Jessica Fletcher’s Contemporaries Part 2: Detective shows during the 1985-1986 TV season

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This post is the second in a series looking at what I like to call “Jessica Fletcher’s Contemporaries” — i.e. the detective shows that aired alongside Murder, She Wrote during its original run. Last month’s post looked at detective shows that aired during Murder, She Wrote‘s first season. In this month’s post, I focus on the shows that aired during Murder, She Wrote‘s second season (i.e. from Fall 1985 through Spring 1986). As always, I will be paying particular attention to those shows that either ended their run or premiered during that year.

The purpose of this series of posts is to (1) document the trends in television at the time, (2) to shed a light on Murder, She Wrote‘s unique appeal, and (3) perhaps revive some interest in other shows of the same era. So without further ado, here are the detective shows that aired during the 1985-1986 US TV Season…

The detective shows that continued through the season

In the mid-1980s, there were quite a few trends that helped ensure a show would stay on air. As I mentioned in my previous post, shows that featured partnerships and teams tended to stick around for at least a couple of seasons, in contrast to shows about a single detective. And if that team or partnership included at least one woman among its regular cast, that made it even more likely that the show would stick around.

Series that started in the previous year and were renewed for a subsequent year include:

• The A-Team (1983-1987)
• Airwolf (1984-1987)
• Cagney & Lacey (1982-1988)
• Hunter (1984-1991) [stream on Amazon] [purchase on DVD]
• Hill Street Blues (1981-1987)
• Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988)
• Miami Vice (1984-1989) [stream on Amazon] [purchase on DVD]
• Moonlighting (1985-1989) [stream on Hulu]
• Remington Steele (1982-1987)
• Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983-1987)
• Simon & Simon (1981-1989)

In addition to the series listed above, Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer (1984-1987) stopped production for the duration of the year after its star Stacy Keach was sentenced to six months in prison. The show came back for one more season the subsequent year (1986-1987).

The detective shows that came to an end

Looking at the shows that had their final season in 1985-1986, it may be difficult to spot a single trend that would explain their cancellation. But it does make sense keeping in mind the general trend towards more team-based and mixed-gender shows:

• Crazy Like a Fox (1984-1986)
• The Fall Guy (1981-1986)
• Hardcastle and McCormick (1983-1986)
• Knight Rider (1982-1986)
• Riptide (1984-1986)
• T. J. Hooker (1982-1986) was cancelled by ABC the previous year but was brought back for one more season this year by CBS before being cancelled for good.

It is notable that, out of the shows that premiered in the previous year, cop shows like Miami Vice and Hunter were renewed for a third season, while amateur detective series like Crazy Like a Fox and Riptide were cancelled.

The (less than) one season wonders

As is often the case, quite a few shows that premiered in the 1985-1986 US TV season did not make it past its first year. However, the number of (less than) one season wonders was not as large as it was in the previous year. This time, I counted only about 7 detective/crime dramas, which include: Blacke’s Magic, Fortune Dane, Hollywood Beat, The Insiders, Lady Blue, Lime Street, and Our Family Honor.

Perhaps the most surprising cancellation out of all of these is Lady Blue. Like Murder, She Wrote, it featured a single female detective. Additionally, it was similar to many of the shows that were renewed for a subsequent season by having a more gritty feel to it. And yet, it was cancelled half-way through the season.

The detective shows that endured

There were four detective shows that premiered in 1985-1986 that were renewed for a subsequent season:

• The Equalizer (1985-1989) [available on DVD]
• MacGyver (1985-1992) [available on DVD and Bluray] [stream on Paramount+]
• Spenser: For Hire (1985-1988) [available on DVD]
• Stingray (1985-1987) [available on DVD]

Given the trend towards partnerships and teams, which I’ve mentioned before, it’s perhaps surprising to see that most of the enduring shows that premiered in the 1985-1986 season feature a single male detective hero. But that is because, at the same time, TV trends appeared to be moving away from campy comedy-dramas and more towards a gritty realism — this is something that will become even more obvious in the following TV season.

Which perhaps begs the question of why Murder, She Wrote was still around, given that it didn’t follow any of these particular trends? My simple answer to this would be that the show continued to be unlike anything else that was on TV at the time. There was simply no competing with Jessica Fletcher.