# Most annoying TV cops? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2015, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339 "2015-11-12T00:22:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/21 "2015-11-12T17:30:13Z")
> [@Billdo](#): > > I don’t think it is fair to include Inspector Luger in this. No doubt he was an annoying TV cop, but his was a recurring guest role specifically written to be annoying, … I think just about all these characters were written to be annoying, so I don’t see how that makes him special. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/22 "2015-11-12T17:33:37Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > … But Brenda snuck up on me. The writers skillfully made me take her side, especially how the old line cops - Taylor, Flynn, that other RHD asshole - all were against her for no good reason. Then they sprung it on us that she really was evil, after it was too late and I already liked the show. Yeah, the first time she had a guy killed I was really shocked and even thought it was way out of character. Then she did it again, and she fucked over the FBI and even the local prosecutors routinely, and it became clear that she was pathological. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/23 "2015-11-12T17:42:43Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Yeah, the first time she had a guy killed I was really shocked and even thought it was way out of character. Then she did it again, and she fucked over the FBI and even the local prosecutors routinely, and it became clear that she was pathological. Especially her handling of Turrell Baylor. Not only did she not handle killing him properly (she could have been more subtle and no one would have ever even caught on - it’s not like he didn’t actually deserve it, you know!) but it seemed that she wouldn’t even admit to herself that she did it! She seemed genuinely confused that people accused her of doing exactly what she did. She didn’t seem to be pretending for the public, as it were. Even in private with Fritz she didn’t think she did anything wrong. That is some deep psychosis. The show spent far too much time with the TB story line, when I always thought they could have actually prosecuted her (not a civil suit) for the killing of the cop in _Tijuana Brass_. There’s an actual paper trail on that! ETA: It not that she has questionable morals that really bugs me about the show (it does, but it’s not the main thing). It’s that everyone keeps covering for her. She never gets called on her crap. If she’d actually have to take responsibility (like the subplot of her car accident) now and then, for anything, maybe I’d be somewhat willing to overlook the murder of the Russian mobster. maybe. I forgive Magnum for shooting Ivan in cold blood (and how did he ever get away with that?) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/24 "2015-11-12T18:01:52Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Lt (no first name) Columbo. I always wondered what his fellow cops thought of him. He was a Lieutenant, but never seemed to have anyone working under him. He never had a partner. As for his detective skills, my dad likened him to the KGB - find someone available and make them guilty. (yes, he always got the right guy, but he had help - the writers. In real life, I’m not convinced his style of detecting would net such a high success rate). To be fair - there are many good episodes. Frank, I believe it was (and not Philip, as is sometimes claimed). Colombo never chose suspects at random. There was always something that immediately indicated they were guilty, and he would latch onto it. In other words, the man had “heightened powers of observation.” ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/25 "2015-11-12T18:18:03Z")
It’s a toss up for me. Martin Milner in “Adam 12”. He kept trying to be “street,” but just couldn’t pull it off. The other was Adam West in “The Detectives.” He couldn’t have been more white bread. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/26 "2015-11-12T18:25:49Z")
> [@TV\_time](#): > > It’s a toss up for me. > > Martin Milner in “Adam 12”. He kept trying to be “street,” but just couldn’t pull it off. The other was Adam West in “The Detectives.” He couldn’t have been more white bread. Martin Milner may have been the most boring TV cop ever, but he didn’t strike me as particularly annoying. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/27 "2015-11-12T18:33:36Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Joe Friday was so annoying it became a running joke. > > _“Just the facts, Ma’am.”_ I disagree. Gannon was even more annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/28 "2015-11-12T18:35:42Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I disagree. Gannon was even more annoying. I think you’re right. Gannon was the one who thought he had a sense of humor. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/29 "2015-11-12T18:36:01Z")
If real cops are eligible, I nominate that smarmy grey-haired asshole from COPS who became the narrator of all those hokey _World’s Dumbest Police Chases_ videos, or whatever they were called. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/30 "2015-11-12T18:39:31Z")
Officer Kirk was always giving Fonzie and the gang a hard time. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/31 "2015-11-12T18:48:04Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Frank, I believe it was (and not Philip, as is sometimes claimed). Yeah, it was never spoken on the show, but I’ve seen his I.D. card in closeup in a couple of episodes and his signature said “Frank Columbo.” Here’s a screenshot of his I.D. [https://media.cdnws.com/\_i/5532/3104/1/5/carte-identification-card-id-columbo.jpeg](https://media.cdnws.com/_i/5532/3104/1/5/carte-identification-card-id-columbo.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/32 "2015-11-12T18:56:07Z")
> [@TV\_time](#): > > It’s a toss up for me. > > Martin Milner in “Adam 12”. He kept trying to be “street,” but just couldn’t pull it off. The other was Adam West in “The Detectives.” He couldn’t have been more white bread. Speaking of Adam West; how about Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara? Could they actually do police work without the help of Batman? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/33 "2015-11-12T19:08:12Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Speaking of Adam West; how about Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara? Could they actually do police work without the help of Batman? Weren’t they intentionally written to be somewhat buffoonish, though? Especially O’Hara. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/34 "2015-11-12T19:13:51Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Weren’t they intentionally written to be somewhat buffoonish, though? Especially O’Hara. Yes, but the OP didn’t say anything about intentionally or unintentionally. For that matter, does Batman count as a cop? Wasn’t he deputized or something? He could certainly be considered annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/35 "2015-11-12T19:17:07Z")
Not as annoying as Robin. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/36 "2015-11-12T19:18:19Z")
Holy annoying! ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/37 "2015-11-12T19:22:34Z")
If I had to really watch him, rather than just see him in passing, I’d nominate whatever character Thomas Gibson plays. I think he’s actually the star of his show, and all he can manage is an “intense” beetle-browed scowl. He’s just terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/38 "2015-11-12T19:23:37Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > If I had to really watch him, rather than just see him in passing, I’d nominate whatever character Thomas Gibson plays. I think he’s actually the star of his show, and all he can manage is an “intense” beetle-browed scowl. He’s just terrible. I don’t even know what show you’re talking about, let alone the character’s name. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/39 "2015-11-12T19:29:42Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Yes, but the OP didn’t say anything about intentionally or unintentionally. For that matter, does Batman count as a cop? Wasn’t he deputized or something? He could certainly be considered annoying. In that case, I nominate Gunther Toody. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339/40 "2015-11-12T19:31:23Z")
[Psi-cop Alfred Bester.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Bester_%28Babylon_5%29) What was really annoying was that he didn’t get his just desserts until the post-show books. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-annoying-tv-cops/737339.md?page=3)