LAST NAME ONLY COP SHOWS
by LanceBrave | created - 15 Jul 2014 | updated - 09 Feb 2017 | PublicI'm making a list of cop/detective/crime shows named after the last name of the main character.
Each listing is clarified with the shows distinguishing gimmick.
This list is focused on shows that only feature the character's last name in their title, thus excluding shows that use a full name, such as "T.J. Hooker," or shows that add clarifying titles to the name, such as "Magnum P.I.," "Quincy M.E.," or "The Rockford Files." Also excluded are partner shows, such as "Starsky and Hutch" and "Cagney and Lacey."
This list will primarily be focused on shows from the seventies and eighties, the time period when last name only cop shows flourished, and American television, as I'm not that familiar with British/European television. However, I have made a few exceptions for stuff I like/am otherwise familiar with. Suggestions are welcomed.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Banacek (1972–1974)
TV-PG | 90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The adventures of proud Polish-American freelance insurance investigator Thomas Banacek.
Stars: George Peppard, Ralph Manza, Murray Matheson, Christine Belford
Votes: 2,224
Detective is Polish.
2. Banyon (1971–1973)
60 min | Crime, Drama
The adventures of 1930's Los Angeles private eye Miles Banyon.
Stars: Robert Forster, Joan Blondell, Richard Jaeckel, Julie Gregg
Votes: 154
Detective show set in the 1930s.
3. Baretta (1975–1978)
TV-PG | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The cases of maverick undercover New York City detective Tony Baretta (Robert Blake).
Stars: Robert Blake, Tom Ewell, Edward Grover, Michael D. Roberts
Votes: 2,867
Detective doesn't wear a uniform.
4. Booker (1989–1990)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In this "21 Jump Street" spin-off, a rebellious young cop becomes an insurance investigator for a multinational corporation.
Stars: Richard Grieco, Marcia Strassman, Carmen Argenziano, Katie Rich
Votes: 1,012
"21 Jump Street" spin-off starring Richard Grieco, otherwise known as the other guy from "21 Jump Street."
5. Castle (2009–2016)
TV-14 | 43 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
When a psychopath commits murders based on novelist Castle's books, Detective Beckett seeks his help to solve the case. He decides to work with her and uses his experiences as research for his novels.
Stars: Nathan Fillion, Stana Katic, Susan Sullivan, Jon Huertas
Votes: 174,376
Detective is a murder-mystery novelist.
6. Cannon (1971–1976)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Frank Cannon, a husky ex-cop and culinary enthusiast, solves tough cases as a private investigator.
Stars: William Conrad, Patrick Culliton, Tom Pittman, Charles Bateman
Votes: 3,611
Detective is really fat.
7. Columbo (1971–2003)
TV-PG | 100 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Los Angeles homicide detective Lieutenant Columbo uses his humble ways and ingenuous demeanor to winkle out even the most well-concealed of crimes.
Stars: Peter Falk, Mike Lally, John Finnegan, Bruce Kirby
Votes: 41,979
The audience already knows who committed the crime and the fun of the show is watching the detective, who merely pretends to be absent-minded, figure out whodunit.
8. Griff (1973–1974)
60 min | Crime, Drama
Wade Griffin quits the police force after three decades to become a private eye.
Stars: Lorne Greene, Ben Murphy, Patricia Stich, Vic Tayback
Votes: 52
Detective is a former cop.
9. Hawk (1966)
60 min | Crime, Drama
The crime busting techniques of Iroquois detective John Hawk of the New York City District Attorney's office.
Stars: Burt Reynolds, Wayne Grice, Leon Janney, John Marley
Votes: 170
Detective is a full-blooded American Indian.
10. Hawkins (1973–1974)
90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The cases of slow-talking West Virginia attorney Billy Jim Hawkins.
Stars: James Stewart, Strother Martin, Mayf Nutter, James Hampton
Votes: 198
Country lawyer solves crimes using folksy wisdom.
11. Hunter (I) (1984–1991)
TV-14 | 48 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Rick Hunter is a renegade cop who bends the rules and takes justice into his own hands. Partnered with the equally stunning and rebellious Sgt. McCall, he sets out to crack down on L.A.'s slimiest criminals.
Stars: Fred Dryer, Stepfanie Kramer, Charles Hallahan, Perry Cook
Votes: 5,647
Detective is played by former football player and has obnoxious unresolved sexual tension with his female sidekick.
12. Ironside (1967–1975)
TV-PG | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Wheelchair-using, crime-fighting detective Robert T. Ironside battles the bad guys on the streets of San Francisco.
Stars: Raymond Burr, Don Galloway, Don Mitchell, Barbara Anderson
Votes: 4,098
Detective is in a wheelchair.
13. Kaz (1978–1979)
60 min | Crime, Drama
The cases of former car thief-turned-criminal attorney Martin "Kaz" Kazinski.
Stars: Ron Leibman, George Wyner, Patrick O'Neal, Gloria LeRoy
Votes: 116
Ex-con becomes criminal defense lawyer.
14. Kojak (1973–1978)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in his city.
Stars: Telly Savalas, Dan Frazer, Kevin Dobson, George Savalas
Votes: 8,881
Detective is bald and sucks on lollypops all the time.
15. Longmire (2012–2017)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Walt Longmire is the dedicated and unflappable sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming. Widowed only a year, he is a man in psychic repair but buries his pain behind his brave face, unassuming grin and dry wit.
Stars: Robert Taylor, Katee Sackhoff, Lou Diamond Phillips, Cassidy Freeman
Votes: 40,002
Cop investigates crime in rural Wyoming.
