Viewers approaching Hickey and Boggs and expecting it to be a replay of the stars' popular I Spy series will be disappointed, but many film noir enthusiasts will find a lot to appreciate in this early '70s recreation and deconstruction of the hardboiled private eye film. Hickey is a serious, somber, downbeat, and violent film, and these attributes will turn off many who initially tune in to it. But others will find it a rewarding experience, a time capsule that captures a certain mood of nihilism from the 1970s, as well as a great deal of confusion about good and evil and the ability of an individual to make a difference when fighting forces larger than himself. Hickey might have been more successful (artistically as well as financially) with two other stars. In addition to the fact that fans expected something different from Bill Cosby and Robert Culp, the truth is that neither seems entirely comfortable in Hickey -- as if they also expected something different from themselves. However, whatever his weaknesses as an actor here, Culp shines as a director, with a definite feel for mood and pacing, a deft way with his supporting cast, and a very good eye for staging action sequences. Culp displays such promise behind the camera that it's a shame Hickey and Boggs was his only feature.