History Main / AndroidsAndDetectives

* In ''Anime/Metropolis2001'' Shinsaku Ban is given the RidiculouslyHumanRobot detective DRP-DM4973C, who he nicknames "Pero" both to show affection towards his RobotBuddy and because it's far easier than his YouAreNumber6 identification.

%%* Creator/OsamuTezuka's ''Anime/Metropolis2001''

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's Robot Trilogy, starting with ''Literature/TheCavesOfSteel'', are the UrExample of this trope. These feature Earth detective Elijah Baley teaming with R. Daneel Olivaw, one of the very first "humaniform robots" -- realistic-looking androids. Lije and Daneel are partners in the first book and remain good friends throughout the rest of the series, but each book of the trilogy examines a different facet of the relationship between robots and humans at a societal level. As the UrExample, it established many of the conventions of this trope, despite the lack of many traditional {{Cyberpunk}} elements (unsurprising, as the book was written before the advent of microcomputers, let alone the Internet).

-->“You just may be the most beautiful perp I’ve ever laid sensors on,” thought the robot lieutenant as his humanoid partner [[DonutMessWithACop ate donuts]] unaware.

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* ''Manga/GiantRobo'' includes an android detective.

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%%* Creator/OsamuTezuka's ''Anime/Metropolis2001''
* In ''Anime/HeatGuyJ'', the eponymous J is a large stoic android always ready to hand out an epigram on what it means to be a man, who works with the 'cool' and laid back Daisuke (Dice). Collectively they form the investigative team of the Special Services Bureau in the city of Judoh.

* ''Manga/AstroBoy'': Though not technically [[BuddyCopShow cop buddies]], Astro's crime-fighting often leads him to work alongside [[DaChief Inspector]] [[NobleBigotWithABadge Tawashi]]. And by "works alongside", we mean [[TeethClenchedTeamwork "argues with"]]. ''Manga/{{Pluto}}'', Creator/NaokiUrasawa's re-take on one of the story arcs in the original manga, has Gesicht filling in both the detective and the robot role.
* ''Anime/ArmitageIII'' plays this straight, down to the "I hate technology" exchange.
* ''Manga/{{Appleseed}}'', sorta. Less Android and more {{Cyborg}}; less Detective and more SWAT/Counterterrorism. Besides the Deunan-Briareos pairing, there is also the Deunan-Hitomi pairing; Deunan is initially shocked that Hitomi is a [[ArtificialHuman bioroid]].
* ''Manga/GiantRobo'' includes an android detective.

* ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}'' has the uneasy alliance between the Imperial Guard and the Brothers of the Sacred Grove (not technically robots, but magically-animated puppets with many robot-like mannerisms).

* The premise of ''ComicBook/{{Darkminds}}'' has detective Nagawa paired up with android Akane Nakiko (well, officially she's a cyborg, but it's more a matter of being an android with some biological components) to solve the "Paradox" murders, [[spoiler:which turn out to have been perpetrated by one of Nakiko's prototypes]].

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* ''Film/RobotAndFrank'' is about a human and a robot as partners, in this case partners in crime. Despite this, many of the requisite tropes remain intact.

* ''Brillo'' by Creator/BenBova and Creator/HarlanEllison. (It's steel fuzz, get it?)
* The sixth book in the ''Literature/ThursdayNext'' series, ''One of our Thursdays is Missing'', has the fictional Thursday and her newfound clockwork butler Sprockett investigates an accident.

* The Creator/AlanDeanFoster novel ''Greenthieves'' deals with a detective who's paired with a singularly perverted 'humaniform' android, as well as a snarky ([[AndIMustScream if only in his mind]]) Minder, basically a floating, orb-shaped AI.
* Mia Sorelli and Gizmo in ''Literature/ColonyMars''.

* ''Series/{{Eureka}}'' by way of Jack Carter and Andy in one episode. Andy is back, [[spoiler:as Jack's permanent deputy, Jo is now head of security at [[MegaCorp Global Dynamics]]]], as of season 4.

* ''Series/HolmesAndYoyo'' is one of the earliest TV examples, as it ran from 1976-77. It was a more comedic take on the idea than the later shows that would run with it, as Holmes tries to conceal the nature of the frequently-malfunctioning Yoyo (aka Gregory Yoyonovich) from the rest of the department.

* Recurring character Hymie (a robot) would often team with Max during a case on ''Series/GetSmart''.
* Franchise/RoboCop had a partner in [[Series/RoboCopTheSeries the spin-off TV series]] (and Officer Ann Lewis in the movies).
* ''Series/FutureCop'': The first TV example, predating ''Series/HolmesAndYoyo'' by several months. Based on ''Brillo'' (see Literature folder), but without giving [[Creator/BenBova Bova]] or [[Creator/HarlanEllison Ellison]] any credit, or payment, until after they sued.
* The sadly short-lived ''Series/TotalRecall2070'' (which always seemed more of a ''Film/BladeRunner'' spin-off somehow) paired senior detective David Hume with [[WetwareCPU Alpha Class]] android Farve.

* ''Series/AlmostHuman'' has Karl Urban teaming up with a SuperPrototype android partner. It's either law or department policy that ''all'' detectives must have an android partner, though most of them prefer the emotionless MX line.
* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' story "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E5TheRobotsOfDeath The Robots of Death]]" has a subplot revolving around an apparently unrelated human and robot (Poul and D84), who turns out to be a buddy cop team there to identify which person on the sand miner is secretly a terrorist. Unfortunately, Poul's UncannyValley [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes phobia]] causes him to have a meltdown and D84 dies in a HeroicSacrifice to protect the Doctor.

* ''VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}}'' is a prime example. You can choose how you treat your RobotBuddy, so you can either be good pals or you can be a total asshole to him.

* Two of the hunters in ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'', Bucket and Cabot, used to be partners in the Hub Marshalls. By the events of the game, they've been retired for some time, but the mutual respect they formed had them stick together as Planet Tamers.
* Connor, one of the main characters in ''VideoGame/DetroitBecomeHuman'' is an android working for the police. He gets teamed up with Hank Anderson -- a grizzled cop with an alcohol problem -- to solve murders. Similar to ''VisualNovel/{{Snatcher}}'', you get to decide how their relationship plays out; either they become FireForgedFriends, or [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential you effectively ruin Hank's life]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' has Smitty (human) and URL (pronounced "[[PunnyName Earl]]"), who double as a parody of black and white OddCouple duos. We don't know if this is standard practice because [[OddlySmallOrganization they're the only cops we ever see]]...
* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'': Captain Fanzone could be this to the Autobots. His catchphrase is "This is why I hate machines", although he eventually develops a grudging respect for the Autobots. When he's actually paired with an Autobot he grumbles but does his job like a pro.