Created by Frank Abatemarco "Oh, they do respect her but They love to watch her strut" -- Bob Seger New York private eye CLAIRE McCARRON was of the few female private eyes to have her own show, and it was a helluva step up from Honey West and especially Charlie's Angels, even if some wags … Continue reading Claire McCarron (Leg Work)
Tag: Brilliant But Cancelled
Jake Axminster (City of Angels)
Created by Stephen J. Cannell and Roy Huggins "This is the city of Los Angeles, one of the least corrupt cities in the United States, and its police force is one of the most honest and efficient in the world. But it wasn't always so..." -- from the opening credits "They call LA the City of … Continue reading Jake Axminster (City of Angels)
Brilliant But Cancelled
14 Private Eye Shows That Coulda Been Contenders I don't know how many of you remember the Trio Network on American television sometime around 2005 or so. It was this culty, pop-culturey grab bag of arty-farty pretensions and good ol' TV; a kinda of very hip, occasionally snarky PBS. But anyway, they ran this show … Continue reading Brilliant But Cancelled
Jack Shannon (Shannon’s Deal)
Created by John Sayles Dear Sir, Just a thought, but if Perry Mason makes your list of detectives shouldn't Jack Shannon of the show Shannon's Deal be there as well? Certainly less well-known, but his show had a definite hard-boiled feel to it. Right down to the small office with the loyal secretary. Most of … Continue reading Jack Shannon (Shannon’s Deal)
Mr. Chapel (Vengeance Unlimited)
Created by John McNamara (1962--) and David Simkins "Like you know that show 'Touched by an Angel'? Well, this ain't it." Vengeance Unlimited, a short-lived TV drama from 1998-99t may have been just a little too hip for the room. Michael Madsen starred as the enigmatic, charming, and very sick puppy, MR. CHAPEL, a man … Continue reading Mr. Chapel (Vengeance Unlimited)
Dave Brodsky (Black Tie Affair)
Created by Jay Tarses "Speaking of crime terminology, what the hell do they mean by 'forensics'? And what exactly is a 'bunco squad'? Police talk, I hate it." -- Dave Originally, Black Tie Affair, a 1993 thirteen-part summer mini series was supposed to be titled "Smouldering Lust," but the powers-that-be at NBC chickened out. To … Continue reading Dave Brodsky (Black Tie Affair)
Jack Cleary & Johnny Betts
Created by Anthony Yerkovitch After the success of Miami Vice and Crime Story, NBC tried for a hat-trick with another stylish, snazzy crime show. Alas, Private Eye just never caught on. In some ways, it probably makes sense -- even its title was as generic as they come. Because this was really just a standard … Continue reading Jack Cleary & Johnny Betts
Hank Dolworth & Britt Pollack (Terriers)
Created by Ted Griffin "Too small to fail." -- evidently not. Alcoholic disgraced ex-cop HANK DOLWORTH (Donal Logue, left) teams up with fellow slacker, drinking buddy and allegedly reformed thief BRITT POLLACK (Michael Raymond-James, right) to launch a down-scale, under-the-table detective agency in grimy, colourful Ocean Beach, California (near San Diego) in Terriers, a short-lived … Continue reading Hank Dolworth & Britt Pollack (Terriers)
Lionel Whitney & E.L. Turner (Tenspeed & Brown Shoe)
Created by Stephen J. Cannell (1941-2010) "Giddy-giddy-guy." In this fondly remembered but criminally short-lived 1980 TV show, Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, then virtually unknown Jeff Goldblum starred as the very naive, bored, terminally-square stockbroker LIONEL "BROWN SHOE" WHITNEY -- a doofus with fantasies of becoming an over-boiled private eye like his fictional hero, Mark Savage, Private … Continue reading Lionel Whitney & E.L. Turner (Tenspeed & Brown Shoe)