What do you consider the best crime and detective shows of yesteryear? Mine include (in no particular order):

PETER GUNN (Craig Stevens)
PERRY MASON (Raymond Burr)
DRAGNET (Jack Webb)
COLUMBO (Peter Falk)
ELLERY QUEEN (Jim Hutton)
KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER (Darren McGavin)
CHARLIE'S ANGELS (Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, Farrah Fawcett)
MOD SQUAD (Michael Cole, Peggy Lipton, Clarence Williams III)
RICHARD DIAMOND (David Janssen)
IRONSIDE (Raymond Burr)
HIGHWAY PATROL (Broderick Crawford)
THE HARDY BOYS (Parker Stevenson, Shaun Cassidy)
NANCY DREW MYSTERIES (Pamela Sue Martin)
HEC RAMSEY (Richard Boone)
THE LAWLESS YEARS (James Gregory)
BOURBON STREET BEAT (Richard Long, Andrew Duggan, Van Williams)
HONEY WEST (Anne Francis)
BURKE'S LAW (Gene Barry)
McCLOUD (Dennis Weaver)
MATLOCK (Andy Griffith)
DIAGNOSIS MURDER (Dick Van Dyke)

Barney Miller!

DRAGNET

The Mod Squad
Get Christi Love
The Rookies
Dragnet
Mannix
Barnaby Jones
Cannon
The Rockford Files
Ironside
Hawaii Five-O
Hart To Hart

Cagney & Lacy
Mannix (I had a huge crush on him when I was a kid)
The Mod Squad
Barney Miller
Hawaii Five-0
The Rookies
Adam-12
Perry Mason
Dragnet
McCloud
Magnum PI
McMillian & Wife
Simon & Simon
Ironside

O.K., if we're going to include comedy shows like BARNEY MILLER (which I
also loved, by the way), I'd also add:

POLICE SQUAD
THE LAST PRECINCT
BATMAN
SLEDGE HAMMER!
CARTER COUNTRY
and my personal favorite
CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU?

^ Well, it said cop SHOWS, didn't specify sitcoms or dramas. Barney Miller was most definitely a cop show, so I chose it! :D

S.W.A.T.
STARSKY & HUTCH
ADAM-12

Starsky & Hutch & Miami Vice

Hill Street Blues
Wiseguy
Rockford Files
Silk Stalkings

Some favourites:
- Adam-12 (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=433)
- Baretta
- Kojak (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=575) starring Telly Savalas
- Police Story
- Starsky & Hutch (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=556)
- SWAT (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=584)

I thought this was an old thread worth rescuing.....

- Richard Diamond

- Dragnet

- Streets of San Francisco

- Cracker (UK)

- Harry O (One of the great underrated series ever.)

- Perry Mason

The only current stuff that comes close to these, in my opinion, would be two franchsie series: Dick Wolf's 'Law & Oder' and Anthony E. Zuiker's 'CSI'.

SWAT
Starsky & Hutch
ADAM12
Police Story
Police Woman
Hawaii FiveO
MSquad

My current favorite detective show has to be Monk! Although it's not as good as it once was, I still consider it to be a favorite!

NYPD Blue is definitely my favorite dramatic cop show. I got hooked on it the last two years it was on and I really miss it! I'd love to just watch all the episodes one right after the other!

Older ones would be Columbo and Rockford Files

I've got to add "The Streets Of San Francisco" to my list. I bought the S1 vol.1 dvd & have been watching it. I'd forgotten how good the show was. Its definitely a favorite.

21 jumpstreet....esp the episodes with richard grieco:)

Charlie's Angels

Remington Steele

Starsky and Hutch

Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew

Barnaby Jones

Vegas (with Robert Urich)

Hart to Hart

Murder She Wrote

Magnum PI

Moonlighting

Hunter

TJ Hooker

Matt Houston

Snoops

In The Heat Of The Night

Scarecrow & Mrs. King

Spencer For Hire

21 Jumpstreet

Cagney and Lacey

I wasn't even aware of its existence until recently, but thanks to the Retro TV Network, I have been enjoying Mike Hammer, starring Darren McGavin.

The show ran for two seasons in the late 1950s. If any of you get a chance to see it, I would recommend it. It features a lot of "guest stars" whom you will probably recognize.

:wave:

I wasn't even aware of its existence until recently, but thanks to the Retro TV Network, I have been enjoying Mike Hammer, starring Darren McGavin.

The show ran for two seasons in the late 1950s. If any of you get a chance to see it, I would recommend it. It features a lot of "guest stars" whom you will probably recognize.

