NYPD Blue

Welshman said:
I've enjoyed reading some of the TV threads here, so I thought I'd post one on perhaps my all-time favorite shows.

NYPD Blue was probably my favorite "cop" show, but after re-watching it recently, on one of our local "dash channels", I've decided it may be my favorite show of any genre.

What made it so good, in my view, was the character development of the leading characters. First and foremost - Andy Sipowicz. The route Dennis Franz's character took from the first episode until the last, is really a credit to Franz and the writers.

Anyone else care to comment?
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Loved the entire series. Watch it occasionally re-runs of course, when the are on sometimes on cable TV.
 
I feel the same way.....

I feel the same way about NCIS. All those seasons with only a few weak shows and it never jumped the shark.

I didn't watch NYPD Blue but I see it was on for a LONG time, too.

I'm glad this is narrowed to cop shows...



I think 'Columbo' was about the best DETECTIVE show, along with 'Perry Mason'. Another that I enjoyed for a for years before it got tiresome was 'Monk".

Comedy cops - 'Andy Griffith'
 
Welshman said:
He has pretty much retired since NYPD Blue - residuals must be treating him well.
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He made a video with The Dixie Chicks, he played Earl, for the song Goodbye Earl. Then pretty much dropped out of sight, I thought he died, but wikepedia says he is still alive.

I really enjoyed the show. I thought the best episodes were when Ricky Shroder, and Mark Goseller, were Andy's partners. Both were grown up child actors, so it was neat to see them grown up.

On a side note, David Caruso was the Red Haired cop in the first Rambo movie "First Blood".

Jimmy Smits was Don Johnson's first partner in Miami Vice. He dies in the pilot episode. That would be my luck get a role on a great show, but my character dies in the first episode.
 
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blues7 said:
Beemer, respectfully, The Wire was a lot more than just corner boys, street violence and slinging dope. But it's your time to invest in the show or not.

I think you'd enjoy it. Nobody needs to watch any of these shows. Cops don't need to watch NYPD Blue or Hill St. Blues. Doctors don't need to watch ER. Firefighters and paramedics don't need to watch Third Watch and sheriff's deputies and jailers don't need to watch Oz.

I grew up in NYC. Not much I didn't see there over the years. I can still enjoy something that depicts the reality I had known.

Anyway, that's my perspective on the matter. I fully support your choice either way and that'll be my last word on the matter.
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I was being a little tongue-in-cheek and smart-alecky in my response...I'm sorry you didn't pick up on that. :)
 
blues7 said:
Beemer, respectfully, The Wire was a lot more than just corner boys, street violence and slinging dope. But it's your time to invest in the show or not.

I think you'd enjoy it. Nobody needs to watch any of these shows. Cops don't need to watch NYPD Blue or Hill St. Blues. Doctors don't need to watch ER. Firefighters and paramedics don't need to watch Third Watch and sheriff's deputies and jailers don't need to watch Oz.

I grew up in NYC. Not much I didn't see there over the years. I can still enjoy something that depicts the reality I had known.

Anyway, that's my perspective on the matter. I fully support your choice either way and that'll be my last word on the matter.
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Amen blues, 805 Taylor Ave, Bronx NY :D James Monroe Housing Projects. :eek:
 
shouldazagged said:
Franz was brilliant as Sipowicz; and as a sober drunk, I particularly appreciated the handling of his alcoholism. The same was true of the Larue and Furillo characters in "Hill Street" and Sharon Gless's shattering portrayal of Detective Cagney's finally hitting bottom in her drinking. I was sober by then, as was my wife, but that one was tough to watch.

Kiel Martin ("Larue") actually was a sober alcoholic; and not long after the Cagney breakdown scene, Sharon Gless entered treatment herself.

Generally I think the writing of "Blue" was far ahead of nearly everything on standard broadcast TV at the time, with "Hill Street" not far behind.
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As you may know, David Milch, the co-creator and writer of NYPD, was himself an alcoholic and addicted to drugs - this probably accounts for his treatment of the subject. He got so bad that he stopped writing dialogue for the scripts and instead would just show up late for the "read-throughs" right before filming and have verbal "brainstorming" sessions on what each character should say. Jimmy Smits said he couldn't work that way and needed to study his lines in order to prepare. This is what ultimately led to his departure. Not long afterward, Milch took a hiatus from the show in order to get sober.
 
David Milch was the creator and main / only, writer for the H B O series "Deadwood".
I have read his style of creating dialog is still "at the last moment".

I have seen him on some roundtable candid discussions about T V. Drunk or sober, the man has an uncanny recollection for historical details.
 
When Hill Street was running I was the watch commander on our midnight shift. The show came on during our roll call and I turned the TV on for a few minutes after roll call for the troops. It built morale but I had to battle the Hill Street "look" to ensure our uniform regs were followed by everyone.
 
They were pretty relaxed in the uniform department on HSB. As another former Watch Commander, I can readily agree with you.
 
Wasn't the lady Sgt Esterhaus was involved with called AMAZING GRACE ?
I bought the DVD of first season of Joseph Wambaugh's POLICE STORY and watched a few episodes with my son who is a current LEO.
He was amazed at the revolvers, no vests , red light flipped down on visor, officers entering building with shotguns and revolvers and limited channel radios
That is the way it was !!
 
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A ground breaking series and one of my all time favorite police dramas. It pushed the boundary lines in both nudity and realism, Stellar writing, directing, cast and acting.

On a side note I enjoyed Sharon Lawrence's nude scene much more than that of the actor that played Sipowicz (SP)
 
NYPD Blue was my favorite. I did like Sgt Phil Esterhaus on Hill Street. Dennis Farina is best in Law & Order. Wish there were more of those episodes with him.
 
Toyman said:
Wasn't the lady Sgt Esterhaus was involved with called AMAZING GRACE ?
I bought the DVD of first season of Joseph Wambaugh's POLICE STORY and watched a few episodes with my son who is a current LEO.
He was amazed at the revolvers, no vests , red light flipped down on visor, officers entering building with shotguns and revolvers and limited channel radios
That is the way it was !!
Click to expand...

Y'all had radios and shotguns???? WOW!!! Half the time our portables didn't work or there weren't enough to go around. It took YEARS to get access to the shotguns we had in our little armory.
 
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