Reviews & Ratings for
"Dark Blue" More at IMDbPro »

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55 out of 68 people found the following review useful:
Now This Is A Winner, 16 July 2009

Author: killer1h from United States

This is a undercover cop show that truly takes action where its supposed to be, right back to the streets.

Carter is the head of an undercover unit of cops that are more like rogues then cops which is exactly what is needed to get the job done. False identities, resumes, all the perks you would have if you were put undercover the right way, he works entirely off the grid which makes his job both easier and harder.

This show brings to light a lot of elements which a lot of cop shows seem to miss. First and foremost they have a solid cast, people who really know what criminals/UC's would act like. Second the stories bring the characters to life making you want to both sympathize and yet see the reality of their situations. Finally there's an element mystery around every episode which makes this the show to watch. I give it a solid 10/10 for having all the key elements to a good show.

34 out of 44 people found the following review useful:
real potential, 9 August 2009
Author: smfilm from United States

internet haters crawl out of the woodwork on this one... wow, maybe they should watch more than 5 minutes of something before they write a comment....

most of the TV series that have been most engrossing for me have been tough to get in sync with, then after a couple of episodes, I save em on tivo and am a devoted fan for years... Dark Blue is one of these..

It's imperfect as most are, cramming a case per episode is a little contrary to the serious nature of the delivery and feels rushed for example... but everything else is spot on... the actors do themselves great credit with interesting and fresh delivery of a overdone genre...

Well shot, well acted, a better emotional hook than other TV crime shows.. can't wait to see it through.....

EDIT: Season 2 update....

With Season 2 well under way and the addition of Battlestar Galactica alumni Tricia Helfer, Dark Blue has really taken off. Season long subplot arcs have been added and it puts the show over the edge for a long run. It truly feels like a great show now...

26 out of 42 people found the following review useful:
A PG-13 version of The Shield..., 16 July 2009

Author: letterblush from United States

I'm always wary of any production that has Jerry Bruckheimer attached to it - I never know if things will turn out for the best (CSI: Las Vegas) or for the worst (Transformers 2). When I heard Dylan McDermott was going to star, I decided to give the pilot a chance...and I'm glad I did.

The show centers around Lt. Shaw's (McDermott) undercover unit, comprised of himself and two other cops, Curtis (Hardwick) and Bendis (Marshall-Green). Along the way, Shaw recruits a bright-eyed street cop with a dubious past, Allen (Aycox). The unit walks the line between committing felonies that could land them in jail for a considerable amount of time and nailing the criminal enterprises they have infiltrated.

The writing is sharp, if a little predictable when it comes to the "Federal Bureau of Intimidation," but the show works. I hope it becomes serialized like 24 and The Shield, and not procedural like NYPD Blue, as I think that'll give the show more of a chance to delve into the psychology of what it takes to be an undercover cop and remain the person you were when you entered into a cover.

All in all, a good start with a lot of potential. I hope they focus on the characters as much as they do on plot in the episodes to come.

8/10

12 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
the best cop show ever made, 4 August 2010

Author: miketaylor2007 from Canada

Dark Blue truly takes these cop shows to a whole other level. I have always found the CSI, Law & Order type series to be so dreadfully boring they could actually put me to sleep. Dark Blue makes you feel more like you are watching a movie then a series which is a unique experience. We don't have to wait 45 minutes out of the hour for only a few minutes of action and gun fire because it's always happening and they keep you interested. Unlike focusing on the typical investigate this investigate that Dark Blue is all about a deep undercover unit hitting the streets and putting themselves right into the action. The cops are the ones who are actually committing the crimes so they can make that next bust. Save the put me to sleep and do some paper work garbage for CSI I promise you this one is a big hit and will keep you entertained. I would like to add that this review only applied to season 1. Unfortunately the show took a wrong direction for season 2 resulting in an epic fail and cancel. Everything I said that lacked in the typical cop series is what they applied to season 2. It's a shame because they really had something great here.

25 out of 43 people found the following review useful:
The case-by-the-week format is ALL WRONG!!!!, 18 July 2009
Author: Tyranthian from United States

This format works for other shows like NYPD Blue, CSI, Law & Order, etc. but I think it really limits a cop show about undercover police officers. Even more so because "Dark Blue" also promises to focus regularly on the characters' personal lives. I don't see how they can do this effectively if they rush through each and every episode. The pilot episode felt so rushed that I felt as if I could hardly keep up with what was happening. The Franzine character, who according to Detective Shaw was "a jack of all trades", could've easily lasted for several more episodes before being wiped out. The writing and the dialog seemed off! I hope the writers realize they can cover a lot more ground with story lines and characters by stretching things out a little.

