There are a handful of shows that defined television. This was one of the best. It showed a male lead that didn't look like a supermodel, but was a great actor. It showed flawed human beings, with all of thier faults. Realistic and edgy. Great watch.
76 Reviews
Other than Hill Street Blues
artjames-0266811 April 2021
Very funny show!!!
johnm-381323 July 2016
I just started watching some reruns of NYPD Blue on TV. Andy is the highlight of the show. His character is so unglamorous and anti- Hollywood stereotype that his character actually comes across as amusing. Let's face it. He's pretty darn fat, bald and ugly. But what makes his acting so funny are all the sneering looks and rude attitude he gives to the skanks and low lifes he has to confront on a daily basis. He's always brimming with condemnation and disgust. Every facial gesture screams it out loud!!! His attitude becomes so relentless and over the top that it's a hoot to watch. It becomes fun to call dirt bags - dirt bags!!! It's a great innovative show....not sure there are any other crime shows that are similar. If so, I haven't seen them.
I wish I could have memory loss so I could see it for the first time again.
a-grillo8627 August 2014
This masterpiece is good from beginning to end. It will make you a better human being. It will bring you to a certain maturity about life and what are the most important parts of it. The acting is out of this world amazing. This is an all-star cast and don't you worry about loosing some great characters along the way, they are replaced by other very talented and interesting ones. The core actors of the show stay on for long periods of time and this allows you to truly feel as if they are your close friends. This show will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you think and most importantly, if there is something going on in your life and you need certain guidance, Andy is there for you and he will most definitely have the answer you are looking for during one episode or another.
No doubt in my mind : If this TV show was a mandatory watch in high schools, the world would be a better place.
No doubt in my mind : If this TV show was a mandatory watch in high schools, the world would be a better place.
Will We Get More?
bkoganbing13 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Taking a lot from his previous cop drama Hill Street Blues, Steven Bochco fashioned in NYPD Blue one of the biggest television hits ever. It was the kind of show that even in its last days still wanted its fans begging for more. And we may yet get more, who knows.
Two characters remained through the show's run and anchored it until it's conclusion. Dennis Franz as Detective Andy Sipowicz, a very flawed individual, an alcoholic bigot, but the best detective around. And Gordon Clapp as Detective Greg Medavoy, a decent man with a lot of issues of confidence. The rest of the cast came and went through the 15th precinct of Manhattan just like life itself.
Sipowicz took over the show after the departure of his first partner David Caruso. He was predicted to be a breakout star and he sought to take advantage of his new found fame with a major movie career. A lot of folks wondered if NYPD Blue would survive at that point. Sipowicz was supposed to be a supporting character with the problems just mentioned, Archie Bunker with a badge. But he went in Alcoholics Anonymous and preached its virtues as did Daniel J. Travanti from Hill Street Blues. And over a dozen years, Sipowicz grew in strength and character.
Dennis Franz had three succeeding partners all who had a different character and background. Jimmy Smits, Rick Schroeder, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar were all very good and very different. In the case of Gosselaar he was finally able to shake the casting specter of Zack Morris from Saved By The Bell.
The women detectives all had an individuality about them as well. Probably Kim Delaney as the alcoholic Diane Russell was the best. She was counseled by Andy Sipowicz and brought into AA, but she also wound up marrying Jimmy Smits's character Bobby DeSimone and bravely carrying on after his demise. Sipowicz married ADA Sylvia Costas played by Sharon Lawrence and after she was killed in an unforgettable court house shooting episode. Andy later married again to young detective Charlotte Ross and found again some domestic happiness.
In fact it was getting to be a running joke towards the end that it was as fatal to be around Dennis Franz as it was to be involved with a Cartright from Bonanza. Partners Jimmy Smits and Rick Schroeder died, wife Sylvia Lawrence died, and his son from an even earlier marriage was killed all during the run of the show. But Sipowicz dealt with it all.
The detective squad of the 15th precinct had four heads, James McDaniel, Esai Morales, John O'Donahue, and Graham Currie. One of them actually was a cop, John O'Donahue. He played this mediocre time server Eddie Gibson who was an absolute doofus and originally was a detective on the graveyard shift. When he took the sergeant's test, passed it and wound up succeeding Morales the whole squad was ready to flip. But Gibson wasn't totally stupid, he knew these people and he basically let them have their head.
James McDaniel had a wonderful character in Arthur Fancy and he had all the problems and frustrations of being a black man who rises in the NYPD. I remember once in an episode he was asked why he didn't get rid of a bigot like Sipowicz. To which he replied if I got rid of him it isn't like I'm going to get as his replacement some candidate for the brotherhood award. Probably I'll get another white cop with the same attitudes, but who isn't half as good on the job.
