Simon & Simon

Simon & Simon
220px Title screen from Season 1
Genre	Mystery Comedy-Drama Action
Created by	Philip DeGuere
Starring	Gerald McRaney Jameson Parker Mary Carver Eddie Barth Jeannie Wilson Tim Reid Joan McMurtrey
Music by	Joseph Conlan
Opening theme	Simon & Simon (instrumental version) by Barry De Vorzon Michael Towers
Ending theme	"Best of Friends" performed by The Thrasher Brothers
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	156 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Philip DeGuere John G. Stephens Richard Chapman
Producer(s)	Mark A. Burley Richard Chapman Mary Eagle Bill Dial George Geiger Richard C. Okie
Running time	45–48 minutes
Production company(s)	Universal Television
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	November 24, 1981 (1981-11-24) – September 16, 1989 (1989-09-16)
Chronology
Related shows	Magnum, P.I. Whiz Kids
External links
[{{#property:P856}} Website]

Simon & Simon is an American crime drama television series that originally ran from November 24, 1981, to September 16, 1989. The series was broadcast on CBS, and starred Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker as two disparate brothers who operate a two-person detective agency in San Diego, California.

Premise

The show revolves around the decisively polar-opposite Simon brothers, Rick (McRaney) and Andrew Jackson/"A.J." (Parker). Together, the brothers run a private investigator agency in San Diego, California, during the 1980s. Their contrasting approaches to investigations and subsequent personality conflicts provide much of the drama and comedy in each week's episode. The brothers have genuine love for one another as well as intense loyalty and will go to great lengths to protect one another.

Rick is a United States Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran with an earthy, plain-speaking personality and a penchant for cowboy boots, denim, and pickup trucks. He lives on a boat in his brother A.J.'s yard. In contrast, A.J. is a college graduate with a polished, preppy look and a taste for classic cars. A.J. is a practicing Catholic while Rick is not, and though A.J. is a stickler for rules in life and at work, Rick is more of a free spirit with street smarts. Their odd couple style differences extend even to their cars, with Rick's Dodge Power Wagon used in one episode ("Love, Christy" (Season 1, Episode 2)) to crush the engine of a car contrasting with A.J.'s 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible and customized Camaros (Chevrolet Camaro Z28 and 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS) in the two-part episode, "Pirate's Key".

Although Rick is a few years older than A.J., McRaney and Parker were both born in 1947 and have only a three-month age difference.

Cast

Main

• Gerald McRaney as Rick Simon
• Jameson Parker as A.J. Simon
• Mary Carver as Cecilia Simon, the brothers' mother
• Eddie Barth as Myron Fowler (seasons 1–2), A.J.'s ex-boss and their more successful competitor
• Jeannie Wilson as Janet Fowler (season 1–2, regular; seasons 3 and 6, guest), Myron's daughter. She works for her father, attends law school and helps the Simons from time to time, much to her father's annoyance. During season two, she works as an assistant D.A.
• Tim Reid as Lieutenant Marcel Proust "Downtown" Brown (seasons 3–6), the Simons' friend in the police department
• Joan McMurtrey as Lieutenant Abigail Marsh (seasons 7–8)

Recurring

• Daphne Reid as reporter Temple Hill (1983–1987)
• Scott Murphy as Police Officer Nixon (1984–1988)
• Donna Jepsen as Officer Susie Jepsen (1985–1989)
• Marlowe, their pet dog

Episodes

Main article: List of Simon & Simon episodes

This is a list of all episodes of the CBS television series Simon & Simon.

Series overview

Season		Episodes	Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
	1	13	November 24, 1981 (1981-11-24)	March 16, 1982 (1982-03-16)
	2	23	October 7, 1982 (1982-10-07)	March 31, 1983 (1983-03-31)
	3	23	September 29, 1983 (1983-09-29)	March 29, 1984 (1984-03-29)
	4	22	September 27, 1984 (1984-09-27)	March 28, 1985 (1985-03-28)
	5	24	October 3, 1985 (1985-10-03)	May 1, 1986 (1986-05-01)
	6	22	September 25, 1986 (1986-09-25)	March 26, 1987 (1987-03-26)
	7	16	December 3, 1987 (1987-12-03)	April 7, 1988 (1988-04-07)
	8	13 *	October 8, 1988 (1988-10-08)	September 16, 1989 (1989-09-16)

(*) The last two episodes of the series only aired in syndication.

Episodes

Season 1 (1981-82)

Main article: Simon & Simon (season 1)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	1	"Details at Eleven"	Corey Allen	Philip DeGuere	November 24, 1981 (1981-11-24)
The Simons search for a newsanchor's stepdaugter who has connections to the mob.
2	2	"Love, Christy"	Bruce Bilson	James Crocker	December 1, 1981 (1981-12-01)
The Simons attempt to bring back a coed's stolen sports car.
3	3	"Trapdoors"	Alan J. Levi	Philip DeGuere	December 8, 1981 (1981-12-08)
A bank official collaborates with a computer whiz to gain access to the bank's financial system.
4	4	"A Recipe for Disaster"	Mike Vejar	Richard Chapman	December 22, 1981 (1981-12-22)
A kidnapping leads the Simons to cross paths with ruthless wildcatters.
5	5	"The Least Dangereous Game"	Alan J. Levi	Richard Chapman	December 29, 1981 (1981-12-29)
At a zoo patron's request, the Simons investigate an animal keeper's death.
6	6	"The Dead Letter File"	Mike Vejar	Bob Shayne	January 5, 1982 (1982-01-05)
A letter that's been lost in the mail for 20 years contains evidence vital to a murder case.
7	7	"The Hottest Ticket in Town"	Ray Austin	Bob Shayne	January 12, 1982 (1982-01-12)
A rock-concert promoter gets suckered into an ingenious ticket-scalping operation.
8	8	"Ashes to Ashes, and None Too Soon"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Bob Shayne	January 19, 1982 (1982-01-19)
A man commits suicide after the Simons serve him divorce papers.
9	9	"Uncivil Servant"	Ray Austin	Karen Harris	January 26, 1982 (1982-01-26)
Myron hires the Simons to find the thief who stole a file from his office.
10	10	"Earth to Stacey"	Paul Krasny	James Crocker	February 9, 1982 (1982-02-09)
The Simons are forced to put up with a client's intention to humiliate the man who let her at the altar.
11	11	"Double Entry"	Alan J. Levi	Robert Bielak	March 2, 1982 (1982-03-02)
The probing of a wayward husband becomes a kidnapping case.
12	12	"Matchmaker"	Vincent McEveety	Ruel Fischmann & Richard Pierce	March 9, 1982 (1982-03-09)
An insurance-company rep hires the Simons to find stolen antiques - and their investigation leads them to a dating service.
13	13	"Tanks for the Memories"	Paul Krasny	Richard Chapman	March 16, 1982 (1982-03-16)
The Simons wind up in the cross-fire between a gunrunner and the FBI during their search for class reunion grads.