8 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Sleek and gritty - A new kind of cop show., 31 October 2009

Author: keefus-1 from United Kingdom

When I first sat down to watch this show I was expecting another formulaic, "fast and loose with the rules but always just on the right side of the line" cop show. I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised.

Dark Blue is indeed refreshingly dark; the characters are predictably tortured souls with an interesting mix of personalities and histories that add to the depth of the plot lines, they are all superbly written and acted to the degree that sometimes the plot becomes something of a happenstance as we follow the personal journeys of the protagonists.

the plots themselves have all been seen before in numerous guises, but Dark Blue puts a new and slightly twisted slant on them that can fool you into thinking that you have never seen them before, but it is worth remembering that the case is not really the important thing here; it is what the case does to the characters that defines the show.

All in all, I would recommend this show to anyone who wants to watch a new and gritty take on a genre that has not yet been pushed to these limits.

2 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Wanna-be critics get off Timothy Hutton!, 25 October 2009
Author: lisadope from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

You know, I never watched TNT prior to dark blue, too much hype. Then here comes the first show on the station with some actual depth in all areas and not some quirky Monk style lead character, and it's being largely panned by audiences from what I'm reading. People think it's too dark? ( implied in title, duh. ) Go watch The Disney Channel. I was very impressed with season one of Dark Blue and was especially taken in by the emotion, extreme character depth and the many unexpected sub-plots that were set up for future episodes. It seems the show has the potential to carry on a number of entertaining story lines for seasons to come. Perhaps the show would have done better on a station more geared to it's genre. Long live Dark Blue. Oh, and if Christian Slater's 'My Own Worst Enemy' can get a DVD release, this show has earned that at the very least.

5 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
As if The Wire had never been made, 26 December 2010

Author: donita51 from Israel

I started watching the pilot, and after a few minutes got the gist of it - tough-talking cops, bad guys all bluster, girls all pretty and big- chested, drums-filled music to signal approach of meaningful sequences, bad guys shooting at front window (reinforced) of empty cars, head cop taking off his glasses to show compassionate care for his crew, blonde girl cop calling her boss on the phone, saying "it's me" without identifying herself (I can do that trick too), and worst of all - the action AGAIN taking place in Los Angeles, a city which should have already been empty of all its occupants for all the murders and killings TV tells us are happening there (I guess it's cheaper to shoot on location there, for i'ts obvious the city is just an offshoot of the studios as there is no other seeming reason for its existence).

Haven't the makers of this terrible waste seen The Wire? Has laziness to think up fresh approaches to police series taken over completely? I would have given this show a straight 0 had I been allowed to. As it is I am thinking of suing the makers for the hour I have wasted and which I am never getting back.

And BTW, I gave it another shot - tried to watch the second episode but lost all interest after 15 minutes. Please don't bring this back...

4 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Please do not tell me this show will be re-newed., 17 December 2009

Author: Angelus2 from United Kingdom

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

A LAPD cop runs a task force that goes deep undercover...I mean deep...So deep that the line of what is right and wrong is blurred to the point that there is no coming back...(Hang on a second)....I swear that's the plot for Miami Vice...

I barely got through the pilot and I have to say, there is far too much to forgive...I like cop shows...I like the undercover aspect...I like action..But this is just....It's the 80's Miami Vice show that has no place in todays world...I mean even Miami Vice evolved with the underrated but amazing 2006 reboot.

None of the actors do any justice to the corny lines and the characters...I've read comments were people have said that it's totally realistic...C'mon, don't make me laugh. Another excessive violent cop show without a good solid story line...

13 out of 30 people found the following review useful:
DARK BLUE picks up where New York Undercover left off, 17 July 2009

Author: Blacquereighn from United States

First off, I'd like to know how you guys were able to swipe the name I had registered for the last eight years! :) Secondly,I'd like to say congrats to your writers and actors for putting together a nice piece of work. Dark Blue clearly defines the fine line between what an 'undercover' and a 'plainclothes'cop. Most of your viewers will catch on if they haven't already. Although you've taken police genre in a new direction, I've seen several flaws in some of the action scenes. I know this because I'm an ex-NYPD undercover cop. I wonder how much more gritty your show would be if you infused outside help from someone who's actually been a real 'undercover'. Click here: Welcome to Derek Wright Associates

Great start!

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