We got to know all these people and what baggage they might have brought to each case they were assigned to. Probably NYPD Blue could have kept going, but Steven Bochco decided to end it while still on high. And he did in fact give it an ending of sorts unlike Hill Street Blues. It was an ironic ending in fact for Sipowicz. But you'll have to see the final episode in fact you'll have to see the entire series which you can catch on cable television to appreciate why.
But the elements are there for a TV movie or six. I've got a good feeling that people would want to see them. We may not have seen the last of the detective squad of the 15th precinct from NYPD Blue.
Two characters remained through the show's run and anchored it until it's conclusion. Dennis Franz as Detective Andy Sipowicz, a very flawed individual, an alcoholic bigot, but the best detective around. And Gordon Clapp as Detective Greg Medavoy, a decent man with a lot of issues of confidence. The rest of the cast came and went through the 15th precinct of Manhattan just like life itself.
Sipowicz took over the show after the departure of his first partner David Caruso. He was predicted to be a breakout star and he sought to take advantage of his new found fame with a major movie career. A lot of folks wondered if NYPD Blue would survive at that point. Sipowicz was supposed to be a supporting character with the problems just mentioned, Archie Bunker with a badge. But he went in Alcoholics Anonymous and preached its virtues as did Daniel J. Travanti from Hill Street Blues. And over a dozen years, Sipowicz grew in strength and character.
Dennis Franz had three succeeding partners all who had a different character and background. Jimmy Smits, Rick Schroeder, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar were all very good and very different. In the case of Gosselaar he was finally able to shake the casting specter of Zack Morris from Saved By The Bell.
The women detectives all had an individuality about them as well. Probably Kim Delaney as the alcoholic Diane Russell was the best. She was counseled by Andy Sipowicz and brought into AA, but she also wound up marrying Jimmy Smits's character Bobby DeSimone and bravely carrying on after his demise. Sipowicz married ADA Sylvia Costas played by Sharon Lawrence and after she was killed in an unforgettable court house shooting episode. Andy later married again to young detective Charlotte Ross and found again some domestic happiness.
In fact it was getting to be a running joke towards the end that it was as fatal to be around Dennis Franz as it was to be involved with a Cartright from Bonanza. Partners Jimmy Smits and Rick Schroeder died, wife Sylvia Lawrence died, and his son from an even earlier marriage was killed all during the run of the show. But Sipowicz dealt with it all.
The detective squad of the 15th precinct had four heads, James McDaniel, Esai Morales, John O'Donahue, and Graham Currie. One of them actually was a cop, John O'Donahue. He played this mediocre time server Eddie Gibson who was an absolute doofus and originally was a detective on the graveyard shift. When he took the sergeant's test, passed it and wound up succeeding Morales the whole squad was ready to flip. But Gibson wasn't totally stupid, he knew these people and he basically let them have their head.
James McDaniel had a wonderful character in Arthur Fancy and he had all the problems and frustrations of being a black man who rises in the NYPD. I remember once in an episode he was asked why he didn't get rid of a bigot like Sipowicz. To which he replied if I got rid of him it isn't like I'm going to get as his replacement some candidate for the brotherhood award. Probably I'll get another white cop with the same attitudes, but who isn't half as good on the job.
We got to know all these people and what baggage they might have brought to each case they were assigned to. Probably NYPD Blue could have kept going, but Steven Bochco decided to end it while still on high. And he did in fact give it an ending of sorts unlike Hill Street Blues. It was an ironic ending in fact for Sipowicz. But you'll have to see the final episode in fact you'll have to see the entire series which you can catch on cable television to appreciate why.
But the elements are there for a TV movie or six. I've got a good feeling that people would want to see them. We may not have seen the last of the detective squad of the 15th precinct from NYPD Blue.
Simply the best ever
vsmakrock5 July 2003
Consider that in the first 50 years of ABC television, NYPD Blue was on for 12 of them. Was it better, more edgy the first couple of seasons? Yes. Was it at the end? Not so much. Yet, it was still appointment television. It was ground-breaking, and if you missed it from Day One, sure you can buy the DVD's as they come out, but it was so different than anything on TV then, and it changed what we expect out of television dramas.
The character of Andy Sipowicz, played by 4 time Emmy winner Dennis Franz, was the most realistic character ever created on television, faults and all. He was a modern-day everyman, and that was why we rooted for him, even when he was in one of those moods. It was why we continued to watch right up until it's triumphant end.
It came along when the one-hour drama on network television was all but dead; it re-defined the look of prime time drama with language and wardrobe (or lack their of), as well as how it was filmed; and when you speak with anyone that is or ever has served in law enforcement in this country, they'll tell you it was the best show at capturing "The Job" from a realism and accuracy standpoint.