:wave:

I'm aware that you posted this half a year ago but I only read it about a month ago. I've been doing some Retro TV Network watching lately. Have been enjoying Peter Gunn, which they show every day. I've noticed the Mike Hammer show and always meant to check it out. Since it's only on Sundays I never seemed to catch it. Plus the fact that I had never heard of it led me to believe that maybe it wasn't worth catching. How wrong I was! After reading your post I made a point to DVR some episodes and now I'm hooked. I'm enjoying it even more than Peter Gunn. McGavin is the best Hammer ever and enormous fun to watch. The hard-boiled tough guy dialogue is so dated it's hilarious and the stories draw you in after the first couple of minutes. Thanks for recommending it. Has there ever been any sign of this coming to DVD?

Since I began this thread, three years ago, there is one more show (and it's
a current one) that I would add to the list (though I only watch it occasionally, due to a schedule conflict):

Bones (Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz)

Dragnet
Adam-12
The FBI
The Rookies SWAT
CHIPs
Highway Patrol
State Trooper
The Streets of San Francisco
Cold Case

My favorite Private Eye show was Remington Steele, followed by Rockford Files, Mannix, Cannon and 77 Sunset Strip. I know Rockford was probably the best written detective series ever, but I really enjoyed the classiness and international travel on Remington Steele (plus it had a great looking young lady as a regular cast member).

Favorite cop show is the old version of Hawaii Five O.

Barnaby Jones
Adam12
Mannix
Rockford Files
The Rookies
Dragnet (The Harry Morgan years only)
Charlie's Angels
Third Watch
Im sure there is more im forgetting about.

The Rockford Files (prime-time)
The Edge of Night (daytime)

Wow there is so many good ones.Here are 10 of my favs in no paticular order.


1.Simon&Simon
2.Matlock
3.Rockford files
4.Hunter
5.Spencer for hire
6.In the heat of the night
7.Murder she wrote
8.Picket fences
9.Father dowling
10.Magnum pi

I could go on and on.Those are 10 that i really like though.

select your fav cop or detective shows.

I went with Simon&Simon but not a easy choice by any means.

Picket Fences even though it's not a cop nor detective show.

Picket Fences even though it's not a cop nor detective show.

Yeah actually it is but if you don't think so you are intitled to your opinion.The main star in the show is the sherriff and a sherriff is a cop.At the same time i do agree that it is also much more than that.And yes i know it's a wacky town and some pretty weird things happen there.But it has cops in it,a judge in it,and a lawyer in it.I am a huge fan of it.My fav charecthors are the sherriff and the Lawyer Douglas Wambah.I only wish it would of lasted longer then 4 seasons.

Yeah actually it is but if you don't think so you are intitled to your opinion.The main star in the show is the sherriff and a sherriff is a cop.At the same time i do agree that it is also much more than that.And yes i know it's a wacky town and some pretty weird things happen there.But it has cops in it,a judge in it,and a lawyer in it.I am a huge fan of it.My fav charecthors are the sherriff and the Lawyer Douglas Wambah.I only wish it would of lasted longer then 4 seasons.

Sorry, you are incorrect. Picket Fences was not a cop or detective series. It was a simple drama that did in fact have a sheriff as it's primary character but the episodes centered around him, his family and the other residents of Rome, Wisconsin. Just because a series has a sheriff as it's lead character doesn't make it a cop show. If it does, then you might as well classify The Andy Griffith Show as one also.

Sorry, you are incorrect. Picket Fences was not a cop or detective series. It was a simple drama that did in fact have a sheriff as it's primary character but the episodes centered around him, his family and the other residents of Rome, Wisconsin. Just because a series has a sheriff as it's lead character doesn't make it a cop show. If it does, then you might as well classify The Andy Griffith Show as one also.


It does to me.And i'm sure a lot of other people would feel the same way.But it's really nothing to argue about.I looked up some other peoples list online of cops and detective shows and it was on there.Thanks for your vote.It would be pretty high on my list too.I found wambah especialy hillarious.And Jimmy actually looks like the sheriff in my home town.

The Best cop or detective show is CANNON!!! :wave:

The Best cop or detective show is CANNON!!! :wave:

I don't remember Cannon.Remind me?