Season 2 (1982-83)

Main article: Simon & Simon (season 2)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
14	1	"Emeralds Are Not a Girl's Best Friend"	Lawrence Doheny	Teleplay by: Bob Shayne and Richard Chapman Story by: Philip DeGuere, Michael Sloan and Glen A. Larson	October 7, 1982 (1982-10-07)
The Simons team up with Thomas Magnum and his assistant Higgins to catch a thief who's headed to Latin America with stolen Hawaiian artifacts.
15	2	"Mike & Pat"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Richard Chapman	October 14, 1982 (1982-10-14)
A kidnapped dolphin's mate is the only witness the Simons have in the case.
16	3	"Guessing Game"	Vincent McEveety	James S. Crocker	October 21, 1982 (1982-10-21)
A psychic hires the Simons to find out if her visions are accurate.
17	4	"Art for Arthur's Sake"	Vincent McEveety	Bob Shayne	October 28, 1982 (1982-10-28)
The Simons are tasked with retrieving a crown stolen from a Navy museum.
18	5	"The Ten Thousand Dollar Deductible"	Bernard McEveety	Bill Dial	November 4, 1982 (1982-11-04)
When A.J. is robbed of a necklace he was delivering, the FBI suspects a scam.
19	6	"Rough Rider Rides Again"	Burt Kennedy	Michael Piller	November 18, 1982 (1982-11-18)
A former screen cowboy Stuart Whitman hires the Simons to clear him of the murder of his former producer Broderick Crawford, when a younger actor is hired for the upcoming movie. Pat Buttram as Jonathan Evans. Alan Hale Jr. cast as saloon keeper. John Russell, Jock Mahoney & Hal Needham portray former Western cowboy icons.
20	7	"Sometimes Dreams Come True"	Bernard McEveety	James S. Crocker	December 2, 1982 (1982-12-02)
A stewardess vanishes without a trace. Her identical twin sister, a 6th grade teacher, is haunted by lucid, semi-violent dreams about the disappearance. Although the authorities are hesitant to help, Janet, now an ADA, calls in a favor to Rick & AJ. It turns out that the twin is merely having a surreptitious affair with a local politician, however a wealthy, twisted stalker with a criminal record, and an undiscovered murder, is infatuated with the stewardess twin. Jonathan Banks plays Alan Wyncoop, the deranged stalker.
21	8	"The Last Time I Saw Michael"	Vincent McEveety	James S. Crocker	December 9, 1982 (1982-12-09)
A friend of the Simons' claims that her husband who was lost at sea is alive - and in need of $500,000.
22	9	"Fowl Play"	Burt Kennedy	Donald R. Boyle	December 16, 1982 (1982-12-16)
A pro football player intends to stop fixing games, but his employers have other plans.
23	10	"Thin Air"	Bernard McEveety	Teleplay by: Bob Shayne and Philip DeGuere Based on a novel by: Howard Browne.	December 30, 1982 (1982-12-30)
Rick's ex-girlfriend gets arrested for her husband's murder after she hires the Simons to find him.
24	11	"Murder Between the Lines"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Mike Lloyd Ross	January 6, 1983 (1983-01-06)
A novelist recognizes two murders as being similar to the ones in his book, so he tries to forestall the third killing in his book - a novelist's electrocution - before the same thing happens to him.
25	12	"Psyched Out"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Paul Magistretti	January 13, 1983 (1983-01-13)
The Simons go undercover as students to probe a track star's fatal fall from the roof of his frat house.
26/27	13/14	"Pirate's Key"	Corey Allen	Philip DeGuere	January 20, 1983 (1983-01-20)
When the Simons wreck an enemy's car, it reopens an old case that could cost them their licenses. They travel to Florida to investigate a husband's death only to have a run-in with the authorities.
28	15	"The Club Murder Vacation"	Burt Kennedy	Bill Dial	January 27, 1983 (1983-01-27)
While on vacation in Northern California, A.J. sees a possible murder, but the sheriff pays no mind.
29	16	"It's Only a Game"	Vincent McEveety	Richard Chapman	February 3, 1983 (1983-02-03)
The Simons' coroner friend entrusts them to deliver a supposed video game to Las Vegas.
30	17	"A Design for Killing"	Bernard McEveety	James S. Crocker	February 10, 1983 (1983-02-10)
The Simons' task of protecting a designer's collection is complicated by a photographer's murder.
31	18	"The List"	Burt Kennedy	Michael Piller	February 17, 1983 (1983-02-17)
A woman hires the Simons to prove she's innocent in the murder of a publisher who was about to name her as one of San Diego's sexiest women.
32	19	"What's in a Gnome?"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Paul Magistretti	February 24, 1983 (1983-02-24)
The Simons are hired to catch a phantom who's sabotaging an amusement park.
33	20	"The Secret of the Chrome Eagle"	Vincent McEveety	Mike Lloyd Ross	March 3, 1983 (1983-03-03)
The Simons are unaware that the classic car they're transporting contains secret cargo and a very dangerous passenger.
34	21	"Room 3502"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Alan Brennert	March 10, 1983 (1983-03-10)
A husband hires the Simons to find his wife when she vanishes from their hotel room in the middle of the night.
35	22	"Red Dog Blues"	Vincent McEveety	Deborah R. Baron & Patricia Rae Moran	March 17, 1983 (1983-03-17)
A politician kills someone who was about to expose him for taking bribes and frames the victim's bookkeeper.
36	23	"The Skeleton Who Came Out of the Closet"	Paul Krasny	James S. Crocker	March 24, 1983 (1983-03-24)
The Simons are hired to take an unstable mental patient to another hospital.

