"The Job" (2001) TV series 2001-2002

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Creators:

Denis Leary
Peter Tolan

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

14 March 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Plot:

New York detective Mike McNeil is well-known for his unconventional approach of fighting crime. But it also takes a toll in his personal life complicated by his wife and girlfriend on the side.

Plot Keywords:

Irish American | Nypd | Black Comedy | Police | New York City

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Denis Leary	...	Mike McNeil (19 episodes, 2001-2002)
Lenny Clarke	...	Frank Harrigan (19 episodes, 2001-2002)
Bill Nunn	...	Terrence 'Pip' Phillips (19 episodes, 2001-2002)
Diane Farr	...	Jan Fendrich (19 episodes, 2001-2002)
Adam Ferrara	...	Tommy Manetti (19 episodes, 2001-2002)
John Ortiz	...	Ruben Somarriba / ... (19 episodes, 2001-2002)
Julian Acosta	...	Al Rodriguez (19 episodes, 2001-2002)
Karyn Parsons	...	Toni (8 episodes, 2001-2002)

Runtime:

30 min | USA:30 min (19 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Clinton Diner, Maspeth, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

ABC Entertainment

Trivia:

After the series was cancelled, the remaining wardrobe was sold to the wardrobe department of In the Cut (2003) for $400.

Quotes:

Jan Fendrich: So what is it about the idea of two women having sex that's such a turn on for guys?
Mike McNeill: Well, it's like the idea of one woman having sex, only... it's two.
Jan Fendrich: Oh, well, thanks for clearing that up.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Comedy Central Roast of Denis Leary (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

It's Bad You Know

Series Defied Classification

This short lived half hour lasted for parts of two seasons. It has been called a Sitcom, but was it really? It had no added sound laugh track. It was not filmed in front of a live audience in order to get their reaction. All incidents portrayed, although some what exaggerated, could occur in one of our big cities.

The attitudes and interaction of characters were the greatest source of both the laughs and the heart of the stories. The characters ranged from being manic (Leary's character) to very lazy, as portrayed by the old,kinda paunchy detective. Whereas Leary was high strung and even overloaded in his life, the other guy would avoid work at all costs.

In our favourite episode, the older detective and his partner are wrapped up in trying to dump off a corpse that they think was dragged into their precinct by an equally lazy but highly conniving detective named Fennessey from an adjacent precinct.

Leary's Detective was burning the candle at both ends.He was high strung, edgy. It didn't take much to get his 'Irish' up.(loose his temper) He was married with family, but also had a girlfriend on the side. He exercised to keep in shape, yet was a chain smoker. It looked as though he was headed for a heart attack. It was only a matter of time.

But,alas! The network intervened and we can only wonder what was in store for this Detective Squad. "THE JOB" got the ax and has not been seen in re-runs or video since. It's too bad. A lot of cops* said the series was closer to real life than one would have thought.

* The author (now retired) is a 34 year veteran of the Chicago Police Department.He served his time in some of the most impoverished,crime ridden neighborhoods in the country, as well as in the Central Business District (The Loop). During his career he was assigned to Patrol Division, Traffic Division, Youth Division and The Missing Persons Bureau of The Detective Division.