Susan Clark

I have been a fan of Ironside since it first aired in 1967. The first character in TV to use a wheelchair, one of the first featured African-American, and one of the first career women characters makes this groundbreaking television. Robert T. Ironside, chief detective of the San Francisco Police Department, is shot and wounded, becoming a paraplegic. Rather than retire, he becomes a consultant for the police department. He gathers a team of Sgt. Ed Brown, Eve Whitfield, who he hired after meeting her at a crime scene, and a juvenile delinquent, Mark Sanger, to help him navigate his new existence. Ironside and the team investigate several crimes. Ironside is a crusty curmudgeon, but inside he has a heart of gold. In the course of the series,we see the relationship between Ironside grow from hatred to friendship. And we see how someone comes to terms with a situation that can't be changed. Many episodes are memorable and humor is sometimes part of the stories. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys the side of solving crimes that requires reason and thought.