Hard Knocks is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on the Showtime Network. It featured Bill Maher and Tommy Hinkley as ideologically opposed private detectives looking to make money by solving the problems of their wealthy clients.

Synopsis

Gower Rhodes and Nick Bronco open a private detective agency in the back of a restaurant to make money by solving cases. However, nothing seems to go their way.

Hard Knocks (1987 TV series)

Cast

Main characters

Bill Maher as Gower Rhodes

Tommy Hinkley as Nick Bronco

Recurring and Guest Roles

Judith-Marie Bergan as Maggie

Babette Props as Terry

James Vallely as Silky

Gracie Harrison as Sheila Jesswalters

Episodes

Reception

Critical reception

John J. O'Connor of the New York Times called the show "something truly different." The show has also been reviewed in the Spartanburg Herald-Journal as "hard to watch," and in the Chicago Tribune as having woeful writing, unappealing characters, an infantile premise, and as "making programmers at the three networks look like charter members of Mensa."

Hard Knocks (1987 TV series)

Awards and nominations

Hard Knocks was nominated for a CableACE Award in 1988

Sources

Hard Knocks (1987) on TV.com

Hard Knocks (1987 TV series) on imdb.com

Hard Knocks- Series Overview on nytimes.com

TV Review; 'Hard Knocks,' Sitcom on nytimes.com

US Copyright Office on copyright.gov

References

English-language television shows

1980s American sitcoms

1987 American television series debuts

1987 American television series endings

Television shows set in Los Angeles

Showtime (TV network) original programming

Hard Knocks (1987 TV series)