Lady Blue

THE MULTITUDE OF cop 'procedural' series that accumulated over the years, much like classical music, were done up with many variations on a single theme. Every Creator, Writer and Director tried his best in hitting the central tenet from a fresh, new angle.

THERE HAVE BEEN, of course, many series that featured females in law enforcement roles. POLICE WOMAN (Angie Dickenson), CAGNEY & LACEY (Tyne Daly, Sharon Gless)were both good examples of series that strictly highlighted the female gumshoes. More recent series included women in far more integrated work forces. HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET and the various branches of the LAW & ORDER family are good examples in this area.

WITH THE INCEPTION of this weeks disectee, LADY BLUE, we see yet another version of "Dragnet in High Heels."

AS AN EXAMPLE of this 'new' version of the police drama, we present the following: In one episode, set in a section of Chicago on Michigan Avenue known as 'the Magnificent Mile', the lead Detective Katy Mahoney (Jamie Rose), comes on a robbery in progress. Without informing the on-duty cops via the telephone, she foils the stick-up men solo.

BRANDISHING HER OWN .44 Magnum look-alike, she subdues the gang and in the process she looks like a sort of feminine version of DIRTY HARRY. This is the problem; for you just can't pull that one off! The very idea conjures up visions Clint Eastwood in drag!

EVEN OUR TWO grade school-aged daughters, Jenn (9) and Michelle (6) found this episode to be just a little too fantastic; though no better or worse than the other 13 hour-long shows.