Television/Chronological

The TV Timeline

“There has never been a shortage of private eyes on television. Although it seems like every permutation imaginable has been tried as a series, there have been some too strange even by network standards.”
— Lee Goldberg (1992)

“Seeing a murder on television can help work off one’s antagonisms. And if you haven’t any antagonisms, the commercials will give you some.”
— Alfred Hitchcock

SEE ALSO:

TV EYES: THE MADE-FOR-THE-TV MOVIES

TV SERIES in ALPHABETICAL ORDER

1949

U.S.
Man Against Crime (1949-54, CBS/Dumont)
Private Eye (1949-53, NBC; aka “Martin Kane, Private Eye”)
Stand By For Crime (1949)

1950

U.S.
The Affairs of Charlie Wild, Private Detective (1950-52, CBS/ABC/DuMont; aka “Charlie Wild, Private Detective”)
Detective’s Wife (1950, CBS)

1951

U.S.
The Amazing Mr. Malone (1951-52, ABC)
Boston Blackie (1951-53, U.S. Syndicated)
Casey, Crime Photographer (1951-52, CBS; aka “Crime Photographer”)
Mark Saber (1951-54, ABC; aka “Mark Saber Mystery Theater,” “Mystery Theater,” “Inspector Mark Saber-Homicide Squad,” “Homicide Squad”)
U.K.
The Inch Man (1951-52, BBC)

1952

U.S.
The Cases of Eddie Drake (1952, U.S. syndicated)
China Smith (1952, syndicated)
Dante’s Inferno (1952-56, CBS)
The Files of Jeffrey Jones (1952, U.S. syndicated)
Hollywood Offbeat (1952-53, DuMont)
Craig Kennedy, Criminologist (1953, syndicated)

1954

U.S.
Climax! (1954-58, CBS)
The Lone Wolf (1954, U.S. Syndicated)
The Mask (1954, ABC; the first hour-long mystery show with recurring characters)
The New Adventures of China Smith (1954-56, syndicated)

1955

U.S.
The Adventures of The Falcon (1955, syndicated; aka “The Falcon”)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-62, CBS/NBC)
Mark Saber (1955-57, ABC; aka “The Vise”)

1956

Man Against Crime (1956, CBS/NBC)

1957

U.S.
The George Sanders Mystery Theater (1957, NBC)
Have Gun, Will Travel (1957-63, CBS)
Meet McGraw (1957-58, NBC)
Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer (1957-60, U.S. Syndicated)
The New Adventures of Martin Kane (1957-58, ITV/syndicated)
Perry Mason (1957-1966, CBS)
Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957-59, CBS)
Saber of London (1957-60, NBC; syndicated in the U.S. as “Detective’s Diary”)
Tales Of Wells Fargo (1957-62, NBC)
The Thin Man (1957-59, NBC)
U.K.
Saber of London (1957-60, ITV)
Shadow Squad (1957-1959, ITV)

1958

U.S.
77 Sunset Strip (1958-64, ABC)
Cool and Lam (1958, CBS)
Kraft Mystery Theatre (1958-63, NBC)
Man With a Camera (1958-60, ABC)
Peter Gunn (1958-61, NBC/ABC)
Pursuit (1958-59, CBS)
The Investigator (1958, NBC)
Suspicion (1957-58, NBC)
U.K.
Private Investigator (1958-59, BBC)

1959

U.S.
Bourbon Street Beat (1959-60, ABC)
The D.A’s Man (1959, NBC)
Hawaiian Eye (1959-1963, ABC)
The Man from Blackhawk (1959-60, ABC)
Markham (1959-60, CBS)
Mr. Lucky (1959-60, CBS)
Philip Marlowe (1959-60, ABC)
Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1959-60, NBC)
Snooper and Blabber (1959-62, syndicated)
Staccato (1959-60, NBC/ABC; aka “Johnny Staccato”)
Shotgun Slade (1959-1961, U.S. Syndicated)
21 Beacon Street (1959-60, NBC/ABC)
U.K.
Dick and the Duchess (1959-60, ITV)
International Detective (1959-61, ITV)

