The Men in  Blue, in Living Color and Prime Time
By Jay de Leon

These were not the best cop shows shown on TV by any standards. These are simply cop shows I remember watching and liking, for different reasons which I will try to explain. I saw many of these shows when they originally aired, and I have not seen them again in reruns or syndication, so I am going by memory on most of these. Again, they are simply evocative of that particular time when I turned to them for solace and pure entertainment.

I arranged the TV shows chronologically. I was trying to see if I could discern a pattern somewhere. Were the 50’s and 60’s shows whimsical, followed by more dramatic shows in the 70’s and 80’s, and now more high-tech and reality-driven shows in the 90’s and 2000’s?

Well, let’s reserve any conclusions until the end of the article. In the meantime, enjoy another trip down memory lane of cop shows. For purposes of this article, cop shows include shows about police, detectives, G-Men, undercover agents and I guess any law enforcement agent of any kind, whether straight drama or comedy.

Here they are, the men in blue, in living color and prime time, even cable at that.

M-SQUAD (1957-1960)
Starring Lee Marvin, Paul Newlan
Theme song: Theme from “M Squad” composed by Count Basie

An opening scene in “M Squad”

M-Squad was about a Chicago police squad formed to fight organized crime, led by Lt. Frank Ballinger (Lee Marvin).  This was one of the earliest cop shows I remember watching, and it was also one of the grittiest and most violent cop shows to mind.

Lee Marvin in “M Squad”

I remember one episode where Lee Marvin launches an attack on a house full of mobsters, and evens the odds by lobbing grenades into the house. I don’t think we will find that tactic anymore in any police manuals.

THE UNTOUCHABLES (1959-1963)
Starring Robert Stack, Narrated by Walter Winchell

Robert Stack (front, right) with cast of TV series “The Untouchables.”

The Untouchables was a landmark TV show, not just a cop show, for its realistic portrayal of the gangster era and the attendant violence. It chronicled the real life exploits of Eliot Ness (Robert Stack), head of the FBI, and his men in their fight to bring the Chicago mob to justice, including Al Capone, Frank Nitti (The Enforcer) and assorted hoods. The voice of Walter Winchell as the narrator added drama and urgency to the series.

87th PRECINCT (1961-1962)
Starring Robert Lansing, Norman Fell and Gena Rowlands

The cast of “87th Precinct” including Robert Lansing (extreme left) and Norman Fell (extreme right).

This series was based on the books and novels written by Ed McBain aka Evan Hunter, whose works have been adapted into movies and television. As in the novels, Manhattan’s 87th precinct provides the backdrop for this series, and the episodes are grim and gritty police drama, with the detectives’ personal lives thrown in the mix. The series had a solid cast, was well received by the critics and had a popular following, but inexplicably did not last long.

THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.  (1964-1968)
Starring Robert Vaughn, David McCallum and Leo G. Carroll

Robert Vaughn (left) and David McCallum in “The Man from U.N.C.L.E”

As agents of U.N.C.L.E with the improbable names of Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin, Robert Vaughn and David McCallum portrayed two agents out to save the world. This series is probably the first TV spoof of the James Bond movies, foreshadowing the same genre’ like Get Smart and Wild Wild West.

In fact, Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond books, was hired as consultant for this series. This series received a tremendous boost with the showing of two James Bond movies during its run. The first two seasons were straightforward action adventure for the two heroes, but the series turned to humor and campiness in the third season and lost significant viewership.

HAWAII FIVE-O (1968-1980)
Starring Jack Lord, James MacArthur, Richard Denning and Khigh Dhiegh
Theme Song: “Hawaii Five-O” by Morton Stevens, recorded by The Ventures.

Filmed on location, Hawaii Five-O was the longest running cop show on television. Hawaii Five-O was an elite investigative unit that reported to the governor of Hawaii. It was headed by the uncompromising Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord), ably assisted by Det. Danny Williams (James MacArthur) and the Five-O crew. Of course the real stars of Hawaii Five-O were Jack Lord and the gorgeous beaches and scenery of Hawaii.

