# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/61 "2010-01-14T16:13:19Z")
> [@Elysium](#): > > Followed closely. by Det. Frank Pembleton. No, Pembleton wasn’t cool. His fire burned with white hot intensity. He was great, but cool he wasn’t. Of those not mentioned yet, Detective Ron “Blood on the Badge” Harris, from Barney Miller, was very cool, except he was part of an ensemble cast so he doesn’t qualify for this thread. Another vote for Rockford was the coolest though. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/62 "2010-01-14T16:30:06Z")
[Sabrina Duncan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabrina_Duncan)! Yeah, the rest of the Angels were just eye candy. but “Bree” was way cool. As was [Jamie Sommers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaime_Sommers_(The_Bionic_Woman)) - but I think of her more as a secret agent than a detective. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/63 "2010-01-14T16:41:06Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > rounding out the top five we have [Lenny Briscoe](http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0013487/)The NYPD detective that always had a zinger. Seconded. I don’t know if it’s what the OP is looking for, but I thought of Lennie when I saw the title. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/64 "2010-01-14T17:39:45Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Special Agent Dale Cooper, FBI. Most definitely. Then there was Fox Mulder on _The X-Files_, who was so nerdy he was cool. Sherlock Holmes, as played by Jeremy Brett in the Granada series. DCI Jane Tennison in the _Prime Suspect_ series. And what, no love for Jack Lord on _Hawaii Five-O_? “Book 'em, Danno!” ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/65 "2010-01-14T17:47:58Z")
I’m talking 'bout Shaft. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/66 "2010-01-14T18:04:47Z")
I’m not sure he counts, because technically he isn’t a detective, but Castle is pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![parsnip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parsnip/32/4564_2.png) [@parsnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parsnip)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/67 "2010-01-14T18:16:54Z")
Poirot by David Suchet (who is always a bad-ass villian in not BBC stuff) best apartment best moustaches, (not moustache, plural) best waddle with the cane even better than Archie Goodwin (Timothy Hutton) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/68 "2010-01-14T18:34:58Z")
> [@parsnip](#): > > Poirot by David Suchet (who is always a bad-ass villian in not BBC stuff)… Yes! I saw him play Iago in an RSC production of _Othello_ in late 1985. He was devilishly good. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/69 "2010-01-14T18:35:25Z")
No it’s **Barneby Jones** , no question. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/70 "2010-01-14T19:24:47Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > I’m talking 'bout Shaft. Well he sure had the coolest and best theme tune. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Norse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/big_norse/32/9954_2.png) [@Big\_Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Norse)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/71 "2010-01-14T20:14:04Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > And what, no love for Jack Lord on _Hawaii Five-O_? “Book 'em, Danno!” I was going to vote for him - never a hair out of place. But would 5-0 count as an ensemble show? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/72 "2010-01-14T20:18:16Z")
Leroy Jethro Gibbs. No one else is even close. Assigning Gibbs spots 1 through 9 on a top 10 list, Robert Urich’s Spenser is number 10. I specify Urich because somebody else played Spenser in a couple of really bad Lifetime movies. ETA: Avery Brooks’ Hawk would be number two, but he was not a detective, simply because he had Spenser to do the boring detective stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/73 "2010-01-14T20:20:18Z")
Leroy Jethro Gibbs gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/74 "2010-01-14T20:52:27Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > I’m talking 'bout Shaft. Shut yo’ mouth!! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/75 "2010-01-14T20:59:31Z")
Jim Rockford all the way! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/76 "2010-01-14T21:07:28Z")
Jim Rockford. When kidnapped by bad guys, he jammed his foot over the driver’s on the accelerator and the car crashes into a swimming pool. Rockwood gets out first with a gun and, sitting on the diving board says, “OK, everybody out of the pool.” ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/77 "2010-01-14T21:18:04Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Jim Rockford. > When kidnapped by bad guys, he jammed his foot over the driver’s on the accelerator and the car crashes into a swimming pool. > Rockwood gets out first with a gun and, sitting on the diving board says, “OK, everybody out of the pool.” They should really make a new Rockford movie. [hijack]Who would play Jimbo?[/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/78 "2010-01-14T21:28:19Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > They should really make a new Rockford movie. > > [hijack]Who would play Jimbo?[/hijack] James Garner could play Rocky, following the Maverick remake. 🙂 Who is sleazy enough to play Angel? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/79 "2010-01-14T21:35:52Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > James Garner could play Rocky, following the Maverick remake. 🙂 > > Who is sleazy enough to play Angel? David Boreanez, obviously. What an incredibly silly question. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867/80 "2010-01-14T21:38:09Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > They should really make a new Rockford movie. > > [hijack]Who would play Jimbo?[/hijack] You’re in luck. As I discovered in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=547700), they’re remaking the series. Casting it will be tricky. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-coolest-tv-detective-or-cop/524867.md?page=5)