Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Genre | Police procedural |
Created by | |
Starring | |
Theme music composer | Mike Post |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No.of seasons | 7 |
No.of episodes | 146(list of episodes) |
Production | |
Production locations | Republic Studios,Los Angeles, California |
Running time | 49 minutes |
Production company | MTM Enterprises |
Original release | |
Network | NBC |
Release | January 15, 1981 May 12, 1987 | –
Related | |
Beverly Hills Buntz |
Hill Street Bluesis an Americanserialpolice proceduraltelevision series that aired onNBCin prime-time from January 15, 1981,[1]to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes.[2]The show chronicles the lives of the Metropolitan Police Department staff of a single police station located on Hill Street in an unnamed large U.S. city. The "blues" are the police officers in their blue uniforms.
The show received critical acclaim, and its production innovations influenced many subsequent dramatic television series produced in the United States and Canada and has been widely regarded by many as one of the greatest television shows of all time.[3][4][5][6][7]In1981,the series won eightEmmy Awards,a debut season record surpassed only byThe West Wing,in2000.The show won a total of 26 Emmy Awards (out of 98 Emmy Award nominations) during its run, including four consecutive wins forOutstanding Drama Series.
Background
[edit]MTM Enterprisesdeveloped the series on behalf of NBC, appointingSteven Bochcoand Michael Kozoll as series writers.[8]The writers were allowed the freedom to create a series that brought together a number of fresh ideas in TV drama. Each episode featured intertwined storylines, some of which were resolved within the episode, with others developing throughout a season.[9]The conflicts between the work lives and private lives of the characters were also significant.[10][11]
The series featured a strong focus on the workplace struggle between what is right and what works. Television author John Javna described it as "a cop show for theBig Chillgeneration, discovering that it takes all of their energy to keep even a few of their ideals alive while they struggle to succeed. "[12]
Almost every episode began with a pre-credit sequence (orteaser) consisting of (mission) briefing androll callto start the day shift. From season three on, a "Previously on..." montage of clips of up to six episodes preceded the roll call. AuthorSteven Johnsonwrote of the importance to viewers of each episode's roll calls, saying that they "performed a crucial function, introducing some of the primary threads and providing helpful contextual explanations for them."[13]Also, almost all episodes took place over the course of a single day, many concluding with Capt. Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) and public defender Joyce Davenport (Veronica Hamel) in a domestic situation, often in bed, discussing how their respective days went.[9]The series dealt with real-life issues and employed professional jargon and slang to a greater extent than had been seen before on television.[14]
Each week after roll call, from Season 1 until Michael Conrad's death, partway through Season 4, Sgt. Phil Esterhaus would say, "Let's be careful out there."[15]Sgt. Lucy Bates continued the tradition through the end of Season 4, as a tribute to Conrad. From Season 5 until most of Season 6, Sgt. Stan Jablonski concluded his roll calls with, "Let's go out there and do it to them before they do it to us."[9]At one point, at the suggestion of Det. Mayo, Jablonski softened this to "Let's do our job before they do theirs." From then on, the show changed directions and conclusions (and even roll calls) were dropped.
Production
[edit]Hill Street Bluesemployed what was, at that time, a unique style of camera usage for weeknight television productions, such as filming close in with action cuts rapidly between stories. Rather than studio (floor) cameras, handhelds were used to enhance this style.[16] Overheard, off-screen dialogue aurally-augmented the "documentary"feel with respect to the filmed action of a scene.[17][18]
Although primarily filmed inLos Angeles(both on location and at CBS Studio Center inStudio City), the series is set in a generic unnamed inner-city location with a feel of a U.S. urban center in theMidwestorNortheast.Bochco reportedly intended this fictional city to be a hybrid ofChicago,Buffalo,andPittsburgh.The show's opening and closing and cut-scenes were filmed in Chicago.[19]
The program's focus on failure and those at the bottom of the social scale is pronounced, in contrast to Bochco's later projectL.A. Law.Inspired bypolice proceduraldetective novels such asEd McBain's 1956Cop Hater,the show has been described asBarney Millerout of doors. The focus on the bitter realities of 1980s urban living was revolutionary for its time.
