History Series / TJHooker

[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tj_hooker-show_7555.jpg]]

* TitleSequence: In Seasons [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Znfy2xMmoaE 1]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRD9hCkpQ-c 2]], the title came together (two clear copies of the title that came together, filling in with gold when they did) over a freeze-frame of Hooker that turned blue in the background, with the second O in ''Hooker'' turning into a crosshair; there was a circular wipe from that second O as well. This circular wipe also came after each of the players was billed; the players were billed by having two clear copies of the name coming together from the left and right bottom of the screen, and having them meet at middle bottom. When both copies were together, the name filled in in yellow or gold; all major players were done this way, with William Shatner having "Starring" above his name, and Richard Herd getting the Main/AndStarring credit as Captain Sheridan (Locklear, Zmed, and [in Season 1] Clough simply had their names coming together and filling in).

* CityWithNoName: Many of Aaron Spelling's cop shows — ''Series/TheRookies'', ''Series/StarskyAndHutch'' — are set in police agencies that resemble the Los Angeles Police Department, but are in unnamed cities. The police officers on ''Series/TJHooker'' wear shoulder patches of the "L.C.P.D.", which is said to stand for "Los Angeles County Police Department" (This is presumably due to the fact that the real LAPD wouldn't allow them to use their name and insignias or because it allowed more story-telling flexibility--the writers were not tied to real LAPD policies and procedures).

This [[CopShow police action series]] was produced by Creator/AaronSpelling and Leonard Goldberg, and ran on Creator/{{ABC}} from 1982 to 1986 and its last first run year as a CBS Late Night series. It started out as a MidseasonReplacement, but proved popular enough after its first [[FiveEpisodePilot five episode run]] to be picked up for further seasons. It starred Creator/WilliamShatner as Sgt. T.J. Hooker, a former detective who had volunteered to teach at the police academy and go back out on the beat because of his absolute conviction in doing the right thing. Hooker is an extremely moral cop, whose reaction to something would often be passionately over the top (come on, it's [[LargeHam William Shatner]] we're talking about here), to the point of almost becoming AnAesop.

* ClosingCredits: In Seasons 1 and 2, the closing credits for each episode would be seen against freeze-frames of scenes from the episode; the Spelling-Goldberg IAW (in association with) card would be the last card, and then that would fade to black, and the Columbia Pictures Television logo of the time would appear (the Sunburst/Abstract Torch on the short first season in early 1982 [which would also be seen on Mill Creek Entertainment's DVD print of the pilot, even though that was only copyrighted to Spelling-Goldberg], and then the 80s Torch Lady with Coca-Cola ownership byline thereafter [on DVD prints, the 80s Torch Lady would be bylineless, both on Mill Creek's first-and-second-season release, and on Shout! Factory's complete-series release starting with the second episode of Season 3]). In Seasons 3-5, it would be a slow-motion reprise of the scene from the title sequence where Hooker runs down the tunnel; the S-G card would still fade to black and give way to the CPT logo of the time (except on two episodes from Season 5, where the S-G text would disappear, and the 80s Torch Lady showed up on the next frame).

** In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEqIuwchDyw Season 3]], Hooker ran down some sort of tunnel as the opening notes of the title track played, and then the title appeared on screen in a computerized metallic lettering with red and blue police car lights shining over it; this effect was also used to bill all the major players (Shatner, Zmed, Locklear and Darren), and was used at the end to credit creator Rick Husky. The title track was a more pop-driven arrangement as well. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7jj66UR7Xk There was also an alternate third-season title track that had more lead synth, and was heavier on kick and snare drums.]]