Thank God for re-runs.
The character of Andy Sipowicz, played by 4 time Emmy winner Dennis Franz, was the most realistic character ever created on television, faults and all. He was a modern-day everyman, and that was why we rooted for him, even when he was in one of those moods. It was why we continued to watch right up until it's triumphant end.
It came along when the one-hour drama on network television was all but dead; it re-defined the look of prime time drama with language and wardrobe (or lack their of), as well as how it was filmed; and when you speak with anyone that is or ever has served in law enforcement in this country, they'll tell you it was the best show at capturing "The Job" from a realism and accuracy standpoint.
Thank God for re-runs.
Possibly the best TV show ever, certainly in the top 3
mathomas-280538 July 2018
Three things that keep this show in my top 5 of all time. One, is the language. The way the people talk is Shakespearean poetry. They re-invent the English language every episode. Magnificent.
Two, how emotionally real the show can get. The relationships between the people, between the races, between the sexes, between the cops, is beautifully done. Top drawer. Andy's speech about Bobby, how he never thought he'd ever have a friend again, just the best you'll ever see.
Three, the single best piece of film I've ever seen is the scene in the last season where Bobby's ghost comes back and has a short conversation with Sipowicz in the bathroom. Stunningly good scene, best ever.
But every minute of every episode is spectacular. No bad moments ever. How you keep a series on such a consistently high level is beyond me.
Two, how emotionally real the show can get. The relationships between the people, between the races, between the sexes, between the cops, is beautifully done. Top drawer. Andy's speech about Bobby, how he never thought he'd ever have a friend again, just the best you'll ever see.
Three, the single best piece of film I've ever seen is the scene in the last season where Bobby's ghost comes back and has a short conversation with Sipowicz in the bathroom. Stunningly good scene, best ever.
But every minute of every episode is spectacular. No bad moments ever. How you keep a series on such a consistently high level is beyond me.
NYPD: The First Season
ccthemovieman-17 November 2006
Believe-it-or-not, I never watched this show until I bought the DVD when it came out. I just never watched it, even though I enjoy crime shows. Anywhere, here are my thoughts, just randomly said:
David Caruso may have gotten top billing as the star of the show but Dennis Franz is the actor who dominates when on screen. He is the most dramatic figure in this crime series that features character studies, almost to the point of being soap opera-like. In fact, all the love-lives of the main characters are explored, especially as the episodes developed that first season.
In the beginning, some sex scenes were used to grab viewers. This was new to TV then. All the characters in the show may not have been likable but they were all interesting. To me, the most likable was Nicholas Turturro's "Martinez."
The cops - men and women - all talked tough and the show's writers liked to insert words like "a-hole" and "prick" because, I suspect, they could get away with using them. This was TV's first drama to use words like that and have the open sexuality that was shown here. We saw side shots of breasts and Caruso's butt, etc. Speaking of Caruso, he left after this first season and that really annoyed a lot of the viewers, I am told. After an unsuccessful movie career, he landed back on his feet in TV with the very successful CSI: Miami show. Franz, meanwhile, stuck it out for the long NYPD run.
I found the first season interesting but too much soap opera and not enough straight crime story didn't encourage me to buy any further season DVD sets.
David Caruso may have gotten top billing as the star of the show but Dennis Franz is the actor who dominates when on screen. He is the most dramatic figure in this crime series that features character studies, almost to the point of being soap opera-like. In fact, all the love-lives of the main characters are explored, especially as the episodes developed that first season.
In the beginning, some sex scenes were used to grab viewers. This was new to TV then. All the characters in the show may not have been likable but they were all interesting. To me, the most likable was Nicholas Turturro's "Martinez."
The cops - men and women - all talked tough and the show's writers liked to insert words like "a-hole" and "prick" because, I suspect, they could get away with using them. This was TV's first drama to use words like that and have the open sexuality that was shown here. We saw side shots of breasts and Caruso's butt, etc. Speaking of Caruso, he left after this first season and that really annoyed a lot of the viewers, I am told. After an unsuccessful movie career, he landed back on his feet in TV with the very successful CSI: Miami show. Franz, meanwhile, stuck it out for the long NYPD run.
