TV series
Jake and the Fatman is a television crime drama starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from 1987 to 1992. Diagnosis: Murder was a spin-off of this series.
Availability
Checked Jul 22, 2026
Jake and the Fatman premiered September 26, 1987. We don't have a confirmed streaming, rental or purchase option yet.
Jake and the Fatman is a television crime drama starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from 1987 to 1992. Diagnosis: Murder was a spin-off of this series.
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Episode 1
A newly released convict starts terrorizing the woman who witnessed against him. She goes to McCabe for help, who was prosecutor who put him in jail.
Directed by Chuck BowmanWritten by Paul Robert CoyleGuest stars Olga Russell
Episode 2
Ed Delaney, an ex-cop and an old friend of McCabe, is killed when he comes close to solving ""The Lady in Red"" Murder - a 20-year-old unsolved murder case that got him fired from the police.
Directed by Bernard L. KowalskiWritten by Kimmer RingwaldGuest stars Leo Penn, Mitchell Ryan, Julianna McCarthy, James Hong
Episode 3
Jake and Stg. Danoho (a LAPD cop) are transporting a prisoner to Los Angeles, when the prisoner escapes and Danoho is killed. Danoho's partner, Sgt. Walker, goes to Hawaii to assist in the investigation and it turns out there's bad blood between her and Jake.
Directed by Alexander SingerWritten by Fred McKnightGuest stars Claudia Christian, John Bolger, Dann Seki
Episode 4
A young lady is acquitted for killing her mother, and wants to hire Jake privately to find the killer. Jake turns it down because he's on his way to a vacation, but then McCabe refuses to let him take any days off. So Jake quits his job and takes the assignment.
Directed by Leo PennWritten by Jeri TaylorGuest stars Jack Hogan, James Shigeta, Robert Harper, Rosalind Chao, Al Harrington
Episode 5
A cat burglar robs a hotel while McCabe is hosting a district attorney convention there. The immediate suspect is Harry McGuinn, a recently released cat burglar. He insists that he is innocent, and tries to help Jake solve the robbery.
Directed by Chuck BowmanWritten by Steve AspisGuest stars Stewart Finlay-McLennan, Charles Cyphers, Ray Wise, Rodney Eastman, Al Harrington, Olga Russell
Episode 6
Derek gets his first case - a drunk driver who assaulted a police officer. But the driver is a powerful man, and suddenly Derek's main witness lies and the judge dismisses the case.
Directed by Michael LangeWritten by David MoessingerGuest stars Galyn Görg, Jeff Corey, Gregg Henry, Jim Ishida, Robert Apisa, Olga Russell
Episode 7
Jake and the FBI go after Victor Potemkin, a suspected drug smuggler. But when they raid his house they find no drugs, but Jake finds someone he knows - a woman who disappeared overnight just as he was about to propose to her.
Directed by John Llewellyn MoxeyWritten by Jeri TaylorGuest stars Signy Coleman, George O'Hanlon, Jr., Olga Russell
Episode 8
An unknown girl washes up on a beach murdered, and a friend of McCabe, the newspaper columnist Leilani Simons, takes an unusual interest in the case.
Directed by Russ MayberryWritten by Rick MittlemanGuest stars Peter Haskell, William Shockley, Ruta Lee, Marlyn Mason, Olga Russell
Episode 9
Jake helps out the actor, Tom Cody, who played his childhood idol - the Skyhawk. Tom has been reduced to an alcoholized, broke veteran plane pilot, and no one believes him when he witnesses a murder.
Directed by Bernard L. KowalskiGuest stars Ernest Borgnine, George O'Hanlon, Jr.
Episode 10
Judge Smithwood starts receiving death threats after sentencing a young man to 20 years for rape. And a mysterious man in an army captain uniform steals a high precision sniper rifle from a local military base.
Directed by Russ MayberryGuest stars Grainger Hines, Olga Russell
Episode 11
It's Christmas, and pregnant young lady is on the run from two mobsters. Gertrude makes a surprise visit to McCabe, and helps with the Christmas celebration.
Directed by Reza BadiyiWritten by Jeri TaylorGuest stars Mary B. Ward, Lu Leonard, Olga Russell
Episode 12
Derek gets Jake to look into things, when the sister of a good friend is arrested for possession of drugs. She says they were planted by her mother-in-law, who is angry with her son for trying to take control of the family company, and at her for marrying him.
Directed by Georg FenadyWritten by Carol SaracenoGuest stars Ray Bumatai, James Sloyan, Martha Byrne
Episode 13
After several failed raids on mafia boss Everett Ashford, it appears the PA's office has a leak. Evidence starts to point to Leigh Perry, a rising star in the PA's office and the head of the organized crime division.