The theme music forHill Street Blueswas written byMike Post,featuringLarry Carltonon guitar.[20]It was released as a single and became a major US hit, reaching #10 on theBillboardHot 100in November 1981, winning theGrammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
Seasons
[edit]This sectionrelies largely or entirely on asingle source.(June 2018) |
Pilot:Brandon Tartikoffcommissioned a series fromMTM Productions,which assigned Bochco and Kozoll to the project. The pilot was produced in 1980, but was held back as a mid-season replacement so as not to get lost among the other programs debuting in the fall of 1980.Barbara Bosson,who was married to Bochco, had the idea to fashion the series into four- or five-episodestory "arcs".Robert Butlerdirected the pilot and developed a look and style inspired by the 1977 documentaryThe Police Tapes,in which filmmakers used handheld cameras to follow police officers in theSouth Bronx.[21]
Season 1:The pilot aired on Thursday, January 15, 1981, at 10:00 pm, which would be the show's time slot for nearly its entire run. The second episode aired two nights later; the next week followed a similar pattern (episode 3 on Thursday, episode 4 on Saturday). NBC had ordered 13 episodes and the season was supposed to end on May 25 with a minor cliffhanger (the resolution of Sgt. Esterhaus' wedding). Instead, growing critical acclaim prompted NBC to order an additional four episodes to air during theMay sweeps.Bochco and Kozoll quickly fashioned this into a new story arc, which aired as two two-hour episodes to close the season. In the first season's original ending, Officer Joe Coffey (Ed Marinaro) is shot dead during a vehicle stop. However, later on the producers decided that Coffey should remain, so the scene was edited to show him being seriously wounded and taken to a hospital. (The character would eventually be killed in the sixth season.) This echoes the shooting and resurrection of Renko and Hill at the beginning of the season, providing unintentional thematic bookends to the first season.
In early episodes, the opening theme had several clearly audible edits; this was replaced by a longer, unedited version partway through the second season. The end credits for the pilot differed from the rest of the series in that the background still shot of the station house was completely different. Ranking 87th out of 96 shows, it became the lowest-rated program ever renewed for a second season at the time. However, it was only renewed for ten episodes. A full order was picked up partway through the season.[citation needed]
Season 2:A writers strike pushed the start of the season forward to October 29, meaning that only 18 episodes were completed that year. Kozoll was now listed as a consultant, signifying his diminished role in the show. He later stated he was already feeling burnt out, and in fact was relying more on car chases and action to fill the scripts. A less muted version of the closing theme was played over the end credits.
