Season 1 • Episode 9
LatestKojak is an American television series starring Ving Rhames, airing on the USA Network cable channel, and on ITV4 in the United Kingdom. It was a reimagined version of the 1973-1978 series starring Telly Savalas. Rhames portrays Lieutenant Theo Kojak of the New York City Police Department, a skilled plain clothes detective with a shaved head and an affinity for jazz, fine clothing, and lollipops. As with the original series, he is fond of the catchphrase "Who loves ya, baby?" The series lasted for one season.
Acting
Rhames owns every scene with gravitas and unexpected warmth.
Production
Gritty NYC locations elevate the standard procedural formula.
Costume
Kojak's sharp suits deserve their own credit line.
Creator
Abby Mann
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ving Rhames shaved his head specifically for this role, embracing the iconic look Telly Savalas made famous thirty years prior. The jazz soundtrack featured original compositions meant to evoke 1970s crime cinema.
This 2005 reboot arrived during peak procedural saturation—CSI owned Thursdays—and USA Network's 'Characters Welcome' era couldn't find an audience for retro cool in a forensic science world.
US
