Charlie's Angels is a crime drama television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men. The series stars Kate Jackson; Farrah Fawcett-Majors; Jaclyn Smith; Cheryl Ladd; Shelley Hack; Tanya Roberts; David Doyle; and John Forsythe as the voice of Charles Townsend, also known as "Charlie". The series was broadcast in the USA on the ABC Television Network from 1976 to 1981 and was one of the most successful series of the 1970s.Three women, the Angels graduated from the Los Angeles police academy only to be assigned such duties as handling switchboards and directing traffic. They quit and were hired to work for the Charles Townsend Agency as private investigators. Their boss, Charlie is never seen full face. He assigns cases to the Angels and his liaison, Bosley via a speaker phone. Fawcett-Majors and Jackson eventually left the series during its run. Fawcett-Majors was replaced by Cheryl Ladd in the second season.While Jackson was replaced by Shelley Hack. In the final season, Tanya Roberts replaced Hack in the fourth season. Like other American TV crime shows of the 1970s, Charlie's Angels was generally formatted in the way of a procedural drama. Most episodes followed a regular structure whereby a crime is committed, the Angels are given the case details by Charlie and Bosley at the Townsend office and the trio go undercover. Towards the end of the episode one of them is uncovered and it is a race against time for the others to rescue their friend before they meet some horrible fate. Inevitably, the final scene would be back at the Townsend office with Charlie offering his congratulations for a job well done.This was one of the most popular shows in the 70's as it was the first show to feature women in police work.Also,it was a delight to the male viewers as they have the sexy stars in skimpy clothes and bathing suit.Some have considered it sexist in a way that it was its primary feature to gain viewers but it was part of the so-called Jiggle TV era of the 70's.Also,it presented good stories despite being dated at present times.Overall,it was one best shows ever created.

Once upon a time, three little girls went to the police academy. and they were each assigned very hazardous duties, but I took them all away from all that and now they work for me. My name is Charlie. Those famous words started the all time greatest TV show in history Charlie's Angels. When the pilot aired in March of 1976, it starred Farrah Fawcett Majors as Jill who was the athletic angel, Jaclyn Smith as Kelly who was the streetwise angel, Kate Jackson as Sabrina who was the cool smart, multilingual leader, David Doyle as John Bosley, David Ogden Stiers as Scott Woodville and John Forsythe as the voice of Charlie. Kate Jackson was aboard from the beginning of the project, and was set to play the lead angel. Farrah Fawcett was the next to join; filling the blonde role, but then the producers dropped the hair color concept and brought in Jaclyn Smith to complete the trio. Many of the scenes used in the opening credits of the show are from this pilot episode. Then in the fall of September of 1976 ABC introduce the three stunning, sexy and young former police officers, private detectives working for the Charles Townsend Detective Agency with the entire crew back except David Ogden Stiers. In the opening sequence of the first season no one knew where the Angels went to the police academy. The wealthy Charlie Townsend, their never-seen boss, relayed assignments via a speaker telephone. The Angels worked with their trusty male counter-part, John Bosley. After only 23 episodes, Farrah left the show at the end of the first season. When Farrah Fawcett left the series, her absence was explained by having her character Jill become a professional racing driver on the NASCAR circuit. Along with a new Angel, the show received a new time slot. The Angels remained on Wednesday nights, but moved from 10pm to 9pm. This change in time opened up a whole world of new viewers who wanted to know what the big fuss was all about and kept the "Angels" right where they belong - on top of the ratings! The 1977-1978 season ended with high ratings, proved that Kris, Cheryl Ladd, was every bit as popular with the viewers as Farrah. In the 1979-1980 season, the answer came with Shelley Hack, a model who had been prominent in Revlon's "Charlie" Perfume ads and commercials. Shelley entered The Townsend Office as Tiffany Welles, an Ivy League scholar who also was a graduate from the Boston Police Academy. Spelling and Goldberg had the idea that with this new Angel/model at the helm, she could bring an elegant and classy touch to Charlie's trio! Kate Jackson's absence was explained by having Sabrina getting married and starting a family. The writers treaded lightly as they tried to figure out how to make Tiffany Welles the new "Sabrina Duncan". The 1979-1980 seasons' problem was the sudden decline in ratings. The series found itself in the top 20's instead of the top 10 were it had been for the last three years. The ratings drop was directed at the new Angel and at the end of the season, Shelley was let go of her detective duties. Thus, beginning, for another hunt for a new Angel! By 1980, Charlie's Angels was beginning to feel its age and was declining fast. Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg wanted to go with a fresh new image. After careful consideration, they decided to hire virtually unknown actress, Tanya Roberts. This time around, the character would be a model-turned-detective, street-smart Julie Rogers. The new Angel showed her face in the three-hour 1980-1981 season premiere on November 30, 1980. High hopes were placed on Charlie's newest Angel to pull the series out its failing ratings. To help give it an added boost, the Angels were sent to Hawaii for the first six episodes. Hawaii wasn't only chosen to intrigue the audience but to keep the Angels scantily clad in swimsuits! Charlie's opening monologue has now undergone a complete overhaul. It begins, "Once upon a time, there were three beautiful girls. Two of them graduated from the police academy. The other graduated from a top school for models. And they each reaped the rewards of their exciting careers Bosley looks over brochures of Hawaii in anticipation of the Angels' possible assignment there. Charlie arranges for Julie to receive a probationary investigator's license and begin working with Kris and Kelly. Unfortunately, at this point, the audience was no longer keeping up with the Angels antics. In February 1981, the show went on hiatus and wasn't shown again until June of 1981. Charlie's Angels was not winning any viewers in the summer of '81 with its remaining episodes. The show that had made women crime fighters popular during the 1970's was taken off the air. Charlie's Angels was a huge success the moment it hit the airwaves in 1976. The Angels were on gum cards, doll boxes, T-shirts, board games, puzzles and posters. If you wanted to hire the Angels you had to call the office phone number was 555-0267. Kelly Garrett (Jaclyn Smith) was the only Angel to last the entire series. Kelly was an orphan. John Forsythe' was never on the set - his voice was recorded, and dubbed in later. The Angels all drove Ford automobiles. Jill (and later Kris) drove a Cobra, Kelly drove a Mustang, and Sabrina drove a Pinto. For the record, Bosley drove a Ford L.T.D. Although Charlie was never heard, he did actually appear in a couple of episodes, but his face was never shown. Kelly is the only Angel to have been shot throughout the run of the show. Sabrina was the only Angel that was previously married. She was married to a fellow officer when she was still a cop but the marriage ended in divorce.

I ashamedly admit to quite regularly tuning in years ago to this weekly drivel myself, though even back when it aired, I was appalled by its totally sexist perspective. I'm definitely no feminist but as I'll discuss later, would certainly imagine this series to represent the very opposite of feminist goals. However, I do admit it was all quite mindlessly entertaining.The series portrays the adventures of three female police officers who are rescued from their mundane duties by a mysterious multi millionaire named Charles Townsend, who hires these gorgeous girls as operatives in his new private investigation agency. Charlie's assistant, Bosley, acts as a liaison with the ladies since the enigmatic Charlie never reveals himself in person. The three beauties, Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly, frequently go undercover as strippers, models, or whatever during the course of their investigations. When Jill leaves Charlie's agency to pursue an auto racing career, she is replaced by her younger sister, Kris. After Sabrina departs to start a family, she in turn is replaced by Julie and later by Tiffany.There wasn't a woman watching this show who didn't secretly wish she looked like one of these beautiful, curvaceous ladies. Kate Jackson played Sabrina, the 'smart angel' and often the brains of the operation. The blonde & bubbly Jill was portrayed by Farrah Fawcett and notable mainly for her hairstyle, which spawned a popular new look in the late 1970's. Kelly, the truly pretty & sweet one and the only angel permanent to the series, was played by the lovely Jacklyn Smith. Cheryl Ladd (who went on to do some pleasant little Danielle Steele TV movies) was cast as the perky and charming young rookie, Kris. My personal favourite was Julie, a street smart but classy New Yorker with an Ivy League education, played by Shelley Hack, who later starred briefly in another series, Jack and Mike. Finally, the role of the red haired model turned detective, Tiffany (whom I personally saw less of and never quite 'bonded' with), was given to Tanya Roberts.This series actually contradicts feminist philosophies, since it isn't really a show whose point is to depict that women can possess beauty, intelligence, and strength...all three. Instead, it's an excuse for displaying these gorgeous women in bikinis or other tight fitting clothing, and otherwise placing them in situations focusing on their sex appeal. The girls always wear beautiful designer fashions and however harrowing their circumstances, their make up never smudges, a nail never breaks, nor a single hair stray out of place. If you read the reviews here, you'll note that the common theme isn't the clever plots but how amazingly sexy these girls look in their bikinis! It's mainly all about the jiggle factor.Some claim that it does support the feminist cause since the angels are single, smart, independent, capable, and mutually supportive. These lovely ladies don't wait around for a man to rescue them when danger befalls, but instead depend upon each other. And that's the point...one BEAUTIFUL woman is rescued by another BEAUTIFUL woman, not a plain or ordinary looking though equally bright, resourceful, and courageous female. In fact, these girls employ all their sexual wiles to their best advantage, more often than not using their looks and sex appeal rather than their wits to get themselves both into certain situations and out of others. However, all that being said, it's a generally fun & entertaining show to watch. There's mystery, assorted engaging adventures, occasional exotic locales, and an effective chemistry of friendship & co-operation between these female private investigators. Just bear in mind that it's yet another monument to women with lovely faces, perfect bodies, and gorgeous clothes.

