Original 1951 Dragnet was the best of the 2 TV incarnations with Jack Webb in my estimation. The second run of Dragnet was not as realistic as the first run. The gritty almost "film noir" look of Dragnet 1951 gave it an distinct advantage against the whimisical and surrealistic Dragnet 1967.

Toss-up. they were both excellent, and were good period pieces. The later series had "The LSD Story" and an episode that showed the officers on edge after MLK was assassinated, wondering when the riot would start. It turned out, LA was spared, on that occassion anyway.

The original had an episode about child molestation, and also had one about drugs, and teen violence. Frat-boy type critics delight in making fun of those episodes. Fools, all of them!