Television series

Mannix

Name: Mannix
Genre: Drama, Action, Crime
Released: 1967
Cast: Mike Connors, Gail Fisher, Joseph Campanella

Mannix is a confident, punchy detective series built on the collision between a maverick investigator and the computerized, corporate future he refuses to join. Mike Connors is charming and violent in equal measure, solving crimes with fists and instinct rather than data. It's procedural comfort with a 1970s edge—accessible, entertaining, occasionally surprisingly dark.

TVMaze rating

3.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love a steady, old-fashioned private eye who solves cases by legwork and stubbornness, with a 1960s Los Angeles texture and a hero who fixes things with his fists and his nerve.

Skip it if you want serialized mysteries that build across episodes, since most cases are self-contained and the pace is unhurried, with the odd car chase or brawl breaking up the talking.

What it asks of you: Each hour is a complete case with a clear shape, so you can dip in anywhere, but it takes patience with long stretches of questioning and a tolerance for vintage television rhythms.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Rockford Files1974

James Garner as a wisecracking private eye working cases that spiral into genuine danger. The banter is sharper, the writing is funnier, and the California setting feels lived-in rather than painted on. A natural companion to Mannix.

But Slower pacing than modern TV, and some episodes coast on charm rather than story. Also: you'll want to solve the cases before Rockford does, and sometimes he doesn't.

Columbo1968

Peter Falk in a raincoat, deliberately annoying his way to murder confessions. Like Mannix, it's about a man working against institutional indifference, but where Mannix punches through walls, Columbo picks at them until they crumble. Hypnotic.

But The formula becomes very apparent—you know exactly how each episode will end. Some viewers find that restful; others find it predictable to the point of boredom.

The Streets of San Francisco1972

Karl Malden and Michael Douglas as detectives in a grittier, more tactile crime show. The city is a character. The cases feel procedurally authentic without being dry. Excellent episodic storytelling with real moral weight.

But Malden's mannered acting takes adjustment. Pacing is deliberate—if you want action every five minutes, this won't scratch that itch.

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

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Saint1962

Both follow a charismatic independent operative who refuses institutional authority and solves problems through confidence, improvisation, and refusal to follow procedure. But where Mannix is rooted in Los Angeles detail, The Saint is pure escapism.

Roger Moore as a charming rogue solving crimes on his own terms across Europe. Glossier and more playful than Mannix, but built on the same core: a lone operator outside the system, using wit and physicality in equal measure. Enormously fun.

But Lighter in tone—almost too smooth, sometimes bordering on silly. If you want moral weight and grit, you'll find it too frothy.

Burke's Law1963

Gene Barry as a wealthy homicide commander solving murders with style and sass. It's lighter than Mannix, often comedic, but has the same DNA: a confident protagonist who bends the rules. Pure entertainment, gorgeously shot.

But The plots are sometimes flimsy scaffolding for jokes. It's concerned with being charming more than being tight, which works until it doesn't.

The Mod Squad1968

Three young undercover cops in wildly different styles, solving crimes by infiltrating the counterculture Mannix's generation doesn't understand. Surprisingly socially conscious for its era. Sharp writing, real chemistry between leads.

But The gap between 1968's idea of youth and modern sensibilities is wide. Some storylines feel patronizing now, despite good intentions.

Phyllis1975

Mary Tyler Moore's sharp-edged cousin, now a working woman in San Francisco solving mysteries. Clever, well-acted, genuinely funny. If you like Mannix's confidence but want a different energy, this delivers.

But Tone bounces between comedy and drama; some episodes lean too hard on farce. It's lighter entertainment, which isn't always satisfying if you're craving real stakes.

Mission: Impossible1966

Where Mannix rebels against institutional control, the IMF team *is* the institution—but working outside the law for the greater good. Sleek, clever, endlessly inventive. Pure plot machinery that somehow never feels mechanical.

But Episodic to the extreme; characters are interchangeable, and plot logic often requires you to not think too hard. Some find it cold compared to character-driven shows.

The Defenders1961

Father and son lawyers fighting the system from the inside, with real legal and moral complexity. E.G. Marshall and Robert Reed are phenomenal. Smarter and more serious than most crime TV, but never dull.

But Courtroom scenes require patience. If you need action and movement, the extended legal arguments will feel like homework.

Cannon1971

William Conrad as an overweight, unapologetic LA private detective who gets the job done without apology. Similar DNA to Mannix but with a rougher, sadder sensibility. Methodical, absorbing, occasionally brilliant.

But Conrad's performance can feel indulgent; some episodes drag. The show sometimes mistakes deliberate pacing for depth, and doesn't always justify the runtime.

Point Blank1967

Both are about lone operatives moving through corrupt systems with cold efficiency. But where Mannix works within entertainment conventions, Point Blank deconstructs them—it's what Mannix would look like if you removed all the warmth and humor.

Lee Marvin as a betrayed criminal methodically destroying everyone who wronged him. Directed by John Boorman with radical editing and a jazz score. Blunt, cool, visually stunning. A film built on controlled violence and patient revenge, like Mannix distilled to its essence.

But Deliberately paced, sometimes cryptic about motivation. If you need emotional transparency or cathartic resolution, it withholds both. Also: it's violent in a way that doesn't glamorize the violence.

People

Cast

Directing

Al KrausAssistant Director
Bill DerwinAssistant Director
Bill GreenAssistant Director
Bill LukatherAssistant Director
Harry F. Hogan IIIAssistant Director
John M. PoerAssistant Director
Marvin MillerAssistant Director
Max SteinAssistant Director
Miles MiddoughAssistant Director
Mitchell L. GamsonAssistant Director
Ric RondellAssistant Director
Rowe WallersteinAssistant Director
Stuart FlemingAssistant Director
Ted ButcherAssistant Director

Writing

Richard LevinsonCreator
William LinkCreator

Production

Barry CraneAssociate Producer
John W. RogersAssociate Producer
Michael JarvisAssociate Producer
Paul KrasnyAssociate Producer
Bruce GellerExecutive Producer
Ben RobertsProducer
Bruce GellerProducer
Ivan GoffProducer
Wilton SchillerProducer