* ClosingCredits: In Seasons 1 and 2, the closing credits for each episode would be seen against freeze-frames of scenes from the episode; the Spelling-Goldberg IAW (in association with) card would be the last card, and then that would fade to black, and the Columbia Pictures Television logo of the time would appear (the Sunburst/Abstract Torch on the short first season in early 1982 [which would also be seen on Mill Creek Entertainment's DVD print of the pilot, even though that was only copyrighted to Spelling-Goldberg], and then the 80s Torch Lady with Coca-Cola ownership byline thereafter [on DVD prints, the 80s Torch Lady would be bylineless, both on Mill Creek's first-and-second-season release, and on Shout! Factory's complete-series release starting with the second episode of Season 3]. In Seasons 3-5, it would be a slow-motion reprise of the scene from the title sequence where Hooker runs down the tunnel; the S-G card would still fade to black and give way to the CPT logo of the time (except on two episodes from Season 5, where the S-G text would disappear, and the 80s Torch Lady showed up on the next frame).

* BridgeBunnies: Stacy Sheridan. In the first season she is isolated to being on the desk back at the academy, and giving instructions to Hooker over the radio.

* RevolversAreJustBetter: LCPD issues Smith & Wesson revolvers to the officers, though Sgt. Hooker carries a Colt Trooper on duty and he owns a .357 Magnum [[CoolGuns Dan Wesson revolver]] as an off duty firearm. In fact, Hooker bragged to a particularly evil perp about how he carried a .357 Magnum loaded with hollow point bullets, stating "they leave a six-inch hold going in...AND THE HOLLAND TUNNEL COMING OUT!"

** In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEqIuwchDyw Season 3]], Hooker ran down some sort of tunnel as the opening notes of the title track played, and then the title appeared on screen in a computerized metallic lettering with red and blue police car lights shining over it; this effect was also used to bill all the major players (Shatner, Zmed, Locklear and Darren), and was used at the end to credit creator Rick Husky. The title track was a more pop-driven arrangement as well.

* TitleSequence: In Seasons [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Znfy2xMmoaE 1]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRD9hCkpQ-c 2]], the title came together (two clear copies of the title that came together, filling in with gold when they did) over a freeze-frame of Hooker that turned blue in the background, with the second O in ''Hooker'' turning into a crosshair; there was a circular wipe from that second O as well. This circular wipe also came after each of the players was billed; the players were billed by having two clear copies of the name coming together from the left and right bottom of the screen, and having them meet at middle bottom. When both copies were together, the name filled in in yellow or gold; all major players were done this way, with William Shatner having "Starring" above his name, and Richard Herd getting the Main/AndStarring credit as Captain Sheridan (Locklear, Zmed, and [in Season 1] Clough simply had their names coming together and filling in).

* TitleSequence: In Seasons [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRD9hCkpQ-c 1]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRD9hCkpQ-c 2]], the title came together (two clear copies of the title that came together, filling in with gold when they did) over a freeze-frame of Hooker that turned blue in the background, with the second O in ''Hooker'' turning into a crosshair; there was a circular wipe from that second O as well. This circular wipe also came after each of the players was billed; the players were billed by having two clear copies of the name coming together from the left and right bottom of the screen, and having them meet at middle bottom. When both copies were together, the name filled in in yellow or gold; all major players were done this way, with William Shatner having "Starring" above his name, and Richard Herd getting the Main/AndStarring credit as Captain Sheridan (Locklear, Zmed, and [in Season 1] Clough simply had their names coming together and filling in).

* TitleSequence: In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRD9hCkpQ-c Seasons 1 and 2]], the title came together (two clear copies of the title that came together, filling in with gold when they did) over a freeze-frame of Hooker that turned blue in the background, with the second O in ''Hooker'' turning into a crosshair; there was a circular wipe from that second O as well. This circular wipe also came after each of the players was billed; the players were billed by having two clear copies of the name coming together from the left and right bottom of the screen, and having them meet at middle bottom. When both copies were together, the name filled in in yellow or gold; all major players were done this way, with William Shatner having "Starring" above his name, and Richard Herd getting the Main/AndStarring credit as Captain Sheridan (Locklear, Zmed, and [in Season 1] Clough simply had their names coming together and filling in).

