70s Detective Shows: Where to Watch Them Today
Looking for 70s detective shows to watch today? From Columbo and Kojak to The Rockford Files, this guide helps you find old favorites and shows you may have missed.
The chart below lists free streaming options, channels you may get with a TV antenna, and official English-language DVDs. Some services have only a few seasons or episodes. DVD options may include a full series or single seasons.
All 15 shows aired during the 1970s, and some continued into the 1980s. Pick a show below and see where to watch it today.
1970s Detective Shows: Streaming, Antenna TV and DVD Options
Find a favorite 70s detective or cop show below. See where to watch free, which shows air on antenna TV, and which DVD sets you can buy.
U.S. listings checked October 2, 2026. Free streams may have ads and may not include every season. Antenna channels depend on your area. Listings and DVD availability can change. Please check back.
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| Show | Where & How to Watch | Own on DVD |
|---|---|---|
Columbo1971–1978 Peter Falk plays a rumpled detective whose simple questions trip up killers who think they have planned the perfect crime.Not sure which case to watch first? Our best Columbo episodes guide includes Murder by the Book, Any Old Port in a Storm, and Now You See Him. |
Stream free: Tubi · Fandango at Home Free |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
The Rockford Files1974–1980 James Garner plays Jim Rockford, a private eye who lives in a beachside trailer and takes cases the police have dropped. |
Stream free: The Roku Channel |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
Starsky & Hutch1975–1979 Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul play streetwise detectives who chase crooks in a bright red Ford Torino. |
Stream free: Tubi |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
Charlie’s Angels1976–1981 Three former policewomen go undercover as private detectives, with help from Bosley and orders from their unseen boss, Charlie. |
Stream free: Tubi |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
Hart to Hart1979–1984 Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers play a wealthy couple whose travels and social life lead them into murder cases. |
Stream free: Tubi · The Roku Channel |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
Cannon1971–1976 William Conrad plays Frank Cannon, a former cop who uses sharp instincts to solve cases as a Los Angeles private eye. |
Watch with a TV antenna: MeTV |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
Barnaby Jones1973–1980 Buddy Ebsen plays a retired private eye who reopens his agency and solves cases with his daughter-in-law, Betty. |
Stream free: Pluto TV Watch with a TV antenna: MeTV |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
The Streets of San Francisco1972–1977 Karl Malden and Michael Douglas play a veteran detective and his young partner solving murders on San Francisco’s streets. |
Stream free: Pluto TV |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
Kojak1973–1978 Telly Savalas plays a blunt, lollipop-loving New York detective who leads a squad through tough murder cases. |
Stream free: The Roku Channel |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
Police Woman1974–1978 Angie Dickinson plays Pepper Anderson, an undercover officer who poses as everyone from a nurse to a bank robber to catch criminals. |
Stream free: The Roku Channel |
Own on DVD: Shop DVD seasons on Amazon → |
McCloud1970–1977 Dennis Weaver plays a New Mexico marshal whose cowboy ways clash with big-city police work in New York. |
Stream free: The Roku Channel |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
McMillan & Wife1971–1977 Rock Hudson plays a San Francisco police commissioner whose quick-witted wife, played by Susan Saint James, helps him solve cases. |
Stream free: The Roku Channel |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
Harry O1974–1976 David Janssen plays Harry Orwell, a former cop turned private eye who takes a personal interest in the people he helps. |
No free streaming or antenna option confirmed. |
Own on DVD: |
The Snoop Sisters1973–1974 Helen Hayes and Mildred Natwick play two older sisters whose knack for finding murder clues keeps their police detective nephew busy. |
No free streaming or antenna option confirmed. |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
Banacek1972–1974 George Peppard plays a Boston insurance investigator who solves puzzling thefts that leave the police stumped. |
No free streaming or antenna option confirmed. |
Own on DVD: Shop the complete series on Amazon → |
Can’t Find Your Show? Try These Steps
You open an app, search for a favorite show, and find that it is gone—or only a few episodes are there. Streaming services change their lists, so a show may move after we check it.
Before you give up, try these steps:
- Search inside the app. Open the service listed in our chart, such as Tubi or The Roku Channel. Look for Search or a magnifying glass. Type the show’s name. This can help if an old link no longer works. Check the cast and year, too, so you pick the original show rather than a remake.