Season 3:Kozoll left the show at the end of season two, replaced for the most part byAnthony Yerkovich(who later createdMiami Viceafter leavingHill Street Bluesat the end of this season) andDavid Milch.This was the show's most popular season in terms of viewership, as it finished at #21. This was also the birth of "Must See TV",as the show was joined byCheers,TaxiandFame.The network promoted Thursdays as "the best night of television on television." Michael Conrad was increasingly absent from the show due to his ongoing, and ultimately unsuccessful, battle with cancer.[citation needed]
Season 4:Following his death on November 22, 1983, Michael Conrad's final appearance was broadcast halfway through the season in February 1984 in a memorable send-off episode, "Grace Under Pressure".Det. Harry Garibaldi (Ken Olin) was introduced at the end of the season as a temporary replacement for Det. J.D. LaRue (Kiel Martin) who was supposedly suffering frommononucleosis.The show won its fourth and final Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series this season.[citation needed]
Season 5:The show changed drastically this season, entering a somewhat "soap opera-ish" period according to Bochco. New characters included Sgt. Stanislaus Jablonski (Robert Prosky) and Det. Patsy Mayo (Mimi Kuzyk). Det. Garibaldi was now a regular, while Fay Furillo became a full-time member of the squad room as a victim's advocate. Bochco was dismissed at season's end by then-MTM President Arthur Price. The firing was due to Bochco's cost overruns, coupled with the fact that the show had achieved the 100-episode milestone needed to successfully syndicate it.[citation needed]
Betty Thomaswon an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series this season. However, at the awards ceremony,Barry Bremen,aka "The Great Imposter", rushed the stage ahead of Thomas and claimed she was unable to attend. He then claimed the award and left the stage, confusing viewers and robbing Thomas of her moment in the sun, although she returned and spoke after the ad break. PresenterPeter Gravessuggested that the imposter was "on his way to the cooler."[citation needed]
Season 6:Major changes occurred as Det. Mayo, Det. Garibaldi, Lt. Ray Calletano (René Enríquez), Fay Furillo (Barbara Bosson) and Officer Leo Schnitz (Robert Hirschfeld) were all phased out at the start of the season, and Joe Coffey left near the end. The sole addition was Lt. Norman Buntz, played byDennis Franz,who had played a different character, the corrupt "bad guy" Detective Sal Benedetto, in several season 3 episodes. Buntz and Benedetto weredoppelgängers.Peter Jurasikplayed a new recurring character ( "Sid the Snitch" ), who often teamed with Buntz. In a 1992 interview onLater with Bob Costas,Ken Olin claimed these characters were removed so the new show-runners would receive royalties.[further explanation needed]Bosson's departure, however, was voluntary. She left after a salary conflict with the new executive producer who, according to the actress, had also wanted her character, Fay, to go back to being a shrewish "thorn in her ex-husband's side".[22]
The season premiere opened with a roll call filled with officers never before seen on the show, briefly fooling viewers into thinking the entire cast had been replaced. It was then revealed that this was, in fact, the night shift. The action then cut to the day shift pursuing their after-work activities. Another unique episode from this season explained through flashbacks how Furillo and Davenport met and fell in love. This was the first season that Travanti and Hamel were not nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor/Actress in a Drama Series.[citation needed]
Season 7:Up until now, each episode of the series started with the morning roll call. Episodes from season 7 break away from tradition, showing characters at home or working. The roll call becomes a minor part of the beginning. Some episodes do not show roll call at all.
Officer Patrick Flaherty (Robert Clohessy) and Officer Tina Russo (Megan Gallagher) joined this season in an attempt to rekindle the Bates/Coffey relationship of years past. Stan Jablonski became a secondary character part way through this season, and when Travanti announced he would not return the next year, the producers decided to end the show in 1987. The program was also moved to Tuesday nights almost midway through the season after nearly six years to make way forL.A. Lawon Thursdays.[citation needed]During this season the show featured the first lesbian recurring character on a major network; the character was police officer Kate McBride, played byLindsay Crouse.[23]
This was the only season thatBruce Weitz(Det. Mick Belker) was not nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Only Betty Thomas was nominated, making her the sole member of the cast to be nominated in all seasons. This was the only season for which the show was not nominated for Outstanding Drama Series.[citation needed]
