Michael Connelly knows a good crime show when he sees one. The author of The Lincoln Lawyer and the creator of Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch has spent decades picking apart mysteries, and in 2011 he told TV Guide which series deserved his stamp of approval. Now, more than a decade later, those picks still hold up — and they reveal a novelist who leans on television just as much as he leans on books.
Connelly’s list spans five decades of TV, from the mid-1970s to the early 2010s. It includes a classic cop drama, a cult comedy, a noir mystery, and a dark fantasy. What connects them is character-driven storytelling, high-stakes tension, and actors willing to commit fully to the roles.
Kojak And The Father Who Raised Him
Kojak ran from 1973 to 1978, airing five seasons and 118 episodes. Connelly watched it regularly with his father, whom he credits with setting him on the path to crime fiction.
“I think that helped set me on the path to what I do now,” Connelly said of his father’s love for shows where “the stakes were high. Life and death, justice prevailing, things like that.”
The show followed Lieutenant Theophilus “Theo” Kojak, played by Telly Savalas. Kojak was incorruptible, quirky, and endlessly quotable — a character who established many of the tropes modern crime dramas still use today.
Castle As A Fantasy Version Of His Own Work
Connelly appeared in Castle four times across its eight-season run. The show followed Richard Castle, a mystery novelist played by Nathan Fillion, who shadows homicide detective Kate Beckett, played by Stana Katic.
Connelly described Castle as a “fantasy version of what I do.” The series centered on a blocked writer whose works were duplicated by a copycat murderer in New York City. But it was the chemistry between Castle and Detective Beckett that made it work.
Californication As The Dark Side Of Castle
Californication ran from 2007 to 2014. It starred David Duchovny as Hank Moody, a novelist who handles his writer’s block through sex and drugs.
Connelly called it “the dark side of the Castle fantasy.” Hank’s life was a gritty exploration of fame, luxury, and excess, far removed from the polished world of Castle.
The series featured a parade of musical guests, including RZA, Rick Springfield, Steve Jones, Tim Minchin, Tommy Lee, Zakk Wylde, and more. It aired on Showtime.
Veronica Mars And The Missed Rerun
Connelly didn’t discover Veronica Mars until long after it ended. The neo-noir mystery drama starred Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars, a student who worked as a private investigator alongside her detective father.
The show premiered in 2004 and was canceled after three seasons in 2006. But Connelly and his daughter became addicted to reruns.
Since then, Veronica Mars has returned for a film sequel in 2014 and a fourth season on Hulu in 2019. Both were largely funded by the show’s passionate fans.
Justified As His Favorite
Connelly called Justified his favorite show in 2011. The neo-Western crime drama ran from 2010 to 2015 and starred Timothy Olyphant as Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a loose-cannon officer in the Appalachian Mountains.
Justified was based on the works of Elmore Leonard, whose storytelling style appealed to Connelly. He called it a “perfect realization” of Leonard’s works and said he would “love to work on it.”
The show maintained near-perfect critical reception.
Dexter And The Stars He Admired
Connelly praised Jennifer Carpenter, who played Debra Morgan, the sister of Michael C. Hall’s Dexter, in the psychological crime thriller Dexter.
He also mentioned Timothy Olyphant, who starred in Justified. The two shows sit comfortably next to each other on his list — both are character studies with strong performances and a clear sense of place.
The list is a snapshot of a particular moment in television history. It reflects what Connelly found compelling in 2011, and it holds up because the shows themselves hold up.
Connelly’s taste is eclectic. He can appreciate a network procedural, a dark comedy, and a Western with equal enthusiasm. That range is part of what makes his work so enduring — he knows what makes a story stick, whether he’s writing it or watching it.
That’s the value of this list. It’s not a recommendation from a critic or a marketing push. It’s a novelist sharing what he enjoys, and his instincts are sharp.
The shows he picked in 2011 remain worth watching today. They are the kind of stories that reward a second viewing, whether you’re catching up on a missed premiere or revisiting a beloved classic. Connelly knew what he was talking about back then, and he still does.
- Kojak (1973–1978): 118 episodes, Telly Savalas
- Castle (2009–2013): 8 seasons, Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic
- Californication (2007–2014): 6 seasons, David Duchovny
- Veronica Mars (2004–2006): 3 seasons, Kristen Bell
- Justified (2010–2015): 6 seasons, Timothy Olyphant
- Dexter: starring Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter
The list is a map of a career. It shows where Connelly’s influences came from and where his interests lie. It’s a personal recommendation from a working novelist, and it carries weight because of that.
If you haven’t seen these shows, the list is a good place to start. If you have, the list is a reason to revisit them. Either way, Connelly has done the homework, and the results are in.
Source material: “7 Crime Shows You Need To Watch, According To Michael Connelly,” Screen Rant.
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