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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 1980s, in alphabetical order. This includes shows that started in the 1970s and continued into the 80s, as well as shows that started in the 1980s and continued into the 90s. Many of the shows produced in the 80s would probably be more accurately described as action-adventure series, but they nonetheless include many elements of the detective genre.
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.
(Please note that, if all seasons of a show have been released, then I link directly to the complete DVD boxed set. However, if you’re looking to purchase the show, it may be more economical to buy the individual seasons separately.)
#-A
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jump Street | 1987-1991 | [stream here] | [complete series DVD set] | |
| The A-Team | 1983-1987 | [stream here] | [complete DVD collection] | |
| Ace Crawford… Private Eye | 1983 | [stream here] | (comedy/parody) | |
| Airwolf | 1984-1987 | [complete series DVD set] |
B
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.A.D. Cats | 1980 | |||
| B. J. and the Bear | 1979-1981 | (comedy) | ||
| B. L. Stryker | 1989-1990 | [Season 1 DVD] [Season 2 DVD] | ||
| Barnaby Jones | 1973-1980 | [complete DVD collection] | [read my thoughts about it here] | |
| Beauty and the Beast | 1987-1990 | [stream here] | [complete DVD set] | |
| Beverly Hills Buntz | 1987-1988 | watch via my YouTube playlist | (comedy-drama) | |
| Booker | 1989-1990 | [stream here] | [complete DVD set] |
C
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cagney & Lacey | 1981-1988 | [stream here] | [complete DVD collection] | Click here to read my posts about the show. |
| Cassie & Co. | 1982 | Read more about the show here. | ||
| Charlie’s Angels | 1976-1981 | [stream here] | [complete DVD set] | [read my thoughts about it here] |
| CHiPs | 1977-1983 | [stream here] | [complete DVD collection] |  [read my thoughts about it here] |
| Christine Cromwell | 1989-1990 | |||
| Columbo | 1968, 1971-1978, 1989-1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD Set] | [view my posts about it here] |
| Crazy Like a Fox | 1984-1986 | [You can watch some episodes on YouTube.] | ||
| Crime Story | 1986-1988 | [stream here] | [complete series DVD] |
D-F
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragnet, a.k.a. The New Dragnet | 1989-1990 | |||
| The Edge of Night | 1956-1984 | (a mystery soap opera, originally meant to be an adaptation of the Perry Mason radio series) | ||
| Eischied | 1979-1980 | |||
| The Fall Guy | 1981-1986 | [stream here] | [Season 1 DVD] [Season 2 DVD] | |
| Father Dowling Mysteries | 1989-1991 | [complete DVD set] | Read my thoughts about it here. |
H
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardcastle and McCormick | 1983-1986 | [complete series DVD set] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] | |
| Hart to Hart | 1979-1984, 1993+ | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] | Click here to read my posts about it. |
| Hawaii Five-O | 1968-1980 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] |
| Hawaiian Heat | 1984 | [You can watch some episodes on YouTube.] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] | |
| Hill Street Blues | 1981-1987 | [stream here] | [complete DVD box set] | |
| Houston Knights | 1987-1988 | There is one episode on YouTube. The show is otherwise hard to find. | ||
| Hunter | 1984-1991 | [stream here] | [complete series DVD set] |
I-L
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I Had Three Wives | 1985 | comedy-drama | ||
| In the Heat of the Night | 1988-1995 | [stream here] | All seasons have been released individually, starting with [Season 1] and ending with [Season 8]. | Based on the 1967 film of the same name starring Sidney Poitier. |
| J. J. Starbuck | 1987-1988 | |||
| Jake and the Fatman | 1987-1992 | [Complete DVD set] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] | |
| Knight Rider | 1982-1986 | [stream here or here] | [Complete series DVD] [Complete series Blu-ray] | |
| Kojak | 1973-1978, 1985, 1987, 1989-1990 | [stream here] | All seasons have been released individually, starting with [Season 1] and ending with the [TV Movies] | Click here to read my posts about it. |
| Lady Blue | 1985-1986 | |||
| The Law and Harry McGraw | 1987-1988 | stream on my YouTube channel | Spin-off of Murder, She Wrote. Read my post about it here. | |
| Leg Work | 1987 |
M
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacGruder and Loud | 1985 | |||
| MacGyver | 1985-1992 | [stream here] | [Complete series DVD set] | |
| Magnum, P.I. | 1980-1988 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] | Read my posts about it here. |
| A Man Called Hawk | 1989 | available to stream on TUBI | ||
| Mancuso, FBI | 1989-1990 | |||
| Matlock | 1986-1995 | [stream here] | [Complete series DVD set] | |
| Matt Houston | 1982-1985 | [Complete DVD collection] | ||
| Miami Vice | 1984-1989 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] [Complete Blu-ray set] | Read my posts about it here. |
| Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer, a.k.a. The New Mike Hammer | 1984-1989 | [Complete series DVD] | Based on the novels by Mickey Spillane. | |
| Midnight Caller | 1988-1991 | |||
| 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] | |
| Moonlighting | 1985-1989 | Each season has been released individually, starting with [Seasons 1 & 2] and ending with [Season 5 – the final season] | Read my posts about it here. | |
| 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.] | |
| Murder, She Wrote | 1984-1996 | Visit my “Where to watch Murder, She Wrote” page for more information. | [Complete series DVD set] [DVD set of the movie sequels] | Visit my Murder, She Wrote homepage. |
N-O
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nero Wolfe | 1981 | [Complete series DVD set] | ||
