If Rockford epitomizes the classy anti-hero of the 70s, and Magnum epitomizes the casual/slacker hero of the 80s, what of the 90s and 2000s? Any suggestions (and hopefully available on Netflix)?
Suggestions don't have to involve the PI genre, but preferably not in the cop show genre.
TV PIs by decade - Request for suggestions!
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- MagnumsGMTMaster
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TV PIs by decade - Request for suggestions!
Last edited by MagnumsGMTMaster on Sat Jan 03, 2015 6:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Little Garwood
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Re: TV PIs by decade
I would add Joe Mannix as the detective of the "Silent Majority" during the tumultuous late Sixties-early Seventies, as he imo reflected their beliefs, concerns, and represented the way the "Greatest Generation" would hope to be.
I've said before--and only partially in jest--that if the founder of this website had been about ten years older than he actually was, this site might have been called "Mannix-Mania."
I've said before--and only partially in jest--that if the founder of this website had been about ten years older than he actually was, this site might have been called "Mannix-Mania."
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Re: TV PIs by decade - Request for suggestions!
Hercule Poirot? Aside from Agatha Christie's sleuth, no one else really jumps out from the 90s . . . which I'm sure says something about the decade, I'm just not sure what.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPTmsykLQ04
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPTmsykLQ04
Re: TV PIs by decade - Request for suggestions!
It tells me that's when TV started going downhill (and just about everything else in the world).ConchRepublican wrote:
no one else really jumps out from the 90s . . . which I'm sure says something about the decade, I'm just not sure what.
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Re: TV PIs by decade - Request for suggestions!
The only TV detective show that I can even remember from the 90s was Land's End from 1995 starring Fred Dryer, Geoffrey Lewis, Tim Thomerson and Pamela Bowen. It lasted 20-some episodes, was set in Cabo San Lucas and was equal parts drama and comedy. I loved it. And then poof. It was gone. You can't even find it on DVD or much about it online really. I've always hoped they would release it on a special DVD set like they did Tales of the Gold Monkey. But that seems unlikely as it was shown at midnight on some obscure channel. It probably never got noticed much less a chance at a following.
Here's the intro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d24BFzLzkdo
Here's the intro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d24BFzLzkdo
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Re: TV PIs by decade
It very well may have! Love Mannix!Little Garwood wrote:I would add Joe Mannix as the detective of the "Silent Majority" during the tumultuous late Sixties-early Seventies, as he imo reflected their beliefs, concerns, and represented the way the "Greatest Generation" would hope to be.
I've said before--and only partially in jest--that if the founder of this website had been about ten years older than he actually was, this site might have been called "Mannix-Mania."

Adrian Monk for the 00's.
90's I have no idea. Eric T. Duckman, perhaps?
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- MagnumILWU
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Re: TV PIs by decade - Request for suggestions!
In the late 90's there was a short lived show called, Buddy Faro! It stared Dennis Farina. Mike Hammer, Private Eye in 1997. Veronica Mars in the early 2000's!
Last edited by MagnumILWU on Sat Jan 10, 2015 8:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"pickled egg please"
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Re: TV PIs by decade
In 1968, there was also a show called, The Outsider, with Darren McGavin. It didn't last long, but it was the precursor to The Rockford Files! A down on his luck PI, who had spent time in prison, on a false charge, and was pardoned. Didn't make much money, got beat-up a lot,but was a good investigator.Little Garwood wrote:I would add Joe Mannix as the detective of the "Silent Majority" during the tumultuous late Sixties-early Seventies, as he imo reflected their beliefs, concerns, and represented the way the "Greatest Generation" would hope to be.
I've said before--and only partially in jest--that if the founder of this website had been about ten years older than he actually was, this site might have been called "Mannix-Mania."
"pickled egg please"
Re: TV PIs by decade - Request for suggestions!
I believe the final straw for me in how far the genre fell in the 90's was a TV Mike Hammer film I saw maybe 10 minutes of.MHTR wrote:It tells me that's when TV started going downhill (and just about everything else in the world).ConchRepublican wrote:
no one else really jumps out from the 90s . . . which I'm sure says something about the decade, I'm just not sure what.
I was flipping through channels and saw it and thought, naturally of the Stacy Keach incarnation.
nope.
Some really young guy, might have been Rob Estes, come to think of it, dressed like Magnum and working in Miami Beach rather then NYC. and Pat Chambers was a creepy mannish woman.
And no, didn't bother remembering the title, sorry.