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Browse American detective shows by decade or return to the TV Detective Database:
Below is a complete list of American detective/mystery/crime shows from the 1970s. This includes shows that started in the 1960s and continued into the 70s, as well as shows that started in the 1970s and continued into the 80s.
Source acknowledgement: The list below was compiled largely by referring to David Martindale’s excellent reference book Television Detective Shows of the 1970s.
The list also includes information on where you can watch/stream the show online or whether you can purchase it on DVD. The final column also includes any additional notes and comments about the show, or links to any blog posts I have made about it.
A
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Adam-12 | 1968-1975 | [stream here] | All seasons, from Season 1 through the Final Season are available individually on DVD. | |
Adams of Eagle Lake | 1975 | |||
The American Girls | 1978 | |||
Amy Prentiss | 1974-1975 | Spin-off of Ironside. Read my thoughts about it here. | ||
The Andros Targets | 1977 | |||
Archer | 1975 |
B
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Banacek | 1972-1974 | [stream here] | [complete DVD set] | [read my thoughts about it here] |
Banyon | 1972-1973 | |||
Baretta | 1975-1978 | [Season 1 DVD] | ||
Barnaby Jones | 1973-1980 | [complete DVD collection] | [read my thoughts about it here] | |
Bert D’Angelo/Superstar | 1976 | |||
Big Shamus, Little Shamus | 1979 | |||
B. J. and the Bear | 1979-1981 | (comedy) | ||
The Blue Knight | 1975 | Inspired by the 1973 TV film of the same name. | ||
The Bold Ones: The Protectors, a.k.a. Deadlock and The Law Enforcers | 1969-1970 | [complete DVD set] | ||
The Bold Ones: The Lawyers | 1968-1972 | [complete DVD set] | ||
Bronk | 1975-1976 | [complete DVD set] |
C
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cade’s County | 1971-1972 | |||
Cannon | 1971-1976 | |||
Caribe | 1975 | |||
Charlie’s Angels | 1976-1981 | [stream here] | [complete DVD set] | |
Chase | 1973-1974 | |||
CHiPs | 1977-1983 | [stream here] | [complete DVD collection] | |
Chopper One | 1974 | |||
City of Angels | 1976 | |||
Columbo | 1968, 1971-1978, 1989-1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD Set] | [view my posts about it here] |
Cool Million | 1972 |
D
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
The D. A. | 1971-1972 | |||
Dan August | 1970-1971 | |||
David Cassidy–Man Undercover | 1978-1979 | |||
Dear Detective | 1979 | [Read my thoughts about it here.] | ||
Delvecchio | 1976-1977 | Watch via my YouTube playlist | ||
Detective School (a.k.a. Detective School — One Flight Up) | 1979 | sit-com | ||
Dog and Cat | 1977 | |||
Dragnet 1967 | 1967-1970 | [stream here] | [Season 1 DVD] [Season 2 DVD] [Season 3 DVD] [Season 4 DVD] | |
The Duke | 1979 |
E-F
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Eddie Capra Mysteries | 1978-1979 | |||
The Edge of Night | 1956-1984 | |||
Eishied | 1979-1980 | |||
Ellery Queen | 1975-1976 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] | [Read my thoughts on it here.] |
Faraday and Company | 1973-1974 | |||
The F.B.I. | 1965-1974 | Most seasons are available on DVD starting with Season 1 Part 1 | ||
The Feather and Father Gang | 1976-1977 |
G-H
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Get Christie Love! | 1974-1975 | [stream here] | Only the pilot TV movie has been released. | [Read my thoughts about it here.] |
Get Smart | 1965-1970 | [stream here] | ||
Griff | 1973-1974 | |||
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries | 1977-1979 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD collection] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] |
Harry O | 1974-1976 | [Complete DVD collection] | ||
Hart to Hart | 1979-1984, 1993+ | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] | |
Hawaii Five-O | 1968-1980 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] | |
Hawkins | 1973-1974 | |||
Hec Ramsey | 1972-1974 |
I-J