Directed by Reza BadiyiGuest stars Darby Hinton, Andreas Katsulas, Cliff Bemis, Judi Andersen, George O'Hanlon, Jr.
Episode 14
Derek collides with a pedestrian on his way home from a beach party. When the man dies, Derek is charged with manslaughter.
Directed by Russ MayberryWritten by Carol SaracenoGuest stars Ed Ames, Jack Hogan, George O'Hanlon, Jr.
Episode 15
Nick Voss, a wanted criminal whose brother is about to be executed, kidnaps McCabe. Voss demands that his brother is released, or McCabe will share the same fate.
Directed by Reza BadiyiWritten by J. Michael StraczynskiGuest stars Georg Stanford Brown, Michael Mikasa, George O'Hanlon, Jr., Olga Russell
Episode 16
Jake travels to Los Angeles to attend his sister's wedding. The groom has a shady past, but he swears it's all behind him. But then, why is he working for a local gangster?
Directed by Georg FenadyGuest stars Jack Stauffer, Robert Gentry, Alexander Enberg, Gianni Russo, Jay Acovone, Michael Masters
Episode 17
Jake catches a young girl picking his pocket. He tries to help her home, but she is very uncooperative. Meanwhile McCabe has problems with a murdered money counterfeiter.
Directed by Bernard L. KowalskiGuest stars Olivia Burnette, Alan Scarfe, Robert Jayne, George O'Hanlon, Jr.
Episode 18
A rapist is loose, attacking single women in their homes. Meanwhile McCabe takes Max to the ""Happy Dogs"" class.
Directed by Chuck BowmanGuest stars Jon Gries, Polly Bergen, George O'Hanlon, Jr., Olga Russell
Episode 19
A woman disappears when looking into her mother's death at a health resort. Jake and LA cop Karen Stetson go undercover at the resort, posing as a married couple.
Directed by Georg FenadyWritten by J. Michael StraczynskiGuest stars Kathryn Leigh Scott, Mary-Margaret Humes, Branscombe Richmond, Stan Ivar, George O'Hanlon, Jr.
Episode 20
Jake is undercover on a plane transporting drugs, when his real identity is discovered. The pilot fatally wounds him, and jump out with the only parachute. From the control tower McCabe tries to keep Jake conscious by talking about their previous adventures while the plane flies toward the airport.
Directed by Reza BadiyiGuest stars Sal Viscuso
Episode 21
Jake gets a visit from an old classmate with a heavy obligation - he must kill Jake Styles.
Guest stars Mark Margolis, Rick Giolito
Episode 22
McCabe prosecutes a man for murdering his wife, when the man's story about them being assaulted by gang members doesn't check out.
Written by Michele Val JeanGuest stars Mimi Craven, George O'Hanlon, Jr., Tim Rossovich, Jean Bruce Scott, Terry O'Quinn
Episode 23
Dr. Carmichael is charged with murdering his wife, but is given an alibi by her secretary. McCabe smells a rat and sends Jake undercover - getting a job as Carmichael's chauffeur.
Directed by Bernard L. KowalskiWritten by Robert SchlittGuest stars Marjean Holden, Greg Mullavey, Jack Hogan, John Mahon, Greg Mullavey, Olga Russell
Episode 24
Jake and Derek negotiates with a slightly paranoid man who has evidence against a crocked oil company, while McCabe gets a visit from a young woman claiming to be his daughter.
Directed by Robert ScheererWritten by Douglas BentonGuest stars Harry Endo, Michelle Joyner, Stephen Root, George O'Hanlon, Jr., Olga Russell
Episode 25
When a gang marks him for death, Daniel joins a group about to escape from the prison. To insure his cooperation the escapees frame him for murder.
Directed by Russ MayberryWritten by J. Michael StraczynskiGuest stars Jesse D. Goins, Robert Apisa, George O'Hanlon, Jr.
Episode 26
Jake investigates the murder of a journalist working in Chinatown. He gets help from Chinatown cop Tommy Min Tang, the son of the local godfather.
Directed by Reza BadiyiWritten by David MoessingerGuest stars Aki Aleong, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Kim Miyori, Evan C. Kim, George O'Hanlon, Jr., Olga Russell
Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026
Available now in United States
These shows are available now and closely match Jake and the Fatman.
William ConradJason McCabe
Joe PennyJake Styles
Alan CampbellDerek Mitchell
Bert Remsen
Kurt Fuller
Kathryn Leigh Scott
Mary-Margaret Humes
Amy Steel
CBSUnited States
Viacom ProductionsUnited States
Dean Hargrove ProductionsUnited States
Fred Silverman CompanyUnited States
Strathmore ProductionsUnited States
