not let go. There is something about the criminal mind that fascinates us as well, and reality crime television shows do a great job of tapping into that. Here are the five reality crime shows that do it best:
Forensic Files - This is the one that really started the craze. There are older ones out there, but none that are any better at telling the story and wrapping up the investigation quite so neatly. The great thing about forensic files is the focus on the fine details that actually bring down the criminals and how they teach you the information. In a world of horrific crime and murder, Forensic Files stands head and shoulders above the rest in my view.
The First 48 - This little show on A&E has really begun to grow on me. It follows a real investigation through the first 48 hours of the investigation. This time period is often considered the most important of an investigation, and it is generally action packed. The only thing I do not like about The First 48 is the fact that the show does not wrap up the story. They can not because few cases are solved in that short a period of time. Still, it is fascinating to watch.
Dominick Dunne Presents: Power, Privilege and Justice - This show is basically Forensic Files for the rich and famous. The storylines seem to center around cases that are related to the famous or rich people of the world. The show is good, but it is not quite as interesting to me as the everyday nuts and bolts of the real world. I am not rich nor famous, so the show holds less appeal to me.
Crime 360 - This show promises to be one of the up and comers on the list and in the reality crime television world. The show is almost a cross between Forensic Files and The First 48 except they use a 360 degree camera system to study important details of the crime scene and weaponry. The show is absolutely fantastic, with the lone problem being that the cases are left unsolved most of the time.
Cold Case Files - This one has been around for a long time, and it is very close to the top of the heap. It focuses on the cases that are older and that have grown cold over time. Usually the cases are solved when new tests or data comes along years later, and they are able to check DNA or other evidence that they could not back when the crime happened. Because of this repeat storyline that shows up often on the show, it is not higher on the list.
