When a series follows one murder investigation for an entire season, the conceit can sometimes look like a European refinement. “Broadchurch,” “Spiral” and “The Fall” are just a notable few of the many imported shows that proved so broodingly intense that it sometimes seemed as if networks and basic cable here could never catch up.

“Murder in the First,” a new TNT series that begins Monday, might therefore seem like a belated imitation. But this 10-episode series is actually a direct descendant of “Murder One,” a 1995 ABC show by Steven Bochco that was a beloved breakthrough, even though it lasted only two seasons.

And while this new show is not as innovative as its predecessor, it is, in its own way, similarly well paced and compelling. There aren’t a lot of smart, occult-free crime thrillers this summer, and that makes “Murder in the First” all the more enjoyable.

The differences from “Murder One” are distinctive, though, and quite revealing about how television has advanced — and regressed — over two decades. It’s startling to see how very few African-American characters were on the 1995 show — Vanessa Williams had a small part. The lead characters on “Murder in the First” are of all races and ethnicities; more women are in top positions.