The F.B.I.

The F.B.I. is an American television series that was broadcast on ABC from 1965 to 1974. It was sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, and the characters almost always drove Ford vehicles in the series. Alcoa was co-sponsor of Season One only.

The F.B.I. (1965-1974) is an American network crime drama created for ABC and sponsored by Ford, following federal agents through a steady run of investigations. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. stars as Lewis Erskine, a dedicated Bureau agent, alongside Philip Abbott as his superior Arthur Ward and a rotating team of field agents including Stephen Brooks and Shelly Novack. Across nine seasons and 241 hour-long episodes, the engine is simple and reliable: each week the agents chase kidnappers, spies, fugitives and corrupt figures, moving from interviews and surveillance to a resolution that affirms the Bureau's methods. An uncredited narrator frames the cases in a documentary voice, lending a sense of official record. The mood is measured, wholesome and orderly, with a faith in institutions that reflects its era. Set in 1960s and early 1970s America, the series unfolds in cities and along federal trails with a clean, optimistic register. Fans of Dragnet, The Untouchables and Hawaii Five-O will find a similar appetite for procedural case work and authoritative storytelling.

• Dragnet (1951)procedural crime investigations with a federal agency focus and a steady case-of-the-week structure
• The Untouchableslawman-driven crime drama with a principled protagonist solving cases week to week
• Hawaii Five-O (1968)classic network crime series built on investigative procedure and an authoritative narrator

Release Date

1965-09-19

Episode runtime

60 min

Rating

7.4 / 10 (25)

What is The F.B.I. about?

A long-running 1960s and 1970s network drama following FBI agents Lewis Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) and Arthur Ward (Philip Abbott) through federal criminal cases.

What is The F.B.I. like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The F.B.I. as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is The F.B.I. violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The F.B.I. as mild.

Which shows are like The F.B.I.?

Shows with a similar feel include Dragnet (1951), The Untouchables, and Hawaii Five-O (1968).

How long is The F.B.I.?

The F.B.I.: 9 seasons, 241 episodes.

Is The F.B.I. still running?

No, The F.B.I. has ended.

Where can I watch The F.B.I.?

In United States, The F.B.I. streams on Plex, Plex Player, Plex Channel, Tubi TV.