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Medical examiners are often forgotten about in film and television, as the more glamorous role of detective is usually centered in crime stories. However, there are certain TV shows that feature strong medical examiner characters, sometimes even putting them in the role of protagonist. Often serving as foils to the brash and action-oriented detectives, the medical examiner’s character is often logical and dedicated to finding the truth. Many of the most exciting crime dramas give their doctors and scientists the chance to step outside the lab and see what it’s like in the field. Though not every crime show is a procedural, many of them fall into this genre. Some of the best TV procedurals came out in the 2000s when the genre was branching out to include crime, medical dramas, and much more. Almost every procedural that focuses on violence and utilizes the murder-of-the-week formula will have a medical examiner in either a main or recurring role. These characters stand out and remain a key part of the cast when the performers have good chemistry with the other actors. As well as when the role is well-written and multi-dimensional.
Dr. Lanie Parish – Castle (2009–2015)
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Lanie’s relationship with Detective Kate Beckett is one of the strongest female friendships on the show, but this isn’t the only reason she’s a vital character. Though Castle often focused on the will-they-won’t-they dynamic between Castle and Beckett, it was always refreshing to get Lanie’s perspective and hear her banter with Beckett. Lanie was a supporter of the budding romance between Castle and Beckett and encouraged Beckett to explore the possibilities of their relationship. While Lanie didn’t get as much screen time as the two leads or as many dedicated plot lines, she still always made her mark whenever she was onscreen. All the best Castle episodes incorporate the elements of humor and tension that give the series its unique tone, and Tamala Jones always captured that balance perfectly. While Lanie didn’t get as much screen time as the two leads or as many dedicated plot lines, she still always made her mark whenever she was onscreen. Later in the series, when she took Castle’s daughter Alexis under her wing, it proved how Lanie wasn’t just Beckett’s friend anymore; she and Castle had also become close.
Dr. Megan Hunt – Body Of Proof (2011–2013)
Though short-lived, Body of Proof is all about being a medical examiner, as the protagonist, Megan Hunt, has to take on the job against her will. Despite her prickly personality and distaste for the job, Megan is an expert in her field and turns out to have what it takes to be a great investigator. After giving up her career as a neurosurgeon following a traumatic accident, Megan is forced to salvage her skills, taking a job as a medical examiner. She has no trouble telling her colleagues what she thinks of the profession.
Dana Delany was the perfect choice to play Megan, as her sharp-witted delivery matches the intelligence and wry humor of the character. Seeing Megan step out of the lab and start to hold her own with the detectives is an exciting development and incorporates some action into the scientific show. Body of Proof differs from other series that centers on the medical side of crime because Megan is never willing to take the back seat.
Liv Moore – iZombie (2015–2019)
It took a few seasons for iZombie to find its footing, as the series that began as a straightforward police procedural with a supernatural twist evolved into something much more dramatic and compelling. However, when audiences first meet Liv, she’s a promising medical resident turned medical examiner. This is a job she takes when she realizes the dead bodies will provide the brains she needs. After being turned into a zombie, it’s her only choice.
Not content to merely exist, Liv uses her zombie abilities to help solve murders and takes control over her life.
Not content to merely exist, Liv uses her zombie abilities to help solve murders and takes control over her life. As the series progresses, Liv gains more agency and eventually grapples with the problems of zombies and humans coexisting. With Liv taking a big role in the political landscape of her supernatural world, her skills as a medical examiner remain important, and she cares deeply about solving crimes as the zombie and human worlds clash.
Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers – Law & Order Franchise
The detectives and lawyers on the many Law & Order series take center stage, with the main characters even getting their own storylines. However, it’s the recurring roles that make the world of the Law & Order franchise feel so lived in. In four of the series including the original Law & Order and SVU, Leslie Hendrix played Elizabeth Rodgers, the medical examiner the investigators turned to when they needed answers. Like many characters in her position in procedurals, Rodgers doesn’t appreciate interruptions from the detectives.
