AVERAGE

Initially, this crime procedural felt like a breath of fresh air compared to some of Jerry Bruckheimer’s other projects – unlike CSI, this one cared about the murder victims and offered them and their relatives closure in the end.

Each episode began with a team of Philadelphia detectives, including Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris), opening up a cold case; as old witnesses and suspects started talking about a specific case, audiences were taken back to the year in question. The flashback scenes became a visual testimony, accompanied by period details like pop and rock hits of the day. The stories were well told and often emotional, even though the formula was fairly set.

Unfortunately, whenever a name actor made a guest appearance you knew they would be the killer.

2003-2010:U.S. 156 episodes. Color. Created by Meredith Stiehm. Cast: Kathryn Morris (Lilly Rush), John Finn (John Stillman), Jeremy Ratchford (Nick Vera), Thom Barry, Danny Pino, Tracy Thoms (05-10), Justin Chambers (03-04). 

Trivia: Later adapted for Japanese and Russian television.