Perry Mason
(1957-66)

Perry Mason were originally popular novels as well as a TV series. Perry Mason is an attorney who specializes in defending seemingly indefensible cases. With the aid of his secretary Della Street and investigator Paul Drake, he often finds that by digging deeply into the facts, startling facts can be revealed. Often relying on his outstanding courtroom skills, he often tricks or traps people into unwittingly admitting their guilt. Perry Mason was played by Raymond Burr (of TV's "Ironside") and the show had numerous TV-movie reunion's as well as a short-lived series "The New Perry Mason" in 1973 starring Monte Markham.

77 Sunset Strip
(1958-64)

Stu Bailey (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) and Jeff Spencer (Roger Smith) were the wisecracking, womanizing private detective heroes of this Warner Brothers drama. Stu and Jeff worked out of an office located at 77 Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, right next door to a snazzy restaurant where Kookie (played by former heartthrob Edd Byrnes) worked as a valet. The finger-snapping, slang-talking Kookie occasionally helped Stu and Jeff with their cases, and eventually became a full-fledged member of the detective agency. Rex Randolph (Richard Long) and J.R. Hale (Robert Logan) also joined the firm, and Suzanne (Jaqueline Beer) was their leggy secretary.

Mission: Impossible
(1966-73)

A very popular TV series with Jim Phelps is the head of a super-secret government agency ("Impossible Missions"), and is often given secret anonymous covert missions to attempt; quite often they are unmasking of criminals or the rescuing of hostages. He picks his team depending on which tasks need to be done. One thing is vital on an Impossible Mission: the mission must be carried out in entire secrecy, often relying on high-tech equipment and elaborate deceptions. In 1988 a new TV series developed as well as some motion pictures starring Tom Cruise.

Hawaii Five-O
(1968-80)

A very successful long-running TV series with Five-O was a special state police unit answering only to the Governor of Hawaii. It worked with Honolulu police to fight the underworld in the island state. Sooner or later virtually all the badguys heard Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) grunt "Book 'em, Danno!" though chief badguy Wo Fat (Khigh Dhiegh) was caught after James MacArthur left the series.

The Streets of San Francisco
(1972-77)

A pair of plainclothes homicide detectives, Lt. Mike Stone (Karl Malden) and Inspector Steve Keller (future movie star Michael Douglas), cruise the streets of San Francisco solving a variety of crimes, usually involving murder. Stone is the street-smart 20-year veteran cop, and Keller is the college-educated rookie. Much of the series' success was due to the friendly by-play and relationship between the two leads. It could be similar to the Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mysteries except the cast is older and towards an older audience. Cast also featured Richard Hatch (of TV's "Battlestar Galactica") and Darleen Carr.

Kojak
(1973-78)

Lt. Theo Kojak (telly SAVALAS) is the main character in this popular television police drama. Kojak is a tough cop, but his trademark is a fondness for lollipops. Despite his difficult work, he tirelessly brings criminals to justice while staying upbeat and good-natured.

Shaft
(1973-74)

Based on the blaxploitation films with Richard Roundtree playing the role as the sleazy tough cop John Shaft like he did in the films, but unfortunately popular films don't necessarily make popular TV shows. John Shaft of course tries to save innocent women from rapists and muggers. The show was geared more toward an adult audience and the theme song was a chart topping hit.

The Six Million Dollar Man
(1974-78)

The Six Million Dollar Man, originally a TV movie called "Cyborg" based on a popular novel. Air Force Colonel Steve Austin (TV star Lee Majors), an astronaut who had walked on the moon, is almost fatally injured in a plane crash. Many of his damaged parts are replaced by experimental bionic limbs, including his right arm, his left eye, and both legs and was going to be crippled for life and barely alive but by an agent the name of Oscar Goldwyn (Richard Anderson) they turn him into the world's very first bionic cyborg which gives him bionic superpowers . To pay the U.S. Government back the $6,000,000 it cost to rebuild him, Austin goes to work for the Office of Scientific Investigation as an agent, investigating foreign spies, mad scientists, bombers, space aliens, and even Bigfoot.

The Bionic Woman
(1976-78)

A spin off from the Six million Dollar Man as Steve Austin's fiance Jaime Sommers (Lyndsey Wagner) crashes in a parachute accident and is crippled and partially deaf from it and Oscar does the same for her which started the series "The Bionic Woman" and Oscar becomes her agent as well. Then there's Andy Sheffield (Vincent Van Patten) who becomes bionic on the movie of the week "The Bionic Boy" and there's also Jamie's companion the Bionic Dog Max as well as many TV-movies and reunions. The recent one was the awful "Bionic Ever After?" where in the end of the film Steve and Jaime get married. Like "Knight Rider" these two shows were filmed at Universal City Studios as well.

