Television series

Touching Evil

Name: Touching Evil
Genre: Drama, Crime, Thriller
Released: 2004
Cast: Jeffrey Donovan, Vera Farmiga, Zach Grenier, Brian Markinson, Kevin Durand

A crime thriller following an FBI agent whose brush with death—a bullet to the head—leaves him neurologically altered and dangerously uninhibited. Creegan becomes a relentless investigator, but his fractured psyche threatens everything around him. Gritty, tense procedural with real psychological weight and no easy answers about whether damage makes you better or just worse at your job.

TVMaze rating

3.6

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like a crime procedural where the detective's rawness and nerve matter as much as the case, and where the partnership is a tense, prickly pull rather than a cosy one.

Skip it if the cases can feel loosely strung together, and if you want tidy resolution every hour, its unshowy, grimy tone and open threads may frustrate you.

What it asks of you: Thirteen hour-long episodes, so a steady commitment rather than a binge night; it keeps its attention on people and process and rewards watching closely.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Criminal Minds2005

Profile-focused crime unit hunting serial offenders across America. Same procedural structure and moral complexity, with ensemble chemistry and cases that linger after the credits roll.

But Formula can feel repetitive after a few seasons. Some episodes sacrifice character depth for bombastic crime-solving moments.

MINDHUNTER2017

Early FBI profilers inventing criminal psychology, obsessed to the point of self-destruction. Methodical, deeply intelligent, and unafraid to show brilliant people coming apart at the seams.

But Moves deliberately. If you want quick plot resolution over character study, this will test your patience. Also unfinished, which stings.

The Mentalist2008

Damaged investigator with unconventional methods solving impossible cases. Charismatic lead carrying a show built on his moral compromises and the question of whether he's a genius or just manipulative.

But Lighter tone than Touching Evil—more clever-joke procedural than psychological trauma drama. Tonal mismatch if you want darkness.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Touching Evil

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Memento2000

Both center on protagonists whose neurological damage becomes their defining trait, raising the question of whether their altered state makes them better investigators or just more dangerous.

A man with no short-term memory pursuing revenge through fragmented narrative. Nolan explores how trauma rewires cognition and how a damaged brain justifies its own violence—Creegan's injury in two hours.

But Non-linear structure is deliberate but demanding. Ambiguous ending that won't satisfy if you want resolution. Can feel puzzle-box over character.

Hannibal2013

FBI profiler pursuing a genius killer while slowly losing his grip on sanity. Visually stunning and genuinely unsettling; explores the cost of looking too closely into evil.

But Deliberately slow and graphic. Some find it more art film than crime show. Graphic violence earns its rating and may be too much for some viewers.

Dexter2006

Serial killer playing FBI analyst, wrestling with his nature while solving murders. Compelling premise about someone so damaged they barely qualify as human, trying anyway.

But Quality drops significantly after season four. Early seasons are exceptional; later ones become frustrating. Finale is famously divisive.

The Fall2013

Stalking a serial killer through obsessive procedural work. Stella Gibson is methodical, uncompromising, and Gillian Anderson is magnetic—this feels like real detective work, not TV.

But Slow burn with minimal plot movement. If you need action scenes or plot twists, this will bore you. Also ends ambiguously.

Southland2009

Unglamorous police procedural where good cops are flawed and broken. Raw, unglamorous look at what law enforcement actually does to people over time.

But Bleak to the point of punishing. No catharsis; just people enduring. Limited comedy relief. Short-lived, which means an ending that feels rushed.

Collision2009

British crime drama about real consequences and messy investigations. Grounded, character-driven, and willing to let ambiguity sit uncomfortable.

But Ends after one season. British pacing and restraint may feel slow to American procedural audiences. Limited availability outside UK.

The Act of Killing2012

Like Touching Evil, it refuses easy moral judgment. Both ask whether people who've committed horrors—or seen too much of it—can still be redeemed or are simply changed forever.

Documentary following men who committed mass atrocities, now living freely. They recreate their crimes while genuinely reckoning with what they've done. Unbearable and essential—a document of conscience in real time.

But Graphic violence and footage of real murder. Slow, uncomfortable, no catharsis. Watching men rationalize genocide is fundamentally disturbing. Not escapism.

Mare of Easttown2021

Both are character studies disguised as crime stories. The mystery matters less than watching a damaged investigator try to function while their own fractures widen.

Kate Winslet as a small-town detective haunted by past cases and present failure. Procedural mystery wrapped around a portrait of psychological exhaustion and the slow corrosion of working evil.

But Bleak. Also: regional accent work may feel affected if you're not in. Emotionally draining rather than entertaining. Limited runtime means no padding—every episode demands attention.