If murdered, which fictional TV detective do you want on the case?

[George Jones]

If you get murdered, which fictional TV detective (from any country) do you want to investigate the case?

 

[Borg]

Hercule Poirot​

 

[PeroK]

If you get murdered, which fictional TV detective (from any country) do you want to investigate the case?

Columbo!

 

[Doc Al]

Columbo!

Absolutely!

 

[PeroK]

Absolutely!

There's a "pub quiz" question that comes up from time to time in the UK. What do Lieutenant Columbo, Captain Mainwaring and Arthur Daley have in common?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Mainwaring

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minder_(TV_series)#Arthur_Daley

 

[Doc Al]

There's a "pub quiz" question that comes up from time to time in the UK. What do Lieutenant Columbo, Captain Mainwaring and Arthur Daley have in common?

I'm afraid I'd flunk that quiz.

 

[PeroK]

I'm afraid I'd flunk that quiz.

They all have a wife that we never see!

 

[Doc Al]

They all have a wife that we never see!

That would have been my guess! (So maybe I would have passed after all...)

I'm very familiar with Columbo but never heard of the others. (I suppose I should get out more.)

 

[BillTre]

Sherlock of course!

 

[Doc Al]

Sherlock of course!

Another fine choice. I don't usually associate Sherlock with TV detectives, but Benedict Cumberbatch was great as a modern-day Sherlock.

 

[PeroK]

That would have been my guess! (So maybe I would have passed after all...)

I'm very familiar with Columbo but never heard of the others. (I suppose I should get out more.)

The other two are great comic creations from British TV.

 

[BillTre]

So was

Another fine choice. I don't usually associate Sherlock with TV detectives, but Benedict Cumberbatch was great as a modern-day Sherlock.

Jeremy Brett was another actor who did a great job of Sherlock (in a classic setting, on PBS).

 

[PeroK]

So was

Jeremy Brett was another actor who did a great job of Sherlock (in a classic setting, on PBS).

The definite Holmes, IMO. Absolutely true to the original.

 

[Ibix]

Columbo. Because then I'd find out who murdered me in the first twenty minutes.

 

[PeroK]

Columbo. Because then I'd find out who murdered me in the first twenty minutes.

You would probably know that already! And, from your heavenly perch, you could watch the wily lieutenant gradually wear him down!

 

[jack action]

Just in case somebody reading this is thinking about murdering me, I want Dexter to take care of business.

You have been warned.

 

[topsquark]

They all have a wife that we never see!

Actually, there was Mrs Columbo (a young Kate Mulgrew) that was on for about a season.

To heck with all the big names. I'd want Harry Dresden. Of course, that would mean I'd've been killed by some Troll, or the Summer Knight (or worse), but he'd kick someone's butt before he was done.

-Dan

 

[BillTre]

There's always Frank Drubbin

 

[Ibix]

There's always Frank Drubbin

View attachment 336458

...I'm not sure about him...

Frank: Hey! Look at that. The missing evidence in the Kelner case. My God! He was innocent!
Ed: He went to the chair 2 years ago, Frank.

On the other hand,

 

[BillTre]

That's like the who's on first routine.

 

[berkeman]

I may get banned for this, but this investigator has super powers (or at least everybody he encounters believes that he does...)

https://www.tvinsider.com/show/the-mentalist/

 

[Orodruin]

He knows nothing, but he gets extremely lucky and I’ll have a laugh from above.

 

[DennisN]

Columbo!

I second that!

 

[JT Smith]

If I'm murdered I'm pretty certain I wouldn't have any opinion whatsoever.

Otherwise I'll say Adrian Monk. I've been re-watching those old shows recently.And my favorite color at the moment is green-blue.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Columbo!

Well, just one more thing.

In the 1993 It's All In The Game, he lets one murderer (Claudia Christian - a young Claudis Christian) in order to catch the other (Faye Dunaway). So he's only got a 99% success rate.

I then thought about Batman - the World's Greateste Detective (it says so right on the cover). That way my killer would not only get caught, but there'd be a decent chance of a grisly end. But the rules say "TV" and the Adam West version of Batman couldn't catch a cold.

So I'll go with Jim Rockford. He needs the money, great theme song by Pete Carpenter and Mike Post (impress me, someone, and tell me who played harmonica) and only costs $200/day plus expenses.

<ring> "Hi, Jim, it's Jamie at the police impound. They picked up your car again. Lately, they've been driving it more than you have."

