The public’s fascination with police work has fueled the entertainment industry for decades. From the gritty streets of Southland in Los Angeles to the Windy City’s Chicago P.D., and all the way to the Big Apple with NYPD Blue, television has consistently portrayed law enforcement in various forms. Crime was solved on The Streets of San Francisco, amidst the glitz of Miami Vice, and with the unique brand of justice delivered by Walker, Texas Ranger.
As a law enforcement professional, I find myself both enjoying and critiquing these shows. While relaxing on my couch, I often mutter, “That’s not the real world.” However, the authenticity shines through when watching COPS ride along with the Alaska State Troopers. Whether I’m switching between the dramatic realism of Hill Street Blues and the psychological profiling of The Profiler, I appreciate when criminal conduct is exposed in Dragnet because the action feels Justified.
My early aspirations were shaped by Adam 12, which inspired me to become one of The Rookies, hoping to eventually join S.W.A.T. As my career progressed, I transitioned into a suit, channeling my inner Dick Tracy. Even while interrogating suspects, much like The Closer, I often wished we could solve crimes with the speed and efficiency of CSI, regardless of the city. I found myself smiling along with Andy Griffith, laughing at the antics of Barney Miller, and waiting for T.J. Hooker to utter his famous line, “Beam me up, Scotty.” Barnaby Jones, however, was a bit harder to take seriously, as I half-expected Jethro from The Beverly Hillbillies to wander in and call him Uncle Jed.
The world of private investigators (P.I.s) also provided a certain level of amusement related to law enforcement. Charlie’s Angels captivated the attention of many teenage boys, perhaps inspiring some young women to pursue careers as real-life Police Woman, Cagney and Lacey, or even something as unconventional as The Unusuals. Magnum P.I. eventually transitioned from civilian investigations to becoming The Commish in Blue Bloods. And didn’t we also see his alter ego as Jesse Stone, the chief of police in the fictional town of Paradise, Massachusetts?
A compelling Crime Story solved by The FBI will always draw in a True Detective, while Diagnoses Murder never quite caught my attention. A few other shows, however, made me want to take a Sledge Hammer to the TV – Murder, She Wrote being one of them (my apologies to its fans). Some who carried The Shield on camera redefined what it meant to be cool, not corrupt. Without a Trace of timidity, Baretta, Kojak, and The Mod Squad displayed a confidence that made any Police Story entertaining. McCloud, along with McMillan and Wife, were fixtures on Sunday nights, but Columbo always had one more question before Law and Order was restored.
Car 54, Where Are You? was set in the Bronx, while Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a different breed of comedy altogether. Geographically, Vegas is south of Reno 911, yet northeast of the highways patrolled by CHiPs. Eclectically, Starsky and Hutch are as polar opposites as NCIS and 21 Jump Street, yet they all succeeded as True Blue thrillers. Hawaii Five-0 caught a wave in the late 60s and resurfaced again in 2010.
In real life, Moonlighting as Simon and Simon has been a strategy used by some cops to transition from sworn law enforcement to private investigative work. Others attend law school, and JAG becomes a reality. Indeed, television has taken us from LAPD: Life on the Beat to Ironside solving Major Crimes. What’s not to like about Mannix entertainment? It’s all In the Line of Duty. I’m no Matlock or Perry Mason, so I can’t defend what I’m saying aloud, although I’m on The Mentalist for trying. But if I’ve been as smooth as Matt Houston, perhaps you’ll find a place for My Subtle Soliloquy next to The Rockford Files.
Author’s Note: There are 66 television shows related to law enforcement named in this soliloquy. While TV often gets it wrong, it’s still flattering to know they value our work in their attempt to replicate it in many forms.