One of the reasons why this show is still big and popular after all these years, can be attributed to the Angels themselves. I can't think of any other stars in the history of television who can actually enticed the viewing public more than the Angels, especially the MAGIC FOUR namely, Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Jaclyn Smith, and Cheryl Ladd (Of course, the other two angels, Shelley Hack and Tanya Roberts created a sensation too, but the "Magic Four" are the ones who started it all).I didn't had a chance to see the first season when it was first broadcast, as I was very "young" then, but lucky me, it was a huge success and was re-played again and again, every year. Funny, because a lot of people thought the series lasted until 1983 or 1985 because it was like being re-played forever!I must say, that the first season is the best of the rest and the chemistry of the original three are just wonderful. The second series with Cheryl Ladd was excellent too, but everyone knows that Jackson and Ladd were not in good terms, so, I guess, it affects the way the people look at them.I started as a fan of Kate Jackson, I reckon, for she's the only known star before the series started. But the two other lovely angels are hard to ignore. Fawcett is so bubbly and appealing while Smith is the most beautiful angel you can think of. But,I am still surprised up to now, why Fawcett became the more popular angel during her time on the show.She was even dubbed the sexiest of all the angels, where in fact, I believe, it is Jaclyn Smith, who's got the most curvaeous body of the three and looks great in that famous "white bikini" on the show. Even, in the hair department, I believe that Smith's hair is actually more flouncy and sexier than Fawcett. But then, I guess, Fawcett's popularity came right up with the released of her poster which was very timely for the show.But all in all, the original three are just wonderful.Then came, Cheryl Ladd. She's a welcome addition to the show. She's sexy, beautiful and very charming. Her introduction to the show with ANGELS IN PARADISE is one of my fave episodes and one the best of the series. Who can forget the scene when they're about to rescue Charlie in the yacht? Ladd came out from the water in a bikini with Jaclyn Smith (in her tiniest in a "green" bikini). No wonder the second season became more popular than the first one. I called this, the BIKINI FEVER!Then, Jackson, left the show. I believe, that Shelley Hack, did a wonderful job as the next angel, actually. Her characer speaks for her action in the show. Remember, the scene with Bosley in "LoveBoat Angels," when she told him that she's a bit scared to be part of the group because of what they have started already? Well, maybe her portrayal of her character was just too classy for the show but she's actually a stand out in the show. I also think that she's one of the two best-dressed angels on the show --the other one is Jaclyn Smith.Smith and Hack are in they're best when they're together. I like their chemistry on the show. It's a pity, she only lasted one season.The last of the Angels, Tanya Roberts is a fave, too. She's got this fabulous body and sexy eyes. Roberts, actually became more popular overseas and the bikini fever is back again. She was, obviously, given all the bikini scenes on the show. With Smith wanting to leave and Ladd, just happy to go along with the show, Roberts was given the responsibility to carry the show. Alas, the chemistry, didn't work out.The show opened a lot of things to women on television. Sad, to say, none has the charisma of the angels. I think, that's one of the reasons, why television is not as exciting as before in the '70s!