Television series

The Fall Guy

Name: The Fall Guy
Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery
Released: 1981
Cast: Lee Majors, Douglas Barr, Heather Thomas, Markie Post, Jo Ann Pflug

Other titles called The Fall Guy: the 2024 film.

A stunt man turned bounty hunter uses Hollywood tricks to catch criminals. *The Fall Guy* is a gleaming action show that treats its own absurdity with affection—car chases, pratfalls, and earnest dialogue delivered with a wink. Lee Majors is perfect in the role: cool enough to convince you, charming enough to let you enjoy the fun. It's comfort food for people who love movement and spectacle.

TVMaze rating

3.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like light action-adventure with a wink, where the stunts are the real pleasure and a case of the week gets solved with a lot of banter, car chases and sheer nerve.

Skip it if you need gritty stakes or a serialized story that builds; the mysteries are breezy, the plots reset each week, and the tone stays comfortably cheerful.

What it asks of you: Roughly an hour an episode, easy to dip into one at a time, with little need to remember what came before; it rewards a relaxed evening more than close attention.

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

If you liked this

The Rockford Files1974

A scrappy private investigator solving cases in LA with style and humor. It's the DNA of *The Fall Guy*—same city, same swagger, same refusal to take itself seriously. Rockford was doing this first and it's still the gold standard.

But It moves slower than modern TV and some cases wind through episodes you won't remember. The 1970s-ness is strong.

Knight Rider1982

Michael Knight and KITT fighting crime with gadgetry and one-liners. Same era, same energy—spectacular action sequences and a hero who's more fun than authentic. If you love *The Fall Guy*'s vibe, this lands in the same sweet spot.

But The AI-buddy setup can feel corny, and some episodes are genuinely silly in ways the show doesn't notice.

Magnum, P.I.1980

A private investigator in Hawaii doing favors for friends while chasing paydays. Tom Selleck brings real warmth beneath the action, and the show balances humor with genuine stakes better than most. Gorgeous to watch.

But Slower pacing than you might expect. Some episodes prioritize character over plot in ways that won't appeal if you're after pure spectacle.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Fall Guy

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Gymkata1985

Both believe completely that a performer's physicality—stunt work, acrobatics, movement—is the heart of the action. *Gymkata* is what happens if you take *The Fall Guy*'s premise and lean into it totally.

An Olympic gymnast trained as a spy uses gymnastics to fight terrorists. Utterly insane and committed to its own absurdity in ways that make it weirdly transcendent. It's *The Fall Guy*'s DNA taken to its logical extreme—stunt work as the entire movie.

But It's campy in ways that can feel unintentional. The gymnastics-as-combat conceit is genuinely ridiculous and not everyone will buy in.

The Greatest American Hero1981

An ordinary teacher gets superhero powers and fumbles through it. Genuinely funny, genuinely charming, packed with heart. It's lighter than *The Fall Guy* but shares its fundamental joy in being a bit silly while meaning well.

But The laugh track dates it hard. The superpowers are bargain-basement and sometimes feel more silly than thrilling.

Simon & Simon1981

Two brothers, one a cop, one a drifter, solve cases together. Breezy chemistry and solid action set pieces. Perfect if you like ensemble energy and California settings with real humor mixed in.

But The cases themselves are often forgettable. You're watching for the dynamic, not the mystery.

The A-Team1983

Four former soldiers on the run build ridiculous contraptions and outsmart bad guys. Pure cartoonish action—explosions that never kill anyone, quips that keep coming. If you want spectacle without consequence, it's the blueprint.

But It's *very* silly, and sometimes the silliness swallows the plot. The formula repeats relentlessly.

Airwolf1984

A former pilot flies a weaponized helicopter for a mysterious government agency. Absolutely gorgeous action sequences and a hero with an actual edge—less winking than *Fall Guy*, more dark. Scratches the same action itch but takes itself seriously.

But The plot engine wears thin after a while. The show doesn't quite earn its grimmer tone.

Matt Houston1982

A rich oil baron's nephew solves crimes with style and resources. Slick production, solid action, that early-80s charm. It's lighter fare but well-made and fast-paced enough to keep you invested.

But It's generic in ways that become obvious. The character lacks the charisma to overcome a standard-issue plot.

Masquerade1983

A mysterious woman gives assignments to strangers to help people in need. Premise-of-the-week structure with real creativity in the setups. If you like watching characters improvise under pressure, there's fun here.

But Uneven in execution and tone-deaf sometimes. Cancelled after a season for good reason—interesting idea, shaky follow-through.

The Golden Voyage of Sinbad1973

Both are shows where *how things are filmed*—the physical spectacle, the stunt work, the effects—*is* the story. Plot is scaffolding. The joy is in watching skilled people and craftspeople do beautiful, difficult things on screen.

Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion fantasy. Dinosaurs, swordplay, creatures, and imagination in every frame. It moves like *The Fall Guy*—from setpiece to setpiece—but trades California and quips for magic and wonder. Pure visual spectacle as narrative.

But The stop-motion is slower and jerky by modern standards. The plot is thin and the dialogue is functional. It requires patience and a taste for 1970s fantasy.