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The Fall Guy

The Fall Guy

1981–1986Ended5 seasons112 episodes~60 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

Hollywood stuntman Colt Seavers picks up some extra pocket money by using his rough-and-tumble skills to track and capture bail jumpers.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Fall Guy?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Fall Guy to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about The Fall Guy?

The Fall Guy earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by Men.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The Fall Guy worth watching?

The Fall Guy's Midcredits score is the 61st percentile of all shows, from 11K ratings across 2 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

61st percentile

Better received than 61% of shows

51st percentile among Action52nd percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)60th
Approval (how many liked it)60th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

73 /100

60th percentile of all shows

56th percentile among Action55th percentile among 1980s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.3 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

75% liked it

60th percentile of all shows

48th percentile among Action48th percentile among 1980s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

86th percentile

11K ratings across platforms

61st percentile among Action78th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 3% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a cheesy, undemanding action-comedy built around stunts and charisma rather than realism.

Fans praised

  • fun action with crazy stunts and explosions
  • likable cast chemistry led by Lee Majors' charisma
  • lighthearted blend of humor and adventure

Detractors panned

  • cheesy plots and wooden acting
  • relies on stock footage and obvious stunt doubles
  • shallow writing and repetitive formula

What stands out

Sound and musicDivisive65

iconic theme song 'Unknown Stuntman' widely praised

Effects and spectacleDivisive60

practical stunts and explosions, but often stock footage

ActingDivisive55

Lee Majors charismatic but wooden; supporting cast eye candy

HumorDivisive55

lighthearted, often sophomoric comedy

Pacing55

fast-paced action breaks up slow plots

CharactersDivisive45

one-note archetypes: macho stuntman, naive sidekick, pretty stuntwoman

Plot and story35

formulaic bounty-hunter-of-the-week, often implausible

Originality35

recycled 80s action formula with stuntman gimmick

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 38 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Episodes

5 seasons

Season 5 · 1985 · 22 episodes

  • S5E1
    S5E1

    Dead Ringer

    Sep 26, 198547 min
  • S5E2

    King of the Stuntmen

    Oct 3, 198547 min
  • S5E3

    Femme Fatale

    Oct 10, 198547 min
  • S5E4

    A Fistful of Lire

    Oct 17, 198547 min
  • S5E5

    The Life of Riley

    Nov 30, 198547 min
  • S5E6

    October the Thirty Second

    Dec 7, 198547 min

Watch experience

What is The Fall Guy like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — an even-paced watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
JoyfulThrilling
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulAdventurous · 15% of shows
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Procedural · 7% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe show plays its absurd stunts and cheesy plots with a straight face, embracing the fun without ironic distance.
The rideThe series maintains a consistent, upbeat, and adventurous mood across episodes.
StructureEpisodes follow a conventional beginning-middle-end structure with setup, pursuit, and capture.
Episode formatEach episode features a self-contained bounty-hunting case, with the same core cast returning.
Season formatSeasons are largely interchangeable, with no significant overarching arcs; the status quo is maintained throughout the run.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves you grinning and entertained, a pure energy boost of lighthearted action.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.

18% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeEach episode follows Colt capturing a bounty, a classic monster-of-the-week format for a procedural action show.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

FriendshipJustice · 14% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on the camaraderie between Colt, Howie, and Jody, and their pursuit of criminals to bring them to justice.
StanceThe show celebrates the bonds of friendship and teamwork in a light, adventurous context.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalRockSupportive music · original score
SettingHollywood stunt community and glitzy LA locales
MusicThe theme song is an energetic rock-infused piece that sets the adventurous tone.

Content guide

Is The Fall Guy okay for kids?

TV-PG

The Fall Guy is rated TV-PG.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • BrazilL
  • Russia16+
  • Spain13
  • Türkiye13+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does The Fall Guy have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Fall Guy?

Cast

At least 2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Lee Majors
as Colt Seavers
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Douglas Barr
as Howie Munson
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Heather Thomas
as Jody Banks
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Markie Post
as Terri Michaels
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jo Ann Pflug
as Samantha 'Big Jack' Jack
William Bryant
as Director
Ben Cooper
as Director
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Terry Kiser
as Craig Rogers
Doug McClure
as Anthony Martin
Robert Donner
as Edmund Trench

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