Dragnet : Why was it called Dragnet?
Re: Why was it called Dragnet?
Watch the 1948 film HE WALKED BY NIGHT and you'll see where Webb got a LOT of his ideas.
Re: Why was it called Dragnet?
Some programs from that era (radio and early TV) took their titles from specific police-related terms, just to evoke the general idea of law enforcement. (In scholarly language, it's metonymy.) For example, I don't recall a police lineup on "The Lineup". Some episodes of "Gangbusters" were about solving crimes by individuals rather than busting up gangs.
Re: Why was it called Dragnet?
There are some actual dragnets, in the original radio series. Dragnet started on radio.
Why was it called Dragnet?