The Mod Squad

1968

Seasons & Episodes

  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
6.9| 0h30m| TV-PG| en| More Info
Released: 24 September 1968 Ended
Producted By: Thomas/Spelling Productions
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

The Mod Squad was the enormously successful groundbreaking "hippie" undercover cop show that ran on ABC from September 24, 1968, until August 23, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Pete Cochren, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, Clarence Williams III as Linc Hayes, and Tige Andrews as Captain Adam Greer. The executive producers of the series were Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas. The iconic counter-culture police series earned six Emmy nominations, four Golden Globe nominations plus one win for Peggy Lipton, one Directors Guild of America award, and four Logies. In 1997 the episode "Mother of Sorrow" was ranked #95 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.

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Thomas/Spelling Productions

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Reviews

Boobirt Stylish but barely mediocre overall
YouHeart I gave it a 7.5 out of 10
Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
Griff Lees Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.
slazenger_7 Watching MOD SQUAD as a pre-adolescent, this show had sentimental & nostalgic value that almost cannot be expressed in words. This show set standards that were imitated by later iconic 70s, 80s, and 90s TV shows during the Age of Television (when TV was free). -- Virtually every formula and episodic plot that became cliches during the 70s & 80s action TV shows were first presented in MOD SQUAD.-- The salt & pepper undercover cop duo of Pete & Linc (Cole & Williams) was reworked for MIAMI VICE (Crockett & Tubbs) with equally balanced lead roles as in MV.-- The 1st TV show to have a female lead cop character: Julie (Lipton).-- The idea of a trio of youthful undercover cops that bridge the generation gap, working the youth scene was copied in 21 JUMPSTREET; even Jumpstreet's captain's 1st name was "Adam" (Steven Williams) taken from Capt. Adam Greer (Tige Andrews).-- From seasons 3-5, the sporty car of Pete's with the slick red streak design...A concept imitated in STARSKY & HUTCH. Even though S&H was supposed to be an unofficial TV knockoff of THE SUPER COPS (1974), S&H modeled the two cops after Pete & Linc and their wild stunts in chases and fight scenes.-- Hitting the psychedelic scene in-depth a full year before the release of EASY RIDER (1969).-- Spectacular contemporary fight scenes and hip "acid era" music (Earle Hagen and Billy May). -- Dealing with a wide array of contemporary social issues that were not previously covered or spotlighted in TV shows (e.g., from abortion to militant fascist groups).Michael Cole was one super-hip dude with a natural, unassuming, no-nonsense portrayal and a delivery that was his own style (a comparison to Brando's and Dean's brooding deliveries combined with McQueen's hip delivery). Cole rocked as Pete...The coolest white guy on TV. Clarence Williams III was the coolest bruther out there. His posture and walk stood out and was all his own...Before the likes of Calvin Lockhart, Richard Roundtree ("John Shaft"), and Ron O'Neal ("Superfly Priest") hit the scene. Linc was the granddaddy of them all. Not even Sidney Poitier in BLACKBOARD JUNGLE and as Virgil Tibbs evoked the urban contemporary hipness that Williams' Linc presented. Peggy Lipton was so hot (and so cool) as Julie that one cannot imagine anyone else as Julie Barnes...She set the standard for all future female leads in action and urban TV dramas...However, Lipton added a 3-dimensional portrayal to her role...She could be both sensitive, wistful and vulnerable and yet tough and resolute when required. Tige Andrews was arguably the best police captain any TV cop show could ask for....The forefather of KOJAK's McNeil (Dan Frazer), HILL STREET BLUES' Furrillo (Daniel J. Travanti), and LAW & ORDER's Cragen (Dann Florek). Andrews was of pure Syrian descent, son of Syrian immigrants Selma Shaleesh & Jurjy Androwas (Anglicized from the original Arabic to George Andrews). This show took a decade to get accepted by TV executives, being based on the real life concept of Buddy Ruskin (a former LA city policeman who ran a narcotics squad of youthful cops). And the man himself--Danny Thomas (of pure Lebanese descent, born Amos Muzyad Yakhoob Kairouz), was an executive producer of this iconic show (and the driving force in bringing it on TV...More so than Spelling, who always got most of the credit). MOD SQUAD is a must see for any generation of TV show fans as it set the standard and groundwork for so many others that followed.
guthriebruce As I'm re-watching the series on DVD, two things stand out to me:* It's very much of its' late 1960s time with the counter-culture and all. But it's amazing to me that three full-time undercover cops have so much time to not do, well, cop things. They seem to start their own cases all the time instead of being assigned what you'd expect undercover cops to do... long-time stake outs of drug dens and such. They're being paid for something but they're always just living a teenage life and crime just happens to show up while they're doing it.* The fact that Julie apparently can't do anything to defend anyone except running for Linc and Pete just grates my nerves. She sees trouble, she screams, and she runs for help. There were some strong women in the 1960s -- nobody messed with Kitty on "Gunsmoke" -- but "Mod Squad" isn't there. It would be a decade before a show like "Cagney and Lacey" hit the airwaves but it was desperately needed.
Syl I could see why Peggy Lipton became a star from this television show. She captures the role of Julie perfectly with a range of vulnerability and innocence in the role. Peggy Lipton's performance as Julie is believable in this somewhat unbelievable series. Anyway the series may be dated but there are plenty of surprise guest appearances. The other actors like Michael Cole, Clarence Williams, and Tige Andrews complete the male dominated cast. Each episode features a mystery to solve but without the gore and violence of today's crime dramas. The Mod Squad is largely more character driven than plot and action driven. Plenty of guests are familiar faces on television. The Mod Squad are three very different individuals whose lives are turned around by a police captain. He gives them a second chance in redemption and becoming unlikely police officers. I love the California scenery. The show was a hit largely because of the chemistry among the cast members and the time period for audiences. To see African Americans and Caucasians interact was still a new experience on television but not in reality. This show was caught up in the hype of the late sixties and early seventies of the counterculture. This show didn't shy away from controversial issues as well.
qormi Great show. Back when I was in high school,it was like, "Did you see Mod Squad last night?" Perfect casting. For some reason, I was never really hot for Julie...she always seemed tired...maybe Peggy Lipton was stoned all the time. But she was definitely cool. Lots of girls looked just like her back then...they all had drippy personalities but were total nymphos. Pete was very cool...the way he talked, his attitude...but he ran like a girl. Linc was a bad dude...I heard he did most of his own stunts.I like how he ran down criminals using an angle, like in football. Then, he slammed them against the wall. He had this blank stare with those shades...solid. Back in 1982 when I was teaching special ed., I had a teacher's aide named Ms. Wiley...she looked just like Linc Hayes..huge Afro, blank stare... all the kids were scared of her. Adam Grier...good actor..was the glue that kept the Mod Squad focused...one tough cop. Glad I bought the complete series DVD.

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