If you want action that respects the story underneath it, Highway Patrol is available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Philo right now. Every one of its 5 seasons holds up. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Broderick Crawford's performance is the throughline that holds the set pieces together. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Highway Patrol is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Highway Patrol understands that stakes only matter if you care who is at risk. Highway Patrol was a syndicated, fictional police action series produced from 1955 to 1959, concerning the activities of the highway patrol and their leader, Dan Matthews (who held no rank). Although filmed in and around the Los Angeles area, the state setting for the stories was never identified, and city and street names were fictionalized. Broderick Crawford and Art Gilmore lead a cast that gives the action real stakes. The series ran for 5 seasons (1955–1959), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly. The geography of every set piece in Highway Patrol is legible, which is rarer in the genre than it should be. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For viewers who want their entertainment to move fast and not waste a scene, Highway Patrol respects your time. If you have already watched Hunter, Highway Patrol is a natural next step. Short enough to finish in a weekend, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Broderick Crawford's performance is the throughline that holds the bigger action elements together. Give it twenty minutes and decide — most viewers do not stop there.

Highway Patrol wrapped up in 1959 — and 5 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.