Occasionally, most girls will opt out of our Saturday night plans just to kick back, relax, and scare ourselves with our own TVs. Sure, guys like the true crime genre as well, but few dudes can fully grasp why ladies love murder shows so much. Let's take a look at the evidence.

1. They make you feel better about staying in...

We feel bad when we're too lazy or antisocial to go out, but crime shows validate the decision to stay in with one clear moral: People get murdered out there. Actually, you might want to order takeout just to be extra careful. Don't take any chances with a grocery store.

2. ...and not always feeling the prettiest

Having a gross night doesn't make you feel so insecure when hot people are either sociopaths or murder targets. OK, maybe it's not true in real life, but that is how it often looks on TV. As long as no one on your show winds up in sweatpants, you're safe.

3. Detectives are babes

We'll call this the Elliot Stabler effect. Or the Derek Morgan effect. Or the Rust Cohle effect. You get it. They're complicated hotties who are passionate about justice and probably own a tie.

4. It's fun to be scared...

Getting scared gives you an adrenaline burst that can be really enjoyable depending on your personality type, WebMD explains. The added security of being in your own home makes this feel like more of a rush than a panic attack.

5. ...giving you an(other) excuse to eat all the ice cream

After your adrenal glands produce adrenaline, they begin to produce cortisal if stress continues, according to Harvard Medical School's HEALTHbeat. And that makes us super hungry. It's not your fault you finished the Ben & Jerry's; "NCIS" is the culprit.

6. They make you feel totally cool being single

By now you're thinking like a detective, so you know that husbands and boyfriends are always to blame in a TV crime. (Well, usually.) Don't think of yourself as being lonely or picky. You're just increasing your life expectancy by being careful and not settling down with a creep.

7. Admit it, they're empowering

Women on crime shows are often victims, but they're also detectives, prosecutors, and sometimes even murderers. They're capable of anything, whether it's great or terrible. You're capable of all those things in real life too...mostly the great.