Ranker TVList RulesVote up your favorite crime dramas that aired on TV in the '80s
In the mood to catch up on the some legendary crime dramas? Well, this list is a place to start! These are the best 1980s crime drama TV shows, ranked by user votes. From some good 80s crime drama series that follow law enforcement agents as they attempt to catch criminals, to others that are about lawyers, to still other top 1980s crime shows that are about undercover cops pretending to be high schoolers.
What shows will you find on this best 1980s crime drama TV shows list? David Hasselhoff got some crime-fighting help from his car KITT in the 80s show Knight Rider. Fun Fact: KITT was actually a customized 1982 Pontiac Trans-Am sports model. T.J. Hooker was also a good crime show that aired in the 1980s.
TV viewers got a look inside the dramatic lives of a group of Hill Street police officers in the 80s crime series Hill Street Blues. Other good shows that appear on this top 1980s crime drama TV shows list include Miami Vice, 21 Jump Street and L.A. Law.
So which 80s crime show is the best? Vote up your favorites now!
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10843Magnum, P.I.
Tom Selleck, John HillermanPremiered: 1980
Magnum, P.I. is an American television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private... more2
8226Columbo
Peter Falk, Mike LallyPremiered: 1968
Columbo is an American television series starring Peter Falk as a detective with the Los... more3
9749Miami Vice
Don Johnson, Philip Michael ThomasPremiered: 1984
Miami Vice is an American television drama series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by... more4
8742Hill Street Blues
Daniel J. Travanti, Michael WarrenPremiered: 1981
Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and... more5
7029The Equalizer
Edward Woodward, Keith SzarabajkaPremiered: 1985
The Equalizer was an American drama television series, originally airing on CBS from fall 1985... more6
8038Remington Steele
Stephanie Zimbalist, Pierce BrosnanPremiered: 1982
Remington Steele is an American television series co-created by Robert Butler and Michael... more7
8140Simon & Simon
Gerald McRaney, Tim ReidPremiered: 1981
Simon & Simon is an American detective television series that originally ran from November 24,... more8
6329Quincy, M.E.
Jack Klugman, John S. RaginPremiered: 1976
Quincy, M.E. is an American television series from Universal Studios that aired from October... more9
8454Hunter
Fred Dryer, Stepfanie KramerPremiered: 1984
Hunter is an American police drama television show that was created by Frank Lupo, and... more10
5430MacGyver
Richard Dean Anderson, Dana ElcarPremiered: 1985
MacGyver is an American action-adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff. Henry... more11
6339Kojak
Telly Savalas, Dan FrazerPremiered: 1973
Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, New York... more12
5837Hart to Hart
Robert Wagner, Stefanie PowersPremiered: 1979
Hart to Hart is an American television series, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as... more13
5634Knight Rider
David Hasselhoff, Edward MulharePremiered: 1982
Knight Rider is an American television series that originally ran from September 26, 1982, to... more14
6039CHiPs
Erik Estrada, Larry WilcoxPremiered: 1977
CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on... more15
4424Hardcastle and McCormick
Brian Keith, Daniel Hugh KellyPremiered: 1983
Hardcastle and McCormick is an American action/drama television series that aired on ABC from... more16
6344Murder, She Wrote
Angela Lansbury, William WindomPremiered: 1984
This show is a television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and... more17
5537T. J. Hooker
William Shatner, Heather LocklearPremiered: 1982
This show is an American police drama television program starring William Shatner in the title... more18
6246Matlock
Andy Griffith, Linda PurlPremiered: 1986
Matlock is an American television legal drama, starring Andy Griffith in the title role of... more19
4832In the Heat of the Night
Carroll O'Connor, Howard RollinsPremiered: 1988
In the Heat of the Night is an American television series based on the film and the novel of... more20
3624Cagney & Lacey
Tyne Daly, Al WaxmanPremiered: 1982
Cagney & Lacey is an American television series that originally aired on the CBS television... more21
3121Riptide
Kelly Preston, Anne FrancisPremiered: 1983
Riptide is an American TV detective series that ran on NBC from December 3, 1983 to August 22,... more22
3221Barnaby Jones
Lee Meriwether, Buddy EbsenPremiered: 1973
Barnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as a... more23
3326Matt Houston
Lee Horsley, Pamela HensleyPremiered: 1982
Matt Houston is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1985. Created by... more24
2923Jake and the Fatman
William Conrad, Joe PennyPremiered: 1987
Jake and the Fatman is a television drama starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. "Fatman"... more25
3837Crime Story
Dennis Farina, Bill SmitrovichPremiered: 1986
Crime Story is an American television drama, created by Gustave Reininger and Chuck Adamson,... more
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