Rewatching The Good Guys :: The Life of the Traegorn

Rewatching The Good Guys
Posted Mar 15, 2013 - 9:30:30	Tweet

There seems to be this rule where if I really like a show, it gets terrible ratings. It's happened time and time again, and this means about half the shows I really like get quickly cancelled.

"The Good Guys" was one of them.

Running for just one season, The Good Guys focused on a pair of detectives in the Dallas Police. Bradley Whitford played Dan Stark, a washed up, former hero cop who refused to evolve into the modern world. Colin Hanks plays his partner, a straight laced guy who starts out the season as a little too uptight to get promoted. Adding to the odd couple dynamic, the two are relegated to property crimes - investigating crimes as small as humidifier thefts.

Of course, their cases never remain that simple.

The show is a blend of comedy and action, with a lot of location shots and car chases. And when I say a lot of car chases, I mean a lot of car chases. What this show reminds me is that modern television needs significantly more car chases.

The story telling is often non-linear, employing stylistic flashbacks to reveal information and intercut storylines. As a person who has watched a lot of formulaic cop shows, The Good Guys defies the standard patterns.

The show is clever, light, intelligent... and again, has car chases. I cannot emphasize how much I love car chases. The show was unique, and I don't think we'll see anything quite like it again on television. It's a shame the show only lasted twenty episodes, but that's often the fate of shows that don't fit into the public's preconceived notions of what a show should be.

If you're in the US, you can find the entire series streaming on Netflix right now. It's worth a look, especially if you like car chases. Or if you've ever wanted to see Bradley Whitford punching a guy while only wearing bright green briefs.

...I should warn you, that's an image you really can't unsee.
- Traegorn