1960

U.S.
The Brothers Brannagan (1960, U.S. Syndicated)
Checkmate (1960-62, CBS)
Coronado 9 (1960, Revue Studios [syndicated])
Dante (1960-61, NBC )
Hong Kong! (1960-61, ABC)
Johnny Midnight (1960, U.S. Syndicated)
Michael Shayne (1960-61, NBC)
Surfside Six (1960-1962, ABC)
U.K.
The Cheaters (1960-62, ITV)
Francis Storm Investigates (1960, ITV)

1961

U.S.
Acapulco (1961, NBC)
The Case of the Dangerous Robin (1961)
The Dick Powell Show (1961-63, NBC; “The Dick Powell Theatre,” “The Dick Powell Reynolds Aluminum Show”)
Follow The Sun (1961)
The Investigators (1961, CBS)
King of Diamonds (1961, syndicated)
Miami Undercover (1961, syndicated)
Shannon (1961, syndicated)
Whispering Smith (1961, NBC)
U.K.
Jango (1961, ITV)
GERMANY
Zu viele köche (1961, NWRV-Hamburg)

1962

U.S.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962-65, NBC)
Kokonut, Private Eye (1962)
U.K.
Zero One (1962-64, BBC)
The Odd Man (1962-63, ITV)
The Third Man (1962)
Glynis (1962)

1963

Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963-65, NBC)

1964

U.S.
Miss Adventure (1964, ITV)
Mr. Broadway (1964)

1965

U.S.
Honey West (1965-66, ABC)
U.K.
Public Eye (1965-68, ITV)

1966

U.S.
T.H.E. Cat (1966-67, NBC)
U.K.
The Corridor People (1966, ITV)
Take a Pair of Private Eyes (1966, BBC2)

1967

U.S.
Mannix (1967-75, CBS)
U.K.
Man in a Suitcase (1967-68, ITV)

1968

U.S.
The Outsider (1968-69, NBC)
My Friend Tony (1969, NBC)
U.K.
My Partner the Ghost (1969-70, ITC)
Paul Temple (1968, BBC)

1969

U.K.
Paul Temple (1969-71, BBC1)
Public Eye (1969-75, ITV)
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (1969-71)
ITALY
Nero Wolfe (1969, RAI)

1970

U.S.
The Most Deadly Game (1970-71, ABC)

1971

U.S.
Bearcats! (1971, CBS)
Cannon (1971-1976, CBS)
Longstreet (1971-1972, ABC)
The NBC Mystery Movie (1971-77, NBC)
U.K.
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971-73, ITV)
The View From Daniel Pike (1971-73, BBC)

1972

U.S.
Banacek (1972-74, NBC)
Banyon (1972-1973, NBC)
Cool Million (1972, NBC)
Jigsaw (1972-73, ABC)
Search (1972-73, NBC)
U.K.
The Protectors (1972-74, ITV)

1973

U.S.
Barnaby Jones (1973-1980, CBS)
Faraday and Company (1973-74, NBC)
Griff (1973-74, ABC)
Hagen (1973-1974, ABC)
Inch High, Private Eye (1973-74, NBC; cartoon)
The New Adventures of Perry Mason (1973-1974, CBS)
Shaft (1973-1974, CBS)
Tenafly (1973-74, NBC)

1974

U.S.
Harry O (1974-76, ABC)
The Manhunter (1974-75, CBS)
The Nightstalker (1974-75, ABC; aka “Kolchak: The Nightstalker”)
The Rockford Files (1974-80, NBC)

1975

U.S.
Archer (1975, NBC)
Khan (1975, CBS)
Matt Helm (1975-76, ABC)
Switch (1975-1978, CBS)

1976

U.S.
Charlie’s Angels (1976-1981, ABC)
City of Angels (1976, NBC)

