We're all familiar with the genre. Whether the protagonist is currently a police detective or used to be on the force and has now opened his private practice, the "one man army" detective is a staple in television. In the last decade, more focus has been on the "buddy detective" and "police squad" genres, but the "one man army" seems to be a dying breed. I imagine this is because it's difficult to sell a single male lead nowadays. Even strong "one man army" candidates like Walker have their Trivettes.

In any case, who's your favorite "one man army" (excluding obligatory yelling chief, underground pimp informant, close-friend police detective, secretary, or loose-canon hired dirty-work man)?

For me it's a tie between Joe Mannix and Frank Cannon. Oh, to have shows like that in prime time now.

das

does Batman count? if so then Batman :D

--HN

:) Batman was a sell-out. One day he's a one man army ... the next he's a babysitter. Holy Toledo, Batman!

das

Holy thread resurrection, Batman!!

das

Well it certainly isn't Mr Know-it-all from L&O:CI.

Steve McGarrett. Yeah, he had Dano and Chin Ho helping him out sometimes, but 5-0 was all about McGarrett.....and that HAIR! Nobody but Mel Kiper has hair like that.

Micheal Knight.

D

No respect for KITT? -ohbfrank-

das

Does Adrian Monk count?

Well I was going to comment that you said one man. However, then I thought without Bonnie there to fix and upgrade KITT when necessary, Michael would not have been much of an army.

Jim Rockford
Columbo
Quincy

Barnaby Jones.

what about Sam Beckett. Sure he had help from Al and Gushy, but he had to do everything.

http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/results2.html
 

<small></small>I see Robert Goren as a punk Columbo: invariably he has a very good idea as to the ID of the perpetator from the outset and pushes and pushes until he gets them! And, judging from the episodes that I have seen, they are using the formula I think we first saw in Columbo i.e. of showing the crime being committed right at the beginning i.e. not a traditional whodunnit.

* * *

To answer the original question, and leaving aside Rockford & Columbo who have already been mentioned, I have fond but fading recollections of seeing Harry O re-runs: he was a good tv 'tec, I think.

[I once looked into why the Janssen show faded while Garner's continued but I don't recall there being a compelling reason for it; just studio politics].

:thumbsup:

I can watch re-runs of this show and still be highly entertained.

Monk

This should have been a poll, so the discussion could've consisted of nothing more than complaints about who you left off. :mad:

:p:p I don't understand the popularity of that show or its protagonist. Did it it improve so much after the first six episodes?

Bring back the 70s 'tecs, say I!

Mr. Peabody