View Full Version : The Forgotten History of Riptide: NBC’s Action Experiment That Burned Bright & Fast


TMC
10-21-2025, 06:56 PM
156_8zYiDT8

Riptide (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125331/http://www.jumptheshark.com/r/riptide.htm) was one of the boldest detective adventures of the 1980s, mixing friendship, fast cars, helicopters, and California sunshine into one unforgettable ride. But behind the charm and humor of three friends solving crimes from a marina, there’s a story few remember.

From its creation by Frank Lupo and Stephen J. Cannell to its rise alongside The A-Team and Magnum P.I, Riptide (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riptide_(American_TV_series)) captured everything audiences loved about the era’s action-adventure TV — and then vanished just as quickly.

What really happened behind the scenes?

Let’s find out. This is The History of Riptide (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/Riptide1984).