The ’80s Tom Hanks Comedy Reboot No One Ever Talks About

Dragnet is your classic “odd couple” detective movie that has a similar playbook to films like Lethal Weapon and Beverly Hills Cop, but stands on its own with its chaotic delivery, and completely off-the-wall plot.

We’re met with the usual beats when Dan Aykroyd’s Sergeant Joe Friday is partnered with Tom Hanks’ Pep Streebek.

In the classic buddy-cop fashion, we’re met with Friday’s old-school approach to detective work, which is attributed to his late uncle, who was portrayed by Jack Webb in the original long-running Dragnet series that inspired the movie.

Streebek has a more fast-and-loose approach, which is signified by his casual attire, unkempt hairstyle, and cocky attitude.

Friday and Streebek are tasked with investigating a string of robberies that are linked to a cult known as “People Against Goodness and Normalcy” (P.A.G.A.N), and the list of stolen items includes the entire run of a pornographic magazine published by Jerry Caesar called Bait.

Dragnet deviates from its source material with its outlandish premise, and we soon find both detectives hot on the tail of the cult, who meets secretly to perform ritualistic virgin sacrifices.

But when they report their findings to Commissioner Jane Kirkpatrick, P.A.G.A.N. expertly covers their tracks, which leads to disciplinary action.

As Dragnet progresses, Friday and Streebek receive a tip that P.A.G.A.N. has plans to mass produce a toxic gas, but after calling the SWAT team to pursue this lead, the chemicals are nowhere to be found.

It doesn’t take long for Friday and Streebek to put the pieces together after speaking with Connie Swail, the woman they rescued from being sacrificed at the secret ceremony they raided earlier.

Swail asserts that a man named Reverend Jonathan Whirley is the cult leader, and is colluding with Caesar and commissioner Kirkpatrick in an attempt to discredit the current mayor’s campaign for reelection.

As odd as the premise for Dragnet may be, it was a commercial success, earning over $66 million against a reported budget of $20 million upon its initial release. On the critical front, Roger Ebert praised the film for its ensemble cast, but wished there were more stylized camera shots that were reminiscent of the original series.

Overall, Dragnet garnered a 50 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Critics agree that Aykroyd’s deadpan delivery in Dragnet stole the show, and was further complimented by Tom Hanks‘ comedic timing and charisma. The less than favorable reviews criticized the film for deviating too far from its source material, and becoming another by-the-numbers buddy-cop movie.

Ironically enough, Aykroyd portrayed Friday in a 1976 SNL skit that was a direct parody of Dragnet, which eventually led to the development of the Tom Mankiewicz-directed film.

Before Mankiewicz was officially signed on, Universal originally wanted Ted Kotcheff (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) to helm the project, but the director wasn’t happy with the screenplay that was presented to him at this point in development.

Speaking of SNL, Aykroyd originally wanted Jim Belushi to portray Streebek, but the role went to Hanks when Belushi wasn’t available.

If you’re a fan of the original Dragnet series, then this reboot may not be for you. It goes without question that the original Jack Webb series was a serious drama that relied heavily on realism.

Believe it or not, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry actually wrote treatments for the original series in the ’50s, pulling from his experience working for the LAPD before he decided to pursue writing full time.

1987’s Dragnet, however, took a more outlandish approach with its storytelling.

Though Aykroyd wanted to pay tribute to the legendary crime procedural, it’s reasonable to say that although both properties boast the same title, the movie plays out more like a Police Academy movie rather than the source material that inspired it.

In other words, if you’re looking for a serious detective movie, you’ll likely be disappointed. But if you’re an avid fan of over-the-top buddy-cop comedies, then Dragnet should be the next title to throw up on your Netflix queue.