The cases of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Only fiction series written and shot all over North America. Two young adventurers in a Corvette explore early 60's social problems and changing mores, looking for the right place to settle down while seeking themselves. Debuting 3 years after On the Road transformed modern literature, while such newly available fast cars dominated the new teenage culture, Tod, an Ivy Leaguer, and Buz, an orphan from Hell's Kitchen, cruise the U.S.A. coping with shifting relationships and lifestyles. The FCC's Newton Minow characterized U.S. TV as a vast wasteland, in 1961, but Route 66 found important, compelling stories all over. Stirling Silliphant who won an Oscar for writing In the Heat of the Night, traveled around the U.S. and Canada scouting locales, while writing ¾ of the very dark, literate show's episodes - a feat only Rod Serling matched with The Twilight Zone. Soon, a crew of 50 arrived at the location. Shows were filmed in 40 States. Tod, from a once-wealthy family, inherited only a Corvette when his father died, so he and Buz (suddenly jobless because he worked for Tod's father's company) strike out across North America, especially along the iconic Route 66 from Chicago to L.A. which the Okies traveled. Tod and Buz take local jobs (such as shrimping, shipbuilding, oil rigging) to support their wanderings. The 2 socially conscious knights of the road, encourage, champion, and learn from oppressed and troubled people they encounter. 1962 guest star Ethel Waters was the first African-American woman nominated for an Emmy Award. The CBS show doubled Corvette sales its first season. Tod and Buz's beige Corvette's 2 seats meant sans souci and constant movement, so shows were shot in 6 days, in a new city almost every week. The two drifters reject the post-war American Dream of the suburbs, while exploring a disappearing North America with very diverse local culture, not yet dominated by international franchises and cookie-cutter suburbs. The shows' vibrate with the new dreams for a Great Society and the fears of the Cold War. The volatile Buz Murdock was cast quickly, while Martin Milner beat out Robert Redford for the Tod Stiles role. Due to hepatitis, Maharis did not appear in the series' last 1 ½ seasons. The show grew from a pilot on creator Silliphant and Route 66 producer Herbert B. Leonard's Naked City, also shot on location. Naked City and Route 66 bridged the widely varied anthologies and live plays of the 1950's Golden Age of Television, to the much cheaper, 1 hour dramatic, set-character based series, which continue to rule prime-time. Nelson Riddle's atmospheric Theme from Route 66, and his episode scores factored heavily in the show's allure. The breezy song Route 66, written by Bobby Troup (of the 1970's TV series Emergency !), a 1946 Nat King Cole hit, wasn't used for the series. A sequel to Route 66 appeared in 1993, but lasted only 4 episodes. Written by David Stevens

The story you are about to see is true, Just the facts, ma'am, We were working the day watch - phrases which became so popular as to inspire much parody - set the realistic tone of this early police drama. The show emphasized careful police work and the interweaving of policemen's professional and personal lives. Written by Ed Stephan

Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) and Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) are the two Agents of the United Network Command for Law Enforcement (U.N.C.L.E.), who fight evil (primarily an organization of bad people called, T.H.R.U.S.H.) and use charm, wit, and a never ending assortment of gadgets. Written by John Vogel

Bret and Bart Maverick (and in later seasons, their English cousin, Beauregarde) are well-dressed gamblers who migrate from town to town always looking for a good game. Poker (five-card draw) is their favorite but they've been known to play such odd card games as Three-toed Sloth on occasion. The show would occasionally feature both or all three Mavericks, but usually would rotate the central character from week to week. Written by John Vogel

Peter Gunn is a private detective with a knack for finding trouble. His cases often mean he runs into the shadiest characters, most vicious thugs and the most powerful crime bosses. Cool and resourceful, he always gets the guilty ...

Chicago, 1930, the time of Prohibition. And it is the great time for organized crime, the so-called Mafia. One of the big bosses is Al Capone. He is the best known but is only one in a dirty game of sex, crime and corruption. People are willing to pay any price to drink alcohol, and sometimes it is their life they have to pay with. Special agent Eliot Ness and his team are trying to defeat the alcohol Mafia, but in this job, you dont have any friends. Written by Florian Baumann

Young people in trouble with the law (wealthy Pete stole a car; Linc arrested during Watts riots; Julie ran away from her San Francisco prostitute mother) can avoid jail by infiltrating the counter culture and exposing badguys who prey on other kids. Written by Ed Stephan

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Professional gunfighter Paladin was a West Point graduate who, after the Civil War, settled into San Francisco's Hotel Carlton, where he awaited responses to his business card: over the picture of a chess knight is written Have Gun, Will Travel...Wire Paladin, San Francisco. Written by Ed Stephan