Stephen J. Cannell, King of Crime TV
by yrnej | created - 05 Jul 2016 | updated - 21 Feb 2017 | PublicStarting in the 1970s, Stephen J. Cannell dominated the TV landscape by creating many hit shows, mostly in the crime genre. Which of the shows he created did you like most?
Discuss the list here
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1. Chase (1973–1974)
60 min | Crime, Drama
Adventures of an unconventional police unit led by Capt. Chase Reddick.
Stars: Mitchell Ryan, Wayne Maunder, Reid Smith, Brian Fong
Votes: 66
2. City of Angels (1976– )
60 min | Crime, Drama
Weekly adventures of hard-boiled '30s detective Jake Axminster.
Stars: Wayne Rogers, Elaine Joyce, Clifton James, Philip Sterling
Votes: 107
3. Black Sheep Squadron (1976–1978)
Not Rated | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The dramatized World War II adventures of U.S. Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington and his U.S. Marine Attack Squadron 214, (The Black Sheep Squadron).
Stars: Robert Conrad, Simon Oakland, Dana Elcar, Dirk Blocker
Votes: 3,409
4. Baretta (1975–1978)
TV-PG | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The cases of maverick undercover New York City detective Tony Baretta (Robert Blake).
Stars: Robert Blake, Tom Ewell, Edward Grover, Michael D. Roberts
Votes: 2,865
5. The Rockford Files (1974–1980)
TV-PG | 50 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The cases of an easy-going ex-convict turned private investigator.
Stars: James Garner, Noah Beery Jr., Joe Santos, Luis Delgado
Votes: 10,861
6. Tenspeed and Brown Shoe (1980)
TV-PG | Crime, Drama
A con-man and an accountant-wanna-be private eye team up to fight crime.
Stars: Ben Vereen, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Romanus, Larry Manetti
Votes: 549
7. The Rousters (1983–1984)
60 min | Adventure
Wyatt Earp III is a bouncer for a small carnival which travels from town to town. He also works as a bounty hunter to keep his family's law enforcement legacy alive.
Stars: Chad Everett, Jim Varney, Mimi Rogers, Maxine Stuart
Votes: 67
8. The Greatest American Hero (1981–1983)
TV-14 | 60 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
A teacher is asked to be a superhero using a special alien suit with powers he can barely understand or control.
Stars: William Katt, Connie Sellecca, Robert Culp, Michael Paré
Votes: 6,612
9. Hardcastle and McCormick (1983–1986)
60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A retired judge and his last defendant follow up on cases that were dismissed due to technicalities.
Stars: Brian Keith, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Joe Santos, John Hancock
Votes: 3,184
10. The Last Precinct (1986)
60 min | Comedy
The police department decides to put all their weirdos and freaks in one precinct. Among the cops there is a guy who likes to dress up like Elvis so they call him King, Mel, a sexy woman ... See full summary »
Stars: Jonathan Perpich, Ernie Hudson, Wings Hauser, Randi Brooks
Votes: 57
11. Riptide (1984–1986)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The cases of a private investigations agency run by two Vietnam War veterans and their computer geek friend from high school, armed with toughness, their own helicopter, and the third's technical ability.
Stars: Perry King, Joe Penny, Thom Bray, Jack Ging
Votes: 3,181
12. The A-Team (1983–1987)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Four Vietnam vets, framed for a crime they didn't commit, help the innocent while on the run from the military.
Stars: George Peppard, Mr. T, Dwight Schultz, Dirk Benedict
Votes: 41,780
13. Stingray (1986–1987)
TV-14 | 48 min | Action, Crime, Drama
"Ray", a man of mystery, gets people out of trouble, asking for favors in return.
Stars: Nick Mancuso, James Handy, Barbara Williams, William S. Taylor
Votes: 921
14. J.J. Starbuck (1987–1988)
60 min | Adventure
Texas billionaire J.J. Starbuck drives around the country in a 1961 Lincoln convertible, with horns on the hood, acting as a private detective solving crimes. He charms the police and ... See full summary »
Stars: Dale Robertson, Shawn Weatherly, Jimmy Dean, Ben Vereen
Votes: 76
15. Booker (1989–1990)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In this "21 Jump Street" spin-off, a rebellious young cop becomes an insurance investigator for a multinational corporation.
Stars: Richard Grieco, Marcia Strassman, Carmen Argenziano, Katie Rich
Votes: 1,011
16. Wiseguy (1987–1990)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Vincent Terranova is an agent with the Organized Crime Bureau infiltrating dangerous criminal organizations, struggling to remain true to himself while becoming close to the criminal leaders he is sworn to bring down.
Stars: Jonathan Banks, Jim Byrnes, Ken Wahl, Dwight Koss
Votes: 2,920
17. 21 Jump Street (1987–1991)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The cases of an undercover police unit composed of young-looking officers specializing in youth crime.
Stars: Johnny Depp, Dustin Nguyen, Peter DeLuise, Holly Robinson Peete
Votes: 14,076
18. Broken Badges (1990– )
60 min | Crime, Drama
Jack Bowman is a cop from New Orleans who doesn't exactly play by the rules. When he is sent to California on a brief assignment, he is wrongfully blamed for something he didn't do. To get ... See full summary »
Stars: Miguel Ferrer, Eileen Davidson, Jay Johnson, Ernie Hudson
Votes: 68
19. The Hat Squad (1992–1993)
60 min | Crime, Drama
A cop and his wife adopt three young boys whose parents were cops and/or killed in the line of duty. The three boys became The Hat Squad, part of the police department that tries to track ... See full summary »
Stars: Nestor Serrano, Billy Warlock, Don Michael Paul, James Tolkan
Votes: 179
20. Cobra (1993–1994)
60 min | Action, Adventure
When the traditional judicial system fails, there is an alternative: a special government agency that focuses on the victims.
Stars: Michael Dudikoff, Allison Hossack, James Tolkan, Keegan MacIntosh
Votes: 568
21. The Commish (1991–1996)
TV-14 | 60 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Tony Scali is the police commissioner of a city where solutions often require creativity. Tony's calmness and intellect are far more useful to him than guns or brute force in his fight against crime.
Stars: Michael Chiklis, Theresa Saldana, Kaj-Erik Eriksen, Geoffrey Nauffts
Votes: 2,535
22. Renegade (1992–1997)
TV-PG | 43 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
After crooked cop Lieutenant "Dutch" Dixon kills his girlfriend and frames him for murder, Reno Raines escapes from jail and goes on the run.
Stars: Lorenzo Lamas, Branscombe Richmond, Don LaFontaine, Kathleen Kinmont
Votes: 5,814
23. Silk Stalkings (1991–1999)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
"Cassy" St. John and Tom Ryan are the new duo in town. It is now their job to catch the killers of Palm Beach.
Stars: Rob Estes, Mitzi Kapture, Charlie Brill, Janet Gunn
Votes: 3,209
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