Ranker TVList RulesVote up your favorite crime dramas that aired on TV in the '70s
These are the best 1970s crime drama TV shows, ranked by user votes. There are some good 70s crime drama series that followed cops hot on the trail of criminals, there were some more focused on lawyers and trials, and still there were some others about top secret special agents! There was really something for everybody in the 70s. What are the top 1970s crime shows in your opinion? Vote up your favorites!
What shows will you find on this best 1970s crime drama TV shows list? Crime fighting women were all the rage in the 1970s with Charlie's Angels and The Mod Squad leading the pack. Starsky and Hutch was also a popular 70s crime series. Fun Fact: Starsky and Hutch was adapted into a 2004 film starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson.
Throughout the 1970s, Peter Falk starred as the incomparable homicide detective Columbo on the TV series of the same name. Other good shows that appear on this top 1970s crime drama TV shows list include Ironside, The Streets of San Francisco and Police Story.
Which 70s crime drama show is your favorite? Vote the best series up to the top of this list and share your opinion in the comments section.1
23053The Rockford Files
James Garner, Noah Beery Jr.Premiered: 1974
The Rockford Files is an American television drama series starring James Garner that aired on... more2
24786Columbo
Peter Falk, Mike LallyPremiered: 1968
Columbo is an American television series starring Peter Falk as a detective with the Los... more3
14547Cannon
William Conrad, Patrick CullitonPremiered: 1971
Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March... more4
15262Hawaii Five-O
Jack Lord, James MacArthurPremiered: 1968
Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and... more5
14456The Streets of San Francisco
Karl Malden, Michael DouglasPremiered: 1972
The Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San... more6
13855Quincy, M.E.
Jack Klugman, John S. RaginPremiered: 1976
Quincy, M.E. is an American television series from Universal Studios that aired from October... more7
14562Kojak
Telly Savalas, Dan FrazerPremiered: 1973
Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, New York... more8
14270Starsky and Hutch
David Soul, Paul Michael GlaserPremiered: 1975
Starsky & Hutch is a 1970s American cop thriller television series, which consisted of a... more9
12459Mannix
Robert Reed, Mike ConnorsPremiered: 1967
Mannix is an American television detective series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. Created... more10
10953Barnaby Jones
Lee Meriwether, Buddy EbsenPremiered: 1973
Barnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as a... more11
10654McCloud
Dennis Weaver, Terry CarterPremiered: 1970
McCloud is an American television police drama that aired on NBC from 1970 to 1977. The series... more12
10959Baretta
Robert Blake, Tom EwellPremiered: 1975
Baretta is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978. The... more13
8539Police Woman
Angie Dickinson, Keenan WynnPremiered: 1974
Police Woman is an American television police drama starring Angie Dickinson that ran on NBC... more14
9145Ironside
Bruce Lee, Raymond BurrPremiered: 1967
Ironside is a Universal television series that ran on NBC from September 14, 1967, to January... more15
9448McMillan & Wife
Rock Hudson, Julie NewmarPremiered: 1971
McMillan & Wife was a lighthearted American police procedural that aired on NBC from September... more16
8846Adam-12
Martin Milner, Kent McCordPremiered: 1968
Adam-12 is a television police drama that followed two police officers of the Los Angeles... more17
10661Charlie's Angels
Kate Jackson, Farrah FawcettPremiered: 1976
Charlie's Angels is an American drama television series that aired on ABC from September 22,... more18
6943The Mod Squad
Michael Cole, Clarence Williams IIIPremiered: 1968
The Mod Squad is an American drama series that ran on ABC from September 24, 1968 to August... more19
7550S.W.A.T.
Steve Forrest, Robert UrichPremiered: 1975
S.W.A.T. is an American action/crime drama series about the adventures of a Special Weapons... more20
7762CHiPs
Erik Estrada, Larry WilcoxPremiered: 1977
CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on... more21
7056The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Robert Vaughn, David McCallumPremiered: 1964
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an American television series broadcast on NBC from September 22,... more22
5036Harry O
David Janssen, Anthony ZerbePremiered: 1974
Harry O, sometimes spelled Harry-O, is an American crime drama series that aired for two... more23
5049Police Story
David Cassidy, Lloyd BridgesPremiered: 1973
Police Story is an anthology television crime drama that aired on NBC from 1973 through 1978.... more24
5256It Takes a Thief
Robert Wagner, Malachi ThronePremiered: 1968
It Takes a Thief is an American action-adventure television series that aired on ABC for three... more25
4650The F.B.I.
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.Premiered: 1965
The F.B.I. is an American television series broadcast on ABC from 1965–74. It was sponsored by... more
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