Police Woman
(1974-78)

Movie and TV star Angie Dickinson plays a tough and sexy police woman named Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson trying to save the justice from evil criminals. Sometimes the criminals even got away (which almost never happened on TV back then!).

The Rockford Files
(1974-80)

One of the most watch shows and was also filmed at Universal City Studios. Jim Rockford (James Garner) is a private investigator is this television serial. The cases he takes usually turn out to be more difficult and dangerous than he initially imagines, and he often ends up in situations over his head. Occasionally, his father shows up to help him out. There were also many TV-movies and reunions of this show.

S.W.A.T.
(1975-76)

This short-lived series features the missions of the Los Angeles Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics team similar stuff that was used in Kinght Rider but only this show had no sci-fi stuff in it. They are a team of highly trained and heavily armed police officers who's purpose is to make coordinated assaults on armed and dangerous criminals in sensitive situations and defensible locations. The theme song became a major hit.

Starsky & Hutch
(1975-79)

There's a blonde hair detective played by hearthrob David Soul (Of TV's "Here Come the Brides") as Ken Hutchinson and darker haired Paul Michael Glaser as Dave Starsky. They were a pair of undercover detectives that bust criminals in their red-and-white Ford Torino with the help of police snitch Huggy Bear (Antonio Fargas). A show geared for all ages.

Charlie's Angels
(1976-81)

An excellent show! The story centers around a trio of beautiful women detectives with Charlie (voice of John Forsythe) as their agent, but however he only talks to them on a speaker phone telling them their mission and they never find out what Charlie looks like. They have an assistant detective by the name of John Bosley (David Doyle) helping them arrest the bad guys. Many actresses have starred in the show like Farrah Fawcett (Extremities), Kate Jackson (Of TV's "Scarecrow & Mrs. King"), Jacklyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd (Poison Ivy), Shelley Hack (The Stepfather), Tanya Roberts (Of TV's "That 70's Show") and others! There was also a motion picture spoof of the show by the same name.

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries
(1977-79)

Of course who couldn't forget this show? It was by the same makers as "Knight Rider" with similar plots and geared towards the same age viewers and of course filmed at Universal City Studios. Originally based on popular young adult novels created by Franklin W. Dixon and Carolyn Keene. The show alternated it was either "The Hardy Boys" or "Nancy Drew" every Sunday night at 7:00 pm and sometimes they joined forces. All are young detectives who try to get into their fathers files to help solve the unsolved mysteries which the plots include holograms, missing vehicles, bikers, panthers, sharks, hit and run incidents, time bombs, haunted mansions, kidnapping and UFO's. The show starred former rock idol Shaun Cassidy as Joe Hardy, Parker Stevenson (of TV's "Baywatch") as Frank Hardy and Pamela Sue Martin (of TV's "Dynasty") as Nancy Drew. Semi-regular cast includes Edmund Gilbert (Who does the voice intro for "Knight Rider" as well as doing voice over's for animated shows) as Fenton Hardy and William Schallert (Of TV's "The Patty Duke Show) as Carson Drew. During the third season it was just titled to The Hardy Boys and they tried to gear it towards an older audience but lost many of their viewers and then the plug was pulled on it for good.

C.H.i.P.s.
(1977-83)

"CHiPS," which stood for California Highway Patrol, followed the daily beats of two state motorcycle patrolmen as they patrolled the freeway system in and around Los Angeles. Officer Jon Baker was (Larry Wilcox) the straight, serious officer while Frank "Ponch" Poncherello (Played by heartthrob Erik Estrada) was the more free- wheeling member of the duo; both reported to Sgt. Joe Getraer (Robert Pine), who gave out assignments and advice in handling the cases. Each episode saw a compilation of incidents, ranging from the humorous (e.g., a stranded motorist) to criminal investigations (such as hijackings) and tragic incidents (such as a fiery multi-car pile-up with multiple deaths. Other aspects of Ponch and Jon's daily work were highlighted as well; the social lives of both officers (they were both single) often provided the lighter moments. On occassion, Ponch and Jon were assisted by a female "Chippie" at first, the very beautiful Sindy Cahill (Brianne Leary); and later, the more wholesome Bonnie Clark (Randi Oakes). In 1982, Ponch got a new partner, Bobby Nelson (Tom Reilly, series star Wilcox left the show that year), while Nelson's younger brother, Bruce (Bruce Penhall), was a trainee on the force. By now, the female "Chippie" was the attractive Kathy Lindahan (Tina Gayle).

Hart to Hart
(1979-84)

Jonathan Hart (Jack Wagner) was a self-made millionaire--the CEO of Hart Industries, a global conglomerate. His gorgeous wife Jennifer (Stefanie Powers) was a freelance journalist. They were both amateur sleuths, and in every episode found themselves up to their eyeballs in murder, smuggling, theft and international espionage. They also managed to find time to snuggle together, as they loved eachother very much. Max (Lionel Stander) was their loyal, gravelly-voiced butler, cook & chauffeur, and Freeway their pet canine. There were numerous TV-movies and reunions on this TV classic!