This one is appropriate considering our little disagreement.

k9ENZ7AIL8I

You also forgot These: :eek:

zaWuXHMrwXo

This one is appropriate considering our little disagreement.

k9ENZ7AIL8I

You also forgot These: :eek:

zaWuXHMrwXo


Wow,Tom Skerritt looked way different back then.I don't think i ever saw Cannon.I do have Rockford Files up there.I can't believe i forgot Columbo though.

hawkeye123--If you havent seen Cannon I highly recommend it, what a treat you have waiting for you :wave:

PS- Tom Skerritt appears in 3 different and unique episodes throughout the series

Wow,Tom Skerritt looked way different back then.I don't think i ever saw Cannon.I do have Rockford Files up there.I can't believe i forgot Columbo though.

my top 5
Dragnet
Monk
Adam-12
White Collar
Awake

hawkeye123--If you havent seen Cannon I highly recommend it, what a treat you have waiting for you :wave:

The spinoff was good also.

jonoCXm9sQM

I will have to check those out.I always look forward to seeing shows that i haven't seen before.

Law and Order, easily.

I voted for Cagney & Lacey.

some other favorites:

Magnum P.I.
Police Woman
Miami Vice
Starsky & Hutch
Dragnet
Adam-12
Memphis Beat
Mannix
Hawaii Five-0
Simon & Simon
Law & Order SVU
The Rookies
The Killing
Rookie Blue
The Mentalist
Life On Mars
The Streets of San Francisco
Castle
The F.B.I.
Grimm
The Mod Squad
Kojak
Barney Miller
Homicide: Life On The Street

I voted for Cagney & Lacey.

some other favorites:

Magnum P.I.
Police Woman
Miami Vice
Starsky & Hutch
Dragnet
Adam-12
Memphis Beat
Mannix
Hawaii Five-0
Simon & Simon
Law & Order SVU
The Rookies
The Killing
Rookie Blue
The Mentalist
Life On Mars
The Streets of San Francisco
Castle
The F.B.I.
Grimm
The Mod Squad
Kojak
Barney Miller
Homicide: Life On The Street


Nice list! Castle is a newer pretty good one that i like.

I voted for Starsky and Hutch. Love that show! :D

I voted for Starsky and Hutch. Love that show! :D


Thanks for the vote Katie good show!

my faorites
Magnum P.I
the Rockford files
cannon
hawie five o the orgianl
muder ,she worte
cloumbo
pary mason


newer ones
The Mentalist
rissoles and issle
hawie five o remake
common law
burn noticed
covert affaris
roley pains
nsic lose angles

Dragnet

I will have to check those out.I always look forward to seeing shows that i haven't seen before.
All the Quinn Martin shows of the 70's were pretty good.

It's hard to pick as I like most of the ones on your list.

I think I'll go with Simon & Simon.

It's hard to pick as I like most of the ones on your list.

I think I'll go with Simon & Simon.


Yeah,there is so many good ones.It's hard to pick.I picked Simon&Simon as well.My top 10 would be as follows.

1.Simon & Simon
2.Sledge hammer
3.Spencer for hire
4.Hunter
5.Picket fences
6.In the heat of the night
7.Rockford files
8.Magyver
9.Matlock
10.Magnum pi

in no paticular order.

Yeah,there is so many good ones.It's hard to pick.I picked Simon&Simon as well.My top 10 would be as follows.

1.Simon & Simon
2.Sledge hammer
3.Spencer for hire
4.Hunter
5.Picket fences
6.In the heat of the night
7.Rockford files
8.Magyver
9.Matlock
10.Magnum pi

in no paticular order.
I liked all those except for Spencer for Hire. I could never get into that. I did love Robert Urich's other hit detective series...Vega$. If you haven't seen that one, it's real good.

I liked all those except for Spencer for Hire. I could never get into that. I did love Robert Urich's other hit detective series...Vega$. If you haven't seen that one, it's real good.


I will have to check it out.

I voted Dragnet since it's a classic but I really liked Adam-12 for a cop show and Cannon for Detective show.

My all time favorite would be NYPD Blue. I love that show!

Mannix
Nero Wolfe
Cannon
Columbo
banacek
Police Story
Hawaii 5 O
M Squad
Mike Hammer - Darren McGavin
T.H.E. Cat
Night Heat - Canadian
Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Girl From U.N.C.L.E.
The Avengers - : Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman), Emma Peel (Diana Rigg), Tara King (Linda Thorson)
The New Avengers

The Rockford Files (prime-time)
The Edge of Night (daytime)
THE EDGE OF NIGHT??? That's not a cop show!

My faves are:
McMillan & Wife
Charlie's Angels
Hart To Hart
Mod Squad

THE EDGE OF NIGHT??? That's not a cop show!

From wikipedia:
The Edge of Night played on more artistic levels than probably any other soap of its time. It was unique among daytime soap operas in that it focused on crime, rather than domestic and romantic matters. The police, district attorneys, and medical examiners of fictional Monticello, USA, dealt with a steady onslaught of gangsters, drug dealers, blackmailers, cultists, international spies, corrupt politicians, psychopaths, and murderous debutantes, while at the same time coping with more usual soap opera problems like courtship, marriage, divorce, child custody battles, and amnesia. The show's particular focus on crime was recognized in 1980, when, in honor of its 25 years on the air, The Edge of Night was given a Special Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America.

