Home Entertainment Top List Thursdays – Buddy Cop partnerships that may or may not work

Top List Thursdays – Buddy Cop partnerships that may or may not work

6 min read
5

It would seem that more and more movie actors are jumping to the small screen in a bid to cement their fame in entertainment spots that last longer than the average American takes to swallow 5 gallons of Coke and eat their way through a field of popcorn. I suppose Kevin Spacey is a great example, I mean he has an Oscar and everything. Oh, so has Matthew McConaughey! In a series that has taken many by the shorts, McConaughey appeared alongside Woody Harrelson in the HBO smash hit show True Detective. Alas, I have yet to see it but the possibility of Brad Pitt taking up one of the roles for the second season got me thinking. Of course Pitt would work perfectly in this role as he has already played a detective in the rather light-hearted Seven. So my question is who do you think would work well/not at all as partners in a cop/detective show? Here are a few suggestions…

 

  • Angela Lansbury and Ice Cube

1

Murder She Wrote is due for a revival with Oscar winner Octavia Spencer taking on the role as an amateur detective, in a similar role to the one made famous by ‘person I never want to hang out with’ Angela Lansbury. But what if she had a partner? A partner like actor, writer, producer, hip hop star for da shizzle Ice Cube? Would this create a dynamic duo, or a duo of dunce? Sure, we know that death stalks Lansbury and that Ice Cube can flip a beat with his boyz, but how affective would they be? Well there is the high probability that ol Cube would spend too much of his time looking dope and punching things while Lansbury visits holiday destinations oblivious to the body count that follows. That being said if Ice Cube acts as the muscle and she as the catalyst investigator crimes may be solved. Also, I would kill to see the staple comic ending of ‘oh YOU’ between the two.

Buddy Cop Computer match up analysis  4/10 – Potential

 

  • Inspector Hercule Poirot and Columbo

columbo

Ah what a team they would make. Combined they could solve anything whilst wistfully twiddling a well-tendered moustache in a dirty trench coat. Firstly, we need to look at their methods, both of which are quite different. Poirot often uses the phrases “the little grey cells” and “order and method” to reflect his analytical approach to solving crimes where as Columbo’s unassuming demeanour, shabby clothes and playfully forgetful attitude allows his targets to slip up. I can imagine Columbo starting as the good cop with his trademark ‘just one more thing’ and when the guilty party feels confident he is speaking to a buffoon, Poirot steps in for the kill. Either way you would be kept on your toes wondering what the heck each were thinking, and where Columbo was looking…

Buddy Cop computer matchup analysis 8/10 – Excellent

 

  • Luther and Raymond Reddington

luther

Okay, now this could work really well, or really not at all. Firstly you have the genius of both Luther and Raymond Reddington (Blacklist) that would most certainly come in handy when solving crimes. Their understanding of the human mind and its many dark spaces would help in tracking down even the Hannibal’s of the world, the problem being that they are also about as messed up as those they hunt. Luther has some serious obsessive issues that often consume him in his pursuit of justice, a characteristic that borderlines on destructive behaviour but also helps in driving him. Reddington on the other hand is well, a total nutter. Not only is he a former FBI agent that ended up on their Most Wanted list, he is more than happy to resort to the dirty end of the bad cop spectrum to get what he wants, whether that be torture or murder. This team could work in a cat and mouse manner, where both appear to work with each other, but are really trying to outdo the other. However, my gut tells me that should they ever team up to take on the dark forces of the world, they would probably be just that: dark forces. Just really terribly brilliant ones.

Buddy Cop computer matchup analysis – Not good.

 

  •  Jacques Clouseau and Inspector Morse

morse

Well, this could be interesting. The inept French cop vs the very British and with it prejudiced Inspector Endeavour (his first name only appearing in the last episode) Morse. Not much love lost between the French and the English, so a close bond would be out of the question, but it would allow for the one to send the other into dangerous situations. Clouseau’s ability to survive just about anything his incompetence places him in, makes him an ideal front man for the team. Morse can sit back at HQ and issue orders and watch with a British smile as the Frenchman runs in circles chasing his quarry. Indeed if a hideout is discovered all Morse would have to do is hand Clouseau a briefcase of explosives and send him off. The ensuing mayhem and destruction would result in the deaths of all the villains, and Clouseau probably on fire, but remarkably unhurt…

Buddy Cop computer matchup analysis 7/10 – Good

 

  • Monk and Debra Morgan

monk

Water and magnesium. Oil with a naked flame. Debra Morgan and Monk. All the same results – combustion. I cannot think of a more far removed team than these two. Monk with his obsessive-compulsive personality disorder brought on by his self-imposed exile after his wife is killed. And Debra with a potty mouth and attitude brought on by, you know, having a brother like Dexter. Monk is brilliant, no doubt about that, but I think his issues would make Dexter’s look like kids stuff to Debra. It’s one thing having to deal with finding out that the man you are to marry is an ice-cream truck loving, mass murderer, another having to deal with Monk hyperventilating because someone opened the door with their hand after sneezing on it. Debra’s issues also need a certain level of socio-path to deal with and I don’t think Monk would be up for the task. I think if there was a buddy cop series with these two it would last one episode and end with either a murder suicide caused by Debra, or Monk back home with the shutters closed for good.

Buddy Cop computer matchup analysis – Blood splatter

So there are a few suggestions for the next season of True Detective. Yes, some may not work as well as others but they would certainly be entertaining. Who do you think would work well/ not so well together and why would you want them together?

Last Updated: March 20, 2014

5 Comments

  1. Monk and Debra Morgan! Holy crap, that would probably be one of the most awkward and awesome shows.
    What about Debra Morgan and Jarek Wysocki (from Chicago Code)? Chaos.

    I still have to watch True Detective myself. Scanned through an episode and it looks pretty cool.

    Reply

    • Rince

      March 20, 2014 at 15:35

      Hahaha! I know, Monk would be scared out of his mind and Debra would just want to punch him all the time 🙂

      Reply

    • Skyblue

      March 20, 2014 at 22:39

      One DOES NOT simply “scan through” an episode of True Detective…

      Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    March 20, 2014 at 16:29

    TJ Hooker & Denny Crane!

    SHATNERCEPTION.

    Reply

  3. James Francis

    March 23, 2014 at 13:02

    Ace Ventura and B.A. Baracus

    Reply

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