# Hunter (1984)

> A wily, rule-breaking LAPD homicide detective and his partner chase killers through Los Angeles in this 1980s network police drama.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/4350

## Facts

- Seasons: 7
- Episodes: 152
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: crime, drama, action
- Created by: Frank Lupo
- Network: NBC
- Cast: Fred Dryer, Stepfanie Kramer, Charles Hallahan, Darlanne Fluegel, Paul Mantee, Joanna Kerns, Tony Mordente, David Groh
- TMDB rating: 6.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086734/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: brisk, gritty, pulpy, action driven

## What critics say

Audience reception is mixed, with strong praise for the gritty action-driven police work and the lead pairing of Hunter and McCall, tempered by uneven season quality.

## Synopsis

Hunter (1984-1991) is an American network police drama series created by Frank Lupo for NBC, produced by Stephen J. Cannell Productions. Fred Dryer plays Sgt. Rick Hunter, a physically imposing, rule-breaking homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department, who bends procedure to get results. Stepfanie Kramer co-stars as his partner Sgt. Dee Dee McCall, and Charles Hallahan appears as Charlie Devane in the recurring supporting cast. Each episode is built around a homicide case that Hunter and his partner must crack, with the pair frequently resolving investigations through direct, forceful confrontation with the perpetrators. Across seven seasons and 152 episodes the show follows a case-of-the-week format, with the central partnership reshaped when Kramer departed after the sixth season and Hunter teamed with two different women officers. Its tone is brisk and action-forward, with a gritty, pulpy energy typical of 1980s television. Set in 1980s Los Angeles, it sits in the tradition of American network cop shows, and fans of Miami Vice, Starsky & Hutch and Magnum, P.I. will find resonance in its blend of street-level crime, buddy dynamics and action set pieces.

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- [The Fall Guy (1981)](https://ember.film/tv/4777)
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- [Simon & Simon (1981)](https://ember.film/tv/1993)
- [Renegade (1992)](https://ember.film/tv/566)
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- [21 Jump Street (1987)](https://ember.film/tv/1402)

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