McCloud

Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud of the small western town of Taos, New Mexico is assigned to the metropolitan New York City Police Department (NYPD) as a special investigator.

McCloud (1970-1977) is an American crime drama series created by Herman Miller for NBC. Dennis Weaver stars as Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud, a laconic lawman from the small western town of Taos, New Mexico, who is assigned to the New York City Police Department as a special investigator. Alongside his skeptical NYPD colleague Peter Clifford (J.D. Cannon) and his superior Joe Broadhurst (Terry Carter), McCloud pursues criminals through the city's streets, relying on patient observation, folksy common sense, and a stubborn sense of justice rather than brute force. Each feature-length episode runs about two hours and typically centers on a self-contained case, giving the stories room to unfold at a measured pace. The seven-season run follows a case-of-the-week format rather than one continuing arc. The tone is warm and unhurried, with the clash between rural manners and urban cynicism providing much of the gentle humor. Set in 1970s New York, the series offers a nostalgic look at the era's police drama. Fans of Columbo, Ironside and Kojak will find resonance in its lone investigator, seventies crime atmosphere and mystery-driven storytelling.

Audiences rate McCloud as a mixed but watchable mid-1970s police series, valued mainly for Dennis Weaver's easygoing lead and its fish-out-of-water premise.

• Columbolone outsider lawman solving urban crimes, western hero in a city setting, crime procedural tone
• Longstreetfish out of water western lawman in a big city, cowboy cop crime drama
• Ironsidepolice procedural with a principal investigator and case-of-the-week structure
• Kojakcrime drama with an out-of-town detective and 1970s network crime tone

Created by

Herman Miller

Release Date

1970-02-17

Episode runtime

120 min

Rating

6.9 / 10 (53)

What is McCloud about?

A Taos, New Mexico deputy marshal brings his western style of policing to the streets of New York City as a special NYPD investigator.

What is McCloud like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of McCloud as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is McCloud violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in McCloud as mild.

What did critics think of McCloud?

Audiences rate McCloud as a mixed but watchable mid-1970s police series, valued mainly for Dennis Weaver's easygoing lead and its fish-out-of-water premise.

Which shows are like McCloud?

Shows with a similar feel include Columbo, Longstreet, Ironside, and Kojak.

How long is McCloud?

McCloud: 7 seasons, 46 episodes.

Is McCloud still running?

No, McCloud has ended.

Where can I watch McCloud?

In United States, McCloud streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.