Dragnet

The classic cop drama follows the cases of laconic Sgt. Joe Friday and his various sidekicks in storylines drawn from actual case files. Originally a radio vehicle for star Jack Webb, the Emmy-winning series was a pioneer in its realistic depiction of police work, though its staccato, just-the-facts dialogue and voice-over narration became the stuff of (more…)The classic cop drama follows the cases of laconic Sgt. Joe Friday and his various sidekicks in storylines drawn from actual case files. Originally a radio vehicle for star Jack Webb, the Emmy-winning series was a pioneer in its realistic depiction of police work, though its staccato, just-the-facts dialogue and voice-over narration became the stuff of parody. The show proved enduringly popular, inspiring a 1954 feature, a 1987 spoof (with Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks) and a 2003 ABC revival.