The methodical examination of forensic science and the pursuit of justice found a potent voice in the NBC television series, Quincy, M.E., which aired from 1976 to 1983. Created by Glen A. Larson and Lou Shaw, the show starred Jack Klugman as Dr. R. Quincy, a brilliant, yet at times, abrasive, medical examiner for the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office. ...
NBC’s Ironside, which aired from 1967 to 1975, presented a unique twist on the police procedural. The series centers on Robert T. Ironside, a former San Francisco Police Department Chief of Detectives, portrayed with a steely resolve by Raymond Burr. After being paralyzed by a sniper’s bullet, Ironside is forced into a wheelchair, but his intellect and determination remain undiminished. ...
The 1970s TV scene was awash in procedural crime dramas, but Police Story, which aired on NBC, stood apart with its gritty realism and focus on the human side of law enforcement. Created by Joseph Wambaugh, a former Los Angeles Police Department detective, the anthology series eschewed sensationalism, instead presenting a realistic portrayal of the everyday challenges and moral quandaries ...
Airing on NBC, Emergency! presented a weekly look into the lives of paramedics and firefighters in Los Angeles County. Created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb, the show ran for six seasons, from 1972 to 1979, and focused on the professional and personal lives of the crew at Station 51. The series stood out for its realistic portrayal of ...
The sitcom Taxi transports us to the Sunshine Cab Company in New York City, where a collection of disparate personalities clock in daily. We meet Alex Reiger (Judd Hirsch), the cynical and world-weary driver, and his fellow cabbies, including the aspiring actor Bobby Wheeler (Jeff Conaway), the gentle giant John Burns (Randall Carver), the former boxer Tony Banta (Tony Danza), ...
The NBC procedural, McMillan and Wife, part of the NBC Mystery Movie series, presents a somewhat unusual take on the cop show formula, focusing on the domestic and professional life of San Francisco Police Commissioner Stewart McMillan (Rock Hudson) and his younger, socialite wife, Sally McMillan (Susan Saint James). Each week, the pair find themselves wrapped up in a murder ...
Okay, so you’ve probably never heard of “Cain’s Hundred,” and that’s a shame. This 1961-1962 crime drama, produced by NBC, is a fascinating look at organized crime from the unusual perspective of a lawyer who works within the mob rather than against it. It’s a different kind of show from its contemporaries. It presents a stark and morally ambiguous world ...
The Californians was an attempt by NBC to get in on the Western craze, albeit with a slightly more nuanced approach than the average oater. Set amidst the chaotic boomtown of San Francisco during the Gold Rush, the show initially centered on the efforts of crusading reporter Dion Patrick (Adam Kennedy) and his vigilante pal Jack McGivern (Sean McClory) as ...