Natasha Lyonne’s savvy, road-weary Charlie Cale is a fond homage to classic TV detectives like Jim Rockford and Lt. Frank Columbo: Like Rockford, she lives in a battered mobile home when we first meet her and she’s as dogged in solving crimes as the cigar-smoking Columbo. She also drives a bitchin’ 70s car and rocks a sweater that might have belonged to Paul Michael Glaser’s Starsky.
Here are some of the shows that influenced Rian Johnson’s series and other classic mystery of the week series, and where to watch them.
The Fugitive (1964-1967)
The original series starred David Janssen as a doctor falsely accused of murdering his wife (just like in the 1993 movie starring Harrison Ford). Always on the run from the law and taking odd jobs to survive, each week found him in a new place with a new person needing his help. All while trying to find that elusive One-Armed Man, of course.
Watch all 4 seasons on Plex.
Honey West (1965 – 1966)
Anne Francis of “Forbidden Planet” starred as the hip title character, who takes over her father’s high-tech detective agency after his death. She’s aided by the handsome Sam Bolt (John Ericson) and her pet ocelot Bruce.
Watch on the Decades channel.
Mannix (1967–1975)
Joe Mannix, whose Plymouth Barracuda convertible was surely the model for Charlie’s own sweet vintage ride, was possibly the most beaten-up and knocked-out P.I. ever. Pity poor leading man, Mike Connors. Gail Fisher co-starred as his highly capable and sometimes imperiled secretary, Peggy Fair.
Watch Season 1 on Roku’s Crime and Mystery Channel and Season 8 on Philo or Frndly.
Columbo (1971–1978)
“Just one more thing…” The beloved series featured the rumpled detective (played by Peter Falk at his finest) carefully putting the pieces of the puzzle together to catch the not-so-clever-after-all murderers. “Poker Face” took a page from “Columbo” by showing us whodunit right off the bat while we wait for Charlie to collect all the clues. Falk returned for a revival series and a number of TV movies.
Watch on Peacock
The Rockford Files (1974–1980)
A planned 2010 reboot of this quintessential ’70s series never saw the light of day: It was just too damn hard to find someone with the same charm as James Garner. His ex-con-turned P.I. could bluff his way in anywhere and throw down if needed. And the actor did almost all those fancy stunts with the gold Pontiac Firebird himself.
Watch on Peacock
Starsky & Hutch (1975-1979)
Hutch (David Soul) and Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser) were some of the grooviest cops ever as the tangled with the mob, drug dealers and even crazed cultists. (It was the ’70s.) Their red and white Ford Gran Torino is legendary. Starsky normally wore this signature sweater, of which The Dude and Charlie Cale would both approve.
Steam on Prime Video.
Magnum, P.I. (1980–1988)
The magnificently mustachioed Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck) had it all: A sporty red Ferrari 308 GTS, a friend with a helicopter, and of course, he lived in Hawaii. There are worse places to be a P.I.
Stream on Freevee/Prime Video
Remington Steele (1982–1987)
The fantastic premise in this ’80s favorite: Detective Laura Holt (Stephanie Zimbalist) can’t get clients since she’s a woman, so she invents a fictional boss named Remington Steele. Enter a handsome thief (Pierce Brosnan) who’s happy to play the part and you’ve got a winning detective duo.
Stream on Prime Video
Murder, She Wrote (1984–1996)
Mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) solved rings around the cops whether in New York City or good old Cabot Cove, Maine, the fictional city with the highest murder rate in the world.
So grab your popcorn (yes, we love that gif) and catch up with peak comfort TV.
Stream on Freevee
