Mike Hammer

Private detective Mike Hammer hunts down criminals on the mean streets of New York City.

Mike Hammer (1984-1987) is a US syndicated crime drama series created by Mickey Spillane. Stacy Keach stars as private detective Mike Hammer, a hard-boiled investigator who takes on criminals across the mean streets of New York City. Captain Pat Chambers (Don Stroud) of the police department and Velda (Lindsay Bloom), Hammer's loyal associate, orbit his cases, while Special Prosecutor Lawrence D. Barrington (Kent Williams) pushes the courtroom side of his investigations. The engine of each episode is a self-contained case: a murder, a missing person, or a shakedown that pulls Hammer into the city's underworld, where he must outthink killers and navigate women who complicate his personal life. The series runs for three seasons and forty-six hour-long episodes, following a case-of-the-week format rather than one continuing arc. Its tone is gritty and cynical, with a noir sensibility, moody urban atmosphere, and a wry, wisecracking narration style. Fans of Magnum, P.I. and Kojak will find resonance in its blend of tough-guy charm, urban crime, and classic 1980s television craft.

• Magnum, P.I.shared hard-boiled private eye tone, urban crime investigations, and episodic case-driven format
• Kojakshared tough urban detective protagonist and New York crime setting in a classic 1980s broadcast format
• Moonlightingshared noir-inflected private investigator premise and dark city atmosphere

Created by

Mickey Spillane

Release Date

1984-01-28

Episode runtime

60 min

Rating

6.8 / 10 (28)

What is Mike Hammer about?

Private detective Mike Hammer (Stacy Keach) hunts criminals through the mean streets of New York City in this 1980s hard-boiled crime series.

What is Mike Hammer like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mike Hammer as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.

Is Mike Hammer violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Mike Hammer as moderate.

Which shows are like Mike Hammer?

Shows with a similar feel include Magnum, P.I., Kojak, and Moonlighting.

How long is Mike Hammer?

Mike Hammer: 3 seasons, 46 episodes.

Is Mike Hammer still running?

No, Mike Hammer has ended.