Broadcast history and Nielsen ratings
[edit]Years after the show had run, Daniel J. Travanti commented: "NBC tried their best to get rid of us, and heaven knows why. They did their best to destroy us and only ordered 13 episodes — that's how confident they weren't. And when did they put us on the air? Jan. 15, 17, 22 and 24. That's disgustingly destructive, stupid and idiotic. There aren't words strong enough. You put us on the air for four episodes that are thrown away in nine days? People barely saw us. What the f--k was that? Everyone was up in arms and screaming at NBC, and NBC was screaming at them. If they had dumpedHill Street Bluesthey would've been called the idiots of all time. Their being in that weak position worked in our favor — but also threatened us all the time. "[1]
Season | Timeslot[24] | Ratings |
---|---|---|
1 (1980–1981) | Thursdays at 10:00 p.m.(January 15–22, 1981) Saturdays at 10:00 p.m.(January 17 – March 21, 1981) Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m.(May 19–26, 1981) |
#87 |
2 (1981–1982) | Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. | #28 |
3 (1982–1983) | #23 | |
4 (1983–1984) | #32 | |
5 (1984–1985) | #27 | |
6 (1985–1986) | #33 | |
7 (1986–1987) | Thursdays at 10:00 p.m.(October 2 – November 27, 1986) Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m.(December 2, 1986 – February 10, 1987) Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m.(March 3 – May 12, 1987) |
#42 |
The series later aired in reruns onTV Land,Bravo,AmericanLife TV,andNuvoTV.It ran for several years, from September 2015, on theHeroes & Iconsnetwork. Seasons one through seven can also be viewed onHuluandStar.Season three can be viewed as streaming video on commercial sites and is also available in many countries from Channel 4 on YouTube.[citation needed]
Setting
[edit]Series producers deliberately left the exact city in which the series was set vague and a variety of methods are employed to imply different general locations. The call letters of local TV stations were usually obscured to avoid showing whether they began with"W"(theFederal Communications Commissiondesignation for stations east of the Mississippi River) or"K"(signifying a station west of the Mississippi River). An episode in season three specifically mentions a radio station of WDPD, suggesting a city east of the Mississippi. However, in bar scenes throughout the series, characters are frequently shown drinking bottles of beer that strongly resembleCoors Beer.Coors did not obtain national distribution until 1986, and as a result of national distribution laws was not available east of the Mississippi until that year, implying the location is west of the Mississippi.
Though most of the series' scenes were filmed inLos Angeles(on location and atCBS Studio CenterinStudio City),[25]the series' introduction shows exterior shots entirely ofChicagoandcutaway shotsfrom Chicago were used in production, with police cars resembling the color schemes ofChicago Police Departmentpatrol vehicles.[26]Chicago's7th District Police Stationis frequently shown in cutaway shots and also during the closing credits.[27]This station was closed by the Chicago Police in 1998 and later repurposed as the headquarters for theUniversity of Illinois at Chicagopolice.
The first episode of season three shows both a TV camera labeled "WREQ", and a shot of aRegional Transportation Authoritysuburban train arriving at the Chicago and North Western Terminal. However, in the penultimate episode of season 2, a street sign forLos Angeles Street– a thoroughfare in downtown Los Angeles – is visible outside the fictitious Hotel Doane.
There are several mentions through the series of characters going down to "the shore", which implies a lake or oceanfront setting. One indication of setting within the show was given by the Southern-accented character Officer Andy Renko when he stated in the season one episode "Politics as Usual": "Just drop that cowboy stuff. I was born in New Jersey, never been west of Chicago in my life", as if to imply that they were in Chicago. In Season 1 episode 12, Captain Furillo informs Lieutenant Hunter that the armored vehicle he was test driving has been found "in theEast River",implying New York City. In Season 2, Episode 3, Sergeant Esterhaus references guarding" the national guard armory inNewark",implying a location in or nearNew Jersey.Season 2 episode 18 shows an elevated subway train on which the transit agency "CTA"can clearly be seen, suggesting Chicago. Throughout the series, characters occasionally mention well-known Chicago street names, such asMichigan Avenue,or other Chicago-related landmarks, such as theBlue Line subwayandMercy Hospital.Both of the characters played by Dennis Franz employ a heavy Chicago-type accent, also employed byDan AykroydinThe Blues Brothers,a motion picture set and filmed in Chicago.