The Law & Order universe is good about keeping characters confined to their respective fields, so Rodgers is never seen stepping into the investigations and is typically seen in the lab. Rodgers is one of the longest-running recurring characters within the franchise, and her strong personality and memorable demeanor are what made the different series keep bringing her back. While the detectives and attorneys do their best to bring a case home, they need the help of professionals like Rodgers.
| Law & Order Series | Run |
| Law & Order | 1990–Present |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | 1996–Present |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent | 2001–2011 |
| Law & Order: Trial By Jury | 2005–2006) |
Dr. “Woody” Strode – Psych (2006–2014)
While Shawn and Gus are the best dynamic duo on Psych and have excellent comedic timing, the introduction of Dr. Woody gave them a run for their money. In Psych season 4, Kurt Fuller joined the cast as Woody, the offbeat medical examiner who was strange enough to give Shawn pause. While his theories as to the cause of death of victims brought to his lab aren’t always accurate or even possible, he comes at every case with the best intentions.
Like every part of Psych , Woody is strange, funny, and not to be taken too seriously, especially when he’s doing something that makes no sense.
Woody was an important enough character that he appeared in several of the movie spinoffs and made an impression on both Gus and Shawn. Like every part of Psych, Woody is strange, funny, and not to be taken too seriously, especially when he’s doing something that makes no sense. After four seasons, it only made sense that Psych would finally introduce a medical examiner who fit into the tone and themes of the show, and Woody was the perfect character to do it.
Shawn Spencer happens to possess some uncanny powers of observation thanks to his father, Henry, a former police officer who taught his son to remember even the smallest details of his surroundings. When Shawn is accused of committing a crime that he actually solved, he convinces the cops that he’s a psychic — and with the reluctant help of his best friend, Gus, Shawn starts solving cases for a skeptical but increasingly impressed police force.
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Molly Hooper – Sherlock (2010–2017)
Molly often got the short end of the stick in Sherlock, as compared to the titular Sherlock Holmes. She wasn’t a talented investigator, and she spent much of the series grappling with an unrequited crush on the detective. However, she grew in power and agency as the series progressed and eventually realized that Sherlock was never going to be there for her the way she wanted him to be. Adding Molly as a character was an interesting modernization that the series made to keep up with the contemporary period.
There are plenty of detective TV shows like Sherlock, but few have captured the unique chemistry of the series’ main cast. While Watson and Sherlock were the central figures, Molly played unexpectedly important roles, and because of her kindness and empathy, the other characters cared about her a lot. While Sherlock didn’t truly need a medical examiner, as he could ascertain the details of a murder with a glance, it turned out that having Molly as a friend was much better.
In this incarnation of Sherlock from creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman assume the roles of Sherlock and Watson as they establish their partnership and begin solving strange mysteries throughout the U.K. and beyond. Set in a more 2010’s modern setting, Sherlock’s eccentric and complex nature is accentuated as he solves seemingly supernatural crimes with unparalleled intellect while struggling to connect with others on a human level. Meanwhile, Watson blogs the stories summarizing their cases while building a strained but caring friendship with his new partner.
Dr. Albert Robbins – CSI (2000–2015)
There were some things CSI did better than other crime procedurals, and the dedication to science was one of them. While the CSIs were often focused on evidence analysis and data, they still needed a medical professional to step in and help them identify remains and assess wounds on victims. Robert David Hall played the medical examiner Al Robbins in the main series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and there were many cases that would have been impossible to crack without him.
As one of the most intelligent characters in CSI , there are few subjects that Al can’t speak on, and he approaches every situation logically.
The rest of the team doesn’t just turn to Al when they need help with a case but also when they’re looking for advice or to throw ideas around. As one of the most intelligent characters in CSI, there are few subjects that Al can’t speak on, and he approaches every situation logically. Although his best chemistry was with Gil Grissom, Al responds well to the successive heads of the department, like D.B. Russell, as they come in and out of the season in CSI.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
In this long-running, classic crime procedural, a team of investigators searches crime scenes to collect forensic evidence, analyze it, and use it to catch the criminal of the week.
