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.