Magnum P.I.
(1980-88)

Magnum P.I. was an American television show that followed the adventures of private investigator Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV (Tom Selleck) and his three close friends, Theodore "T.C." Calvin (Roger E. Mosley), a small business owner and helicopter pilot, Orville "Rick" Wright (Larry Manetti), a club manager with underworld contacts, and Jonathon Quayle Higgins III (John Hillerman), an ex-British military officer and majordomo of a lavish estate (whose owner is never seen), as they live their lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.

The show was shot on location in Hawaii (mostly Oahu). The indoor set scenes were filmed at Hawaii Film Studio (also known as "Five-O Stage"), in the shadow of Diamond Head.

Magnum P.I. aired on CBS for eight seasons from December 1980 to May 1988 and produced 162 syndicated episodes (148 one-hour episodes, 7 two-hour episodes). For the first six seasons, it aired on Thursdays at 8:00PM. During the last two seasons, it jumped around to five different time slots. It was ranked in the Top 20 (Nielsen) for its first five seasons, reaching a high of #3 during its third season. After its original run, the show found much success in syndication markets all over the world, particularly in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Spain and Italy where it has almost never gone off the air. In 2004, Universal Studios Home Entertainment released the The Complete First Season DVD. As of late 2006, the first five seasons have been released on DVD. The last three seasons will be released in 2007 and early 2008. For an older show, the DVD's have sold very well and has spurred a revival of interest in the show.

During its run, it won 7 awards (2 Emmys, 2 Golden Globes) and recieved 39 nominations (17 Emmys, 13 Golden Globes) total. Tom Selleck and John Hillerman both won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for their acting. The full list of awards and nominations can be seen here. It is also one of only a small number of TV shows, voted by an overwhelming majority, to have never "jumped the shark", according to the definitive source on the subject, jumptheshark.com.

Set in the cultural melting pot of 1980s Oahu, Magnum P.I. was primarily a character-driven show about friendship which managed to successfully blend together action, drama, comedy and mystery elements, often incorporating all four in the same episode. The show was also groundbreaking in its use of unconventional storytelling devices, such as retrospective, "fantasy" (dream sequence episodes), cross-overs with other TV shows (Simon & Simon and Murder, She Wrote) and breaking the fourth wall (by Magnum looking or smiling at the camera), which were seldom used in TV at the time.

The show moved beyond the simpler "who-done-it" plot lines of the traditional hard-boiled detective series and focused on building complex characterizations through a cumulative text. Most episodes were "stand alone" and could be viewed without understanding previous plots, but previous events would continually pop up in dialog creating a rich, comprehensive layer to the show. Backstories were also an important element of the show, often developed slowly as the series unfolded and with excellent attention to detail.

The Vietnam War was an important recurring theme in the show. Magnum, T.C. and Rick were all Vietnam Veterans. The show featured many flashback scenes to the war and dealt with many of the issues Vietnam Vets faced post-war. The show is unique in its positive portrayal of the American Vietnam Vet - indeed, it was the first show to take this stance. All three characters are upstanding citizens with laudable character traits, who look back on their military careers with pride, and seek no one's sympathy.

Typical of its time and genre, testosterone-fuled, suspension of disbelief action scenes were an important element to the show - car chases, chopper chases, explosions, fisticuffs (with little blood), they were all there. You could usually count on one or two of these type of action scenes in any one episode. And the good guys didn't always win.

Interesting guest stars and fun, well done recurring characters were also a defining characteristic of the show. Some of the more famous guest stars to grace the show were Frank Sinatra, Angela Lansbury, Carol Burnett (twice), Sharon Stone, Cesar Romero, Ernest Borgnine, Jose Ferrer and Ted Danson, among many others. Of the major recurring characters, there was the affable English socialite Agatha Chumley, the quirky, baseball-loving police detective Yoshi Tanaka, the good-natured A.D.A. Carol Baldwin, the doughnut-munching Navy officer Mac MacReynolds, the con-man who looks exactly like Mac, Jim Bonnick, the old-school, 1950's-type Private Eye Luther H. Gillis, and "Icepick" the underworld boss. A great mix of characters.

The show was also famous for its many iconic images, which will forever be assoiciated with it. The red Ferrari 308 GTS, the Hawaiian shirts, the sprawling oceanside estate known as Robin's Nest, T.C.'s multi-colored helicopter, the team ring, and Magnum's mustache and baseball caps. The red parrot Hawaiian shirt, the Detroit Tigers baseball cap and the team ring are even enshrined in the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C..