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ironside | 1967-1975 | [Seasons 1-4 DVD set] | ||
Jigsaw | 1972-1973 | |||
Jigsaw John | 1976 | |||
Joe Forrester | 1975-1976 |
K
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kate McShane | 1975 | [Watch the pilot episode on YouTube] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] | |
Kaz | 1978-1979 | |||
Khan! | 1975 | |||
Kingston: Confidential | 1977 | |||
Kodiak | 1974 | |||
Kojak | 1973-1978 | [stream here] | All seasons are available individually on DVD, starting with [Season 1] through [Season 5]. There is also a DVD complete movie collection. | [Read my thoughts about it here.] |
Kolchak: The Night Stalker | 1974-1975 | [stream here] | The complete series is available on BluRay and DVD. |
L
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lanigan’s Rabbi | 1977 | |||
The Law | 1975 | |||
The Lawyers, a.k.a. The Bold Ones: The Lawyers | 1969-1972 | |||
Longstreet | 1971-1972 | [Complete DVD collection] |
M-N
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Madigan | 1972-1973 | Based on the 1968 film of the same name. | ||
The Magician | 1973-1974 | [complete DVD collection] | ||
The Manhunter | 1974-1975 | |||
Mannix | 1967-1975 | [complete DVD set] | ||
Matt Helm | 1975-1976 | |||
McCloud | 1970-1977 | [stream here] | [Seasons 1 and 2 available on DVD] | |
McCoy | 1975-1976 | |||
McMillan and Wife, a.k.a. McMillan | 1971-1977 | [stream here] | [complete DVD collection] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] |
McNaughton’s Daughter | 1976 | |||
The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo | 1979-1981 | |||
Mission: Impossible | 1966-1973, 1988-1990 | [stream here] OR [stream here] | [Original series DVD set] [Original series Blu-ray set] [80s revival DVD set] | |
Mobile One | 1975-1976 | |||
The Mod Squad | 1968-1973 | [Complete DVD set] | ||
The Most Deadly Game | 1970-1971 | |||
Most Wanted | 1976-1977 | |||
Mrs. Columbo (renamed to Kate Columbo, then Kate the Detective, then Kate Loves a Mystery) | 1979-1980 | [Watch all episodes on YouTube] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] |
N-O
P
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Paris | 1979-1980 | |||
Petrocelli | 1974-1976 | [Complete DVD set.] | ||
Police Story | 1973-1978, 1979, 1980, 1987 | |||
Police Woman | 1974-1978 | [Complete DVD collection] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] | |
The Protectors | 1972-1974 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] |
Q-R
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Quincy, M.E. | 1976-1983 | Individual seasons are available starting with Season 1 and ending with The Final Season | ||
Richie Brockelman, Private Eye | 1978 | |||
The Rockford Files | 1974-1980 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] |
The Rookies | 1972-1976 | |||
Rosetti and Ryan | 1977 |
S
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sam | 1977-1978 | |||
Sarge | 1971-1972 | |||
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! | 1969-1970, 1978 | [stream here] | ||
Serpico | 1976-1977 | Based on the 1973 film of the same name. | ||
Shaft | 1971, 1972, 1973, 1973-1974 | [TV movie collection] | ||
The Silent Force | 1970-1971 | |||
The Snoop Sisters | 1973-1974 | [Complete DVD set] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] | |
Starsky and Hutch | 1975-1979 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] | |
Storefront Lawyers, a.k.a. Men at Law | 1970-1971 | |||
The Streets of San Francisco | 1972-1977 | [Complete DVD set] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] | |
S.W.A.T. | 1975-1976 | [stream here] | ||
Switch | 1975-1978 | [Read my thoughts on it here.] | ||
Sword of Justice | 1978-1979 |
T-Z
Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tenafly | 1973-1974 | |||
Toma | 1973-1974 | |||
Vega$ | 1978-1981 | [Complete DVD set] | ||
The Young Lawyers | 1969-1971 | [DVD set] |
If you know of a show that is missing from the list above, or if you have any other additions or corrections, please let me know in the comments!