Sergeant Thomas Jefferson Hooker is a tough-as-nails veteran police officer with the LCPD who turns his back on a gold badge and goes back to patrolling the streets and training recruits. Along with his young partners in blue, Hooker take on Lake City's toughest criminals.
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T.J. Hooker Ratings & Reviews
- flavo437d agoT.J. Hooker marked a memorable return to television for William Shatner long after Star Trek, and it helped shape a new era of police procedurals in the early 1980s. Shatner’s character—a combat veteran, decorated officer, and former detective who chooses to return to street patrol—brought a unique perspective to the genre. At a time when the Vietnam War was only a decade in the past and many veterans were part of everyday life, Hooker’s background felt authentic and contemporary. His military experience informed how he handled high-stress situations, mentored rookies, and navigated the dangers of urban policing. The dynamic between Hooker and his younger partners was also refreshing. While buddy-cop shows often paired characters of similar age and temperament, T.J. Hooker leaned into the generational gap, using it to explore mentorship, responsibility, and different approaches to police work. Though sometimes melodramatic, the series delivered action, heart, and a charismatic lead performance that kept viewers tuning in week after week.
- dancla74September 30, 2025Best show ever.
