Best Detective Series of the 70s
by leavey-2 | created - 27 Jan 2020 | updated - 01 Feb 2020 | PublicForensic science has changed the job of police detectives dramatically over the last 50 years. DNA phenotyping, high-tech crime scene analysis, CODIS (FBI's database of prior felons, missing persons and arrestees) and computerized forensic profiling were not available or not as advanced as today.
Fifty years ago, solving crimes was mostly based on old-fashioned police scrutiny. Which is your favorite detective series from the 1970s?
Discuss the list here
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1. Columbo (1971–2003)
TV-PG | 100 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Los Angeles homicide detective Lieutenant Columbo uses his humble ways and ingenuous demeanor to winkle out even the most well-concealed of crimes.
Stars: Peter Falk, Mike Lally, John Finnegan, Bruce Kirby
Votes: 41,884
2. Kojak (1973–1978)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in his city.
Stars: Telly Savalas, Dan Frazer, Kevin Dobson, George Savalas
Votes: 8,855
3. Starsky and Hutch (1975–1979)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Two streetwise cops bust criminals in their red-and-white Ford Gran Torino, with the help of police snitch, Huggy Bear.
Stars: David Soul, Paul Michael Glaser, Antonio Fargas, Bernie Hamilton
Votes: 10,624
4. The Streets of San Francisco (1972–1977)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A veteran cop with more than twenty years of experience is teamed with a young Inspector to solve crimes in San Francisco, California.
Stars: Karl Malden, Michael Douglas, Reuben Collins, Richard Hatch
Votes: 6,887
5. McCloud (1970–1977)
TV-PG | 120 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A New Mexico deputy marshal gets assigned to Manhattan's 27th Precinct.
Stars: Dennis Weaver, J.D. Cannon, Terry Carter, Ken Lynch
Votes: 3,759
6. 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: 10,845
7. Tatort (1970– )
TV-14 | 90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
An anthology series that follows the work of homicide detectives in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Stars: Klaus J. Behrendt, Miroslav Nemec, Udo Wachtveitl, Dietmar Bär
Votes: 3,059
8. Cannon (1971–1976)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Frank Cannon, a husky ex-cop and culinary enthusiast, solves tough cases as a private investigator.
Stars: William Conrad, Patrick Culliton, Tom Pittman, Charles Bateman
Votes: 3,606
9. 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: 2,863
10. Ellery Queen (1975–1976)
TV-PG | 100 min | Crime, Drama, Family
The son of a police detective solves baffling crimes.
Stars: Jim Hutton, David Wayne, Tom Reese, John Hillerman
Votes: 1,556
11. Derrick (1974–1998)
60 min | Crime, Drama
Detective Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick and his loyal assistant, Inspector Harry Klein, solve murder cases in Munich and surrounding areas.
Stars: Horst Tappert, Fritz Wepper, Willy Schäfer, Holger Petzold
Votes: 1,837
12. McMillan & Wife (1971–1977)
TV-PG | 120 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
San Francisco Police Commissioner Stewart "Mac" McMillan and his amateur detective wife keep their marriage unpredictable while solving the city's most baffling crimes.
Stars: Rock Hudson, John Schuck, Susan Saint James, Nancy Walker
Votes: 3,010
13. Police Woman (1974–1978)
TV-14 | 120 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Follows Sergeant "Pepper" Anderson, LAPD's top undercover cop. A member of the Criminal Conspiracy Unit, Pepper works the wild side of the street, where she poses as everything from a gangster's moll to a streetwalker to a prison inmate.
Stars: Angie Dickinson, Earl Holliman, Charles Dierkop, Ed Bernard
Votes: 2,330
14. The Professionals (1977–1983)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Bodie and Doyle, senior agents of the British intelligence service CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5), and their handler George Cowley fight terrorism and similar high-level crimes.
Stars: Gordon Jackson, Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins, Bridget Brice
Votes: 3,649
15. The Sweeney (1975–1978)
TV-PG | 51 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Jack Regan and George Carter are hard-edged detectives in the Flying Squad of London's Metropolitan Police. They pursue villains by methods which are underhanded and often illegal, frequently violent and - more often than not - successful.
Stars: John Thaw, Dennis Waterman, Garfield Morgan, John Alkin
Votes: 2,644
16. The Old Fox (1977– )
60 min | Crime, Drama
A police department led by an older, experienced detective solves crimes together.
Stars: Michael Ande, Markus Böttcher, Ulf Söhmisch, Rolf Schimpf
Votes: 768
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