Ah, the allure of gruff men with guns. TV shows in the 70s sure knew how to treat a cop show, didn't they? The dangerous world of S.W.A.T. teams was thrust into the spotlight with S.W.A.T., the story of a four-man squad that kept the streets of an unnamed California city free of crime.

The team consisted of 'Hondo' Harrelson, the lieutenant in charge, Sergeant 'Deacon' Kay, the second in command and Officers Street and Luca. All of the men happened to be Vietnam veterans, so their tactics had a decidedly military influence. But hey, it's a jungle out there and the guys' experience served them well in the urban landscape.

Each member had his own specialty and talents, starting with Hondo, a tactician and commander. Sgt. Kay worked communications, Luca was the best shooter of the bunch (in accuracy not body count) and Jim Street, played by a young Robert Urich, was a genius at recon. The squad dealt with every manner of criminal, from thieves to snipers to kidnappers to Satanists with a dedication that suggested they were the only law enforcement officers in a 200-mile radius.

The series was a spinoff of Rookies, a very successful cop show in the mid-70s, and featured one of the most recognized and funky opening themes in the history of TV. The instrumental piece was so popular that it became a radio hit in 1975, spending several weeks in the Top 10 pop charts.

Sprung from the brain of Aaron Spelling, S.W.A.T. enthralled audiences even as it caught a lot of flak for the gratuitous violence and gun play. Clearly, it was a show ahead of its time because have you seen what the kids watch nowadays?