"Spenser: For Hire" (1985) TV series 1985-1988

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Directors:

Bruce Bilson
Harvey Hart

Writers:

William Rabkin (writer)
Shel Willens (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

20 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Mystery/suspense series based on Robert Parker's "Spenser" novels. Spenser, a private investigator living in Boston, gets involved in a new murder mystery each episode. Using his years of experience, his natural talents for observation and reasoning, and the occasional bit of help from his friend Hawk, Spenser never fails to crack the case.

Plot Keywords:

Boston | Detective | Boston Massachusetts | Private Eye | Character Name In Title

Cast

Robert Urich	...	Spenser (65 episodes, 1985-1988)
Avery Brooks	...	Hawk (65 episodes, 1985-1988)
Ron McLarty	...	Sgt. Frank Belson (64 episodes, 1985-1988)
Richard Jaeckel	...	Lt. Martin Quirk (46 episodes, 1985-1987)
Barbara Stock	...	Susan Silverman (43 episodes, 1985-1988)
Carolyn McCormick	...	Assistant District Attorney Rita Fiore (23 episodes, 1985-1987)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

The pilot movie for the show is an adaptation of the novel "Promised Land", fourth in the series, which featured the first appearance of Hawk.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Boondocks: A Date with the Health Inspector (#1.5)" (2005)

The best PI show ever produced!

Here's what can happen when intelligent people put together a show and keep up the quality thru its run. Spenser, though it only lasted three short seasons was a witty, intelligent, and suspensful show. The chemistry between Ulrich and Brooks (Spenser and Hawk) made the show...It was shown those two guys (while often dissagreeing about things) genuinly respected and cared about each other. The show was superbly shot in and around Boston, though a few locations (the abandoned Navy Yard especially) were used a bit to often, but at least it was Bosten, and not LA. The only weak link was Barbara Stock. Her continual "hampster in heat" acting mared the series, and Carolyn MacCormick (as Rita Fiori) was a far more interesting love interest for Spenser. Like "Harry-O" (w/ David Janssen) Spenser's adventures ended far to soon.