1978

U.S.
The Eddie Capra Musteries (1978-79, NBC)
Richie Brockelmann, Private Eye (1978, NBC)
Vega$ (1978-81, ABC)
U.K.
Hazell (1978-80, ITV)
Rumpole of the Bailey (1978-92, ITV)
GERMANY
Nick Knatterton (1978-80)

1979

U.S.
Big Shamus, Little Shamus (1979, CBS)
The Duke (1979, NBC)
The Runaways (1979, NBC)
U.K.
Dick Barton-Special Agent (1979, ITV)
The Racing Game (1979-80, ITV)
Shoestring (1979-1980, BBC1)

1980

U.S.
Magnum P.I. (1980-88, CBS)
Tenspeed and Brownshoe (1980, ABC)
San Berdoo (1980, ABC)
SPAIN
Pepe Carvalho (1980, Spain)

1981

U.S.
Joe Dancer (1981-83, NBC)
Nero Wolfe (1981, NBC)
Simon and Simon (1981-1988, CBS)

1982

U.S.
Cassie and Co. (1982, NBC)
The Devlin Connection (1982, NBC)
Gavilan (1982, NBC)
Matt Houston (1982-85, ABC)
Remington Steele (1982-87, NBC)
Tucker’s Witch (1982-83, CBS)

1983

U.S.
Ace Crawford, Private Eye (1983, CBS)
Hardcastle and McCormick (1983-1986, ABC)
High Performance (1983)
Small and Frye (1983, CBS)

1984

U.S.
Crazy Like a Fox (1984-86, , CBS)
Finder of Lost Loves (1984-85, ABC)
Legmen (1984, NBC)
Partners in Crime (1984, NBC)
Me and Mom (1984-85, ABC)
Riptide (1984-86, NBC)
Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer (1984-85, CBS)
U.K.
Charlie (1984, ITV/Central Television)
Partners in Crime (1984-87, PBS)
Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (1984-86, London Weekend Television/HBO)
SPAIN/FRANCE
Las venturas de Pepe Carvalho (1984-85, Spain/France)

1985

U.S.
Detective in the House (1985, CBS)
The Equalizer (1985-89, CBS)
Eye to Eye (1985, ABC)
Half Nelson (1985, NBC)
I Had Three Wives (1985, CBS)
Lime Street (1985, ABC)
Moonlighting (1985-89, ABC)
Spenser: For Hire (1985-88, ABC)
U.K.
Bulman (1985-87, ITV)

1986

U.S.
Blacke’s Magic (1986, NBC)
The New Mike Hammer (1986-87, CBS)
Stingray (1986-87, NBC)
U.K.
Boon (1986-95, ITV)
Dick Spanner P.I. (1986, Channel Four)
The Singing Detective (1986, BBC1)
CANADA
Hot Shots (1986, CTV)

1987

U.S.
Beverly Hills Buntz (1987-88, NBC)
The Law and Harry McGraw (1987-88, CBS)
J.J. Starbuck (1987-1988, NBC)
Leg Work (1987, CBS)
Jake and the Fatman (1987-92, CBS)
Ohara (1987-88, ABC)
Private Eye (1987-88, NBC)
Sable (1987-88, ABC)
Canada
Two of Diamonds (1987-89, Global; aka “Diamonds”)

1988

U.S.
Murphy’s Law (1988-89, ABC)
The Silent Whisper (1988, CBS)
Sonny Spoon (1988, NBC)
U.K.
South of the Border (1988-90, BBC1)

1989

U.S.
The ABC Mystery Movie (1989-90, ABC; aka “The ABC Monday Mystery Movie,” “The ABC Saturday Mystery Movie”)
B.L. Stryker (1989-90, ABC)
Booker (1989-90, Fox)
A Man Called Hawk (1989, ABC)
The Saint (1989, Celtic Films/LWT)
Wolf (1989-90, CBS)

