Procedurals 1: Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You.
This thread is for procedural TV, shows where the primary idea is to figure out the case. [NAFDA]
what was the story? I never remember titles.
A recurring character, a pleasant geeky type, is killed in a trap meant for Magnum. The killer is jovial, charming and ruthless. In the final scene, Magnum says to the killer, quoting the guy who was killed, "Did you see the sunrise this morning?" The killer says, a little confused but courteously, "Yes, I did. Why?" Magnum (white fonted, 'cause why not)
pulls his gun, turns, and shoots him. Freeze frame, credits.
My very first HSQ moment.
I did not see that. Hmmm.
runs to see if netflix has magnum.
What was the first procedural you really followed?
Probably I Spy, but in terms of police detectives, it's a tossup between Columbo and Ironside. I definitely think Columbo was my favorite, because you KNEW who did it (with one or two exceptions, where they kept it a mystery) and you got to watch Columbo unravel their "perfect" crime. The Patrick MacGoohan episode (Identity Crisis) where he tweaked Danger Man & The Prisoner (and featured Leslie Nielsen as the victim!) was an absolute favorite.
Mad, MAD props to Connie for mentioning Tenspeed and Bronwshoe. Loved that show. One of my earliest cases of painful sudden cancellation (Quark would have been the absolute first).
My very first HSQ moment.
I remember that very well. I think I've heard ita reference that epsiode many times.
My very first HSQ moment.
Mine too. I think it still has the highest HSQ for me.
Boy, my mom loved mysteries - we watched Ironsides, the Mod Squad, I recall Dragnet (in repeats). We also watched those Sunday Night Mystery Movies: McMillan and Wife, McCloud, Columbo.
Also, Chips, Adam-12, Emergency (on repeats, I think.)
Was Julia a procedural? Or more of a straight drama?
My very first HSQ moment.
That really did freak me out when I saw it. They did a good job of keeping Magnum relatively dark for a while, until they got goofy. They also had really good standalone eps--my favorite was the one where Magnum wants to spend July 4th alone, starting with some surfboarding, and ends up in the middle of the ocean without his board, treading water and hoping he doesn't get swept out to sea. All while he's thinking about his father, who taught him to tread water.
My earliest cop show must-watches were the CBS Murder Movie shows, with McCloud, McMillan & Wife, and Columbo, Columbo being my favorite. As a kid, I loved what Frank pointed out, that I didn't have to figure out whodunit, but only watch to find how the criminal trips him/herself up.
Oh, I forgot Magnum! Also, Rockford Files. We watched lots of p.i. shows and lots of cop shows when I was growing up.
So, what did you guys think of L&O? I felt that Green's reasons for quitting - he quit right? - anyway, I felt like he could have beat the charges if he wanted to. I mean, he did some wrong stuff but the shoot itself was good. That should have counted for something.
Also, I'm glad that they called back to something that we knew: his old gambling problem. And interesting that it was Lenny's death that made him go back to that bad habit.
in terms of police detectives, it's a tossup between Columbo and Ironside. I definitely think Columbo was my favorite, because you KNEW who did it (with one or two exceptions, where they kept it a mystery) and you got to watch Columbo unravel their "perfect" crime.
I loved all the shows mentioned here...plus Quincy and the Streets of San Francisco and Longstreet. Since I lived in the East Bay, Streets was especially fun when they showed actual landmarks.
It's funny, I can remember these shows from my teenhood but I then flash forward to Buffy before I can claim a serious devotion to a specific program. Huh. What was I doing in my early adulthood that made me not connect with tv as much?
Columbo being my favorite. As a kid, I loved what Frank pointed out, that I didn't have to figure out whodunit, but only watch to find how the criminal trips him/herself up.
Plus Peter Falk was just awsome. It was so fun watching the special celebrity guest murderer underestimate him. And they had some truly offbeat guest stars - Johnny Cash comes to mind immediately.
All while he's thinking about his father, who taught him to tread water.
And he's wearing his father's watch, which you don't realize until the very last shot.
I don't know how I remember this stuff so clearly.