* TitleSequence: In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRD9hCkpQ-c Seasons 1 and 2]], the title came together (two clear copies of the title that came together, filling in with gold when they did) over a freeze-frame of Hooker that turned blue in the background, with the second O in ''Hooker'' turning into a crosshair; there was a circular wipe from that second O as well. This circular wipe also came after each of the players was billed; the players were billed by having two clear copies of the title coming together from the left and right bottom of the screen, and having them meet at middle bottom. When both copies were together, the name filled in in yellow or gold; all major players were done this way, with William Shatner having "Starring" above his name, and Richard Herd getting the Main/AndStarring credit as Captain Sheridan (Locklear, Zmed, and [in Season 1] Clough simply had their names coming together and filling in).

Starring alongside Shatner was Creator/AdrianZmed as his rookie partner, Vince Romano, and Creator/HeatherLocklear as Stacy Sheridan, one of her earliest screen roles. James Darren joined in season 2 as a fellow police Sgt. Jim Corrigan, and the series had something of an [[UnexpectedGenreChange Unexpected Format Change]]. Despite this, the series never lost its unique flavor, as Shatner always managed to serve up copious amounts of HamAndCheese.

** Creator/SharonStone guest starred in the PoorlyDisguisedPilot “Hollywood Starr” playing a detective for the “Hollywood Police Department.” The home city of the LCPD is far enough away that the visiting Hooker and his crew need motel rooms in Hollywood. The appearance of the Walk of Fame and establishing shots that include Graumann’s Chinese Theater make it clear that Hooker is not visiting Hollywood, Florida. For those not familiar with Los Angeles County, Hollywood is a 30.7 square mile neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles and does not have a separate police department.

* DirtyHarriet: One episode seen Officer Stacy Sheridan going undercover as a prostitute, with her partner Officer Corrigan acting the part of her pimp.

** Creator/SharonStone guest starred in the PoorlyDisguisedPilot “Hollywood Starr” playing a detective for the “Hollywood Police Department.” The home city of the LCPD was far enough away that the visiting Hooker and his crew need motel rooms in Hollywood. The appearance of the Walk of Fame and establishing shots that include Graumann’s Chinese Theater make it clear that Hooker is not visiting Hollywood, Florida. For those not familiar with Los Angeles County, Hollywood is a 30.7 square mile neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles and does not have a separate police department.

* BurgerFool: In one episode, Hooker went to a fictional burger outlet as many times as possible, hoping to get enough stamps to win a prize for his daughter.
* BusFullOfInnocents: Taken absolutely literally, with a bus full of ''nuns'' no less, in "The Streets."

* HeroicResolve: Sergeant Hooker is by no means a very fit cop. However, it is amazing how many times he manages to find the sudden energy required to jump on to the roof of a speeding bus on which some nuns are being held hostage, or to barge down a locked door and do a dramatic barrel roll into a room when lives are at stake.
** Parodied in a ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' sketch in which Shatner (that week's host) jumped on the hood of a car and managed to hold on as the driver drove through a number of distant locations and time zones.
** Also parodied in ''Showtime''.

* OnlyKnownByTheirNickName: While Hooker has clearly got a first name, other characters ''always'' refer to him simply as "Hooker". The fourth episode of the first season tells us that his given name is in fact Thomas, but this is never mentioned ever again. Even his ex-wife only ever calls him by the name Hooker when she talks to him (of all people you'd expect her to call him Thomas, wouldn't you?).

* LastNameBasis: Hooker, to EVERYBODY, up to and including his Ex-Wife.
** Only one person ever called him T.J., a psychiatrist played by Henry Darrow in "A Cry For Help".

Starring alongside Shatner was Creator/AdrianZmed as his rookie partner, Vince Romano, and Creator/HeatherLocklear as Stacy Sheridan, one of her earliest screen roles. James Darren joined in season 2 as a fellow police Sgt. Jim Corrigan, and the series had something of an [[UnexpectedGenreChange Unexpected Format Change]]. Despite this, the series never lost its unique flavor, as Shatner always managed to deliver copious amounts of HamAndCheese.