# Matt Houston (1982)

> A wealthy Los Angeles private investigator takes on a case each week, backed by his police contacts and a close circle of associates.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/9627

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 69
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Lawrence Gordon
- Network: ABC
- Cast: Lee Horsley, Pamela Hensley, Lincoln Kilpatrick, John Aprea, Paul Brinegar, Dennis Fimple, Penny Santon, Buddy Ebsen
- TMDB rating: 6.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083447/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: breezy, glossy, sincere, suspenseful

## Synopsis

Matt Houston (1982-1985) is an American crime drama series created by Lawrence Gordon for ABC. Lee Horsley stars as Matt Houston, a private investigator working in Los Angeles who takes on a fresh case in nearly every episode, often with help from his associate C.J. Parsons, played by Pamela Hensley. Lincoln Kilpatrick appears as Lt. Michael Hoyt, a police lieutenant whose department cooperates with and occasionally checks the detective, while John Aprea and Paul Brinegar fill out the supporting cast in recurring roles. Across three seasons and sixty-nine hour-long episodes, the engine of the show is the self-contained case, with each installment built from a crime, a suspect pool, and a resolution that arrives before the closing credits. The series is a classic eighties prime time production produced under Aaron Spelling, with polished sunlit Los Angeles locations, glamorous wardrobe, and a breezy, confident tone that keeps danger at a comfortable distance. Its episodic rhythm and easy charm will appeal to fans of Magnum, P.I. and Simon & Simon, who want a warm, undemanding private eye series from the era.

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