Jack Lord in “Hawaii Five-O”

Jack Lord will probably be always remembered as Steve McGarett, but he was much more than that.  He starred in several movies, including Goldfinger (1994) as CIA agent Felix Leiter, directed several episodes of his show, and was in several Broadway productions.  An accomplished artist and a cultured man, he grew to love Hawaii and lived a reclusive life in Honolulu until his death in 1998.

POLICE STORY (1973-1977)
An Anthology. Recurring roles : Tony LoBianco, Don Meredith, Joe Santos

In my opinion, all the so-called reality cop shows today owe their genesis to this series, which was based on the writings of Joseph Wambaugh, a former Los Angeles cop. Against the backdrop of fighting crime in the streets of Los Angeles, the segments delved into policemen’s emotions and innermost feelings, as well as psychological problems brought on by pressures of the job.

Joe Santos

The series was an anthology, without any lead actors. A few actors who appeared in the series include Bert Convy, Charles Dierkop, Joseph Campanella, Don Meredith, Tony LoBianco, and Joe Santos. This series received wide critical acclaim and Emmy nominations for Outstanding Dramatic Series every year during its run. It also produced two police drama spin-offs, Police Woman and Joe Forrester.

POLICEWOMAN (1974-1978)
Starring Angie Dickinson, Earl Holliman, Charles Dierkopf

Angie Dickinson in the TV series “Police Woman.”

This series was a spin-off from Police Story, only sexier because of gorgeous Angie Dickinson but retaining the edge of Police Story. She played Sgt. Pepper Anderson, an undercover agent for the criminal conspiracy department of the Los Angeles Police Department, reporting to Lt. Bill Crowley (Holliman). Angie Dickinson gave a riveting performance, walking a fine line between portraying a sexy, sassy, liberated and beautiful divorcee, and realistically depicting the life of a police woman.

BARETTA ((1975-1978)
Starring Robert Blake, Antonio Fargas, Tom Ewell, Lala the bird
Theme song :  Keep Your Eye On the Sparrow

Robert Blake and cockatoo friend in “Baretta.”

In the light of current events, I guess we would all love to watch this series again and see if the dark side of Robert Blake was reflected in the offbeat character of Baretta. In Baretta, Robert Blake played Anthony Vincenzo “Tony” Baretta , a single, streetwise plainclothes cop with the 53rd precinct. His support system included Fred, his pet cockatoo and Rooster, a fancy-dressed, jiving pimp, played by Antonio Fargas. His trademark catchphrase was, “And that’s the name of that tune.”

In 2001, Robert Blake was charged with murder in the shooting death of his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley. On March 16, 2005, a jury acquitted Robert Blake of those charges.

HILL STREET BLUES (1981-1987)
Starring Daniel J. Travanti, Veronica Hammel, Dennis Franz, Ed Marinaro, Betty Thomas, Michael Warren, Bruce Weitz, James Sikking
Theme music : Hill Street Blues, by Mike Post

Cast of “Hill Street Blues”

The producers of Hill Street Blues wanted a blend of Barney Miller (a comedy cop show) and the anthology Police Story. Set in the Hill Street station, each episode featured a day in the life of the station, from the early morning roll call to a late-night rehash of the day’s events, usually by Captain Frank Furillo, head of the unit, and Joyce Davenport, his secret lover and later wife.

Hill Street Blues perfected the franchise cop show, interweaving professional and personal conflicts between its characters, and crime-busting techniques, serial story lines and individual episodic action. Hill Street Blues was a ratings and critical success, winning four straight Emmys as Outstanding Drama Series, and was hailed as revolutionizing the cop show, paving the way for shows like NYPD Blue, Homicide and Law and Order.

MIAMI VICE (1984-1989)
Starring Don Johnson, Michael Phillip Thomas, Edward James Olmos, Saundra Santiago, Olivia Brown, Michael Talbot, and John Diehl
Theme Song : “Miami Vice” Theme by Jan Hammer

The cast of Miami Vice.

Miami Vice was an immediate hit when it came out, fusing Miami’s drug subculture, pastel colors, fast cars, Jan Hammer’s pulsating techno music, and Don Johnson’s sockless wardrobe into a Michael Mann glitzy masterpiece.

Don Johnson played Detective Sonny Crockett of the Miami Metro-Dade Police “Vice” Department, whose crew included Michael Phillip Thomas as his partner, and Edward James Olmos as the straight-laced department boss.

