The Nielsens: January 21-27, 1985

These days, pretty much everyone walks around with a TV in their pocket, and there are so many viewing options that pretty much every show — no matter how popular it might be in the current definition of the term — is broadcast for a niche audience. But for decades, the small number of networks and the relative lack of options for rewatching anything meant that Americans watched a lot of the same stuff at the same time — and even programs that have largely been forgotten today drew what would now be considered massive ratings. In this recurring column, we take a fond and often somewhat mystified look back at the Nielsen ratings from long ago.

Hardcastle & McCormick
I've been holding off on writing anything about this series simply because there were so many "[Name] & [Name]"-titled series on during the '80s — I need to space them out. (I suspect we'll finally get around to Cagney & Lacey sometime next year.) Most of the ampersand shows were pretty goddamn silly, and this one's no exception: The basic premise centered around a retired judge (that's Hardcastle, played by Brian Keith) who decides to spend his golden years hunting down crooks who got off on technicalities. Aiding him in his mission is a car thief (Mark "Skid" McCormick, played by Daniel Hugh Kelly) whose conditional parole hinges on spending three seasons doing the judge's bidding by catching as many of those aforementioned crooks as possible. Fortunately for Hardcastle, his new assistant was in the pokey because he swiped a prototype car designed by his friend; this car, dubbed the Coyote X, becomes McCormick's vehicle for the dispensation of justice.

Like I said: Pretty goddamn silly. Folks loved it, though — this episode, which came midway through Hardcastle & McCormick's second season, drew a 21.5 share, good for about 18 million viewers and ninth place in the ratings. The plot apparently concerns the apparent suicide of a stand-up comic who also happens to be an ex-con, and guest stars TV great Joey Bishop as the unfortunately named Boots Dikeman. The full episode isn't available on YouTube, but an account called "TV Stunter" has posted several car chase clips, which tells you everything you need to know about the show in general. Dig that Mike Post theme song!