Season 3 (1983-84)

Main article: Simon & Simon (season 3)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
37	1	"Grand Illusion"	Vincent McEveety	E. Jack Kaplan	September 29, 1983 (1983-09-29)
A magician dies performing a trick he was suspected of stealing from his rival.
38	2	"DJ DOA"	Christian I. Nyby II	James Crocker	October 6, 1983 (1983-10-06)
An eccentric DJ believes she saw another DJ being kidnapped from a studio.
39	3	"I Heard It Was Murder"	Christian I. Nyby II	Teleplay by: Bill Dial Story by: David Douglas Sher	October 13, 1983 (1983-10-13)
The Simons are tasked with protecting a blind woman who heard a murder take place.
40	4	"Bail Out"	Vincent McEveety	Paul Magistretti	October 20, 1983 (1983-10-20)
The Simons investigate the death of a record executive that may not have been accidental.
41	5	"Fly the Alibi Skies"	Vincent McEveety	Tom Porter	October 27, 1983 (1983-10-27)
The Simons enlist the aid of whiz kid Richie Adler in a murder investigation.
42	6	"Shadow of Sam Penny"	Vincent McEveety	Michael Piller	November 3, 1983 (1983-11-03)
The Simons help the detective who caught the original thieves in a missing-jewels case that has been reopened 30 years later.
43	7	"Caught Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Gary Kemper	November 10, 1983 (1983-11-10)
Detective Downtown Brown helps the Simons look for a cop who disappeared after a fur-theft bust left two officers dead.
44	8	"The Bare Facts"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Ruel Fischmann	November 17, 1983 (1983-11-17)
Rick and A.J. go 'under cover' to infiltrate an exclusive nudist colony, the last known whereabouts of a missing contractor they've been hired to find.
45	9	"Too Much of a Good Thing"	Gary Grillo	George Geiger	December 1, 1983 (1983-12-01)
The Simons track a missing chemist to a citrus farm that's using an illegal insecticide.
46	10	"Betty Grable Flies Again"	Burt Kennedy	Teleplay by: Timothy Burns Story by: Arthur Alsberg & Don Nelson	December 8, 1983 (1983-12-08)
A pilot who's been convicted of abandoning his crew during World War II hires the Simons to find a B-25 that may prove his innocence.
47	11	"Bon Voyage, Alonso"	Roy Campanella, Jr.	Teleplay by: William M. Whitehead Story by: Mike Lloyd Ross and William M. Whitehead	December 15, 1983 (1983-12-15)
A group of hijackers take over a cruise ship carrying Rick, Cecilia and their charges.
48	12	"All Your Favorite Games"	Vincent McEveety	Don M. Mankiewicz	December 22, 1983 (1983-12-22)
The Simons attempt to protect a gambler whose testimony could put a gambling boss in jail.
49	13	"John Doe"	Gary Grillo	Bruce Cervi	January 5, 1984 (1984-01-05)
A man who's unable to remember the last three months of his life hires the Simons to find out why he's been charged with murder.
50	14	"Dear Lovesick"	Bernard L. Kowalski	John Kostmayer	January 12, 1984 (1984-01-12)
An advice columnist asks for the Simons' help when letters from a reader suggest that a murder is about to happen.
51	15	"Bloodlines"	Burt Kennedy	Phil Combest	January 19, 1984 (1984-01-19)
While on the trail of a trainer's stolen mare, the Simons discover a connection to the death of the trainer's father, who was killed in a race accident years ago.
52	16	"Heels and Toes"	Georg Fenady	Jim Tisdale	February 2, 1984 (1984-02-02)
The Simons are hired as a prima ballerina's protectors.
53	17	"The Wrong Stuff"	Vincent McEveety	Alan Brennert	February 9, 1984 (1984-02-09)
The release of a porno film that's been in the vault for years could lead to consequences for the teacher who's the star and a former astronaut who's the producer.
54	18	"Double Play"	Burt Kennedy	Michael Piller	February 16, 1984 (1984-02-16)
The Simons' search for the person who framed them for stealing securities leads to a celebrity-lookalike escort service.
55	19	"Under the Knife"	Gerald McRaney	Teleplay by: Timothy Burns Story by: Kenneth Brooten & Stuart Chapman and Timothy Burns	February 23, 1984 (1984-02-23)
A surgeon hires the Simons to find proof that the plaintiff in a malpractice suit is faking his paralysis just to get $6 million.
56	20	"Harm's Way"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Richard Chapman & Philip DeGuere	March 1, 1984 (1984-03-01)
A woman who hired the Simons to find her ex-husband is actually part of group trying to bump off a Federal agent standing in the way of an assassination plot.
57	21	"The Dillinger Print"	Vincent McEveety	Teleplay by: William M. Whitehead Story by: Harry Butler & Logan Clarke and William M. Whitehead	March 8, 1984 (1984-03-08)
John Dillinger is implicated in the murder of a retired FBI agent.
58	22	"Corpus Delecti"	Kim Manners	Mike Lloyd Ross	March 22, 1984 (1984-03-22)
Even though the Simons are expected to gain a $120,000 commission, they find it suspicious that the clues in an insurance investigation have come together too easily.
59	23	"The Disappearance of Harry the Hat"	Vincent McEveety	Phil Combest	March 29, 1984 (1984-03-29)
The Simons are hired to help a timid accountant create a new identity, but the accountant has yet to reveal his old identity.

