Those that were invested in these shows were rewarded over time thanks to their solid conclusions.

Here are the ten most essential crime shows, ranked.

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The Wire

Image via HBO

Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens looks angry with his fist in the air, about to punch someone in Justified.

Image via FX

Justified TV Poster

The Shield

Image via FX

the shield poster

Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson in Boardwalk Empire

Image via HBO

Boardwalk Empire Poster

Totem Pole, Trou Normand, Hannibal TV Show

Image via NBC

Hannibal TV Series Poster

Juno Temple as Dorothy “Dot” Lyon in Season 5 of Fargo

Image via FX

Fargo Season 5 Poster Cropped

Chuck and Jimmy McGill looking at legal documents in Better Call Saul

Image via AMC

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Bryan Cranston as Walter White and Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad

Image via AMC

Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as D’Angelo Barksdale on the phone in The Wire

Image via HBO

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James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in ‘The Sopranos’ looking down seriously

Image via HBO

The Sopranos Poster

Diane (Laura Dern) sits in the Red Room in Twin Peaks: The Return.

Image via Showtime

Twin Peaks Poster

The Sopranos

Justified