Created by Joany Kane In this 2021 seasonal rom-com/mystery, LANA "LANIE" LAWTON is a lawyer-turned-rookie PI trying to make a name for herself by solving a rash of burglaries that have been plaguing her predictably picturesque hometown. Stepping in to help are Nick, a hunky (naturally!) local police detective already working the case and Teddy, … Continue reading Lanie Lawton (The Christmas Thief)
Tag: Made-for-television movie
Alex Parker (Alex and the Doberman Gang)
Created by Richard Chapman & James D. Parriott Based on characters created by Louis Garfinkle & Frank Ray Perilli After a trio of low-budget, dumb-but-entertaining movies, The Doberman Gang (1972), The Daring Dobermans (1973) and The Amazing Dobermans (1976) scored surprisingly well at the box office, it was almost inevitable that TV would come sniffing … Continue reading Alex Parker (Alex and the Doberman Gang)
Parker Kane
Created by Peter M. Lenkov "Here. Hold my weiner." -- Parker displays some of his cutting-edge wit. Somebody somewhere must have made a checklist of every annoying, dumb-ass cliche and stereotype about American TV private eyes of the previous decade that was ever driven into the ground, and then put them all together in this … Continue reading Parker Kane
Eddie Mazada (Trenchcoat in Paradise)
Created by Tom Dempsey After incurring the wrath of Dom Gellatti, a local mob boss, who makes him an offer he dare not refuse, cigar-chomping Jersey City P.I. EDDIE MAZADA strikes out for safer and definitely greener pastures, in the 1989 made-for-TV movie Trenchcoat in Paradise. Namely Hawaii. And who could blame him? As played … Continue reading Eddie Mazada (Trenchcoat in Paradise)
87th Precinct
Created by Ed McBain Pseudonym of of Evan Hunter Né Salvatore Lombino Other pseudonyms include Hunt Collins, Richard Marsten, Curt Cannon, Ezra Hannon, John Abbott, Dean Hudson, Ted Taine, S. A. Lombino, D. A. Addams (1926-2005) Long before Barney Miller, long before Hill Street Blues, Homicide, and NYPD Blue, long before Law and Order This … Continue reading 87th Precinct
Nick Bali (Killer Heat)
Created by Jo NesbøScreenplay by Matt Charman and Roberto Bentivegna "Sometimes you use a carrot. Sometimes you use a stick. Sometimes you just lie your ass off." Sorry, but the 2024 Amazon Original Killer Heat is about as generic as its title. Even more disappointing? Its lead is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, an actor whose Shamus Game … Continue reading Nick Bali (Killer Heat)
Margaret’s Man & Pam’s Man (Wolfs)
Created by Jon Watts “What’s the play here?” —Margaret's Man (Clooney) Two rival New York City fixers, who both prefer to work solo (hence the lone "Wolfs" of the title), are hired to do the same job in the 2024 "theatrical" release Wolfs, a goofy action thriller. The job? Clean up the mess left behind … Continue reading Margaret’s Man & Pam’s Man (Wolfs)
Ferdinand Zanki (Ein Krimi aus Passau/Dark Rivers)
Created by Michael Vershinin Not the star of the show, but the seemingly hapless private eye and security specialist FERDINAND ZANKI sure plays a pivotal part in the 2020 German TV mini-series Ein Krimi aus Passau, originally presented as a series of made-for-television movies, with the first four films subsequently aired in the U.K. and … Continue reading Ferdinand Zanki (Ein Krimi aus Passau/Dark Rivers)
Bob Signorelli (Face Down)
Created by Thom Eberhardt In the noirish, albeit too brightly-lit, made-for-TV flick Face Down (1997, Showtime), disgraced Big Apple cop turned dapper-dan Manhattan private eye BOB SIGNORELLI (played by a pre-Spenser Joe Mantegna) is no knight. He's more like a randy middle-aged goat, hitting on a young, attractive and heart-broken client to whom he's just … Continue reading Bob Signorelli (Face Down)
Jodie Colter (Caught in the Act)
Created by Billy Field and Cynthia Whitcomb Teleplay by Cynthia Whitcomb All grits, no grit. In Caught in the Act, a 2004 Lifetime TV movie, Lauren "Picket Fences" Holly plays JODIE COLTER, a feisty Nashville Tennessee housewife and mom who thinks Buck (played by Max Martini), her lout of a hubby, is stepping out on … Continue reading Jodie Colter (Caught in the Act)