Season 4 (1984-85)

Main article: Simon & Simon (season 4)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
60/61	1/2	"C'est Simon"	Christian I. Nyby II	Philip DeGuere & Richard Chapman	September 27, 1984 (1984-09-27)
Cecilia calls the Simons to Paris where they suspect her missing gentleman friend of being a high-arms dealer. When Cecilia is kidnapped, the Simons must put their plan to go undercover as arms buyers on hold to rescue her. This was the final episode to be written or co-written by series creator Philip DeGuere.
62	3	"A Little Wine with Murder"	Vincent McEveety	Lee Maddux	October 4, 1984 (1984-10-04)
The Simons investigate the murder of a food critic, who may have caused a deal to buy a restaurant chain to fall through.
63	4	"The Dark Side of the Street"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	James Crocker	October 18, 1984 (1984-10-18)
The Simons are hired to find out who's been sending threats to keep a groom-to-be from marrying the boss's daughter.
64	5	"Manna from Heaven"	Dennis Donnelly	Bob Shayne	October 25, 1984 (1984-10-25)
Rick is charged with murder when the loan officer who repossessed his boat is found dead.
65	6	"What Goes Around Comes Around"	Dennis Donnelly	Teleplay by: David Brown Story by: Bruce Ferber & David Lerner	November 1, 1984 (1984-11-01)
A racecar driver hires the Simons to probe his streak of bad luck that's caused by mechanical malfunctions.
66	7	"Who Killed the Sixties?"	Vincent McEveety	Michael Piller	November 8, 1984 (1984-11-08)
A.J.'s old girlfriend believes that her brother's murder happened somewhere other than at a peace concert 18 years ago.
67	8	"Break a Leg, Darling"	Kim Manners	Michael Genelin	November 15, 1984 (1984-11-15)
The Simons must figure out who's trying to kill an actress whose feud with her co-star ex-husband has become widely publicized.
68	9	"Almost Completely Out of Circulation"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Paul Robert Coyle	November 22, 1984 (1984-11-22)
A murdered cartoonist's work may give clues to the identity of the killer.
69	10	"Our Fair City"	Vincent McEveety	Ross Thomas	November 29, 1984 (1984-11-29)
The prime suspect in the murder of a police chief is the town mayor - her ex-husband.
70	11	"Deep Cover"	Vincent McEveety	Thomas Perry	December 6, 1984 (1984-12-06)
The Simons must protect a TV reporter who's put a hit on himself as part of a crime-organization exposé.
71	12	"Revolution #9 1/2"	Dennis Donnelly	Alan Brennert	December 13, 1984 (1984-12-13)
The Simons attempt to help their uncle find his business partner - only to get involved in a revolution.
72	13	"Yes, Virginia, There Is a Liberace"	Vincent McEveety	James Crocker	December 20, 1984 (1984-12-20)
The Simons spend Christmas Eve looking all over Las Vegas for a girl's missing father, who was trying to win enough to pay off debts.
73	14	"Almost Foolproof"	Gary Grillo	Timothy Burns	January 3, 1985 (1985-01-03)
A woman is forcibly admitted to a hospital that's a front for a medical-payment scam - just like the skid-row denizens she'd been helping.
74	15	"Enter the Jaguar"	Roy Campanella, Jr.	Alan Brennert	January 17, 1985 (1985-01-17)
The Simons are unwilling to believe evidence that suggests their client - a bird-watching professor - is actually an international jewel thief.
75	16	"Simon Without Simon: Part 1"	Vincent McEveety	Richard Chapman & Bill Dial	January 24, 1985 (1985-01-24)
After the Simons solve a major case, the growing wealth and fame allow them to start separate careers.
76	17	"Simon Without Simon: Part 2"	Paul Krasny	George Geiger	January 31, 1985 (1985-01-31)
The Simons become the prime suspects in their celebrated big bust.
77	18	"Slither"	Gerald McRaney	Gina Goldman	February 7, 1985 (1985-02-07)
A teenager who's gotten off drugs runs away when he's framed for possession.
78	19	"The Mickey Mouse Mob"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Ross Thomas	February 14, 1985 (1985-02-14)
The Simons get involved in a mob power struggle when a blackmail victim running for a union office hires them.
79	20	"Mummy Talks"	Kim Manners	Robert K. Wilcox and Terrell Tannen	February 21, 1985 (1985-02-21)
A student intends to find out how the mummy of a Pharaoh wound up in a museum's storage room.
80	21	"Marlowe, Come Home"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Teleplay by: Michael Piller Story by: David R. Toddman and Michael Piller	February 28, 1985 (1985-02-28)
Rick takes the search for a show dog personally when the dog-nappers take his own dog.
81	22	"Out-of-Town Brown"	Vincent McEveety	Tim Reid	March 28, 1985 (1985-03-28)
The Simons help Downtown look for his cousin - a student who's been framed for murder after discovering dead livestock on a ranch.

Season 5 (1985-86)

