Top 10 TV Detectives

Since Edgar Alan Poe and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, readers and, later, viewers have been fascinated by the mystery story. From the beginning of film, Sherlock Holmes, Sam Spade, Phillip Marlow and Nick and Nora Charles, to name a few, filled movie theatres in the '30s and '40s with classics from film noir style to tongue-in-cheek. It was only logical that this love affair with mysteries carried over onto the small screen when the television revolution hit. Early on, film noir style dominated and eventually evolved into the crime dramas of today.

Arguably, the best detectives have been seen on the tube. A look at the top 10 is always a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

10. Sherlock Holmes - a list of detective shows without Holmes would be a sin against the arts. There have been many portrayals of the illustrious sleuth but one that stands out is a series that aired in October 1954 and ran for one year (39 episodes). Ronald Howard, son of film star Leslie Howard (of Gone With The Wind fame, among others) starred as Holmes in a well-written and true to form faithful representation of Sir Doyle's classic investigator. "Elementary, my dear Watson" oozes through every episode and delivers exactly what the viewer would expect from a Holmes mystery.

9. Honey West - ranking on the list because she is the first female private investigator, Honey West ran for only one season. In a direct response to the British Mrs. Emma Peel, Anne Francis starred as the daughter of a private investigator who inherits his business and continues her father's work. Exotic was the word that tv producers were trying to emulate when putting episodes together. Ms. West had a pet ocelot as well as many "not for everyday" outfits. And when working at night, she wore a body stocking reminiscent of coming directly from Ms. Peel's wardrobe. However, the impact of a female investigator would carry over even to today's "The Closer".

8. Baretta - a plainclothes detective with his nose in the street, Tony Baretta was grit and grime and tough as nails. The show ran for four seasons with Robert Blake staying true to form throughout. The close look at police work on the streets of the '70s was poignant and fresh for the time. While criticized at time for the at-times rough depiction of police brutality, Baretta never let up on crime. As the song said, "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time!"

7. Ironside - When Chief of Detectives Robert T. Ironside was shot with an assassin's bullet, he was left crippled in a wheelchair. Removed from active police duty, Ironside, with Raymond Burr in the starring role, set up a private investigation practice that was set in San Francisco. His no-nonsense style of crime solving while relying on his team of assistants was crisp and sharp. While the acting was a bit reminiscent of Perry Mason, it is overlooked by the good writing and supporting acting. The show ran for 8 seasons (199 episodes). It was the first look at a detective with a severe handicap being productive and was the forerunner of Denzel Washington's portrayal as Lincoln Rhymes in "The Bone Collector" on the big screen.

6. Quincy, M.E. - Jack Klugman starred as Dr. Quincy, a medical examiner in Los Angeles. While not a detective, Quincy (whose first name was only listed on his business card as "R") used his forensic skills to root out clues in murder mysteries. As part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie lineup, Quincy set the stage and tone for all other crime scene investigation shows to follow. The show constantly addressed issues of the time, from drug abuse to bulimia and brought them to the light of the "everyday" people. Quincy M.E. ran for eight seasons with TV movies before and afterwards.

5. Monk - Tony Shalhoub stars as Adrian Monk. He is a renowned police detective with a severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. With his phobias accompanying him to crime scenes and on investigations, Monk fights them to solve the mysteries. There is also the ongoing mystery of his own wife's murder that goes unsolved until the series end (the finale was aired December 2009). The viewer agonizes and is frustrated by Monk's inability to deal with the slightest out-of-order item but the show also brings OCD to the forefront and should be heralded for it's work in that area. Many comments on the internet from people suffering from OCD show disappointment that the show has ended. They feel that the show brings this disorder to light so others can understand their plight.

4. Law & Order - While this show has gone through many cast changes since it's inception and 20 year run (tying it with Gunsmoke at that lofty mark), the combination of Detective Lennie Briscoe and Detective Ed Green, portrayed by Jerry Orbach and Jesse Martin, respectively stands out above the rest. The two characters were from different paths yet worked together as one. The show's format depicted their investigation steps to apprehend suspects (during the first 30 minutes) and then used the "Perry Mason" formula in the second portion. The show has led to a family of Law & Order shows and has been kept fresh with a revolving change of characters. None of the original cast from 1990 is still on the show. The show also tackles extremely tough issues and it is not uncommon for the "wrong doer" to walk free. While this may not always sit well with viewers, it is true to life and very believable.

3. Murder She Wrote - Angela Landsbury brings Jessica B. Fletcher to life from the quaint town of Cabot Cove. She is a mystery writer who has a keen eye and the ability to sort through clues and help the sheriff of the town solve murder mysteries. The show ran for ten seasons and after the first few, they had to move Ms. Fletcher around so viewers wouldn't think the murder rate in "quaint Cabot Cove" wasn't going through the roof. There are only so many murders you can have in a town of 500+. However, Ms. Landsbury's endearing portrayal of the smarter-than-you widow seemed as genuine as the cookies she made during the holidays. And the only reason for the shows demise was Ms. Landsbury's belief that the character had been fully delved and nothing new would challenge here acting interest. Reruns are still going strong.

2. Dragnet - No list would be complete without the inclusion for Sergeant Joe Friday. Jack Webb breathed life into this character that started on Radio in 1949 and debuted on television in 1951. The show had traces of the film noir style from the older movies and a stark portrayal of a crime drama. Each show started with Friday detailing time and date of the crime and followed the steps the detectives went through to solve the mystery. Webb also made sure that the show continued to deliver the message of crime not paying and the outcome to all who commit them. While the show is a bit dry for today's audiences, if taken in the context that it was originally aired, the characters will be seen for their indelible mark on the television detective stereotype.

1. Columbo - As part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie series, Peter Falk brilliantly portrays Detective Columbo with a style and haphazardness that has been duplicated since but never surpassed. It was also a mystery show that viewers got to see the crime and who did it right at the start of the program! They then had to figure out the one clue that Columbo would find that would trip up the perpetrator. Columbo fumbled through the mystery, asking questions that didn't seem to be important or at a time that were very annoying. The phrases "Oh, by the way..." and "One more thing..." as he was walking out of the scene were his signature. His attire was also his own. From his wrinkled trench coat to his battered Peugeot Cabriolet car to his unlit cigar, Columbo is a detective that can compete with the best of them; even number 10 from this list.

May television detecting continue to evolve and give us many more thrills and puzzles for us to contemplate and solve. I look forward to the next detective to make the top ten list. Many thanks go to Wikipedia for supplying dates and details necessary for completing this article.