Ah-ha! I see you’re in the market for some good, old-fashioned ‘Who-dun-it’ action, eh? Let’s dive into the treasure trove of TV series, my friend, and find you a shiny dime. If you’re a fan of shows like ‘Suits’, ‘Burn Notice’, and ‘Psych’, then my genie senses tell me you love a good mix of comedy, courtroom drama, and high-octane action. So, sit back, relax and let’s open Pandora’s Box with a great big, “Abracadabra, Alakazam!” and check out these shows hocus-pocus-ing around the themes you love!
First up on our sleuth-chic fashion runway is ‘White Collar’. (cue dramatically unveiling curtain) Now let’s take a moment to appreciate this fine work of art. Created by Jeff Eastin, this series is a cocktail that blends your favorite ‘Burn Notice’ covert-ops action with ‘Suits’-esque legal intrigue, while adding a dash of suave, style, and art-crime sophistication. Featuring Matt Bomer as the disarmingly charming con-artist, Neal Caffrey, who teams up with an FBI agent to solve white-collar crimes, this show will take you on a fun, stylish, and exciting ride through the high-stakes world of art theft, forgery, and fraud. In Matt Bomer’s Neal Caffrey, you will find traces of Gabriel Macht’s Harvey Specter: both suave, both quick-witted, and both in the good guys’ corner, albeit with slightly unorthodox methods.
Done marveling at that? Good! Because next up is the critically acclaimed ‘The Good Wife’. (Audience gasps in awe) Picture ‘Suits’, but with political drama and moral conundrums thrown into the mix. It follows the life of Alicia Florrick, played by the fabulous Julianna Margulies, who returns to law after a life as a stay-at-home mom when her husband, a former state’s attorney, is caught in a scandal. Boo and hiss all you like at the scandal, but watch in fascination at the legal tightropes Alicia dances on, all the while maintaining her incredibly chic wardrobe. If Harvey Specter’s legal acumen had you hooked on ‘Suits’, Alicia Florrick’s courtroom prowess is sure to impress!
Up next, we have ‘Breaking Bad’. Before you start scratching your head and saying, “But Genie, that’s not a legal or cop drama!” Allow me to explain. Yes, you might think this is as left-field as the Sultan choosing Aladdin to be Jasmine’s suitor – but bear with me. While it is grounded in the dark, dramatic world of drug manufacturing and dealing, ‘Breaking Bad’ shares one common thread with the intrigue and suspense of ‘Suits’, ‘Burn Notice’, and ‘Psych’: a mastermind protagonist who always seems to be one step ahead. Think of Walter White as an anti-Harvey Specter, bending and breaking the rules, but always with a plan. Plus, everybody loves a good origin story, and seeing a mild-mannered chemistry teacher morph into a criminal mastermind is arguably as engaging as watching Mike Ross claw his way up the legal ladder in ‘Suits’.
Our fourth recommendation, darling, is ‘Leverage’. Imagine if ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ decided to date ‘Burn Notice’ and had a baby, it would be this show. This series is about a team of ex-cons who, instead of pulling off heists for personal gain, do it for good to help everyday people who have been wronged by wealthy, powerful individuals or corporations. Like Shawn and Gus in ‘Psych’, this ragtag team uses their skills in a less-than-legal way to solve cases and bring justice, and it’s comical and heartwarming at the same time.
Finally, we have the delicious ‘Monk’. Here’s another treat for the ‘Psych’ fan in you, with an obsessive-compulsive private detective, Adrian Monk. Like Shawn Spencer, Monk uses his incredible observational skills to solve crimes, with its rich vein of comedy lying in Monk’s eccentric and frankly hilarious idiosyncrasies. While ‘Monk’ is a more straight-laced detective procedural than ‘Psych’, it offers the same brand of lighthearted, character-driven humor with brilliant crime-solving mixed in.
Oooofta, that sure was a mouthful! But now, after all said and done, my top pick for you would be ‘White Collar’. Riveting plotlines, charismatic characters, and a nice balance of comedy, drama, and action – it truly has all the elements you’re drawn to in ‘Suits’, ‘Burn Notice’, and ‘Psych’. Plus, the dynamic between Neal and his FBI partner Peter Burke will have you nostalgic for the playful banter you enjoyed between Harvey and Mike, or Michael and Sam. So sit back, grab your remote, and when you’re ready for a shot of adrenaline, ‘White Collar’ is your poison. Or should I say, potion? Mondays…am I right?