Considered innovative for its time, it used fashion, color, varied musical selection and international locale (mostly Latin American and Caribbean backdrops) to highlight the dramatic undercurrent of the action or emotion it was portraying.

Despite its glitzy look, its content was mostly dark and despairing, with episodes on drugs wars in South America, child trafficking, and police corruption. Miami Vice set the tone for further evolution of police drama, influencing shows like Crime Story, NYPD Blue and The Shield.

CRIME STORY (1986-1988)
Starring Dennis Farina, Anthony Denison, and John Santucci
Theme Song : “Runaway” by Del Shannon

Dennis Farina (right) and Anthony Ray Denison in “Crime Story.”

This series, set in the 1960’s Chicago and Las Vegas, featured Dennis Farina, a real life cop turned actor, as Lieutenant Michael Torello of the Chicago Police Department. As head of its Major Crime Unit, he tries to stop street hood Ray Luca (Denison) in his ruthless climb up the ladder of organized crime.

Sometimes described as hard-edge noir TV, it lost its grittiness and compelling charm when it moved to Las Vegas from Chicago. You can still watch Dennis Farina nowadays flashing his badge in New York in the TV series Law and Order replacing veteran actor Jerry Ohrback who died recently.

NYPD BLUE (1993 – 2005)
Starring Dennis Franz, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Henry Simmons, Jacqueline Obradors, Gordon Clapp, and Bonnie Somerville

Cast of “NYPD Blue.”

With only Dennis Franz left from the original ensemble, NYPD Blue finally aired its final episode in 2005 after a long, successful run. The series survived the departure of several lead actors (David Caruso, Jimmy Smits, James McDaniel) and lead actresses (Kim Delaney, Amy Brenneman, Gail O’Grady) who mostly moved on to other projects.

Nevertheless, all gave gripping performances and enthralling stories of their police work in the precinct as well as their personal lives, touching on current issues of the day including homosexuality, alcoholism, racism, suicide, single parenting and other social issues.

THE SHIELD (2002-Present)
Starring Michael Chiklis, Benito Martinez, Catherine Dent, CCH Pounder

The Shield features an elite Strike Team headed by Det. Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) which is effective but corrupt, and their captain, David Aceveda (Benito Martinez) who is conflicted between bringing down the rogue cops and advancing his own political ambitions. Probably the grittiest cop show to date, the show exposes the human face of law enforcement—female cops, gay cops, minority cops, as well as the sleazy side of law enforcement—dirty cops, rogue cops, vigilante cops .

The cast of “The Shield” led by Michael Chiklis
(middle, with badge on his belt).

The message seems to be, you have to be as violent, twisted and as sleazy as the perps to get the upper hand. Since this show airs on cable, the violence is much more graphic and the language cruder than prime time shows. Shown on the FX Network, this show is reported to have a bigger fan base that rivals regular prime time programs like CSI:Miami. Two veteran actors have been added to the original line-up--Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction) in 2005 and Forest Whitaker in 2006.

CSI : MIAMI (2002-Pres)
Starring David Caruso, Emily Procter, Adam Rodriguez, Khandi Alexander, Sofia Milos, Jonathan Togo and Rory Cochrane
Theme Song : “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who

The cast of “CSI: Miami” from left to right,
Khandi Alexander, Rory Cochrane, David Caruso,
Emily Procter, and Adam Rodriguez.

CSI: Miami of course spun off CSI : Crime Scene Investigation which had taken forensic science to dizzying heights in Las Vegas. Now Lieutenant Horatio Caine (DavidCaruso) leads his own team of hot-shot crime scene investigators through Florida with its causeways and marshes, Cuban culture, pulsating music, throbbing nightlife and drug subculture so reminiscent of Miami Vice. In addition to the cop action, this show turns me on because I am a techno-nerd at heart, and I have a thing for Miami

Although I like William Petersen of the original CSI, I like Caruso more because sometimes he is more Eliot Ness than a lead criminologist. As to which body to put under a microscope, it is probably a toss-up between Jorja Fox and Emily Procter. I like Gary Sinise as an actor, but his CSI: New York series is too dreary and analytical.