Now that seniors are just beginning to finish their college applications, and as other students enter the most stressful periods of their academic careers yet, the perfect way to relieve stress is to dive into a returning fall TV show.

Below we have compiled some suspenseful criminal shows that will whisk away your minds as you bury yourself underneath a pile of blankets.

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU)

From the high-speed police action to the tension in the courtroom, “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” creates a perfect balance between the tense action on the field and the intellectual exchange in the courtroom.

In general, the show revolves around the adventures of detectives at the Special Victims Unit (SVU) precinct in New York City. The SVU is tasked with crimes involving sexual, social, or religious minorities, such as children, victims of rape, or members of the LGBT community. The squad is led by Sergeant Olivia Benson, who has been a part of the team since the beginning of the show in 1999. Her team consists of detectives Dominick Carisi, Amanda Rollins, and Odafin Tutuola, all of whom are responsible for following leads, catching suspects, and gathering evidence. The Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Rafael Barba, a Harvard Law graduate, then prosecutes the suspects in criminal court.

With the high action and drama present in the new Season 17, viewers can expect to be thrilled by both the police action and the courtroom scenes. Detectives discover several dismembered bodies following the conviction of serial killer Gregory Yates. Although the detectives originally assume that the bodies are additional victims of Yates, things take an unexpected turn when Yates accuses the precinct medical examiner Card Rudnick of perpetrating the alleged crimes. Therefore, the detectives are put in an uncomfortable position in which they must cooperate with a sly serial killer to catch another mass murderer.

Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS): info about season17!!!!!!

An agency under navy supervision, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) assumes the responsibility of investigating cases involving navy personnel—either as suspects or victims of crime.

Castle

Suspenseful, witty, and incredibly charming, “Castle” returned with its eighth season this September. Richard Castle, a New York Times best-selling mystery novelist, decides to follow the New York Police Department detective Kate Beckett for inspiration. The two soon realize that they work great as a pair in solving erratic crimes in New York, despite their stark differences in both character and background. Indispensable to the show is the minor character, Alexis Castle, the lively daughter of Richard who offers counsels and witty repartees.

Earlier seasons introduce viewers to hints of the protagonists’ mysterious pasts and of a romantic relationship between the two. Although the crime cases themselves may not be as dramatic as those introduced in other crime shows, “Castle” is uniquely appealing due to Richard Castle’s rather intuitive approach to solving crimes. Viewers will find the show easily relatable, quickly engrossed from the promising pilot episode.

How to Get Away with Murder

The newest addition to Shonda Rhimes’s “Shondaland” series on ABC Network, “How to Get Away with Murder” returned with its second season on Sept. 24. Similar to other TV shows written by Rhimes, such as “Scandal” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” the show focuses primarily on a powerful female protagonist but also covers other complex characters as well. Professor Annalise Keating, a prestigious criminal defense attorney, finds herself entwined in a complex murder plot and must prove herself innocent. The truth behind the case is concealed from everyone, even the five interns at Keating’s law firm and the audience themselves, and the show explores the truth through sterling flashbacks. Viewers may be interested to know that Viola Davis, the actress playing the role of Professor Keating, recently became the first African-American to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. The show shows great promise although it lacks the long history of other Shondaland series yet, and viewers are advised to begin watching before they have too many episodes to catch up with.