Hunter is a police drama television series starring Fred Dryer which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1991. The titular character, Sgt. Rick Hunter, was a wily, physically imposing, and often rule-breaking homicide detective (badge# 089) with the Los Angeles Police Department. Stepfanie Kramer co-starred in the first six of the series' seven seasons as Hunter's female partner Sgt. Dee Dee McCall.

Created by Frank Lupo, the show in its early episodes played as television's answer to Dirty Harry. Even after the show's violence was toned down during the second season in hopes of boosting ratings, Hunter and McCall still managed to resolve many cases the good old-fashioned way, by shooting the perpetrators dead.

The show's executive producer during the first season was noted producer Stephen J. Cannell, whose company produced the series.

Initially placed in a Friday-night slot against the then-popular Dallas (also a Lorimar production), the show struggled to find an audience and drew criticism for its often graphic depiction of violence. In the first season, the producers sought to create a hook by giving the main character a catchphrase, "Works for me", which was sometimes used two or three times an episode and was even tacked on to the end of Mike Post and Pete Carpenter's opening theme music. Several early episodes featured montages set to popular songs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.