- Check which episodes are free. Open the show’s page and look for its season or episode list. A service may have one season, a few episodes, or the whole series. If you see a price or a paid subscription notice, that option is not free. A free trial may lead to a charge when it ends.
- Try another option in the chart. If we list two free services, check both. They may carry different episodes. For shows listed on MeTV, check your local TV guide to see when they air and whether your local station carries them. You can also use the DVD link if you prefer to own the show.
- Let us know about a missing listing. Use our contact page and tell us the show’s name, the service, and what you found. For example: “Barnaby Jones no longer appears when I search Pluto TV.” That helps us check the right listing and keep this guide useful.
How to Watch These Shows With an Antenna
A TV antenna lets you watch local channels without internet or a monthly TV bill. In our chart, Cannon and Barnaby Jones have MeTV listed as an antenna option. You can watch them this way if your local station carries MeTV and you can receive its signal.
Here’s how to get started:
- Check your local channels before buying. Our guide to channels you can get with an antenna explains how to check your address. Look for MeTV in your local results.
- Choose an antenna for your home. An indoor antenna may work when local signals are strong. Compare our best indoor TV antennas. If indoor reception is weak, see our best outdoor TV antennas.
- Connect the antenna and scan for channels. Attach its cable to the TV’s round jack marked ANT IN or RF IN. In your TV’s settings, choose Antenna or Air, then run a Channel Scan. Menu names vary by TV.
- Check the show’s airtime. Antenna TV follows a schedule. Use your local TV guide to find the next episode.
Do you need a signal booster? A long cable or splitter can weaken a signal. Our TV antenna amplifier guide explains when a booster may help. It cannot add a channel your antenna does not receive.
Why DVD Can Still Make Sense
You may find a favorite show on a free app today, then find it gone next month. Some services also carry only a few seasons. A DVD set lets you keep watching without internet or waiting for the show to return.
DVDs can be useful if you want to:
- Watch episodes in order. A complete-series set keeps the seasons together.
- Skip streaming ads. Watch without the ad breaks found on free apps.
- Keep your favorite shows. Your discs stay on your shelf when streaming lists change.
Before you buy, check that the set has English audio and works with your DVD player. Also read the title closely: a single-season set is not the whole series.
Use the DVD links in our chart to check the set’s details and current price.
Need Help Hearing the Voices?
A quiet line can hold the clue that solves the case. If voices sound muffled or music makes the words hard to hear, turning up the volume may only make everything louder.
Start with our free steps to make TV voices louder and clearer. A change to your TV’s sound settings may be enough.
If you still need help, choose an option that fits how you watch:
- For sound across the room: Compare our best soundbars for dialogue. The guide explains which features help voices stand out from music and sound effects.
- For your own listening volume: See our best wireless TV headphones. Check the TV connections and comfort notes before choosing a pair.
You can also turn on captions, when available, to catch names, places, and words you miss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch 70s detective shows for free?
Our chart lists free options on Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, and Fandango at Home Free. These services have ads and may carry only certain seasons or episodes. Check the chart for the service listed beside each show.
Can I watch 70s detective shows with a TV antenna?
Yes, if a local station carries them and your antenna receives its signal. Our chart lists Cannon and Barnaby Jones on MeTV. Check your local channel lineup and TV guide before buying an antenna.
Why does this list include shows that ended in the 1980s?
Every show in our chart aired during the 1970s. Some stayed on TV into the next decade. For example, The Rockford Files ended in 1980, Charlie’s Angels in 1981, and Hart to Hart in 1984.
What if a show has no free viewing option?
Check its DVD link in the chart. A DVD release may be available even when we cannot confirm a free stream or antenna listing. Before buying, check the English audio, included seasons, and whether the discs work with your DVD player.
Choose Your Next 70s Detective Show
Pick a favorite from the chart—or try a show you missed the first time around. Check its viewing options, choose the one that works for you, and settle in for a case.
Save this guide so you can find your next show without starting your search again.
Want more classic mysteries? Explore our 60s detective shows guide for more favorites and where to watch them today.