I found the first season interesting but too much soap opera and not enough straight crime story didn't encourage me to buy any further season DVD sets.
very good
angelorwez13 August 2022
The acting is superb...it's believable...well presented...the characters are intriguing...character development is tremendous...
i do feel that if it was a focus on characters and their actual lives...and their jobs being secondary to the story...this show might have been waaay better...i feel like the procedural aspect of it slows it down a bit...
this has got to be one of the few shows out there where characters and characterisation transcend the plot...great characters...sub-par story...
but it's good...it is.
i do feel that if it was a focus on characters and their actual lives...and their jobs being secondary to the story...this show might have been waaay better...i feel like the procedural aspect of it slows it down a bit...
this has got to be one of the few shows out there where characters and characterisation transcend the plot...great characters...sub-par story...
but it's good...it is.
Childhood memories
anvarjusic7 December 2022
My childhood memories are with this show. Every week one episode was on tv, and day after i was playing nypd detectives from "15" station. 25 years after that i wanted to watch again these episodes. I watched them all and from this point of view biggest mistake of this tv show was Jimmy Smitts and Kim Delaney leaving. Jimmy Smitts was awesome role model, and his replacement was not good enough. Rick Shroder was not suitable for this show. Just from that appeairance you could tell, he is not for nypd. He was more for Mask 1, side role. Actor "zero". Dennis Franz was great on this show, and couple off them had their good times too.
Andy Sipowicz hurts the show, but the storylines make it tolerable
the_griswolds-603129 March 2021
If it weren't for the storylines of the the rest of the squad room, I couldn't watch this.
As the lead, Andy Sipowicz's anger can be understood, but it is too overblown and his racist attitude flies in the face of logic toward his boss Arthur Fancy, considering that he owes his career to Fancy. Franz emotes just a bit too much and comes across as a cartoon at times.
As it goes on, Andy's self-appointed godhood regarding everyone in the squad room including his bosses is exhausting. The attraction of any woman for him is a mystery, especially when you watch his relationships and how he treats women.
The childishness, sycophancy, and neuroticism of Greg Medavoy makes me think that there's a good chance they will reveal that Medavoy is a prolific serial killer in the final episode and the final scene will be a slow fade with all of Greg's fellow detectives sitting at their desks with their throats cut and Greg sitting there smiling and filling out his 5.
And I wonder how true the interrogation scenes are.
As the lead, Andy Sipowicz's anger can be understood, but it is too overblown and his racist attitude flies in the face of logic toward his boss Arthur Fancy, considering that he owes his career to Fancy. Franz emotes just a bit too much and comes across as a cartoon at times.
As it goes on, Andy's self-appointed godhood regarding everyone in the squad room including his bosses is exhausting. The attraction of any woman for him is a mystery, especially when you watch his relationships and how he treats women.
The childishness, sycophancy, and neuroticism of Greg Medavoy makes me think that there's a good chance they will reveal that Medavoy is a prolific serial killer in the final episode and the final scene will be a slow fade with all of Greg's fellow detectives sitting at their desks with their throats cut and Greg sitting there smiling and filling out his 5.
And I wonder how true the interrogation scenes are.
Left a very negative Legacy
MarcelaKronstein16 May 2006
And by that I mean the now almost countless bad TV shows with directors who think shaking the camera at everything is cute.
NYPD Blue started that awful trend, and while NYPD Blue was strangely still a hit (but not as big at it would have been had it been well shot!) thanks to its great writing in the first season, its progeny is stinking up the airwaves.
Film is an art form and doing that with the camera makes a mockery out of it.
A sad legacy for Steven Bochco who should be remembered from the epically well-produced L.A. Law.
NYPD Blue started that awful trend, and while NYPD Blue was strangely still a hit (but not as big at it would have been had it been well shot!) thanks to its great writing in the first season, its progeny is stinking up the airwaves.
Film is an art form and doing that with the camera makes a mockery out of it.
A sad legacy for Steven Bochco who should be remembered from the epically well-produced L.A. Law.
Where Are the DVDs?
davisnathan16 October 2011
Great acting, excellent character development, etc. I particularly liked the Jimmy Smits years, but all of them were great.
One of the bet shows ever on TV---lasted 12 seasons---but only the first 5 are available on DVD.
Does anyone know why? Is there some sort of contract problem or lawsuit? Are they scheduled to be released at some time in the future? I would like to know----the first 5 seasons came out quite some time ago (8 years?) and then nothing! You would think that a show with the kind of legs this one had and the audience to keep it on the air for 12 seasons would represent excellent potential for the DVD sales. SO---what's up with that? Anybody know?
One of the bet shows ever on TV---lasted 12 seasons---but only the first 5 are available on DVD.
Does anyone know why? Is there some sort of contract problem or lawsuit? Are they scheduled to be released at some time in the future? I would like to know----the first 5 seasons came out quite some time ago (8 years?) and then nothing! You would think that a show with the kind of legs this one had and the audience to keep it on the air for 12 seasons would represent excellent potential for the DVD sales. SO---what's up with that? Anybody know?
