5 Crime Dramas From The 80s That Deserve A Reboot (& 5 That Don’t)

Here are five crime dramas from the 80s that deserve a reboot and five that don’t. What do you want to see making a comeback?

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Many people argue that television is currently going through a Golden Age. TV dramas have never been as good as they are today thanks to increased budgets and more notable talent who have been transitioning from film to TV.

The Sopranos is generally regarded as the show that kickstarted the Golden Age of the TV Drama, and both the 2000s and 2010s have aired some truly magnificent pieces of work. But the 80s also contained its fair share of quality entertainment…and its fair share of mediocrity. These are five crime dramas from the 80s that deserve a reboot and five that don’t.

10 Deserve: T.J. Hooker (1982-86)

T.J. Hooker is a police drama that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1985 and for one extra season on CBS throughout ’85 and ’86. Like most grounded police dramas of its time, T.J. Hooker has aged in various significant ways, including its general filming style.

The world doesn’t necessarily need another cop drama, but should studio executives decide to reboot a classic, they could do a lot worse than T.J. Hooker.

9 Doesn’t Deserve: Miami Vice (1984-90)

Miami Vice is one of those shows that should forever remain in the 80s. Few pieces of entertainment scream the 1980s more than the cop drama Miami Vice.

The music, fashion, culture, drug-fueled storylines, and neon-soaked atmosphere all represent the 80s in the most glorious and bombastic manner possible, and updating it for modern audiences just wouldn’t work. They made a movie in 2006 starring Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell, but it just wasn’t the same.

8 Deserve: Crime Story (1986-88)

Crime Story is a very important television show. Serving as a precursor to shows like The Sopranos, Crime Story told an over-arching story about a police lieutenant trying to catch a prominent mobster by the name of Ray Luca.

It was quite groundbreaking for its time, but TV (and TV production values) has come a long way since 1988. With a modern touch, Crime Story could very well be the next big mobster show.

7 Doesn’t Deserve: Columbo (1968-78; 1989-2003)

Columbo is a seminal crime drama starring Peter Falk as the titular homicide detective.

The show is most known for its first seven seasons, which aired on NBC from 1968 to 1978. However, the show returned for a four-episode eighth season in 1989, which in turn resulted in two more seasons and various specials. The absence of Peter Falk would make a Columbo reboot next to impossible. It’s one of those roles that should never be recast.

6 Deserve: Simon & Simon (1981-89)

Serving as yet another police drama of the day, Simon & Simon starred Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker as crime-solving brothers Rick and A.J. Simon.

This type of show could easily work on a modern network, especially one looking for a lighthearted detective story with fun characters. Provided it’s cast well, Simon & Simon could prove a prosperous success. The show lives and dies on the casting of its two lead characters.

5 Doesn’t Deserve: Hill Street Blues (1981-87)

While The Sopranos is generally credited with changing television drama forever, many of its influences can be traced back to the fantastic 80s cop show Hill Street Blues.

This show also contained episode-spanning story arcs, morally-questionable characters, and a sense of gloom and depravity. It should never be rebooted, as it proudly holds a place within television history. Viewers can analyze it today to see how it shaped modern TV.

4 Deserve: Vegas (1978-81)

Vegas was certainly an ambitious show for its time. Created by Michael Mann, Vegas starred Robert Urich as private detective Dan Tanna.

Tanna drove around Las Vegas in his red 1957 Ford Thunderbird and solved crimes like missing person reports and casino scams. Filmed on location in Las Vegas, Vegas was a thrilling and visually compelling drama that aired on ABC from 1978 to 1981. Unfortunately, the footage now looks quite dated, especially by modern TV standards. With modern 4K cameras and a reliable star, a rebooted Vegas could prove very appealing indeed.

3 Doesn’t Deserve: Cagney & Lacey (1982-88)

Much like Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey should never be rebooted for the sole reason of its historical importance. Airing on CBS from 1982 to 1988, Cagney & Lacey followed two female police detectives as they solved various crimes.

Christine Cagney was a career woman devoted to her job and Mary Beth Lacey was the mother trying to provide for her children. Female-led action shows are rare today. They were even rarer back in the 80s.

2 Deserve: Charlie’s Angels (1976-81)

One of the biggest female-led crime shows of the day was Charlie’s Angels. Charlie’s Angels barely squeaked into the 80s, coming to an end after five seasons and 115 episodes in 1981.

While the recent 2019 film didn’t perform very well, the $264 million-grossing Charlie’s Angels from 2000 and the $259 million-grossing Full Throttle proves that there is a (relatively) modern audience for the IP. A reboot could be just what the franchise needs.

1 Doesn’t Deserve: Murder, She Wrote (1984-96)

Much like Columbo, Murder, She Wrote contains a character who is simply irreplaceable. Airing on CBS from 1984 to 1996, Murder, She Wrote followed Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher, a mystery writer, and novice detective who solves crimes.

The show is still enormously popular throughout much of the world, and Lansbury can never be replaced as Jessica Fletcher. For these two reasons, Murder, She Wrote should never be rebooted.

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