Don Adams is best known for his portrayal of Maxwell Smart, the bumbling secret agent in the classic TV comedy series Get Smart, made from 1965 to 1970. Less well remembered is The Partners which he created and starred in in 1971.

The partners of the title were a pair of bumbling police detectives. In a 2004 interview he described his creation as "Lethal Weapon before there was Lethal Weapon". Adams wanted to use the show and its premise of a black cop and a white cop working together as a vehicle for exploring contemporary social issues. The studio and network opted for a less controversial approach. Arguably, this decision ultimately condemned it to being regarded as little more than an imitation of Get Smart but initial reaction was positive with The Partners testing highest of all NBC shows to that time.