# Who's the Coolest TV Detective or Cop? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867 "2010-01-14T01:38:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/41 "2010-01-14T08:26:52Z")
Missed the edit window, **CMC**. Remember these lines from _McMillan & Wife_? Sally: “Maybe we ought to call the police.” Mac: “Sally, I AM the police!” Former spy, sneaking up on Sally from behind and clamping his hand over her mouth: Spy: “Mrs. McMillan, on my person I have three weapons, and I can kill you in less than a second without using any of them. I trust when I remove my hand you will not scream.” Sally: Eyes wide, nods furiously. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/42 "2010-01-14T08:30:52Z")
Avery Brooks as Hawk was the coolest (OK, not a cop, but still), followed by Angel, followed by that Mountie guy from _Due South_ ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/43 "2010-01-14T08:35:15Z")
What? No ones mentioned Beretta and his Cockatoo? I forgot about him too. 😉 Beretta was a very cool cop. The actor that played him got into trouble 25 years later. But, that’s not Beretta’s fault. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/44 "2010-01-14T08:43:09Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > TJ Hooker yup! ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/45 "2010-01-14T10:02:56Z")
[DCS Christopher Foyle](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310455/). Columbo with an English accent. Redefines the term “iron fist in the velvet glove” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/46 "2010-01-14T10:55:12Z")
Special Agent Dale Cooper, FBI. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/47 "2010-01-14T11:03:44Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Special Agent Dale Cooper, FBI. Amen! ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/48 "2010-01-14T11:48:36Z")
Another vote for Jim Rockford. Kept his gun in a cookie jar (mostly). **This week’s lady in trouble:** You’re a private investigator! Why aren’t you armed? **Jim:** Because I don’t want to shoot anybody. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/49 "2010-01-14T12:35:46Z")
How about Shawn Spencer of [Psych](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0491738/)? He has brilliant powers of memory, observation, and deduction, but he’s also a slacker and a classic underachiever. So he convinces people he’s psychic and opens a “Psychic Detetective Agency” so he can solve crimes without the bother of becoming a cop or having to follow rules or anything. I’d say that’s pretty cool. Plus, my wife thinks he’s hot. ---
**Author:** ![Sparrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Sparrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparrow)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/50 "2010-01-14T12:45:58Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Harry O > > ETA: “His MG was always in the shop so he had to ride the bus to investigate? Wouldn’t that make him the UNcoolest detective?” > > “No, he was played by David Janssen, who was the personification of cool.” I loved Harry O! Do you know if the show is available on DVD? ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/51 "2010-01-14T13:09:52Z")
Rebus ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/52 "2010-01-14T14:38:10Z")
Kojak ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/53 "2010-01-14T14:46:31Z")
Bah! None of those are a patch on the master: Sherlock Holmes. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/54 "2010-01-14T15:22:56Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Avery Brooks as Hawk was the coolest (OK, not a cop, but still), followed by Angel, followed by that Mountie guy from _Due South_ The Mountie (Benton Fraser, played by Paul Gross) was pretty fine. But Ray Kowalski (Callum Keith Rennie) was _cooler_… Going back into the annals of TV PI’s, I’ll go with Peter Gunn. Or the guys from _77 Sunset Strip_… ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/55 "2010-01-14T15:31:44Z")
Sergeant **Frank Drebin** , Detective Lieutenant, Police Squad! Jim Rockford (regarding his gun): “I don’t shoot it, I just point it.” ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/56 "2010-01-14T15:36:49Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > There have been movies, too (the 1997 version starred Val Kilmer) but I don’t know what he drove. He drove the franchise, right into the ground. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/57 "2010-01-14T15:50:06Z")
cmon, who is cooler than this? He can DESTROY you with… WORDS! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_Twre6ItGEI/hqdefault.jpg "Dragnet Jack Webb "Alcohol VS. Marijuana & LSD" Great Speech") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Twre6ItGEI) ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/58 "2010-01-14T15:57:04Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > [DCS Christopher Foyle](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310455/). Columbo with an English accent. Redefines the term “iron fist in the velvet glove” Yeah, you don’t want Foyle’s icy blue eyes fixed on you. That means trouble. God, I love that show. Did you notice how Milner limps less as time goes by? ---
**Author:** ![Elysium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@Elysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysium)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/59 "2010-01-14T16:01:36Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Amen! Exactly! Followed closely. by Det. Frank Pembleton. ---
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/60 "2010-01-14T16:06:39Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > [. . .] Peter Gunn was the very personification of cool. The show was built around it. Jazz, snub nose revolvers, sleek suits, sexy nightclub singer girlfriend, nighttime streets that always looked like it just rained, and Henry Mancini’s theme! What could be cooler? That’s my vote, followed closely by Lee Marvin’s Det. Lt. Frank Ballinger of [M Squad](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050035/). Cool and Marvin-tough, with a Count Basie theme. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867.md?page=4)