But without question the heart and soul of the show lies with the two central characters, Thomas Magnum and Jonathan Higgins, and their evolving relationship. Higgins is a deceivingly complex character with a richly detailed personal history. Higgins' fascinating past, revealed slowly through "boring" orations, was one of the highlights of the show. Magnum, at the urging of Selleck, is a refreshingly fallible, self-effacing, sentimental, non-macho protagonist. Sure, he is a hunk of epic magnitude, but he doesn't always get the girl, he often screws something up, and he owes everybody money. And yet is also extremely likable, for both men and woman. He possesses high morals, is extremely loyal to his friends, has a good sense of humor and will bend over backwards to help people in need. Despite the differences in personality, age and background, and the neverending, lighthearted arguments and bickering, Magnum and Higgins develop a strong, unique friendship. Higgins, in a way, acts a quasi father figure to Magnum (who lost his real father when he was five). A large majority of the most memorable scenes from the show involve Magnum and Higgins together. Selleck and Hillerman are both superb in bringing these most interesting characters to life.

The show is a heartwarming classic and will probably never go off the air! Viva Magnum!

Simon & Simon
(1981-88)

This show has alot in common with "The Hardy Boys Mysteries" as it has two brothers named A.J. and Rick Simon who own a private detective agency in San Diego. A.J. Simon (Jameson Parker) is a polished fellow with a taste for classic cars and tailored suits. Rick Simon (Gerald McRaney) is his less refined (but still pleasant) older brother who has a taste for cowboy boots and four-wheel drive pickups. The series chronicles their exploits.

Miami Vice
(1984-89)

This show was filmed in Miami's Universal City Studio's. The story is about two detectives by the name's of stubble faced James "Sonny" Crockett (Don Johnson) that lived in a sailboat guarded by his alligator Elvis. His partner Ricardo Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) was a black New York cop looking for his brother's killer. Together they took on the Florida drug world. The show influenced men's fashions toward Italo-casual and interior decor toward the Memphis look. Very trendy music and unusual guest performers. Very similar to "Starsky & Hutch"

Airwolf
(1984-87)

Another series at Universal City Studios that grabbed the same viewers as it did with "Knight Rider" the story centers around a deal for with a intelligence agency to look for his missing brother, a renegade pilot goes on missions with an advanced battle helicopter. Cast features B-film star Jan-Michael Vincent ("Buster & Billie") as Stringfellow Hawke. After the series ended they tried to revive it in 1987 with a different story but the series was short-lived.

Moonlighting
(1985-89)

Sort of like a James Bond show with tongue-in-cheek. This started the career of future movie stars Bruce Willis ("Pulp Fiction") and Cybill Shepherd ("The Lost Word") . The story takes place as a top model Maddie Hayes (Shepherd) was betrayed by her investment adviser who flew with all her money to South-America and began the hard life of a Casino owner. All the unfaithful manager has left Maddie is her house, her unbelievable beauty and intelligence and the run-down detective-agency "City Angels" (renamed by Maddie into "Blue Moon"). Because of her lack of money, she wants to sell the agency, but the houses only detective David Addison (Willis) tries to convince her to join the agency as the new boss. So Maddie Hayes becomes involved in the work of a real private detective, which means so hard work as to spy upon unfaithful husbands, find missing people or murderers, foil attempts on VIP's lives, stop killers, help lovers and by the way save the world`s peace and existence. While doing this Maddie and David try to get used to each other and this way they recognize their complete difference in life-style, humour, amusement and of course in the way how to run a detective agency. Maybe this is why they always seem to us as the perfect couple. Will they become lovers or not? The real thrill of the series you get, hearing the fantastic confusing, charming, frightening and senseless dialogues, seeing Maddie Hayes` eyes and David Addison`s smile. Real cracks will be really amazed by Miss Dipesto`s rhymes to the telephone.

High Tide
(1994-97)

A show of two ex-detectives by the names of Mick and Joey Barrett (Played by former heartthrob rock idol Rick Springfield and Canadian actor Yannick Bisson) who like to spend their times surfing. However, it doesn't pay the bills, so they offer their services to whoever needs it and occasionally get involved with all sort of adventures. In the first season, they worked primarily for Gordon (George Segal), a man who used to work for the government and who's the godfather to the daughters of numerous important individuals. So occasionally, one of his god-daughters is in trouble, or someone he knew from days of government service needs something done, so he sends Mick and Joey to help them and he occasionally leaves a detail which usually involve danger, because of this they are reluctant to do the job most of the time but in the end they always do the job. In the second season, they own a surf shop in Santa Monica, and they run into people who need help or someone they know needs their help. During the third season, they closed their surf shop and were offered a job by an old friend of Mick's, who's a bail-bondsman in Ventura, who needs someone to find his skips. He also introduces them to a woman who's the widow of a senator, who lets them stay in her guest house for free in exchange for occasionally helping one of her friends who needs help. A cheesy show, but alot of fun to watch!