I prefer private eyes to actual police shows, although there are some shows I really liked in which the characters are police officers. But my list would include, in roughly chronological order:

The Detectives
Peter Gunn
77 Sunset Strip
The Untouchables
Honey West
Mannix
Hawaii Five-O (1968-80 version)
Cannon
Columbo
Banacek
The Rockford Files
Harry O
City of Angels (1976)
Ellery Queen Mysteries (1976)
Charlie's Angels
Remington Steele
Nero Wolfe Mysteries (2000)

Those ones above are the ones I like the best and watched (or still watch) regularly, but there were others that I would occasionally watch, like McCloud or Barnaby Jones or Dragnet and quite a few others.

I prefer private eyes to actual police shows, although there are some shows I really liked in which the characters are police officers. But my list would include, in roughly chronological order:

The Detectives
Peter Gunn
77 Sunset Strip
The Untouchables
Honey West
Mannix
Hawaii Five-O (1968-80 version)
Cannon
Columbo
Banacek
The Rockford Files
Harry O
City of Angels (1976)
Ellery Queen Mysteries (1976)
Charlie's Angels
Remington Steele
Nero Wolfe Mysteries (2000)

Those ones above are the ones I like the best and watched (or still watch) regularly, but there were others that I would occasionally watch, like McCloud or Barnaby Jones or Dragnet and quite a few others.

I leaning your way since CBS canceled my favorite detective show: Golden Boy!

I like Hawaii Five-O on CBS!!!

Dragnet and Real stories of the Highway Patrol are 2 I really liked!!

Also UNSOLVED MYSTERIES when it first started!!!

Mike Hammer - Darrin McGavin
Richard Diamond - David Jansen

Are the shows I have been watching on Youtube! But I still working hard on the shows in Canada right now!

Dragnet and Real stories of the Highway Patrol are 2 I really liked!!

Also UNSOLVED MYSTERIES when it first started!!!
what was REAL STORIES OF THE HIGHWAY PATROL? I don't remember that one.

It ran in the 90s,not bad!

http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Stories_of_the_Highway_Patrol

It was not one of my programs that I watch regularly. But I think it was a reality TV series like COPS!

Highway Patrol was more about how the Chief Of The "California"? Highway Patrol went about his day to day job in the 50s. It was like an active detective with cases but no management level responsibilities to slow him down. Very cut and dry; type show. I think Broadrick Crawford who plays Dan Matthews at that time, was in his late 40s to mid 50s and weigh in at around 250 lbs. He was over 6 foot tall but nobody seem to be able to keep up with him! Always it was go here and there and everywhere in his Buick Special sedan. It was huge sedan too! The tire look like massive 22" tires.

HIGHWAY PATROL is currently being shown on THIS TV and I think some of the episodes are on You Tube.

The Streets of San Francisco
TJ Hooker
Barnaby Jones
Charlie's Angels (not the cancelled reboot)
Hart to Hart
Murder, She Wrote
Matlock
Father Dowling Mysteries
Diagnosis Murder
Unsolved Mysteries
Partners in Crime (the one season show with Loni Anderson & Lynda Carter)
Knight Rider (technically not a cop show but there was mystery solving and Michael Knight was a kind of detective)
The New Detectives
The FBI Files
Cold Case (A&E series)

I'm not really that fond of Cop/Detective shows but I do have some faves....

Remington Steele
Moonlighting
Adam-12
Vegas
Charlie's Angels

In the heat of the night

C.S.I.: NEW YORK
C.S.I.: MIAMI

I'm not really that fond of Cop/Detective shows but I do have some faves....

Remington Steele
Moonlighting
Adam-12
Vegas
Charlie's Angels

add in my current fave DUE SOUTH I love that show :cool:

Charlie's Angels
Starsky and Hutch
Barnaby Jones
In The Heat of The Night
Hart to Hart
Miami Vice
New York Undercover
TJ Hooker
Hunter
Get Christie Love
Baretta
Rockford Files
Magnum PI

Even though I like a few others... The best Cop show is CANNON!!

I got out my collection of detective DVD and VHS TV shows and I guess I like the 50s the best!

Naked City - the half hour version
M Squad - Lee Marvin
The C.A.T. - Robert Loggin
Mike Hammer - Darren McGavin
Richard Diamond - David Jansen

The 60s I like:
The Champions
Mannix
The Avengers
Police Story
The Name Of The Game

Have not watched again, any of the 70s and 80s yet!

