Houston Knights

Background

Producer Jay Bernstein stated the show went against contemporary television trends by featuring an hour-long episode and two male police officers when half-hour comedies and family stories were popular. He described the leads as principled men with conservative morals of the 1940s, set in the 1980s, and compared their dynamic to two-reelers from the 1930s and films like Pittsburgh starring John Wayne and Randolph Scott. The show was renewed for a second season, during which Michael Beck said the on-air relationship would become less abrasive, shifting from outright hostility to a needling rivalry.

Summary

The series centers on the partnership between Chicago cop Joey LaFiamma, transferred to Houston after killing a mobster, and Levon Lundy, grandson of a Texas Ranger. Despite a rocky beginning that includes a fist-fight, they become friends and effective partners. A hitman from Chicago holding a contract on LaFiamma is killed by Lundy. Both men carry personal demons: LaFiamma's partner died when he waited for backup, and Lundy's wife was killed by an explosion meant for him.

Did You Know?

• The theme music was Texan blues-rock style, opening with a steamy saxophone then featuring slide guitar work and a heavy bass line.
• LaFiamma drove an ice-blue 289 AC Cobra replicar, contrasting with the pickup trucks driven by other characters including Lundy.
• The New York Times described the pilot as confused and confusing, questioning whether the series could pull itself together.