16. Longstreet (1971–1972)
90 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The cases of a blind insurance investigator.
Stars: James Franciscus, Marlyn Mason, Peter Mark Richman, Ann Doran
Votes: 627
Detective is blind.
17. Luther (2010–2019)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
John Luther is a brilliant homicide detective with a knack for getting inside the minds of murderers. Unfortunately, his unconventional methods and personal demons put him at odds with his team.
Stars: Idris Elba, Dermot Crowley, Michael Smiley, Warren Brown
Votes: 154,311
Detective is a genius.
18. MacGyver (1985–1992)
TV-PG | 48 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
The adventures of a secret Agent armed with almost infinite scientific resourcefulness.
Stars: Richard Dean Anderson, Dana Elcar, Bruce McGill, Robin Mossley
Votes: 42,016
Detective makes plot-resolving inventions out of random crap lying around.
19. Madigan (1972–1973)
90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A dedicated New York police officer named Madigan hunts down lawbreakers locally and internationally.
Stars: Richard Widmark, Ronny Cox, George Cole, Marlene Warfield
Votes: 179
New York cop investigates crimes in Europe.
20. Mannix (1967–1975)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Private detective Joe Mannix uses force to solve crimes.
Stars: Mike Connors, Gail Fisher, Ward Wood, Ron Nyman
Votes: 4,284
Detective gets beat up a lot.
21. Markham (1959–1960)
30 min | Crime, Drama
A private investigator, who had been a successful lawyer, solves crimes almost anywhere in the world, although he is based in New York City.
Stars: Ray Milland, Simon Scott, Henry Corden, Barney Phillips
Votes: 87
Detective used to be a rich lawyer.
22. Matlock (1986–1995)
TV-PG | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Ben Matlock is a very expensive criminal defense attorney, who charges one hundred thousand dollars to take a case. Fortunately, he's worth every penny, as he and his associates defend his clients by finding the real killer.
Stars: Andy Griffith, Linda Purl, Kene Holiday, Nancy Stafford
Votes: 9,342
Country lawyer solves crimes using folksy wisdom.
23. McCloud (1970–1977)
TV-PG | 120 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A New Mexico deputy marshal gets assigned to Manhattan's 27th Precinct.
Stars: Dennis Weaver, J.D. Cannon, Terry Carter, Ken Lynch
Votes: 3,762
Country cop moves to the city.
24. McCoy (1975–1976)
90 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
McCoy has expensive tastes with an equally costly lifestyle offset with a gambling problem. To make ends meet he becomes a con man relieving others of their ill gotten gains with the aid of Gideon, a nightclub comedian.
Stars: Tony Curtis, Roscoe Lee Browne, Philip Chapin, Vito Scotti
Votes: 74
Good con man cons bad con men.
25. Monk (2002–2009)
TV-PG | 44 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
The series follows Adrian Monk, a brilliant former San Francisco detective, who now consults the police as a private consultant whilst battling with an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Stars: Tony Shalhoub, Jason Gray-Stanford, Ted Levine, Traylor Howard
Votes: 88,483
Detective has obsessive-compulsive disorder.
26. Ohara (1987–1988)
60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Crime drama about a wise, elderly, Asian-American LAPD cop investigating crimes with his culturally insensitive and thickheaded but overall good-natured younger partner, Lt. George Shaver.
Stars: Pat Morita, Robert Clohessy, Rachel Ticotin, Meagen Fay
Votes: 175
Japanese-American detective uses Asian mysticism to solve crimes.
27. Petrocelli (1974–1976)
60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A Harvard-educated lawyer from Boston sets up shop in a small Arizona town.
Stars: Barry Newman, Susan Howard, Albert Salmi, Arnold Jeffers
Votes: 1,048
Big city lawyer moves to the country.
28. Tenafly (1973–1974)
90 min | Crime, Drama
African-American private eye Harry Tenafly was a happily married, middle-class family man who had given up being a cop to work for a better paying position at a big L.A. detective agency. ... See full summary »
Stars: James McEachin, David Huddleston, Rosanna Huffman, Lillian Lehman
Votes: 84
Detective is black.
29. Toma (1973–1974)
60 min | Crime, Drama
This series Is based on the real-life story of New Jersey detective David Toma. Toma was a master of disguise and undercover work. Toma himself made a cameo appearance in many episodes.
Stars: Tony Musante, Simon Oakland, Susan Strasberg, David Toma
Votes: 214
Detective is a master of disguise.
30. Shaft (1973–1974)
73 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Based on the films of the same name, John Shaft is a two-fisted black private eye modeled on Mike Hammer and Phillip Marlowe.
Stars: Richard Roundtree, Eddie Barth, Judie Stein, Robert Culp
Votes: 449
Detective is black.
31. Sherlock (2010–2017)
TV-14 | 90 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The quirky spin on Conan Doyle's iconic sleuth pitches him as a "high-functioning sociopath" in modern-day London. Assisting him in his investigations: Afghanistan War vet John Watson, who's introduced to Holmes by a mutual acquaintance.
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs, Rupert Graves
Votes: 998,026
Detective is Sherlock Holmes.
32. Wolf (1989–1990)
60 min | Drama
Tony Wolf, a San Francisco cop, is framed on a drug charge by the criminals he has been pursuing. Thrown off the force, he gets a job as a private detective working for the attorney, Dylan ... See full summary »
Stars: Jack Scalia, Joseph Sirola, Judith Hoag, Mimi Kuzyk
Votes: 53
Wrongfully disgraced cop makes peace with fisherman dad.
Tell Your Friends