A surefire recipe for success in the 70s was to include either big rigs or a chimp into the story. BJ and the Bear had both, and not surprisingly became a big for NBC. One particularly entertaining character was the corrupt and charming Sheriff Elroy T. Lobo and it wasn’t long before his was sporting his own spin-off, The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo.

The one-hour series debuted in 1979, starring Claude Akins as the storied sheriff, just as likely to break the law as enforce it. And yet, somehow, every illicit scheme he concocted to make money somehow resulted in him unearthing some other criminal activity in the process - making him an unintentional hero, while at the same time, thwarting his get-rich-quick schemes along the way.

Working alongside Lobo were two deputies – a buffoon named Perkins, who just so happened to be married to the sheriff’s sister Rose, and the honest but hopelessly naïve young Birdie Hawkins, who had unfailing respect for his boss. Other characters included the sexy waitress named Margaret Ellen, who had a fondness for skimpy outfits, and Sarah, owner of a local motel and girlfriend of Deputy Birdie.  

The combination of scantily dressed females, over-the-top car chases and plenty of slapstick humor made The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo a hit in its first season. The formula was altered dramatically in the second season, along with the show’s title, now simply Lobo. The setting for the series was moved from the rural Orly County, Georgia, to the urban sprawl of Atlanta – due to Lobo’s growing reputation as a highly effective law enforcement officer, the result of him having neglected to report accurate crime statistics for his county.

As a result, Lobo and the boys were given a choice assignment in Atlanta, working together on an elite task force, under Chief of Detectives J.C. Carson and Sgt. Hildy Jones (Nell Carter from Gimme a Break!) Although considered incompetent hicks by their superiors, Logo and his deputies didn’t seem to mind much, considering they got to regularly work alongside two beautiful undercover detectives, Peaches and Brandy.

The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo managed to entertain audiences for two years, before finally being cancelled in 1981. And in hindsight, it might have lasted for several more years had producers simply added a lovable chimp to the cast. Sexy ladies are one thing, but a simian sidekick? One can only speculate the enormous success that might have achieved.