Television series

Hunter

Name: Hunter
Genre: Drama, Action, Crime
Released: 1984
Cast: Fred Dryer, Stepfanie Kramer, Charles Hallahan, Darlanne Fluegel, Lauren Lane

Hunter is an '80s cop procedural with a deceptively simple formula: a cynical, rule-bending detective and his capable partner solve L.A. crimes with fists and attitude. It's comfort TV for people who like their crime stories muscular, straightforward, and utterly unconcerned with moral complexity. Fast-paced, violent, but never darkly serious. For viewers who want grit without existential dread.

TVMaze rating

4.0

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Miami Vice1984

Released the same year, it's the flashier cousin—neon Miami instead of dusty L.A., synthesizers instead of hard rock. Same era's take on detectives working in the margins, but with style and fashion as character. Incredibly entertaining.

But The visual excess can feel dated now in a way that ages some scenes badly. Also considerably slower paced, heavy on mood over action.

21 Jump Street1987

Undercover cops on a high school beat, solving crimes with personality and humor. Same blend of case-of-the-week procedural energy with characters you actually want to spend time with, anchored by an excellent lead.

But It's teen-focused, which means some episodes veer harder into after-school-special territory than Hunter ever does. Occasionally schmaltzy.

The Rockford Files1974

The spiritual grandfather of this whole lineage. James Garner as a PI who bends rules, takes hits, and solves crimes with charm and competence. Beautifully written, endlessly rewatchable, the template everyone since has followed.

But Slower than Hunter by design. More about mood and conversation than action. If you want constant kinetic energy, you'll lose patience.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Hunter

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Blade1998

Both are built on a single compelling archetype—the tough cop who exists outside normal rules because he's the only one who can do the job. Same mythic structure, wildly different execution.

A vampire cop story with the same muscular action DNA as Hunter, but funky, stylish, and genuinely cool. Wesley Snipes as a half-vampire detective hunting the undead in a dark city. Sleek, propulsive, full of kinetic energy and humor.

But Horror-action hybrids don't work for everyone. If you want realism and procedural logic, you're asking the wrong thing of a vampire movie. The CGI is very '90s.

Starsky & Hutch1975

Partners who actually like each other, solving street-level crimes in a gritty city. Hugely influential, genuinely funny, and the action sequences still hold up. Pure pleasure.

But Very '70s in both tone and fashion. Some episodes feel repetitive if you binge them back-to-back.

Hill Street Blues1981

An ensemble precinct drama that balances humor, action, and real consequence. Shows the underbelly of L.A. crime and police work with intelligence and warmth. Serious when it needs to be, funny when it counts.

But Much less action-focused than Hunter. If you want shootouts and fistfights, you'll find more talking and character work here than you expect.

Cagney & Lacey1982

Two female detectives solving serious crimes, trading wisecracks, and actually supporting each other. Sharp writing, great chemistry, and it takes its cases seriously without becoming grim. Feminist in all the best ways.

But More procedurally detailed than Hunter—less about the hero cop myth, more about actual detective work. Less stylish, more grounded.

The Streets of San Francisco1972

Michael Douglas as a young cop paired with an older veteran. Great location shooting, solid crime stories, and the interplay between the partners carries every episode. Beautifully shot for the era.

But Quite slow by modern standards. Pretty light on action. If you want car chases and violence, you're watching the wrong show.

S.W.A.T.1975

Tactical police work with real tension, team dynamics, and excellent action sequences. Takes its procedural seriously but keeps things moving. Dennis Cole is solid in the lead.

But Episodic to a fault. Stories feel disposable. Lacks the character development or humor that makes Hunter stick with you.

Adam-121968

The foundational cop show. Two L.A. officers, real patrol procedures, genuine restraint in how it shows violence. Fascinating as a historical document of how TV used to tell these stories. Surprisingly moving in places.

But Deliberately low-key and understated. If you want explosions and wisecracks, this will feel slow and occasionally dull. Very earnest in ways that feel dated.

Bullet Train2022

Same DNA of action storytelling—characters defined by competence and attitude, plot serving action rather than the reverse. Fast-moving, witty, unconcerned with realism or moral complexity.

Four assassins on a train, constantly fighting and negotiating, solving a puzzle nobody understands. Frenetic, colorful, genuinely funny, with action that lands hard. Brad Pitt is effortlessly charming. Pure entertainment, no fat.

But Aggressively superficial and stylized. Zero emotional weight. If you want a story that matters or characters with depth, you'll hate it. Some people find that level of style alienating.

Nightcrawler2014

Both are obsessed with L.A. crime, both feature protagonists defined by their hunger for the work, but Nightcrawler shows what Hunter only hints at—the actual cost of that hunger, and what kind of person it creates.

Jake Gyllenhaal as a deranged stringer in L.A., chasing crime scenes with a camera instead of a badge. Brilliantly dark, genuinely unsettling, and it understands the city's nocturnal crime ecosystem like no other film. Hypnotic.

But Deeply bleak and cynical about morality and ambition. No heroes, no comfort. If you want to root for someone, look elsewhere. Stomach-churning in places.