<ring> "That number four you just picked up from Angelo's Pizza? Some scouring powder fell in there. Don't eat it. Hey, I hope you try your phone machine before dinner."

 

[PeroK]

In the 1993 It's All In The Game, he lets one murderer (Claudia Christian - a young Claudis Christian) in order to catch the other (Faye Dunaway). So he's only got a 99% success rate.

Sherlock Holmes often lets the criminal off. For example, from the Blue Carbuncle:

“After all, Watson,” said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his clay pipe, “I am not retained by the police to supply their deficiencies. If Horner were in danger it would be another thing; but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must collapse. I suppose that I am commuting a felony, but it is just possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong again; he is too terribly frightened. Send him to jail now, and you make him a jail-bird for life. Besides, it is the season of forgiveness."

 

[Vanadium 50]

Sherlock Holmes often lets the criminal off.

He wasn't on my list either.

I don't want my murderer getting off. I want him coming to a very bad end.

 

[Orodruin]

He wasn't on my list either.

I don;t want my murder getting off. I want him coming to a very bad end.

May I suggest this one then?

 

[PeroK]

Or, this one:

 

[topsquark]

Or this guy.

-Dan

 

[DennisN]

So I'll go with Jim Rockford.

Woah, I had completely forgot about that tv series. I watched it a loooong time ago.
Nice to be reminded of it!

 

[Orodruin]

Or this guy.
View attachment 336521
-Dan

That’s the same guy as this guy:

May I suggest this one then?
View attachment 336496

 

[topsquark]

That’s the same guy as this guy:

I guess he is. I didn't recognize the cartoon version. My apologies!

-Dan

 

[OmCheeto]

View attachment 336473
He knows nothing, but he gets extremely lucky and I’ll have a laugh from above.

I don't recall every watching that, but he sounds a lot like Dirk Gently, holistic detective.
I would chose between Dirk and Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock.

 

[pinball1970]

Columbo for me and Bill voted for Frank Drubbin, Leslie Nielsen was in one Columbo episode.
Can you name it?

 

[Borg]

If I had to die, I would want my death to be weird enough for these folks to investigate.

 

[pinball1970]

If I had to die, I would want my death to be weird enough for these folks to investigate.

View attachment 336560

I give in, who are they?

 

[Ibix]

I give in, who are they?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_(2006_TV_series)

(I had to look that one up, I must admit.)

 

[Borg]

I give in, who are they?

Sheriff Carter and company from the TV series Eureka. Each episode would start off with some advanced tech gone wrong and the sheriff (who wasn't a scientist) would have to figure it out. When people died, it was usually unusual.

 

[pinball1970]

Sheriff Carter and company from the TV series Eureka. Each episode would start off with some advanced tech gone wrong and the sheriff (who wasn't a scientist) would have to figure it out. When people died, it was usually unusual.

Is it any good? I may give it a go.

 

[Borg]

The science is a mix concepts that range from things that probably aren't too far in the future (like talking houses) to highly improbable (like faster than light travel and time travel - maybe Q* or Google's Gemini will figure them out ). The show often has scientists and engineers who aren't thinking about the consequences of their creations and, when everything goes wrong, the bumbling sheriff has to figure out how to fix things in his own non-technical way. Pretty silly at times but it was fun.

 

[pinball1970]

I may get banned for this, but this investigator has super powers (or at least everybody he encounters believes that he does...)

View attachment 336461
https://www.tvinsider.com/show/the-mentalist/

Never watched this. Is this guy really Columbo quality?

 

[pinball1970]

You can Google it of course but that would be cheating. (Nielsen connection)
Columbo was another level in terms of writing, casting and acting.

 

[berkeman]

Is this guy really Columbo quality?

Apples and oranges...

 

[pinball1970]

it was "Lady in waiting" (I know you were on the edge of your seats waiting for the answer. He was also in "Identity Crisis" but I’ll quit while I’m ahead)

 

[pinball1970]

I loved this show, a great detective team.

 

[pinball1970]

These guys solved things but not really detectives. Great music though.

 

[PeroK]

These guys solved things but not really detectives. Great music though.

View attachment 336824

Alexandra Bastedo was my first love!

 

[pinball1970]

Alexandra Bastedo was my first love!

That is not surprising!

 

[DrGreg]

I loved this show, a great detective team.

Of course! If you are deceased, it's only natural you'd seek the help of a deceased detective!