Might just be the best cop show
hsdnggf19 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I did watch some of the episodes when NYPD Blue aired. I have now watched the whole show and I am surprised how well the show has stood the test of time. It doesn't feel dated.
The acting is superb for the most part. Dennis Franz is fantastic. His character starts out as an alcoholic and a racist. By the end of the show he is a family man and a genuine good man.
I remember I liked Davis Caruso at the time but watching him now gives me vibes to CSI Miami. His acting isn't great.
Jimmy Smits is really good. And to my surprise, so is Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Ricky Schroder character wasn't very likeable so I was glad to see him go.
The acting is superb for the most part. Dennis Franz is fantastic. His character starts out as an alcoholic and a racist. By the end of the show he is a family man and a genuine good man.
I remember I liked Davis Caruso at the time but watching him now gives me vibes to CSI Miami. His acting isn't great.
Jimmy Smits is really good. And to my surprise, so is Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Ricky Schroder character wasn't very likeable so I was glad to see him go.
My favorite television series
anniesscandal24 April 2016
Although I religiously watched NYPD when it was first released, it's obvious to me now that I missed so many episodes! The the re-releasing of this show has reminded me that the writing of each episode is perfection and it has become my favorite show once again! I will be so sorry to see it end!! The acting is amazing too, and makes me want to find out more about each actor, and to see what each actor is doing since being part of this fantastic cast. Like a great book that stays with you years after you've finished reading it, NYPD is that kind of of television series! I would love to see it continue on indefinitely!!
I am a true fan of the crime show genre, and have watched all of the subsequent "Law and Order" shows, some, many times over, another fantastic series! And "Criminal Minds," is great, although sometimes a little 'dark.' But my favorite series so far is NYPD Blue and the incredible actors!!
I am a true fan of the crime show genre, and have watched all of the subsequent "Law and Order" shows, some, many times over, another fantastic series! And "Criminal Minds," is great, although sometimes a little 'dark.' But my favorite series so far is NYPD Blue and the incredible actors!!
Legendary show
mmtr12852 February 2023
I was hesitant about this show before I started watching because I knew it had 12 seasons, I haven't encountered a quality show that had gone on that long before, usually they're mediocre at best if they last that long ironically enough. This show on the other hand is the exception. Had me hooked after a few episodes and it never dropped in quality the whole way through. Incredible writing, incredible characters, I don't know what more there is to say. I'm still amazed, that a cop drama where in most cases every episode is a new case, can go on for so long without getting old. But it doesn't get old. The story surrounding the characters, watching their stories unfold, is crafted with genius paired with great actors such as Dennis Franz. Nothing about this show feels cheap. Every bit of dialog is clearly written with a lot of thought put into it, whether it be witty, comedic, serious, or anything else. I can't recommend this show enough. Watch it!
A Worthy Successor to Hill Street Blue
kris-gray2 June 2020
What else can I say, I mourned the demise of HSB one of the best cop series of the 70/80's , it faltered a bit when Bochco left but still one of the best. He has taken the production and directorial qualities with him, not to mention the fine Dennis Franz who was almost ruined with Beverly Hills Buntz.
Sadly David Caruso talked himself out of series 2 by demanding more money because he thought he was bigger than the show but Jimmy Smitts rode to the rescue.
I've just binge watched series one on DVD and have already ordered series two, you can get them for a song these days, treat yourself if you love good quality cops shows.
Sadly David Caruso talked himself out of series 2 by demanding more money because he thought he was bigger than the show but Jimmy Smitts rode to the rescue.
I've just binge watched series one on DVD and have already ordered series two, you can get them for a song these days, treat yourself if you love good quality cops shows.
Why NYPD Blue is the best show Ever!
rass-61 August 2007
My wife and I also love NYPD Blue! The best show ever made for TV. We just watched 3 hours tonight. Back then, in 1993 everybody thought that was too strong for airing on TV prime time. Wonder what they think now compared to todays garbage on TV?
Thanks for the info about Court TV on Saturday and Sunday. I did not know about them. I will start taping there also.
Here is Arkansas, CST, I tape it every Wednesday Morning at 2:00 A.M till 5:00 A.M. on TNT! Hope this helps! It is still the best show on TV Today, bar none. There is literally no better actor than Andy. I wonder what Andy was being paid per episode over the 12 year run? Does anybody know?
Thanks for the info about Court TV on Saturday and Sunday. I did not know about them. I will start taping there also.
Here is Arkansas, CST, I tape it every Wednesday Morning at 2:00 A.M till 5:00 A.M. on TNT! Hope this helps! It is still the best show on TV Today, bar none. There is literally no better actor than Andy. I wonder what Andy was being paid per episode over the 12 year run? Does anybody know?
