# T. J. Hooker (1982)

> A veteran Lake City police sergeant returns to street patrol to train and lead young rookie officers against the city's toughest criminals.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/996

## Facts

- Seasons: 5
- Episodes: 91
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Aaron Spelling, Rick Husky
- Network: ABC, CBS
- Cast: William Shatner, Adrian Zmed, Heather Locklear, April Clough, Richard Herd, Lee Bryant, James Darren, Elizabeth Reiko Kubota
- TMDB rating: 6.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083486/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: campy, action packed, earnest, breezy

## What critics say

Audiences regard T. J. Hooker as a campy, over-the-top 1980s cop show whose ratings rose steadily as it found its footing, though it remained a negatively received series overall.

## Synopsis

T. J. Hooker (1982-1986) is a United States network police drama created by Aaron Spelling and Rick Husky for ABC and CBS. William Shatner stars as Sergeant Thomas Jefferson Hooker, a tough veteran of the LCPD who turns down a gold badge to return to patrolling the streets and training recruits. Alongside him are young partners Officer Vince Romano (Adrian Zmed) and Officer Stacy Sheridan (Heather Locklear), with Captain Dennis Sheridan (Richard Herd) overseeing the precinct. Across five seasons and ninety-one episodes, the engine is simple and episodic: each hour brings a new call, a new arrest or pursuit, and the constant friction of a veteran teaching rookies how the city really works. The show is a case-of-the-week cop series with a broad, cartoonish energy, leaning into theatrical bravado and brisk action rather than deep introspection. Its look is that of a 1980s network cop show, set in the fictional Lake City, with patrol cars, city streets and station-house scenes. Fans of Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice and Adam-12 will find familiar territory in its blend of street-level policing and stylized star-driven drama.

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- [The Fall Guy (1981)](https://ember.film/tv/4777)

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