This show, like its predecessor Dragnet, was produced at a time when the LAPD was facing a lot of criticism for racism and police brutality. It seems one of the goals of these shows was to "correct" these impressions of the LAPD and American law enforcement in general. Well the show does it well. Episodes tackle issues such as protest against the Vietnam war, black people who mistrust the police, cops who object to having to Mirandize suspects, etc. And what's more, though this portrayal of the LAPD does seem a little whitewashed, the LAPD officers (except the main cast of course) aren't even always portrayed as being completely in the right. Dirty cops are an issue that the series doesn't completely dodge, for example.
Unlike Dragnet and many other cop shows, most episodes feature several different incidents that the police have to respond to. and even though a lot of them are quite mundane with no action or gun fights, the show still manages to make the mundane life of two LAPD officers seem interesting.
Unlike Dragnet and many other cop shows, most episodes feature several different incidents that the police have to respond to. and even though a lot of them are quite mundane with no action or gun fights, the show still manages to make the mundane life of two LAPD officers seem interesting.