Okay, go time. Favorite Detective or Cop Mystery show of the 1980s

[SouthtownKid]

Series that began sometime in the period from 1980 to 1989. I had to include that limiter or Rockford Files would mess me up and I'd have a tough time choosing. And I'm specifically talking about mystery shows, not procedurals or ongoing drama series like Hill Street Blues. I mean shows where you go in, there is a main character, and within each hour-long episode, the character solves a mystery.

For me, it's Magnum P.I., which I have been watching a shitload of lately. Great show with a great supporting cast. I remember being left dumbfounded by the original series finale.

I like a lot of the others, like Remington Steele, Moonlighting, and Spenser, but Magnum takes it, imo. In fact, I think Magnum may be the quintessential '80s show in general.

 

[Cylotron]

Don's Johnson?

 

[Takumaji]

Series that began sometime in the period from 1980 to 1989. I had to include that limiter or Rockford Files would mess me up and I'd have a tough time choosing.

Rockford was my fave in the old days. Listening to the title music alone makes me feel good.

Ah well, this is a very tough poll... Magnum is always a good choice, like the show a lot and also bought some DVDs from various seasons over the years so it's in my top-5. IMO it aged better than Mike Hammer, used to watch the show on a regular basis when it was new but somehow the magic is gone.

I also liked Hardcastle & McCormick and Sledge Hammer! but of course the latter is not really a detective/cop mystery show.

Can't decide...

EDIT:

What about The Fall Guy and Riptide?

 

[ratson]

Magnum P.I. is always the first thing that comes to mind when the 80's are mentioned in general to me.
So yeah, Magnum all the way. I did like Moonlighting and Mike Hammer but like Tak already mentioned Mike Hammer lost it's magic.

 

[WoodyXP]

That's a tough one. I voted 'Hunter'. I really enjoyed shows like Magnum and Miami Vice, but Hunter offered the change of pace I needed. It was a little more down to earth and unpredictable.

 

[Yodd]

Magnum P.I. is the correct answer.

 

[Late]

Miami Vice by a long shot, Sonny Crockett is a man with a capital M

 

[NeoSneth]

Ummm... where is Murder She Wrote?

wtf kinda poll is this...!

 

[Lagduf]

I wanted to say Columbo but realized that a.) it doesn't really count as a standard tv show and b.) it's actually a 70's (it returned on air in '89.)

 

[Yodd]

Ummm... where is Murder She Wrote?

You mean "Murder, She Hoped"

 

[Ninjatemper]

Equalizer was fantastic. They should remake that series with more grit. More lightheartedly, I liked Columbo a lot too. That dopey bastard was crazy like a fox.

 

[Michael Yagami]

Here's another vote for Hunter.

Fred Dryer is terribly underrated when it comes to '80s cred.

 

[AppleiDog]

police squad: in color

 

[SouthtownKid]

Ummm... where is Murder She Wrote?

It's in "Other."

Fall Guy, I almost included. And Equalizer almost didn't make the cut. Both of those shows are right on the borderline of what kind of show I'm talking about. Equalizer is almost more of a problem-solver than a mystery-solver. And then beyond that show, you start to get into Knight Rider/A-Team territory.

But yeah, Murder She wrote definitely qualifies. It even crossed over with Magnum once. I didn't bother to include it because I've never watched it and I figured it wouldn't get too many votes here anyway, due to my mistaken impression that no one here was a senior citizen woman.

I love Columbo, but yeah, that's from the '70s and the show was kind of a different format anyway. Those were more like 2-hour tv movies. But I never get tired of that formula. You spend the first 15 minutes watching the murder being committed, the murderer almost not pulling it off (to the point you kind of end up rooting for them), then Columbo shows up, immediately identifies the murderer within the first 30 seconds of meeting him/her, then spends the remaining hour-and-a-half just fucking with the murderer until they can't take it anymore and either mess up or confess.

But I'd love to see what happens after a Columbo episode ends. I figure maybe 2% of his arrests actually lead to convictions, thanks to the ridiculous way he either gains evidence or gets a confession. The episodes are always fun, but I can always imagine a first year law student making swiss cheese out of the cases Columbo builds.

 

[evil wasabi]

 

[Poonman]

Hunter and Night Court were the only shows I remembered as a baby.

Also remember those cottonelle toilet paper commercials with the white persian cats from around the same time....pretty effective advertising now that I think about it.

 

[Hot Chocolate]

Spencer For Hire and this is the main reason this got play with my family

"Smooth as ice and will blow your soul into the next century with that strap"

 

[SouthtownKid]

I'm glad Spenser finally got a vote. I loved that show, which introduced me to the books, which I love even more. When I read the novels, in my mind, Spenser looks like an amalgam of Urich and RB Parker himself, and Susan, Frank, and Quirk look like no one in particular, but Hawk always looks like Avery Brooks.

 

[complexz]

equalizer, I was born in the early 80's so I wasn't interested in cop shows for another like 10 years, but at some point in the 90's I got really into watching reruns of the equalizer on A&E I think. I don't actually remember alot of the show beyond enjoying it.

 

[Opethian]

 

[SouthtownKid]

And I have to admit part of the reason for creating this thread was my curiosity about which show Merc would choose between Hunter, Equalizer, and Mike Hammer.

 

[Late]

"Freeze, dirtbag!"

 

[BigTinz]

Fav 80s is definitely Miami Vice. Darren McGavin's "Mike Hammer" from the mid 50s is fantastic but I really don't like the 80s version. Stacey Keach was in those I think.

 

[Hot Chocolate]

I'm glad Spenser finally got a vote. I loved that show, which introduced me to the books, which I love even more. When I read the novels, in my mind, Spenser looks like an amalgam of Urich and RB Parker himself, and Susan, Frank, and Quirk look like no one in particular, but Hawk always looks like Avery Brooks.

It blew my mind when I found out it was a book series, I think the lady at the counter at the library wondered why I kept having these books come in

And I have to admit part of the reason for creating this thread was my curiosity about which show Merc would choose between Hunter, Equalizer, and Mike Hammer.

That's gonna be interesting

 

[Hidden Character]

Definitely gotta vote for Miami Vice, even though Hunter is a close 2nd in my heart.