1990

U.S.
Gabriel’s Fire (1990-91, ABC)
Grand Slam (1990, CBS; aka “Dead Trouble”)
Hollywood Detective (1991, A&E)
Shannon’s Deal (1990-91, NBC)
Sydney (1990, CBS)
CANADA
Mom P.I. (1990-92, CBC)
U.K.
Blood Rights (1990, BBC2)
TECX (1990, ITV)
PORTUGAL
Claxon (1990, Portugal)
GERMANY
Blaues Blut (1990, Germany)

1991

U.S.
The Danger Team (1991, ABC)
Homicide: A Life on the Street (1991-99, NBC)
The Owl (CBS, 1991)
Palace Guard (1991, CBS)
Pros and Cons (1991-92, ABC)
Veronica Clare (1991, Lifetime)
U.K.
The Diamond Brothers (1991, ITV)
U.S./CANADA
Sweating Bullets (1991-1992, Mexican/Canadian Syndicated)
FRANCE
Nestor Burma (1991-2000, France)

1992

U.S.
Dog City (1992-93, Fox)
The Human Target (1992, ABC)

1993

U.S.
Black Tie Affair (1993, NBC)
Fallen Angels (1993-95, Showtime)
Moon Over Miami (1993, ABC)
The NBC Friday Night Mystery (1993-95, NBC)
South of Sunset (1993, CBS)
U.K.
Anna Lee (1993-1994, ITV)
CANADA
TekWar (1993-96, CTV/syndicated)
SWEDEN
Snoken (1993-1997, SVT 1)
AUSTRALIA
Singapore Sling (1993-95; aka “Asian Connection)

1994

U.S.
The Cosby Mysteries (1994-95, CBS)
Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man (1994-97, USA Network)
The Rockford Files (1994-99, CBS)

1995

U.S.
Baywatch Nights (1995-97, syndicated)
Charlie Grace (1995, ABC)
Land’s End (1995-96, U.S. Syndicated)
CANADA
Taking the Falls (1995-96, CTV)

1996

U.S.
Lawless (1996, Fox)
U.K.
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1996-1999, BBC1)

1997

U.S.
Dellaventura (1997, CBS)
Mike Hammer-Private Eye (1997, syndicated series)
Total Security (1997, ABC)
U.K.
The Broker’s Man (1997-98, BBC)
Sharman (1995-96, ITV)
An Unsuitable Job For a Woman (1997-99, ITV/PBS)

1998

U.S.
Brimstone (1998, Fox)
Buddy Faro (1998, CBS)
Sins of the City (1998, USA Network)
Vengeance Unlimited (1998-99, ABC)
V.I.P. (1998-2000, syndicated)
GERMANY
Wilsberg (1998-2019, ZDF)
JAPAN
Cowboy Bebop (1998, Bandai Visual/Sunrise)
SPAIN/ITALY/FRANCE
Pepe Carvalho (1998-99, Spain/Italy/France)

1999

U.S.
Angel (1999, WB)
Snoops (1999, ABC)
Sons of Thunder (1999, CBS)
The Strip (1999-2000, UPN)
CANADA
Butch Patterson, Private Dick (1999-2001, The Comedy Network)
RUSSIA
Dossie Detektiva Dubrovskogo (1999, Russia)

2000

U.S.
The Huntress (2000-01, USA Network)
The Michael Richards Show (2000, NBC)
U.K.
Dirty Work (2000, BBC1)
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (2000, BBC1)

2001

Nero Wolfe (2001-02, A&E)
RUSSIA
Pola ya ne umer (2001, Russian)

2002

U.S.
Hack (2002-03, CBS)
Haunted (2002, UPN)
Monk (2002-09, USA Network)
CANADA
Jinnah On Crime (2002-03, CBC)
Tom Stone (2002, CBC)
U.K.
Nice Guy Eddie (2002, BBC-1)
JAPAN
Shiritsu tantei Hama Maiku (2002, Nippon TV/Yomiuri Television)

2003

U.S.
Las Vegas (2003-07, NBC)
P.I. (2003, F/X)
Wild Card (2003-05, Lifetime)
CANADA
Les aventures tumultueuses de Jack Carter (2003, Radio-Canada)

