The American detective series Riptide is about two war veterans Cody Allen (played by Perry King) and Nick Ryder (played by Joe Penny), who run a detective agency together with their friend Murray Bozinsky (played by Thom Bray) on the Californian coast in King Harbour. From 1983 to 1986, 3 seasons with 58 episodes were produced, of which the ZDF has broadcast only 47 from 1985 to 1989.

The highlight was that the two private  investigators not only had a fast car, a red Corvette Chevrolette, but also a red and white GMC pickup. Furthermore, part of the inventory of the detective agency was also a yacht named Riptide from which the series took its name. It refers to the English term Riptide, defining water flowing back into the sea.

In addition to the yacht in the fleet, the detective agency also owned a speedboat called Ebb Tide and a helicopter called Screaming Mimi. The Sikorsky S-58T model is painted pink and decorated on the front with two eyes and an open mouth. A boat is also one of the means of transport that the detective gladly fall back on again in their investigations.

Cody Allen and Nick Ryder, both very sporty types, are assisted in their investigation by the completely non-athletic Murray Bozinsky. Bozinsky the computer expert in the detective agency, and has an orange robot named Roboz. Murray stays in the office because he physically cannot keep up with his friends, Cody and Nick, and does not feel very well during observations, so he assists the two from the background with his computer searches. He spends most of his time on the Riptide, where they have their headquarters.

The detectives receive further assistance on cases by Kirk Dooley (played by Ken Olandt), called Dool. Moreover, Mama Jo (played by Anne Francis), with her female boat crew, is always ready to run to the private detectives to help.

The detectives always have minor problems with the police, as Lieutenant Ted Quinlan (played by Jack Ging), cannot stand them. His resentment against the detectives is because they often solve a case at least one step ahead of him. Later Lt. Ted Quinlan was shot on the service and the attractive Lieutenant Joanna Parisi (played by June Chadwick) replaced him.

The four fists are Cody Allen and Nick Ryder, who use them very often in solving a case, since their opponents are mostly rather shady characters who do not avoid using physical force.

Chases on land, at sea and in the air, fights and conflicts, using all possible weapons, and good-looking women in skimpy bikinis were the recipe for success that the producers and directors focused on. A recipe that was a success, because the series is broadcast again and again, not only on German television.

You may find all episodes of the Riptide series here.