Simon and Simon

Enjoyable 80s detective drama set in San Diego, California. Brothers Rick and A.J. Simon are partners in a private detective agency. They are polar opposites: bad boy Rick is a street-smart former Marine and Vietnam vet who has friends in low places and a love for cheap pleasures; golden boy A.J. is a book-smart college graduate, a former Vietnam protester (he wanted his big brother to come home safe) whose tastes run to the more upscale. Rick drives a beat-up old pickup truck, adheres to a casual dress code (including his ever-present cowboy hat) and lives on a boat parked on a trailer in A.J.'s yard with his dog Marlowe; A.J. drives a series of classic sports cars, has a yuppie wardrobe and lives in a tasteful little house near the water.

This show provides examples of:
"Town: "Raise your right hand and repeat after me: 'We're deputies.'"
 * Action Series
 * Big Brother Instinct: Even though Rick is the older brother, both brothers exhibit this trope on occasion.
 * Black Best Friend: Downtown Brown, one of he coolest police lieutenants on TV, ever. Say it with me now--

Simon Bros.: "We're deputies."

Town: "You're deputies.""


 * Cool Car: Rick had his Dodge Power Wagon, and AJ had a series of them: a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible, later a customized Chevrolet Camaro Z28, and then a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS convertible in a two-part episode ("Pirate Key").
 * Crossover: With Magnum PI. First the Simon Brothers appeared on Magnum, and then Higgins appeared on the following Simon and Simon episode.
 * Also with the nearly-forgotten show Whiz Kids.
 * Dawson Casting: Of a sort. AJ is to be several years younger than Rick, but in real life the actors were only born months apart.
 * Friend On the Force: Assistant D.A. Janet Fowler in the early seasons, followed by Downtown Brown and then Lt. Abigail Marsh for the last two.
 * Horrible Hollywood: Rick Simon routinely refers to Hollywood as "Hollyweird".
 * Knockout Gas: In the episode "Under the Knife" has A.J. gassed in a hospital room and in danger of unnecessary surgery when the brothers get too close to the truth in a malpractice scam.
 * Name and Name: Same and same.
 * Nice Hat: Rick's.
 * Private Detective: The brothers' line of work.
 * Sensitive Guy and Manly Man
 * Sibling Team
 * Television Geography
 * They Fight Crime