Television series

Simon & Simon

Name: Simon & Simon
Genre: Drama, Action, Mystery
Released: 1981
Cast: Gerald McRaney, Jameson Parker, Mary Carver, Jeannie Wilson, Eddie Barth

Crime
Detective mystery
Dip in and out

Simon & Simon is a breezy 1980s procedural about two brothers running a detective agency in San Diego, operating on completely different wavelengths but making it work anyway. It's the comfort food of crime TV: cases wrap, humor leavens the darkness, and the rapport between the leads makes every episode feel like catching up with old friends. Perfect for anyone who wants mystery without menace, style without pretension.

TVMaze rating

3.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like a warm, easygoing case-of-the-week procedural where the banter between two very different brothers does as much work as the plots, and you don't mind the 1980s glow on everything.

Skip it if you want serialized mysteries that tighten year over year or a modern, fast-cut look; the pacing and production feel firmly of their era.

What it asks of you: Settle in for hour-long episodes that unfold at an unhurried pace, with a loose, friendly rhythm and mysteries that are solved more through conversation and legwork than through sharp twists.

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

If you liked this

Magnum, P.I.1980

Exact contemporary with the same sunny California setting, similar chemistry between leads, and the same formula of colorful cases that don't require you to carry trauma into the next episode. Tom Selleck's easy charm mirrors the Simon brothers' dynamic.

But The Magnum house and Ferrari can overshadow the actual mysteries. Some cases resolve too neatly, and the show occasionally mistakes nostalgia for plot.

The Rockford Files1974

The spiritual ancestor of Simon & Simon: a solo PI who solves cases with more improvisaton than procedure, backed by an excellent support cast. Same ethos of wit under pressure and the detective's life as lived, not dramatized.

But Rockford is grittier and lonelier—no sibling warmth to soften the edges. Older pacing; episodes breathe in ways modern viewers sometimes find slow.

Jake and the Fatman1987

Pairing of mismatched partners solving crimes together, same CBS formula perfected in the 80s. Lighter tone, procedural satisfaction, and genuine affection between the leads makes it deeply watchable comfort TV.

But Relies heavily on charm without always earning it. Some cases are forgettable filler, and the show doesn't attempt much beyond surface entertainment.

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

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Chinatown1974

Both are about private detectives, but Chinatown asks what happens when the world is genuinely too corrupt for the brothers' optimism. It's the nightmare version of the same job—same profession, opposite register.

The anti-detective film: a PI doing his job competently only to discover the mystery goes deeper than he can solve. Polanski and Nicholson create a world of corruption where getting answers doesn't mean getting justice. Ravishing and dark.

But It's a masterpiece of baroque storytelling and moral rot—beautiful but suffocating. No comfort here, no easy resolution, and the ending will haunt you in ways that feel wrong after Simon & Simon's warmth.

Moonlighting1985

Sexual tension and banter between two leads who can't decide if they're partners or enemies, wrapped around actual mysteries. Sharp writing and real chemistry made this the prestige version of the buddy-cop formula.

But The show collapses under its own self-awareness in later seasons. Relies on the will-they-won't-they more than the cases, and that eventually wears thin.

Mannix1967

Mike Connors as a solo PI solving cases with directness and good humor. The cases matter more than the style, there's a warmth to it, and it moves with momentum. Solid entertainment that doesn't oversell itself.

But Older than Simon & Simon and it shows—pacing and aesthetics are distinctly 60s. The cases can feel rote, and Mannix's invulnerability gets old.

Barnaby Jones1973

Buddy procedural with Buddy Ebsen as a retired investigator drawn back in with his son. Character-driven mystery solving, warm family dynamic, and genuinely clever cases. The relationship between the leads is the heart.

But Even slower than Rockford. Ebsen's age meant the action sequences feel static, and some episodes drift without going anywhere.

The Equalizer2021

Edward Woodward as a mysterious fixer helping people the system failed. Stylish, morally thoughtful, and cases carry real weight. The mix of action and character work appeals to anyone who liked Simon & Simon's balance.

But Takes itself more seriously than Simon & Simon, which can feel heavy. Some episodes lean too hard on the action and lose the character work that makes the show sing.

Remington Steele1982

A woman runs a detective agency under a fake male boss to get taken seriously, then a man shows up claiming to be that person. Mystery, chemistry, glamour, and humor combine into genuinely smart entertainment that respects your time.

But The will-they-won't-they can overshadow the cases. Resets the plot constantly to keep the tension alive, which eventually feels mechanical.

Hart of Dixie2011

A woman inherits a bar in small-town Louisiana and discovers found family, mystery, and endless Southern charm. Character-first storytelling with humor and heart, similar warmth to Simon & Simon but in a smaller, cozier setting.

But Much newer and more serialized—less procedural satisfaction. Some plot threads feel abandoned, and the show leans heavily on a specific kind of Southern Gothic whimsy that isn't for everyone.

Sneakers1992

Not a detective show, but the same chemistry between misfits solving problems together. Both understand that the real appeal is watching people you like work well as a unit, no matter what the case is.

A team of security experts and con men solve puzzles together, mixing action with genuine wit and an ensemble cast that radiates affection for each other. It's smart, funny, visually inventive, and thrilled by cleverness over violence.

But It's a heist film more interested in the team dynamic than plot; the story meanders in service to character. Some of the 90s tech looks silly now, and the pacing assumes you're having fun rather than hanging on every plot point.