Main article: Simon & Simon (season 5)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
82	1	"Love and/or Marriage"	Vincent McEveety	Michael Piller	October 3, 1985 (1985-10-03)
Rick finds himself falling for a client just as he and A.J. are hired to find her missing husband.
83	2	"Burden of the Beast"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Teleplay by: Paul Robert Coyle Story by: Paul Magistretti and Paul Robert Coyle	October 10, 1985 (1985-10-10)
A chimpanzee is the only witness to an animal researcher's murder.
84	3	"The Third Eye"	Burt Kennedy	Thomas Perry & Jo Perry	October 17, 1985 (1985-10-17)
A writer who specializes in "participatory journalism" is set up for murder when he becomes an apprentice to the Simons.
85	4	"Enchilada Express"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Teleplay by: W. Reed Moran Story by: B.W. Sandefur	October 24, 1985 (1985-10-24)
The Simons probe a quickie-divorce resort in Mexico that's costing some husbands a rather high price for their freedom.
86	5	"The Skull of Nostradamus"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	W. Reed Moran	October 31, 1985 (1985-10-31)
The Simons must find out who's trying to scare an apprentice who's supposedly under a spell.
87	6	"Have You Hugged Your Private Detective Today?"	Kim Manners	Teleplay by: Thomas Perry & Jo Perry Story by: Paul L. Ehrmann & Craig Buck	November 7, 1985 (1985-11-07)
A TV-sex therapist hires the Simons to find out who murdered a sex surrogate.
88	7	"Reunion at Alcatraz"	Vincent McEveety	Michael Piller	November 14, 1985 (1985-11-14)
The Simons reunite with Sam Penny and help him catch a con artist who escaped from Alcatraz in 1962.
89	8	"Down Home Country Blues"	Vincent McEveety	Teleplay by: Terrell Tannen Story by: Darrell Fetty & Ramsay King	November 21, 1985 (1985-11-21)
A country singer goes on the road with his son after accepting a seemingly generous offer for some of his songs.
90	9	"Quint Is Out"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Bill Dial	December 5, 1985 (1985-12-05)
Quint, a vengeful ex-con whom the Simons helped put in jail, is unable to get near them, so he hatches a scheme to lure them to him.
91	10	"Walk a Mile in My Hat"	Vincent McEveety	Richard Chapman	December 12, 1985 (1985-12-12)
While A.J.'s on vacation, the agency is offered $10,000, seeking A.J.'s business acumen, which requires Rick to poses as him, to gain the client. When a million-dollar deal leads to murder, A.J. must pose as Rick upon returning. The Simon's live are in danger after Gerry is discovered hiding a corpse. Terry Kiser as Gerry Marsh.
92	11	"Facets"	Burt Kennedy	Diane Saunders	December 19, 1985 (1985-12-19)
While the Simons investigate a valuable gem theft, A.J. accidentally shoots a Romeo, sparking a feud between two families with rivalry jewelery businesses.
93	12	"Sunrise at Camp Apollo"	Kim Manners	Steve Stoliar	January 2, 1986 (1986-01-02)
The Simons work undercover as camp counselors at a camp for street kids to investigate burglaries in an upscale neighborhood, ones that have locals demanding the camp's shut-down. The proud teens resist help but when Julio is arrested for murder, the PI's have ideas about kindly Ross Garrett and the wealthy kids who hang out at his pharmacy.
94	13	"The Blue Chip Stomp"	Dennis Donnelly	Gary Rosen	January 16, 1986 (1986-01-16)
Stanley Tate is a highly recruited basketball star being pressured by his indebted brother Gordon, to make easy money from gamblers. When a recruiter is murdered, AJ and Rick are on the case, to help the young men suspected of the deed, while busting the gambling syndicate. Daphne Reid as reporter Temple Hill
95	14	"Something for Sarah"	Dennis Donnelly	Terrell Tannen	January 23, 1986 (1986-01-23)
Sarah Jean finds a cash filled suitcase on her porch and hires the Simon brothers to locate it's owner. Rick and AJ trace it to her long missing father Ben, who admits it came from a disrupted drug transaction, making the dealer very angry and very anxious for its return.
96	15	"Mobile Home of the Brave"	Burt Kennedy	Teleplay by: Elia Katz & Michael Cassutt Story by: Paul Schiffer	January 30, 1986 (1986-01-30)
A paparazzo named Harrison captures noted mobster Manny Crobett on film, but when pursued, switches the roll with the vacationing Johnson family. AJ and Rick take the family under their protection, but their vacation at a theme park is now plagued with disasters, making the park area a dangerous place to be.
97	16	"Family Forecast"	Burt Kennedy	Teleplay by: Peter Fox and Thomas Perry & Jo Perry Story by: Peter Fox	February 6, 1986 (1986-02-06)
The Simons go on a game show that the host believes is rigged - because he was once involved in a scandal himself.
98	17	"A Significant Obsession"	Gerald McRaney	Teleplay by: Michael Piller Story by: Bonnie Parker	February 13, 1986 (1986-02-13)
The Simons' investigation of espionage at a laser lab is complicated by an old client who's become obsessed with A.J.
99	18	"For the People"	Judith Vogelsang	Teleplay by: Michael Genelin Story by: Bill Dial and Michael Genelin	February 20, 1986 (1986-02-20)
When the Simons are made prosecution witnesses in a murder trial, they come to suspect that the accused may be innocent, so they start their own investigation.
100	19	"Full Moon Blues"	Burt Kennedy	Thomas Perry & Jo Perry and Richard Chapman	March 6, 1986 (1986-03-06)
The Simons get caught between the Feds and the mob when they're blamed for a witness's death.
101	20	"Eye of the Beholder"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Teleplay by: Phil Combest Story by: Seth Weisbord	March 13, 1986 (1986-03-13)
An industrialist hires the Simons to guard a cursed medallion and keep an eye on his daughters.
102	21	"D-I-V-O-R-C-E"	Burt Kennedy	Richard Chapman	March 27, 1986 (1986-03-27)
The Simons are hired by opposing sides in a divorce case - and come to suspect that someone wants the divorce more than the husband and wife.
103	22	"Act Five"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Michael Piller	April 3, 1986 (1986-04-03)
The Simons enlist Downtown's con artist cousin to swindle a client who swindled them.
104	23	"The Last Harangue"	Burt Kennedy	Tom Ropelewski	April 10, 1986 (1986-04-10)
A.J. is drawn into a race for city council, while Rick investigates a case that links his brother's opponent to toxic-waste dumping and murder.
105	24	"The Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree"	Vincent McEveety	Michael Piller & Richard Chapman	May 1, 1986 (1986-05-01)
The Simons travel to Boston and Florida to find out why thugs are trying to steal the family journal.

Season 6 (1986-87)