Dr. Maura Dorothea Isles – Rizzoli & Isles (2010–2016)
The best friends Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli couldn’t be more different, but somehow the pair make the perfect team. While Rizzoli isn’t afraid to poke fun at Isles every chance she gets, it’s always with affection and because she knows that Isles is often the smartest person in the room. With Rizzoli as the hardened detective and Isles the logical medical examiner, the two of them had the skills to solve any case that came their way.
Over the years, it’s impressive how willing Isles is to put up with Rizzoli making fun of her, but Isles does get in plenty of jabs of her own. As much as Rizzoli would be hesitant to admit it, she needs Isles, and it’s often Isles’ expertise that helps solve the most difficult cases. Since Isles isn’t as extroverted as Rizzoli, she’s more comfortable in the lab, dealing with the science, as this is something she understands well. However, Rizzoli always pushes her to get out of her shell and try new things.
Rizzoli & Isles follows Boston detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles as they solve various complex crimes. Starring Angie Harmon as Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as Isles, the series delves into their professional partnership and personal lives.
Dr. Camille Saroyan – Bones (2005–2017)
Cam Saroyan is first introduced in Bones season 2 as the new head of the forensic division of the Jeffersonian, and Bones and the team aren’t sure what to make of their new boss. Saroyan is an expert in soft tissue and examining recently dead bodies, as she was a coroner in New York before coming to D.C. Though practically every character on Bones is a kind of medical examiner, Saroyan is the closest to the typical definition, as Bones deals only with skeletons, and is first and foremost a forensic anthropologist.
She’s frequently characterized as closer in temperament to Booth and the FBI agents rather than her fellow scientists at the lab.
The adjustment period of getting used to Saroyan’s authority and how she runs the lab doesn’t take long, and by the series’ end, it’s impossible to imagine Bones without her. She’s frequently characterized as closer in temperament to Booth and the FBI agents rather than her fellow scientists at the lab. However, that doesn’t mean her mind is any less curious or that she isn’t good at her job. If anything, Saroyan is able to balance her emotions and logic better than most characters in the series.
Bones follows Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), a forensic anthropologist who teams up with FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) to solve crimes in the DC area. Using Brennan’s forensic knowledge, the pair work together to catch killers with the help of a team at the fictional Jeffersonian Institute.
Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard – NCIS (2003–Present)
NCIS has changed a lot since it began over twenty years ago, and for the majority of the seasons, Dr. Ducky was an instrumental character in the series. His mentorship of Jimmy Palmer in NCIS was a touching partnership, as was his friendship with Gibbs. Gibbs and the team relied on Ducky not only to assess the violence done to the bodies brought back to the lab but also to make assertions about what type of suspect would inflict these wounds. This criminal profiling was a talent of Ducky’s, along with his medical skills.
The late David McCallum’s performance was what made Ducky such an enduring part of the show, and it isn’t the same without him. The series paid tribute to McCallum after his passing in 2023 in the episode “The Stories We Leave Behind” (via Deadline). As the seasons progress, many characters come and go on NCIS, but few are remembered as fondly as Ducky. As the premiere of NCIS: Origins draws closer, hopefully, a young Ducky will make an appearance.
NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) focuses on the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced to work together in high-stress situations. Special Agent Alden Parker, a quirky former FBI agent who solves his cases with calm professionalism and sharp, sarcastic charm, leads the NCIS team, which includes NCIS
Special Agent Timothy McGee, an MIT graduate with a knack for computers who has now graduated to senior field agent; the charismatic, unpredictable and resilient NCIS Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres, who has spent most of his career on solo undercover assignments; and sharp, athletic and tough NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight, a formidable REACT agent who specializes in hostage negotiations and high-risk operations. The naïve Jimmy Palmer is assisting the team, who graduated from assistant to fully licensed medical examiner and now runs the morgue; and forensic scientist Kasie Hines, Ducky’s former graduate assistant. Overseeing operations is NCIS Director Leon Vance, an intelligent, highly trained agent who can always be counted on to shake up the status quo. From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, these special agents investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties.
