If you were around during the late-80s and early-90s, you might remember Jake and the Fatman. Based on a guest character in the NBC drama Matlock, the series featured J.L. "Fatman" McCabe as a Hawaii police officer-turned Los Angeles district attorney who teamed up with Jake Styles, a charming, happy-go-lucky investigator.
The show ran for five seasons and produced a spin-off series of its own, and while the series has largely been forgotten among its well-known peers, such as Law and Order, Jake and the Fatman was still a large part of what made court shows vogue on television.
Fatman McCabe Was A Former Honolulu Police Officer
Before he came to Hollywood to prosecute cases, Fatman McCabe was a former police officer with the Honolulu Police Department.
It wasn't exactly explained in detail how McCabe wound up in Los Angeles nor why he left the Honolulu Police Department. All viewers knew was that he left his family behind in order to take the district attorney position in Southern Califonia.
All Of Season 2 Was Filmed In Hawaii
In a plot twist that's usually reserved for later seasons, the second season of Jake and the Fatman saw McCabe and Jake head for Hawaii to solve some cases.
It wouldn't be a permanent move, as the series soon shifted back to Los Angeles early in season 3, but the sudden move in location could have been an attempt by the showrunners to try and explain McCabe's origins and why he ended up leaving Hawaii.
Both Stars Had Guest Roles On Matlock
The series' origins were born from two episodes on the hit NBC drama Matlock, in which William Conrad (who portrayed Fatman McCabe) is a near mirror image of McCabe as an aging district attorney.
In what may have seemed like fate, Joe Penny, who played Jake Styles, also had a guest role on Matlock, starring in three episodes, only his character was completely re-written for this series.
McCabe's Son Went To Prison
Early in season 2, it was seen that McCabe left behind his son when he ventured to California to become a district attorney. In season 3, it was revealed that he was in prison, and witnessed a murder that McCabe and Jake had to solve. It was one of those late 80s plot devices that worked during the time, but would be confusing for a viewer watching the show today.
McCabe's Son Was Killed
Viewers saw little of McCabe's son throughout the series, but he was often in dire straits. He first was left behind by his father, then he wound up in prison.
Toward the end of the series, his son was killed by criminals that he betrayed. It's always heart wrenching when a parent loses a child, even on TV, and McCabe losing his son was painful because viewers really didn't get to know him all that well.
McCabe Wanted To Retire In L.A.
The producers of Jake And The Fatman wanted to have McCabe live out his retirement in Los Angeles. However, when the show was canceled after the first season and then revived for season 2, he came back as a District Attorney in Honolulu.
The reason the original premise was ditched was because of low ratings, and they shot back up after McCabe became a DA, putting criminals away in paradise.
McCabe Was Forced To Move Back To L.A.
The ratings for the series were at their highest when it moved to Honolulu. However, when CBS' lease on the Hawaii studio expired in 1991, the series was forced to move back to Los Angeles, it's setting for the first season. McCabe carried on his DA duties in Califonia, but it ultimately produced diminishing results, with the series being canceled for good a year later.
We Found Out What "J.L." Stood For
Although he was known as "Fatman" McCabe, his full name was J.L. McCabe. No one knew what the "J.L." stood for until episode 20 of the first season. When called to the stand in a courtroom, he was asked to state his full name and viewers finally learned that his full name was Jason Lochinvar.
McCabe Didn't Appear In One Episode
Unlike his partner-in-crime, Jake, there was one episode in which McCabe didn't make an appearance. His absence occurred in the season 5 episode, "Pennies from Heaven."
The reason for his no-show in a show named after him was that his character had to undergo surgery and couldn't work the case in this particular episode. Other than this one time, The Fatman graced the screen in every episode.
Dr. Sloane Had A Miracle Son
Dr. Mark Sloan, who would go on to co-star in the spin-off series Diagnosis Murder, said that he didn't have any kids in the season 4 episode "It Never Entered My Mind." However, once the spin-off series began, viewers saw that he did indeed have a son. Maybe it was a miracle son, but it was a weird plot device to set up for the spin-off series.