Hunter
- TV-PG
- 1984
- 7 Seasons
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6.8 (3,955)
"Hunter" is a groundbreaking tv show. It is named for its main character homicide detective Rick Hunter (played by Fred Dryer). Rick Hunter is a physically imposing figure with a very strong character -- part of the backstory is that he has relatives with mob connections yet he chose to become a police officer in spite of the difficult position this creates for him. He has a rather intimidating presence and a history of rubbing people the wrong way, which leads to friction with his boss and difficulty keeping a partner. He also lives alone and is all about the job and justice. In an effort to address the situation with this overall good cop who just can't seem to play well with his peers, he is partnered with homicide detective Dee Dee McCall (played by Stepfanie Kramer). Like Hunter, she has something of a difficult reputation on the force and has been nicknamed "The Brass Cupcake". She turns out to be a good match for Hunter, able go toe to toe with him. The partnership lasts several years, during which time Hunter becomes slightly less of an intractable maverick while remaining a man of strong character. Subsequent bosses further reduce some of the friction at work, making the show a gradually more positive portrayal of the consequences of standing your ground, come what may. The setting for this police drama is Los Angeles California. The show initially is set more amongst "the mean streets" of L.A. but later takes on more prestige as the crimes increasingly move into more upscale areas. Some of the themes of the show are fairly shocking but not in a gratuitious way. It is a well done, thought provoking series. It gets bonus points for the fact that Detective McCall was a refreshingly gritty take on a policewoman up for the challenge. She stands out from the crowd of overglamorized tv policewomen who often fail to show how genuinely difficult it is to break into a historically male field.