My all-time favorite is Murder, She Wrote with Matlock coming in second. Some other of my favorites are Charlie's Angels, Cagney & Lacey, & Silk Stalkings.

My favorite CURRENT crime drama is Criminal Minds.

Charlie's Angels - Cheryl Ladd and Jaclyn Smith were my favorites.

Starsky and Hutch

Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew

Barnaby Jones

Hawaii Five - O

1-800-Missing

Fast Lane

I also would like to add The Rookies, Rookie Blue, Rockford Files, and Get Christie Love.

My favorite Cop show was 21 Jump Street. Back then Johnny Depp was the most attractive man on the planet. Come to think of it Johnny Depp is still one of the most attractive men on the planet.

The mod squad
The streets of San Francisco
Dragnet
Adam 12
Route 66
The saint
La law.

Oh I forgot:
Diagnosis: murder
Matlock
Murder she wrote
Magnum p.I.
The Rockford files
Perry mason
Quincy m.e.
Miami vice
McMillan and wife
Mccloud
Columbo
Hart to Hart

I love Car 54, where are you!

Adam 12
Dragnet
Hawaii 5-O (Original)
Magnum PI
Rockford Files
Starsky & Hutch
Barney Miller
Columbo
Simon & Simon
Hart To Hart
21 Jump Street
The Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mysteries
Hill Street Blues
Crime Story
Perry Mason
Matlock
Murder She Wrote
Psych
Monk
Jonathan Creek
Charlie's Angels
CHiPS
In the Heat of the Night
Moonlighting
Quincy ME

YES -- ORIGINAL IS THE BEST!!

Starsky & Hutch, Jonathan Creek and Ashes to Ashes

I love Walker, Texas Ranger and The Glades. :) :) :)

God bless you always!!! :) :) :)

Holly

P.S. My most favorite cop show that is still in production is Blue Bloods. :) :) :)

Chips
Hawaii 5-0(original)
Hart To Hart
The Mod Squad
The Streets Of San Fransisco
Diagnosis: Murder
Matlock
Murder,She Wrote
NYPD, Blue
Columbo
The Rockford Files
Perry Mason
Quincy M.E.
Route 66
The Naked City

Remington Steele
The Streets of San Francisco
Cannon
The Rockford Files
Hawaii Five-O (original)
Quincy, M.E.
Columbo
21 Jump Street
The Commish
Father Dowling Mysteries
Hill Street Blues
Dragnet

Naked City (1958-1963)
Harry O
Cagney & Lacey
Richard Diamond (& Sam's gams..always wanting to see moore)
Peter Gunn
Barney Miller
Columbo
The Rockford Files
Hawaii Five-O (original)
Hawaiian Eye
Hill Street Blues
Kojak
Police Story
Spenser : For Hire
Homicide : Life on the Street
The Wire
Mannix
Mann & Machine
Honey West
The Untouchables

Across the pond..
Foyle's War
Prime Suspect (Mirren !)
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Inspector Morse & Inspector Lewis
Miss Marple (Joan Hickson)
Lord Peter Wimsey
Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett)
Poirot

Streets of San Francisco, minus Season 5. Richard Hatch is no Michael Douglas. Not even close.

Streets of San Francisco, minus Season 5. Richard Hatch is no Michael Douglas. Not even close.

That is true-- Michael Douglas was far better. However, it was Karl Malden who really made the show worth seeing, IMO; even the weakest fifth-and-final-season episode, he could invigorate, he was that good!

or pick another police/detective series......

original..fbi tv series.. B L Stryker ...starring burt reynolds...and dan august


..with burt reynolds...love watching these shows on



and highway patrol...state trooper......and whirlybirds tv series (lasted 3 yrs)

TJ Hooker

I picked Dragnet, specifically the 1967-70
version. However, my favorite cop show is
one not on this list-Adam-12(1968-75).

Matlock, The Rockford Files, Quincy, M.E., Highway Patrol, Perry Mason

Highway Patrol, Kojak, Cagney and Lacey

4got these tv series also have well written scripts and cast..guest stars ,etc

many can be seen on interent....

tv series

commish

the eddie capra mysteries ..very,very good

ellery queen show with actor jim hutton..1970s mystery....very good

sword of justice (glen a larson show ).very good

nero wolfe show with william conrad

crazy like a fox with superstar jack warden and john rubinstein and penny peyser

surfside 6

outstanding show (bought at best buy) tenspeed and brownshow with ben vereen and jeff goldbum..a stephen j cannell show (creatd and exective produce).

kingston confidential with raymond burr




hawaiian eye with very famous stars

bourbon street beat with super famous stars