2004

U.S.
Veronica Mars (2004-07, UPN/Warner)

2005

U.S.
Eyes (2005, Eyes)
Johnny Zero (2005, Fox)

2006

U.S.
Kidnapped (2006, NBC)
Murder 101 (2006, HallMark)
Psych (2006-14, USA Network)

2007

U.S.
Andy Barker P.I. (2007, NBC)
The Dresden Files (2007, Sci-Fi Channel)
Burn Notice (2007-13, USA Network)
JAPAN
Darker Than Black (2007-09)
NORWAY
Varg Veum (2007-12)

2008

U.S.
Leverage (2008-12, TNT)
CANADA
B.J. Fletcher (2008-12, internet)

2009

U.S.
Archer (2009-2018, FX)
Bored to Death (2009-11, HBO)
The Good Wife (2009 –, CBS)
Lie to Me (2009-11, FX)

2010

U.S.
Human Target (2010-11, Fox-TV)
Terriers (2010, FX)
CANADA
Republic of Doyle (2010-14, CBC)
IRELAND
Jack Taylor (2010-11, TV3)
U.K.
Dirk Gently (2010-14, BBC4; aka “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency”)

2011

U.S.
Charlie’s Angels (2011, ABC)
U.K.
Case Histories (2011, BBC)
AUSTRALIA
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (2012-14, ABC [Australia)

2013

U.S.
King & Maxwell (2013, TNT)
AUSTRALIA
Serangoon Road (2013, Australia ABC/HBO Asia)
Ray Donovan (2013-18, Showtime)
FRANCE
Détectives (2013-14, France)
ITALY
Nero Wolfe (2012, RAI)

2014

INDIA
PI: Private Investigator (2014, Freemantle Media/India)
JAPAN
The Long Goodbye (2014, NHK)

2015

U.S.
Jessica Jones (2015-18, Netflix)
Better Call Saul (2015-20, AMC)
The Spoils Before Dying (2015, IFC)

2016

U.S.
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (2016-17, BBC America)
Hap and Leonard (2016-18, SundanceTV)
The Catch (2016-17, ABC)
Luke Cage (2016-18, Netflix)
Quarry (2016, Cinemax)
Swedish Dicks (2016-18, Viaplay/Pop/Lionsgate)
CANADA
Private Eyes (2016-18, Global TV)

2017

U.S.
Archer (2017, FXX)
Mr. Mercedes (2017-18, AT&T)
CANADA
The Frankie Drake Mysteries (2017-18, CBC)
The Indian Detective (2017, CTV)
U.K.
Strike (2017-18, BBC1; aka “C.B. Strike”)
GERMANY
Allmen (2017-19, Universum Film)

2018

U.S.
Magnum, P.I. (2018-19, CBS)
Take Two (2018, ABC)
U.K.
Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators (2018-19, BBC ONE)

2019

U.S.
Stumptown (2019-20, ABC)
Veronica Mars (2019, Hulu)
Australia
Ms Fisher’s MODern Murder Mysteries (2019, Seven)
My Life is Murder (2019-21, CJC)

2020

U.S.
Big Sky (2020, ABC)
Dicktown (2020, FXX)
A Martha’s Vineyard Mystery (2020-21, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
The Outsider (2020, HBO)
IRELAND
Miss Scarlet & The Duke (2020, Alibi)
SWEDEN
Top Dog (2020, C More; aka “Hidden Agenda”)

2021

U.S.
Cowboy Bebop (2021, Netflix)
The Equalizer (2021, CBS)
Whitstable Pearl (2021, Acorn TV/Buccaneer Media)
JAPAN
The Detective Is Already Dead (2021, AT-X)

2022

U.S.
Francesca Quinn, P.I. (2022, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths (2022, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
So Help Me Todd (2022, Paramount/CBS)
AUSTRALIA
Troppo (2022, ABC)