Main article: Simon & Simon (season 6)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
106	1	"Competition--Who Needs It?"	Bob Sweeney	Stephen A. Miller	September 25, 1986 (1986-09-25)
While investigating the explosion of a charter-boat operator's vessel, the Simons run afoul of the PI firm representing her insurance company.
107	2	"A.W.O.L."	Vincent McEveety	Teleplay by: Richard C. Okie and Andrew Sipes Story by: Andrew Sipes	October 2, 1986 (1986-10-02)
The Simons try to help a sailor who's gone AWOL after being set up for possession of coke.
108	3	"Still Phil After All These Years"	Vincent McEveety	Teleplay by: Richard C. Okie Story by: Thomas Perry & Jo Perry	October 9, 1986 (1986-10-09)
A.J. and Rick dig up a time capsule for Cecilia's high-school reunion - and discover evidence in a 40-year-old murder case.
109	4	"The Cop Who Came to Dinner"	Gerald McRaney	Teleplay by: W. Reed Moran Story by: Michael Cassutt	October 16, 1986 (1986-10-16)
Downtown is invited to stay with the Simons when he gets injured, but he forgets to tell them about the threat on his life.
110	5	"Treasure"	Bob Sweeney	David Moessinger	October 23, 1986 (1986-10-23)
A.J. falls for the daughter of an industrialist, who's on a gold-prospecting expedition, and the girl has offered A.J. and Rick $20,000 to protect him.
111	6	"The Last Big Break"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Thomas Perry & Jo Perry	October 30, 1986 (1986-10-30)
A surfer who supposedly drowned 20 years ago is alive - and a target for murder.
112	7	"The Rookie"	Michael Caffey	James J. Docherty	November 6, 1986 (1986-11-06)
A rookie cop believes her partner is doing drugs.
113	8	"Like Father, Like Son"	Vincent McEveety	Teleplay by: David Moessinger Story by: Fred McKnight and David Moessinger	November 13, 1986 (1986-11-13)
The Simons are tasked with protecting the son of a TV reporter who was murdered before he could expose a boxing promoter.
114	9	"The Case of Don Diablo"	Sigmund Neufeld Jr.	Richard C. Okie	November 20, 1986 (1986-11-20)
The owner of ad-agency that just had a contest gone awry asks the Simons to find the hidden case of Cucaracha Cooler before the public does.
115	10	"Mrs. Simon & Mrs. Simon"	Vincent McEveety	Thomas Perry & Jo Perry	December 4, 1986 (1986-12-04)
The Simons fake marry a pair of Greek flight attendants to keep them in America since they witnessed a murder before they left Greece.
116	11	"Just Because I'm Paranoid"	Judith Vogelsang	Stephen A. Miller	December 11, 1986 (1986-12-11)
At first, the Simons believe that a marathoner who asked them to protect them from an alleged stalker is just being paranoid - until someone bombs their office and assaults A.J.
117	12	"Tonsillitis"	Judith Vogelsang	Paul Magistretti	December 18, 1986 (1986-12-18)
Rick goes to the hospital for a tonsillectomy where he thinks he saw a murder while under anesthesia.
118	13	"Deep Water Death"	Burt Kennedy	Fred McKnight	January 8, 1987 (1987-01-08)
Old enemies are plotting to dig up payment in a coke deal.
119	14	"For Old Crime's Sake"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Lee Sheldon	January 15, 1987 (1987-01-15)
The Simons try to stop three bank robbers from the Prohibition who intend to settle a 50-year-old score.
120	15	"Opposites Attack"	Michael Caffey	Teleplay by: Stephen A. Miller Story by: Paul Cajero	January 29, 1987 (1987-01-29)
The Simons make a reluctant alliance with a pair of female PIs in the search for stolen swords.
121	16	"Judgement Call"	Burt Kennedy	Richard C. Okie	February 5, 1987 (1987-02-05)
Downtown puts his plan to propose to Temple on hold when they disagree on the innocence of a man arrested in a shootout.
122	17	"Tanner P.I. for Hire"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Rogers Turrentine	February 12, 1987 (1987-02-12)
A charming TV detective gets abducted at a PI convention that made him the guest of honor.
123	18	"Ancient Echoes"	Burt Kennedy	Tim Reid	February 19, 1987 (1987-02-19)
A Native American asks the Simons to find his nephew who had vanished upon discovering artifacts at a construction site.
124	19	"Second Story Simons"	Vincent McEveety	Teleplay by: Jerome Lew Story by: Bonnie Parker	February 26, 1987 (1987-02-26)
The Simons get back stolen top-secret files from a Yugoslavian envoy, then are told to return them to the FBI so they can catch the thief with the evidence.
125	20	"I Thought the War Was Over"	David Moessinger	Teleplay by: Gerald McRaney, Bill Dial and David Moessinger Story by: Gerald McRaney and Bill Dial	March 5, 1987 (1987-03-05)
Rick becomes obsessed with finding the people who killed his Vietnam War buddy.
126	21	"Lost Lady"	Vincent McEveety	Lee Sheldon	March 12, 1987 (1987-03-12)
A.J.'s long-lost fiancee turns up at a hospital for a drug overdose - and has no memory of the last eight years.
127	22	"Walking Point"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Teleplay by: Richard C. Okie Story by: Christopher Templeton	March 26, 1987 (1987-03-26)
A.J.'s client thinks he's selling out to the doctor she's suing for malpractice.

Season 7 (1987-88)

Main article: Simon & Simon (season 7)

