Beverly Hills Buntz

1 9 8 7 - 1 9 8 8 (USA)

This NBC show was a spin off from the much-honored Hill Street Blues. Lieutenant Norman Buntz quits the police force (which he did in the last episode of Hill Street after punching out pompous Chief Daniels), and moves with his friend Sid "the snitch" to Los Angeles, where he opens his own low-rent private detective business.

Fish out of water in trendy, fashion-conscious LA, the two shifty sleazeballs take on the dregs of detective work but somehow manage to get things done when the higher priced talent can not. True to his code, Sid cooks up a succession of scams to augment their meager income.

Neither drama or outright comedy, Beverly Hills Buntz confused critics and viewers alike. NBC was so uncertain of its chances that it ran four 'try out' episodes in various timeslots from November 1987 to January 1988 before beginning a regular run in March.