| Night Court | 1984-1992 | [stream here] | [Complete series DVD set] | (comedy) |
| Ohara | 1987-1988 | Stream on YouTube | [Read my post about it here.] |
P
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 1979-1980 | |||
| Partners in Crime | 1984 | Starring Lynda Carter and Loni Anderson. | ||
| Philip Marlowe, Private Eye | 1983-1986 | [stream here] | [DVD collection] | |
| Police Squad! | 1982 | [Complete series DVD] [Complete series Blu-ray] | (comedy) Formed the basis of the Naked Gun series of movies. | |
| Police Story | 1973-1978, 1979, 1980, 1987 | [Season 1 DVD; Season 2 DVD; Season 3 DVD] | ||
| Probe | 1988 | Starring Parker Stevenson. |
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 | [Read my thoughts about it here.] | |
| Remington Steele | 1982-1987 | [stream here] | [Seasons 1-5 DVD collection] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] |
| Riptide | 1984-1986 | [Season 1] [Season 2] | ||
| The Rockford Files | 1974-1980 | [stream here] | [Complete DVD set] | [Read my thoughts about it here.] |
S
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarecrow and Mrs. King | 1983-1987 | [stream here] | [complete series DVD set] | [Read my posts about it here.] |
| Shannon | 1981-1982 | |||
| Simon & Simon | 1981-1989 | [complete series DVD set] | [Read my posts about it here.] | |
| Sledge Hammer! | 1986-1988 | [complete series DVD] | (comedy) | |
| Sonny Spoon | 1988 | |||
| Small & Frye | 1983 | |||
| Snoops | 1989-1990 | (comedy) | ||
| Spenser: For Hire | 1985-1988 | [stream here] | [complete DVD set] | |
| Stingray | 1985-1989 | [stream here] | [complete series DVD] | |
| Street Hawk | 1985 | [stream here or here] | [complete series DVD] |
T
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenspeed and Brown Shoe | 1980 | [stream here] | [Series DVD set] (may be missing the pilot movie) | Read my post about it here. |
| T.J. Hooker | 1982-1986 | [stream here] | [Complete series DVD set] | |
| Today’s FBI | 1981-1982 | |||
| True Blue | 1989-1990 | |||
| Tucker’s Witch | 1982-1983 | [stream here] |
U-W
| Show Title | Air Dates | Available to stream? | Available on DVD? | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsub | 1989 | |||
| Vega$ | 1978-1981 | [Complete DVD set] | ||
| Wiseguy | 1987-1990 | [stream here] | [Seasons 1-4 DVD set] | |
| Wolf | 1989-1990 |
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!
Murder, She Watched 
Knight Rider. Street Hawk. Automann. The Hardy Boys. The Fall Guy. The A Team.
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Thank you for your comment! Some of those shows (like The A Team) I see as more action/adventure than detective, but you’re right that they definitely have some mystery themes. I was planning on updating this page in the next week or so, so I will definitely make sure these shows are included.
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McMullen and wife
Get Smart
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McMillan and Wife originally aired in the 1970s, so you can find it listed on my 1970s detective show page: https://murdershewatched.com/detective-database/1970s-american-detective-shows/
And Get Smart originally aired in the 1960s, so you can find it listed on the 1960s detective show page: https://murdershewatched.com/detective-database/1960s-american-detective-shows/
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I can’t remember the name and it’s driving me crazy! It was a short-lived show about a super intelligent man (almost robot-like in personality; possibly a mathematician) who teamed up to solve crimes. It was on prime-time regular channels and would have followed the theme of Rip Tide, Knight Rider, etc. Please let me know if you figure it out!!!
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You may be thinking of “Probe” starring Parker Stevenson.
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Mission Impossible
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Thanks for this! I hadn’t realized there was a reboot 🙂
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Do you have the pilot episode of O’hara episode 1 high quality on dvd ?
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Unfortunately, the show was never released on DVD. The only copy that I was able to find are some episodes that were recorded on VHS when the show originally aired on TV.
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Can you send me some screenshots of the episode ? what is the quality of the tv show 10/10 ?
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Are you the same person who was asking about Ohara? I don’t have the first episode, and as far as I know nobody does.
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I am only looking for the 1st Episode ?
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I do have the 1st episode but the quality isn’t great
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You do? That’s amazing because I thought it was lost completely. If you wouldn’t mind sharing it, you can email me at joanna.themysterybuff@gmail.com
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Ok, I will do that for you. But i will send you another link from ebay seller who is selling S1 and S2 high quality. I don’t know if you could grab another 1st episode print from him.
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Thank you! That would be great 🙂
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Hi
Check your email address. Muz
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This site is so awesome. I’m looking for the early 80s detective show / action show that had an episode of a motorcross dirtbike race. A villain shot a rod into the front wheel of a racing star causing an accident and foiling his race. I want to believe it was a Cagney n Lacey episode but nit sure.
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