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
128	1	"New Cop in Town"	David Moessinger	Fred McKnight	December 3, 1987 (1987-12-03)
The Simons clash with Downtown's replacement, who prosecutes them for withholding evidence in a murder/auto-theft case.
129	2	"Desperately Seeking Dacody"	Vincent McEveety	Karen Klein	December 10, 1987 (1987-12-10)
A reporter resumes her bumpy relationship with Rick when she hires him and A.J. to prove a man is innocent in a series of crimes.
130	3	"You, Too, Can Be a Detective"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Richard C. Okie	December 17, 1987 (1987-12-17)
An overeager former flight attendant, who's impressed with Rick's recently-published exploits, appoints herself as a "sister" to the Simons to investigate her friend's suspicious behavior.
131	4	"Shadows"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Sylvia Stoddard & Steven C. Smith	January 7, 1988 (1988-01-07)
A young runaway steals A.J.'s wallet and Rick's camera - because she's an abused prostitute trying to save her dying friend.
132	5	"Second Swell"	Gerald McRaney	Art Monterastelli	January 14, 1988 (1988-01-14)
A.J. reunites with his high-school sweetheart, while a killer from his past comes back for revenge.
133	6	"Forever Hold Your Piece"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Rick Mittleman	January 21, 1988 (1988-01-21)
When Rick's client in a divorce case gets accused of murder, he works with a pair of shabby PIs who claim to have information.
134	7	"Tale of the Tiger"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Teleplay by: Karen Klein Story by: Michael Humm	January 28, 1988 (1988-01-28)
Rick is unwilling to accept that his old Army buddy is the head of a Vietnamese mob.
135	8	"Nuevo Salvador"	Vincent McEveety	Richard C. Okie	February 4, 1988 (1988-02-04)
A Salvadoran death squad tries to get past the Simons in order to apprehend a relief worker helping refugees.
136	9	"Bad Betty"	Bernard McEveety	Art Monterastelli	February 11, 1988 (1988-02-11)
The Simons have to catch a thief before a determined bounty hunter can take him back to Detroit.
137	10	"Baja, Humbug"	Don Weis	Stephen A. Miller	February 18, 1988 (1988-02-18)
A.J's attempts to write a novel and Rick's plan to open a charter business in Baja get sidetracked by their involvement with a weapon-trafficking ring.
138	11	"A Firm Grasp of Reality"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Jim McGrath	February 25, 1988 (1988-02-25)
The Simons go undercover at a mental hospital to protect a biochemist who's had a breakdown after claiming to be assaulted.
139	12	"Ties That Bind"	Paul Cajero	Nancy Bond	March 3, 1988 (1988-03-03)
The Simons investigate the cocaine-dealing brother of their trusting cop friend.
140	13	"Little Boy Dead"	Vincent McEveety	Fred McKnight	March 10, 1988 (1988-03-10)
The Simons help Abby get through her guilt after she shoots a boy while chasing a robbery suspect.
141	14	"Sudden Storm"	David Moessinger	David Moessinger	March 17, 1988 (1988-03-17)
Against Abby's direct orders, A.J. and Rick go after two likely suspects after Cecilia is raped.
142	15	"Something Special"	Vincent McEveety	Teleplay by: Bonnie Parker and Norman Hudis Story by: Bonnie Parker	March 31, 1988 (1988-03-31)
A charming architect asks the Simons for help when extortionist threatens her company and her life.
143	16	"May the Road Rise Up"	Vincent McEveety	Richard C. Okie	April 7, 1988 (1988-04-07)
After seeing their father's old car, long thought to be destroyed in the accident that took his life, the brothers dig into the details of the crash and the real story behind their father's death, which forces them to face emotions long thought to be buried, as well as a possible cover-up.

Season 8 (1988)

Main article: Simon & Simon (season 8)

Note: The last two episodes originally aired in syndication.

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
144	1	"Beauty and Deceased"	Vincent McEveety	Tom Ropelewski, Bob Shayne and W. Reed Moran	October 8, 1988 (1988-10-08)
A.J. goes undercover in the swimsuit portion of a modeling contest to catch a blackmailer.
145	2	"Simon & Simon and Associates"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Mark A. Burley & John Blumenthal	October 15, 1988 (1988-10-15)
The Simons get more than they bargained for when they decide to add "& Associates" to their business.
146	3	"Zen and the Art of the Split Finger Fastball"	Vincent McEveety	Thomas Perry & Jo Perry	October 22, 1988 (1988-10-22)
The Simons search for answers at a fantasy baseball camp where they're tasked with protecting a Japanese businessman from a killer.
147	4	"The Merry Adventures of Robert Hood"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Teleplay by: Richard C. Okie Story by: Nicholas Green and Richard C. Okie	October 29, 1988 (1988-10-29)
A.J. attempts to protect a damsel in distress from an evil banker when a modern-day Robin Hood steals his gold card and charges for the poor.
148	5	"Ain't Gonna Get It from Me, Jack"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Martin Pasko & Rebecca Parr	November 5, 1988 (1988-11-05)
After ripping apart the Simons on his program, a talk-show host hires them to find out who's sending him death threats.
149	6	"Love Song of Abigail Marsh"	Judith Vogelsang	Jim McGrath	November 12, 1988 (1988-11-12)
The romance between Abby and the Simons' latest client is jeopardized by the fact that they were once on different sides of the law.
150	7	"Simon & Simon, Jr."	Richard C. Okie	Jeffrey Stepakoff	November 19, 1988 (1988-11-19)
Rick discovers he has a teenage son, who has a murderer after him because the boy saw him.
151	8	"Cloak of Danger"	Judith Vogelsang	Jim McGrath	December 3, 1988 (1988-12-03)
A.J. produces a play based on an unsolved murder case, which attracts the real culprit bent on keeping the surprise ending a secret.
152	9	"The Richer They Are, the Harder They Fall"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Rick Mittleman	December 10, 1988 (1988-12-10)
The death of an heir, who was A.J.'s best friend, seems suspicious, so the Simons break into high society to investigate.
153	10	"Play It Again, Simon"	Jackie Cooper	Richard C. Okie	December 17, 1988 (1988-12-17)
A.J. takes on the personality of a hard-nosed detective in the search for a mystery writer's missing manuscript.
154	11	"First, Let's Kill All the Lawyers"	Sigmund Neufeld, Jr.	Teleplay by: Alan Brennert and Phil Combest Story by: Alan Brennert	December 31, 1988 (1988-12-31)
Rick tries to settle out of court after Cecilia's lawyer friend grills him on the stand in the case of a murdered law student.
155	12	"Photo Finished"	Jackie Cooper	Teleplay by: Bonnie Parker and Rick Mittleman Story by: Bonnie Parker	September 9, 1989 (1989-09-09)
A politician hires the Simon's to find out his wife is having an affair, but when the woman is found dead, they end up investigating her murder.
156	13	"Simon Says "Goodbye""	Gerald McRaney	Martin Pasko & Rebecca Parr	September 16, 1989 (1989-09-16)
The Simons are hired to find Abby's friend's old flame so the woman can see him again before her wedding.

Crossover with Magnum, P.I.

Main article: List of Magnum, P.I. episodes

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
43	3.3	"Ki'i's Don't Lie"	Lawrence Doheny	Philip DeGuere and Bob Shayne	October 7, 1982 (1982-10-07)
The Simons cross paths with private investigator Thomas Magnum in the case of an allegedly cursed Hawaiian artifact. The story continues in "Emeralds Are Not a Girl's Best Friend".

