Spenser: For Hire has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video. Every one of its 3 seasons holds up. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch Robert Urich work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Start it on Amazon Prime Video whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

There is a reason Spenser: For Hire keeps coming up in conversation. Spenser: For Hire treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. Mystery and suspense series based on Robert Parker's "Spenser" novels. Spenser, a private investigator living in Boston, gets involved in a new murder mystery each episode. Robert Urich and Avery Brooks lead a cast that gives the tension real weight. Across 3 seasons (1985–1988), it never lost the thread that made it worth starting. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry scenes where the mystery takes a breath — Spenser: For Hire passes that test consistently. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Spenser: For Hire. Viewers who responded to Strike will find a lot to like here too. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch if your schedule allows. Robert Urich anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.

Spenser: For Hire wrapped up in 1988, created by Robert B. Parker and John Wilder — and 3 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.