NYPD Blue - 12 GREAT seasons
gregnky7 March 2006
I'm 54 years of age and of all the TV programs that I have seen (including Law & Order), NYPD Blue has to be the BEST. It rates up there with MASH but in a different category. I wish there was MORE. Everyone can learn from these 260+ episodes & be entertained at the same time. Watching TV is like shopping at Big Lotts; there are some "good stuff" there but hard to find. This is Great stuff! All of the characters that have come & gone over the years have been interesting. What could replace such a great show? I have gone back and started watching this series from the 1st season; great entertainment! Even the earlier episodes (1993) are not out-dated. The reruns of this series will continue for a long time, hopefully!! Thank you Dennis Franz, Gordon Clapp, Steven Bochoo, and David Milnch.
I wish I had Memory Loss So I Could Forget Ever Seeing it!
WYAdams24 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
After seeing s few episodes in reruns on cable, I wonder whyi warched it for as long as I did when it was new on network TV.
First, the characters have no qualities that engage the viewer. They speak in choppy sentences, always on the edge of blowing up at the slightest perceived provocation, real or not. There is absolutely nothing about their personal lives to engage the viewer.
Andy Sipowicz: What a waste of a human being. He is angry all the time. He cannot speak in anything but caustic tones, like he is always looking for a fight. In the real world, he would have been fired or even jailed for his brutality and abuse of police power. His romance with Sylvia Costas is improbable and borders on the ridiculous, unless she is masochistic and enjoys hanging out with an ignorant boorish excuse for a man.
Bobby Simone: Halfway decent guy, but not very interesting nor engaging. He could walk into a room stark naked and not attract a single look. His picture is in the dictionary under the word boring.
Greg Medavoy: He looks like the kid who got beat up and robbed of his lunch money in school every day. He is about as wimpy as it is possible to be and still have enough courage to go outside. He has zero qualities that would make viewers interested in his story.
Sylvia Costas: Completely unbelievable as a district attorney. Between her heavy ignorant sounding accent and her limited vocabulary, I would not want her to represent me. She looks like she ended up in the DA's office because her position at the bottom of her law school class did not qualify her for anyting else.
I could go on, but I think I have made my point. These are almost the worst characters I have ever seen in a police drama. And that is saying al ot considering shows like "The Rookie", "Hill Street Blues", and other losers.
First, the characters have no qualities that engage the viewer. They speak in choppy sentences, always on the edge of blowing up at the slightest perceived provocation, real or not. There is absolutely nothing about their personal lives to engage the viewer.
Andy Sipowicz: What a waste of a human being. He is angry all the time. He cannot speak in anything but caustic tones, like he is always looking for a fight. In the real world, he would have been fired or even jailed for his brutality and abuse of police power. His romance with Sylvia Costas is improbable and borders on the ridiculous, unless she is masochistic and enjoys hanging out with an ignorant boorish excuse for a man.
Bobby Simone: Halfway decent guy, but not very interesting nor engaging. He could walk into a room stark naked and not attract a single look. His picture is in the dictionary under the word boring.
Greg Medavoy: He looks like the kid who got beat up and robbed of his lunch money in school every day. He is about as wimpy as it is possible to be and still have enough courage to go outside. He has zero qualities that would make viewers interested in his story.
Sylvia Costas: Completely unbelievable as a district attorney. Between her heavy ignorant sounding accent and her limited vocabulary, I would not want her to represent me. She looks like she ended up in the DA's office because her position at the bottom of her law school class did not qualify her for anyting else.
I could go on, but I think I have made my point. These are almost the worst characters I have ever seen in a police drama. And that is saying al ot considering shows like "The Rookie", "Hill Street Blues", and other losers.
I Love It!
smrhyne30 July 2003
I had never seen NYPD Blue until the ninth season. Then I went back and watched all the reruns, starting from the first season. I have been hooked ever since. I taped all the the episodes and watched them every evening. Now I'm going back through the first season! As the stories unfolded, I found myself getting caught up in the stories and the lives of the characters. At the end of a hard day's work, I can always count on Andy Sipowicz to say something to make me laugh. What a great character! He runs the gamut of emotions and I find myself going there with him.I alternate between loving the guy and hating him! As an African-American, I sometimes rankle at his racist remarks. But I sometimes find myself agreeing with him when he makes remarks about other minorities, which has made me realize that I must be a racist too. I admire Andy because he is honest enough to voice his opinions and own up to his shortcomings. I have enjoyed each of Andy's partners. I feel that each one has brought something different to the show. But Jimmy Smits was my favorite and I was devastated when his character dies. But my favorite characters on the show are Greg Medavoy and John Irving, both underrated and underused on the show. One of my favorite episodes is "Israel", where a homeless deaf mute man was accused of killing a little boy. Andy was trying to find clues to the killing in the deaf man's Bible, but became so frustrated that he threw the Bible across the room. Later while trying to comfort the boy's mother, Andy picked the Bible up from the floor and started to read aloud from it. As he read over the hustle and bustle of the squadroom, a peace started to fall over all under the sound of his voice, himself included. It was a great moment,from a great scene from a great show.
