Columbo - Love the idea that we know whodunnit right from the start, a brilliant twist on the genre.
Murder One - Daniel Benzali as Ted Hoffman and Stanley Tucci as Richard Cross, great performances.
Ashes to Ashes - Gene Hunt, say no more.
Loads of others, like Rebus, Trial and Retribution. Messiah, Waking the Dead, Starsky & Hutch, Midsommer Murders, Cracker, plus all the Christie stories.
In my early years: Dixon of Dock Green ..........Evening All.
Hill street Blues................Victoria Hamel.............Mmmmmm
Then: The Sweeney.....................
In its early days: The Bill................
Now I cant think of any I watch religously
Got to be Rebus although the TV adaptations could never do the charactor in Ian Rankin's book justice. John Rebus is my all time hero (apart from Derek Hales that is).
My first recollection of a police drama was 'Fabian of the Yard' in the '50s, and then came 'Dixon'. But how about 'Callan', not strictly cops and robbers but close enough, I reckon and also 'Public Eye': Frank Marker was down-trodden, miserable, a loser,but with an ironic outlook on what life threw at him and it made for fascinating T.V.
The Sweeney- makes London look really seedy and everyone drinks while working.
Bergerac- he always had some saucy minx on the go and Jersey looks beautiful.
Cagney and Lacey- rounded story lines as they focused on home life problems too.
Rockford Files - I loved his dad 'Rocky' and the fact he loved his car but it kept getting smashed up.
I'll give Dexter an honourable mention and Hill Street Blues for being the first to really have in depth characters that didn't conform to their usual type.
Taggart
Cracker
Life on Mars
Magnum (not best but god I had a thing for him from a very young age even with moustache)
Columbo
Equalizer (not sure if this counts)
Comments
Murder One - Daniel Benzali as Ted Hoffman and Stanley Tucci as Richard Cross, great performances.
Ashes to Ashes - Gene Hunt, say no more.
Loads of others, like Rebus, Trial and Retribution. Messiah, Waking the Dead, Starsky & Hutch, Midsommer Murders, Cracker, plus all the Christie stories.
NYPD Blue
Also
Life
Law and Order
Beast - Not sure its out in the UK, stars Patrick Swayze
Also quite like the (New) Knight Rider (good popcorn stuff0
Prime Suspect
Murder one
.......Petrocelli (sp) now thats one from the past !
Hill street Blues................Victoria Hamel.............Mmmmmm
Then: The Sweeney.....................
In its early days: The Bill................
Now I cant think of any I watch religously
Due South
Hill Street Blues
Kojak
Starsky and Hutch
*Listen son, I haven't got time to waste on rubbish like you*
NYPD
Police Squad!
Bergerac- he always had some saucy minx on the go and Jersey looks beautiful.
Cagney and Lacey- rounded story lines as they focused on home life problems too.
Rockford Files - I loved his dad 'Rocky' and the fact he loved his car but it kept getting smashed up.
I'll give Dexter an honourable mention and Hill Street Blues for being the first to really have in depth characters that didn't conform to their usual type.
American Ironside
Other than that, Columbo rules.
Cracker
Life on Mars
Magnum (not best but god I had a thing for him from a very young age even with moustache)
Columbo
Equalizer (not sure if this counts)