was Steve McGarretts catchphrase which ended most episodes of the long-runningHawaii Five-O.

The show began with one of the best signature tunes ever written for television.

Exotic locations, high drama, action and mystery… whats not to like?

Jack Lords central performance as the bequiffed McGarrett was always watchable.

Great though Lord was, the real star was Hawaii itself.

These two series spin-offs saw the character go it alone.

While the pedigree of the writing cant be faulted, Barlow without Watt was harder to get used to…

The crumpled cop was a perennial favourite appearing in several series from the seventies to the current decade.

Glass-eyed, cigar chomping, Peter Falk was an unlikely but engaging star.

Occasionally he was accompanied by his ironically named, bored Bassett hound Fang.

Previously seen inDepartment S,King was so flamboyant a character he almost demanded his own series.

Van Der Valk used its locale to the full.

Barry Foster was the rather cynical, seen-it-all leading man.

The whole thing was a refreshing departure for its creators.

Euston films had hitherto been renowned for dark thrillers set in Londons gangland underworld.

That said Amsterdam had its own crime for Van Der Valk to tackle such as drugs and prostitution.

Savalas real-life younger brother George played his colleague Detective Stavros.

Richard Roundtree reprised his role as the slick and stylish black private eye.

Sharp shooting and fast talking, Shaft also had a funky soundtrack courtesy of Isaac Hayes.

Jim RockfordThe Rockford Files(BBC1974-80) James Garner

One of James Garners key career moves.

Rockfords answering machine is one of the most famous opening titles on TV.

Recently it had the dubious honour of being scheduled against itself on BBC2 and ITV1!

Jim Rockford was an ex-convict.

After serving five years for a crime he didnt commit he was eventually proved innocent.

His determination to help victims of crime led him to become a private eye.

Regan gave the maverick cop a bad name.

The empathetic quality ofThe Sweeneywas unusual and controversial.

Action was very much to the fore.

In a far from happy ending Regan left the force after an angry confrontation with his superior Haskins.

Two undercover cops driving perhaps the least subtle of cars, best mates working the same beat.

Curly dark haired Starsky loved junk food, fair haired Hutch was a health freak.

Four seasons were made though the final season was notably less violent and hard edged.

David Soul later became a pop star, whilst Paul Michael Glaser started a trend for chunky cardigans.

The trio mentioned above are the best remembered.

Violent and action-packed, it was consciously geared to suit the average 10 year old boy.

Martin Shaw has since done his best to distance himself from his character.

James HazellHazell(ITV 1978) Nicholas Ball

Based on the books by Terry Venables and Gordon Wiliamson.

Nicholas Ball played the cockney gumshoe with a cynical nature.

James Hazell was forced out of the police at the age of 33 with a dodgy ankle.

With the help of his cousin Tel, Hazell decided to become a private eye.

Ball recorded a knowing Chandleresque spoof commentary which added to the quirkiness.

One of the series writers was actor Brian Glover.

At the time few policeman would condone what was portrayed in this gritty series.

A generation later many accept the series to be truer to life than they recalled.

Unusually the series examined the same case from different points of view.

The detectives story saw Derek Martin as Fred Pyle, extracting evidence using dubious methods.

Eddie Shoestring was an eccentrically-dressed, Cortina estate driving investigator based at Bristols Radio West.

The radio connection gave him the nickname private ear.

The production team armed with potentialShoestringscripts relocated their show to Jersey and created the equally successfulBergerac.