The Bochco/Milch Creation of NYPD BLUE, sort of like their HILL STREET BLUES with Lots of "T's and A's". ( Lots more 'Swear Words' Too!! )
redryan6416 September 2007
Just one thing comes to mind. It is the Heart and Soul of NYPD BLUES, Detective Andy Sipowicz himself, Dennis Franz. Mr. Franz, a Native Born Chicagoan, had once said in an interview that Sipowicz was something like his 28th Cop portrayal in either Film or TV, and he ha some reservations about doing "another" when offered the part. Safe to say, that both he and we are glad that he took it.
This is a Creation & Production of Steven Bochco and David Milch (of HILL STREET BLUES fame). As far as series go, there are some family resemblances. For example both are set in Rust Belt Cities, as opposed to Sunny Southern California. They both use old Police Stations as the base of operation/staging. Both involve the multi-player ensemble cast for character driven story lines and for maintaining continuity.
And the strict monitoring of continuity is of utmost importance in this NYPD BLUE Series. Each episode is a work unto itself. There are a few out and out "to be continueds"(there are some), but even though the segments generally have self-contained stories, as far as crime goes, there are always little personal happenings and interactions that keep our eyes on the bigger picture, and by the way, keep us coming back for more.
The greatest difference is that New York City(obviously)is the setting for NYPD BLUES, where as HILL STREET was set in a fictional, un-named Northeastern Rust Belter that has a great resemblance to New York, Chicago, Clevelnd, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Buffalo,......etc.,etc.,..... So it has a certain advantage over other series.
On the one hand it reminds us of different real cities, so it has the best of both fictional and realistic settings and situations. But the plate of ideas is essentially unlimited.
NYPD BLUE, like most highly successful programs got over with the public by gimmicky bragging about "pushing the Envelope". The series, especially in the first few seasons, boasted of "Adult Content in Situations and Language, not intended for younger or more Sensitive Viewers. Parental Discretion Advised". Well, this is a certain method of getting viewers. Human Nature being what it is, a "Caution", or a "Warning", or an "Adults Only Rating" will surely pique interest of many who ordinarily do so.
It reminds one of a scene in the Marcello Mastroianni Starring Vehicle, DIVORCE Italian STYLE(1961). In it there is a scene of a Catholic Priest on the Pulpit at Sunday Mass, speaking out against the moral content of a Movie that is released and soon to be exhibited locally. The Good Padre rants, raves, gestures and condemns the film, literally to the High Heavens. The very next scene we see hundreds of Italians of the town running, carrying their own chairs to the movie theater, or whatever auditorium. It was a very funny and poignant way of pointing out a universal truth about mankind.
So Bochco,Milch & Company gave us some sort of strong language and mature content situations. They also gave us SEX, which we all know interests all and keeps us coming back for more. So, The Production Team gave us a nearly weekly rationing of "T's and A's" and a lot Peek-a-Boo, now you see it, now you don't naked silhouette shots. As the seasons dragged on, there was less of this, but it helped to inaugurate it and launch it into high orbit.
Like any long lasting, large casted drama series there would be a great turn over in characters. NYPD was certainly no exception, though there was also some real staying power & longevity by some players. Only the previously mentioned Det.Sipowicz(Dennis Franz)and Det.Greg Metavoy(Gordon Clapp)managed to stay on board for the whole ride, coast to coast. All tolled, Sipowicz had 4 partners; starting with Det. John Kelly(David Caruso), who desired other things in his career and left after one season. Det. Bobby Simone(Jimmy Smits)lasted longest, being on board 1994-2004. With Smits exit, Franz was finally given the very top of the billing.
After that Andy had some younger generation X-ers as partners. Ah, yes, Father Time and Mother Nature have decreed it. So Det.Danny Sorrensen(Rick Schroeder) had 1998-2001 and Det.John Clark, Jr.(Mark-Paul Gosselaar)was the closer 2001-2005.
James McDaniel who portrayed Lt.Arthur Fancy 1993-2001 deserves mention as the longest lasting boss in the series, being succeeded by Esai Morales(Lt.Tony Rodriguez)and finally Currie Graham(Lt.Thomas Bale).
