Louis Ferreira and Kristin Lehman star in "Motive"

All that is needed for the old to look new again is a change of perspective.

Procedural dramas abound on network television these days, each attempting a slightly different spin on the genre. Everything from gritty detective work and high-tech investigation ("Law & Order," "CSI") to extreme observation and fiction writing ("The Mentalist," "Castle") are used to get the job done. Though different in many ways, current network procedurals have one thing in common: their storylines work toward identifying and apprehending a culprit. The endgame is always the takedown of the bad guy.

This spring, one network is rolling out a new procedural that will turn the genre on its head. "Motive" premieres Monday, May 20, on ABC.

"Motive" is an innovative and refreshing take on the tried-and-true procedural drama. The show follows Det. Angie Flynn (Kristin Lehman) and her partner, Oscar Vega (Louis Ferreira), as they work together to solve murders and catch killers. Sounds like pretty standard stuff so far, but the execution is the interesting part. Unlike any other procedural, "Motive's" audience will be introduced to both the crime and the killer at the beginning of each episode. The mystery that unravels thereafter is not who did it, but why. As Flynn and Vega struggle to solve cases, viewers are always a few steps ahead of them in uncovering the motive of the murder, not the guilty party.

The premiere episode of "Motive" is sure to get a ratings boost by its lead-in, a two-hour performance show of "Dancing With the Stars." ABC hopes to capitalize on one of its most successful shows by leading its viewers directly into a new one, and hopefully hooking them for good. "Motive's" first guest-star should help in that department: Joey McIntyre, of New Kids on the Block fame, stars as the show's first victim, a beloved high school science teacher with a gift for karaoke whose murder shocks his community and sends the detectives on a hunt for his killer.

Lehman's Angie Flynn is a complex character. A shrewd detective, Flynn is also a dedicated single mom. Actor Lehman is a television veteran, having guest-starred in many hit shows, such as "Felicity," "Judging Amy" and "Prison Break." Most recently, she played Gwen Eaton in AMC's critically acclaimed crime drama "The Killing," a show notorious for leaving viewers hanging and failing to reveal the mysterious murderer. Lehman commented to "The National Post" on the difficulties of portraying a character who knows less than the audience. It's "more tricky," she said. "For me, I just want to be sure I don't look like I know too much."

Playing Flynn's son, Manny (a teenage boy whose life as a cop's kid is not always easy), is Cameron Bright. Bright's face will be familiar to many, as he's had roles in such box office hits as "X-Men 3: The Last Stand" (2006), "Juno" (2007) and three of the "Twilight" saga films. 

Lauren Holly stars in "Motive"

Flynn's partner, Det. Oscar Vega, comes from a wealthy family, but turned his back on the privileges afforded him to join the police force, where he felt he could make a difference. Vega is played by Ferreira, who has been seen in television's "SGU Star Gate Universe," "Durham County" and "The Andromeda Strain," as well as films such as "Dawn of the Dead" (2004), "Shooter" (2007) and "Saw IV" (2007).

Det. Brian Lucas is the youngest detective in the squad, and it shows. His green but gentlemanly persona is portrayed perfectly by Brendan Penny, who has appeared in such shows as "The Assistants" and "Stargate: Atlantis."

Pulling the detectives' strings is Staff-Sgt. Boyd Bloom. After being sidelined by an injury, Bloom yearns to be back in the field, but for now puts his substantial skills to use behind a desk. In this roll is Roger Cross, who has had a prolific career, appearing in such TV shows as "24," "Arrow" and "Continuum," not to mention the films "The Chronicles of Riddick" (2004) and "X-Men 2: X-Men United" (2003).

Rounding out the cast is Lauren Holly as the strange and quirky medical examiner Dr. Betty Rogers. Holly is an industry veteran, getting her start on "Hill Street Blues" and appearing in films such as Oliver Stone's "Any Given Sunday" (1999) and "What Women Want" (2000), with Mel Gibson.

Viewers can expect something very different in "Motive." In an interview with "The National Post," Lehmen said that the non-linear storytelling style of the show "really pushes the story along so well. It's like a really satisfying morsel." Tune in Monday, May 20, for a procedural drama like no other when "Motive" premieres on ABC.