Production

Development

The original 1978 television pilot, called Pirate's Key, was set in Florida. When CBS picked up the show, the characters' home was changed from Florida to San Diego, California, where the show was filmed for the first season. Due to the production costs and low ratings, filming and production moved to Los Angeles, although the show continued to be set in San Diego for the course of its eight-year run on CBS.

The series was created by executive producer Philip DeGuere, who credited his inspirations to a request from a CBS executive to create something like a modern "Butch and Sundance", and a spec pilot DeGuere had recently read about a divorced husband and wife detective team written by Bob Shayne, whom DeGuere hired to write during the first two seasons. Shayne continued to write episodes for the series during its run, and together, they went on to create the CBS series Whiz Kids.

Original run

Simon & Simon was almost canceled in 1982 due to low ratings. However, at DeGuere and Shayne's request, CBS decided to give the series another chance by moving it to Thursday nights at 9 p.m., following Magnum, P.I. The new season began with a two-hour cross-over episode with a story that began on the already popular Magnum and continued on (the mostly unknown) Simon & Simon, in an attempt to carry Magnum's audience over to Simon & Simon. (see below) The effort worked, and the show's ratings quickly rose; it became a hit in that slot and continued to draw ratings for the next several seasons. Simon and Simon's peak years in the ratings were seasons 2–4, where it landed at no. 7, no. 5 and no. 7 respectively. In September 1984, The Cosby Show premiered in the 8 p.m. time slot against "Magnum" and was an immediate ratings hit and also substantially increased the ratings of the following NBC comedy shows, such as Cheers airing at 9 p.m. against "Simon & Simon". "Simon & Simon" fell to 29th in the 85–86 season and never recovered.

Simon & Simon moved to Saturday nights late in its run, and the ratings dropped considerably. CBS only committed to a 13-episode season for the fall of 1988 but cancelled the series with two episodes left unaired, including the series finale. That episode did not air until the show entered syndication.

Theme music

For the first season, the song "Best of Friends", composed by Linda Creed and Barry De Vorzon and performed by the Thrasher Brothers, served as the series' theme song. More specifically, the instrumental version of "Best of Friends" appeared at the beginning of each episode (and short clips of the instrumental version occasionally appeared within episodes, even after the first season), while the lyrical version appeared at the conclusion of each episode.

At the beginning of the second season, the second and more recognizable instrumental theme song, composed by Barry De Vorzon (who had previously composed the theme to the 1970s police drama, S.W.A.T.) and Michael Towers, was introduced. The theme consists primarily of an electric bottle-slide guitar lead with a saxophone interlude and remained until the last episode of the final season.

Both theme songs had extended versions released; the Thrasher Brothers in 1982, and De Vorzon/Towers's version in 1984.

Crossover with Magnum, P.I.

See also: Magnum, P.I. § Crossovers

The episode "Emeralds Are Not a Girl's Best Friend" concludes a crossover that begins on the Magnum, P.I. episode "Ki'is Don't Lie", wherein Higgins helps the Simons track the woman with stolen Hawaiian artifacts to Latin America. For repeat and syndication purposes, a second conclusion was also shot, wherein the fleeing villain is caught, allowing the Magnum episode to be wrapped up and the episode to be rerun as a "stand alone" episode. Consequently, the Simon & Simon concluding hour, "Emeralds Are Not a Girl's Best Friend", did not appear in reruns for many years, nor did the original broadcast version of "Ki'Is Don't Lie". Both original versions have since been released on DVD.

Additionally, A.J. Simon appeared on the Whiz Kids episode "Deadly Access". In return, the Whiz Kids characters Richie Adler, Hamilton Parker, Jeremy Saldino, Alice Parker, and Irene Adler appeared on the Simon & Simon episode "Fly the Alibi Skies" the following night.

Home media

On October 10, 2006, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment released the first season of Simon & Simon on DVD in Region 1. Due to poor sales, no subsequent seasons were immediately released, because of the synthesized background music scores, where it had entirely replaced the original music scores, due to music licensing issues.

In Fall 2008, Shout! Factory announced that they had acquired the distribution rights through an agreement with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. They subsequently released seasons 2–8 on DVD, with seasons 5-8 originally released as Shout! exclusives.

Season 5 was re-released as a general retail release on May 9, 2017. Season 6 was re-released in general retail on September 19, 2017. Season 7 was re-released on November 14, 2017, Season 8 was re-released on December 12, 2017.

Mill Creek Entertainment released two "best-of" collections of Simon & Simon. On January 18, 2011, they released Simon & Simon – The Best of Season Two, while on July 19, 2011 they released Simon & Simon – The Best of Season Three.

In Region 4, Madman Entertainment released Season 1 on DVD in Australia on July 6, 2011.

DVD Name	Ep #	Release Date
Season 1	13	October 10, 2006
Season 2	23	February 10, 2009
Season 3	23	August 18, 2009
Season 4	22	April 6, 2010
Season 5	24	July 20, 2010♦ May 9, 2017 (re-release)
Season 6	22	February 21, 2012♦ September 19, 2017 (re-release)
Season 7	16	October 16, 2012♦ November 14, 2017 (re-release)
Season 8	13	January 15, 2013♦ December 12, 2017 (re-release)

♦- Shout! Factory Exclusives title, sold exclusively through Shout's online store

Reunion movie and cultural references

Simon & Simon: In Trouble Again (1995)

In this reunion movie, which premiered on February 23, 1995 some years have passed, and a now divorced A.J. (whose ex-wife is Janet Fowler from original series) works in Seattle as an attorney. Rick stops by to visit en route to delivering an expensive yacht. The trouble starts when the yacht, with Rick and A.J.'s mother Cecilia on board, is hijacked.

The Greatest Event in Television History (2012)

The Greatest Event in Television History premiered on Adult Swim, on October 12, 2012. Hosted by Jeff Probst, the program went behind the scenes during the making of a shot-for-shot remake of the Simon & Simon opening sequence with Adam Scott and Jon Hamm in the roles of A.J. and Rick, respectively. The special also featured the appearances of Paul Rudd, Gus van Sant, Megan Mullally, Paul Scheer, and Kathryn Hahn.

External links

• Simon & Simon at IMDb