It has been said that the Detective Andy Sipowicz character and story is a modern day version of The Book of JOB from the Old Testament, and a case could surely be made for it. He had lost partners(2 dead)his son killed in line of Duty and his wife A.D.A Sylvia Costas-Sipowicz(Sharon Lawrence)to a gun shot at the Precinct House. Therer were others, too.
This is a Creation & Production of Steven Bochco and David Milch (of HILL STREET BLUES fame). As far as series go, there are some family resemblances. For example both are set in Rust Belt Cities, as opposed to Sunny Southern California. They both use old Police Stations as the base of operation/staging. Both involve the multi-player ensemble cast for character driven story lines and for maintaining continuity.
And the strict monitoring of continuity is of utmost importance in this NYPD BLUE Series. Each episode is a work unto itself. There are a few out and out "to be continueds"(there are some), but even though the segments generally have self-contained stories, as far as crime goes, there are always little personal happenings and interactions that keep our eyes on the bigger picture, and by the way, keep us coming back for more.
The greatest difference is that New York City(obviously)is the setting for NYPD BLUES, where as HILL STREET was set in a fictional, un-named Northeastern Rust Belter that has a great resemblance to New York, Chicago, Clevelnd, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Buffalo,......etc.,etc.,..... So it has a certain advantage over other series.
On the one hand it reminds us of different real cities, so it has the best of both fictional and realistic settings and situations. But the plate of ideas is essentially unlimited.
NYPD BLUE, like most highly successful programs got over with the public by gimmicky bragging about "pushing the Envelope". The series, especially in the first few seasons, boasted of "Adult Content in Situations and Language, not intended for younger or more Sensitive Viewers. Parental Discretion Advised". Well, this is a certain method of getting viewers. Human Nature being what it is, a "Caution", or a "Warning", or an "Adults Only Rating" will surely pique interest of many who ordinarily do so.
It reminds one of a scene in the Marcello Mastroianni Starring Vehicle, DIVORCE Italian STYLE(1961). In it there is a scene of a Catholic Priest on the Pulpit at Sunday Mass, speaking out against the moral content of a Movie that is released and soon to be exhibited locally. The Good Padre rants, raves, gestures and condemns the film, literally to the High Heavens. The very next scene we see hundreds of Italians of the town running, carrying their own chairs to the movie theater, or whatever auditorium. It was a very funny and poignant way of pointing out a universal truth about mankind.
So Bochco,Milch & Company gave us some sort of strong language and mature content situations. They also gave us SEX, which we all know interests all and keeps us coming back for more. So, The Production Team gave us a nearly weekly rationing of "T's and A's" and a lot Peek-a-Boo, now you see it, now you don't naked silhouette shots. As the seasons dragged on, there was less of this, but it helped to inaugurate it and launch it into high orbit.
Like any long lasting, large casted drama series there would be a great turn over in characters. NYPD was certainly no exception, though there was also some real staying power & longevity by some players. Only the previously mentioned Det.Sipowicz(Dennis Franz)and Det.Greg Metavoy(Gordon Clapp)managed to stay on board for the whole ride, coast to coast. All tolled, Sipowicz had 4 partners; starting with Det. John Kelly(David Caruso), who desired other things in his career and left after one season. Det. Bobby Simone(Jimmy Smits)lasted longest, being on board 1994-2004. With Smits exit, Franz was finally given the very top of the billing.
After that Andy had some younger generation X-ers as partners. Ah, yes, Father Time and Mother Nature have decreed it. So Det.Danny Sorrensen(Rick Schroeder) had 1998-2001 and Det.John Clark, Jr.(Mark-Paul Gosselaar)was the closer 2001-2005.
James McDaniel who portrayed Lt.Arthur Fancy 1993-2001 deserves mention as the longest lasting boss in the series, being succeeded by Esai Morales(Lt.Tony Rodriguez)and finally Currie Graham(Lt.Thomas Bale).
It has been said that the Detective Andy Sipowicz character and story is a modern day version of The Book of JOB from the Old Testament, and a case could surely be made for it. He had lost partners(2 dead)his son killed in line of Duty and his wife A.D.A Sylvia Costas-Sipowicz(Sharon Lawrence)to a gun shot at the Precinct House. Therer were others, too.
A Classic If There Ever Was One
dskaff13 December 2019
The genius in acting, casting, and writing is unsurpassed. Unlike current Hollywood manufactured actors, the cast of NYPD Blue are truly talented actors. This is evidenced by the show's long running history. Being able to convey the high level of emotion to the viewers that this show does is a real credit to all involved in it's execution.
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