A procedural drama with a difference, “Rosewood” combines suspense, action and humor.  Now in its second season the series, which premiered on Fox last year, revolves around Miami’s leading private pathologist, Dr. Beaumont Rosewood Jr. (Morris Chestnut), and his partner Detective Annalise Villa (Jaina Lee Ortiz) as they help the Miami police department solve its toughest cases.

1.  It has an extraordinarily strong ensemble

From the incredibly charismatic, Chestnut who plays the brilliant Dr. Beaumont Rosewood to TV veterans Domenick Lombardozzi and Lorraine Toussaint, the cast is littered with seasoned regulars and guest actors like Vondie Curtis-Hall, who the cast hint may return this season. Add to that, Eddie Cibrian, (“CSI: Miami”) and former Destiny’s Child member LeToya Luckett have joined the cast. Luckett plays Rosewood’s love interest Tawnya, while Cibrian plays the shady Captain Slade who refuses to play by the rules. “There is a dark side about him which I like. The audience are not going to know whether to love or hate this guy,” says Cibrian on his character.

2. There’s something for everyone

The best dramas are ones that have a successful balance of intrigue and action. With slow-burn romances and interesting arcs, “Rosewood” has a winning combination. It’s setup to be a crime procedural, but has a comedic underline to it. “The way the episodes are written, we have a lot of humor and drama and we blend the tone and it shifts well also. Those things make the show interesting,” adds Chestnut.

3. There’s a hugely diverse cast

We don’t like to pull the race card, but there are not too many shows on network television that have two minority leads and two lesbian characters. “We are not the first show to ever have a same sex couple, but the relationship in this is very telling of the times,” says Gabrielle Dennis who plays Rosewood’s sister Pippy who was briefly engaged to another woman (Anna Konkle).

4. Great friction always creates good drama.

The cases are solid and there is a serialized aspect to the show that draws audiences each week. Any episode may end on a completely unexpected, unresolved note. As such, the audience can never really know when a storyline is about to wrap up.  “Not only is it pulling your emotional strings, we have these crimes each week and you are learning about the pathology industry and those two things sets us apart from other dramas,” adds Gabrielle Dennis.

5.  There are complex family dynamics

“It’s a procedural show with heart and not in a sentimental way, but in a real adult way. We explore relationships and family dynamics and we do it truthfully and realistically. We delicately walk two lines and do it successfully,” says Lorraine Toussaint who plays Rosewood’s domineering mother Donna.

6.  There’s a sympathetic hero

With charisma, good looks and intelligence, Rosewood appears to have it all, but with a heart condition, he’s plagued with his own set of medical ailments. “On the outside, it may seem like he’s someone who has everything, but because he can literally die at any given point in time he doesn’t have everything,”  shares Chestnut.

“Rosewood” airs Thursday nights on Fox

Pictured: The cast of “Rosewood” –  Anna Konkle, Gabrielle Dennis, Morris Chestnut,Jaina Lee Ortiz, Domenick Lombardozzi, Lorraine Toussaint (courtesy of Fox).