TV Review : Renovated ‘Adam-12’ on Cable Lays Down the Law

Has it been that long? The “old” “Adam-12” ran from 1968-75, and now coppers Martin Milner and Kent McCord are together again, this time promoted to civvies and moved to Nashville, Tenn., with brand new identities but the old business.

“Nashville Beat,” a Nashville-shot movie that unashamedly begs for series status, premiers tonight at 6 on cable’s Nashville Network. This would be TNN’s first creation of a dramatic series.

The “boys” were old LAPD partners. Brian (Milner) now is a captain on the Nashville force, teamed with ever-suffering cop-wife Kate (Rosemary Forsyth), and Mike (McCord) is an L.A. detective who tracks a drug gang to Nashville, where it aims to open a franchise.

McCord, who is a co-executive producer, has taken most of the interesting shtick and “smart” lines for his Mike, who does sit-ups and eats California Flakey, to the amusement of new friends.

The story is incredibly routine and flat, which, if memory serves, was usually the problem with “Adam-12,” even though the collaboration worked. The boys still look terrific, with some great new “character” wrinkles, and balance each other nicely.

A series? Well, Mike has his eye on Nashville, with an especially hot eye on a blond barkeep. She has hot eyes back. Hmmm.

(As for “Adam-12,” a new version--with new stars--debuts Monday at 7 p.m. on KTTV Channel 11.)