Kojak (2005)

Nowadays one has become used to 1960's and 1970's television series being reinvented for the big screen (often disastrously), but it is somewhat less usual for them to be re-made for the small screen.  This television pilot changes a white bald detective of Greek descent to a black bald detective -- Telly Savalas has become Ving Rhames (in case anyone is wondering, Ving is short for Irving).  All of the other characteristics are there including the sharp dressing, the caring persona and the lollipops.  As a pilot the storyline was not uninteresting as Kojak investigated a string of prostitute murders and then needed to solve the one case that differed from the others.  Rhames has a certain gravitas and watchability, but this did not stop my thinking that the world does not really need a new series of Kojak.