In a Season 5 episode, during an undercover detail, Detective Belker is knocked unconscious by a criminal and stashed in the luggage compartment of an interstate bus. A package labeled "Springfield ILL" (using the old three-letter Postal Service state abbreviation) is next to him. When he is finally freed from the compartment and told he is in Springfield, it is still daytime and after he rides a bus back to his origin, it is now early evening and the other detective at his detail is not alarmed when Belker explains his absence as "following a tail", implying the distance was not very great (Springfield is roughly a three-hour drive from Chicago viaI-55).
The show also contains a few references to locations in Buffalo. In one episode, Lt. Hunter talks about needing to get rid of tickets for the "Sabres." Buffalo place names mentioned on the show include the Kubiak Lodge, Ganson St. and the canals, Gabriel's Gate bar, Decker St. and West Utica St.
Show writer Steven Bochco attended college at the Carnegie Institute of Technology (nowCarnegie Mellon University) inPittsburgh.The run-down, shabby, drug-ridden impression of Pittsburgh'sHill Districtthat Bochco acquired was apparently part of the inspiration for the show.[28]He intended the setting to resemble several cities, including Chicago, New York, Pittsburgh and Buffalo.[29]
Although the city is never named, the Illinois state flag is visible over the judge's left shoulder in the courtroom scenes in the Season 2 episode "Fruits of the Poisonous Tree," suggesting that the location is Chicago. Some outdoor scenes, particularly in the first two seasons, capture palm trees and other Southern California flora not found in theMidwestorNortheastern United States.
While most vehicles sport generic, stateless license plates, 1980s-era California license plates are easily spotted on many large trucks used on set.
Title
[edit]Hill Street Bluesrefers to the blue uniforms worn by many police officers in the United States and, by extension, the depressing nature of inner-city police work. The phrase is uttered only once in the series, apart from introductions such as "Previously onHill Street Blues."It is spoken by Detective Emil Schneider (Dolph Sweet) in the first-season episode "Gator Bait."[30]Schneider says it in a slightly mocking tone, in reference to officers Hill and Renko, who he feels are out of their league at a particular crime scene.
The precinct bowling team is the "Hill Street Blue Ballers."
Cast
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4c/Hill_Street_Blues_Cast.jpg/180px-Hill_Street_Blues_Cast.jpg)
The ranks and titles held by the characters are listed below when pertinent; Some characters held more than one rank over the course of the series, and in those cases, both ranks are shown.
Main characters
[edit]- Capt. Francis Xavier "Frank" Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti,1981–87)
- Sgt. Philip Freemason "Phil" Esterhaus (Michael Conrad,1981–84)
- Ofc. Robert "Bobby" Hill (Michael Warren,1981–87)
- Det. Michael "Mick" Belker (Bruce Weitz,1981–87)
- Sgt./Lt. Howard Hunter (James B. Sikking,1981–87)
- Sgt./Lt. Henry Goldblume (Joe Spano,1981–87)
- Fay Furillo (Barbara Bosson,1981–86)
- Det. Neal Washington (Taurean Blacque,1981–87)
- Det. John D. "J.D." LaRue (Kiel Martin,1981–87)
- Lt./Capt. Raymundo "Ray" Calletano (René Enríquez,1981–86)
- Ofc./Sgt. Lucille "Lucy" Bates (Betty Thomas,1981–87)
- Ofc. Andrew "Andy" Renko (Charles Haid,1981–87)
- Joyce Davenport (Veronica Hamel,1981–87)
- Ofc. Joe Coffey (Ed Marinaro,1981–86)
- Sgt. Stanislaus "Stan" Jablonski (Robert Prosky,1984–87)
- Det. Harry Garibaldi (Ken Olin,1984–85)
- Det. Patricia "Patsy" Mayo (Mimi Kuzyk,1984–85)
- Lt. Norman "Norm" / "Guido" Buntz (Dennis Franz,1985–87)
- Ofc. Patrick Flaherty (Robert Clohessy,1986–87)
- Ofc. Tina Russo (Megan Gallagher,1986–87)
Other characters
[edit]- Chief Fletcher Daniels (Jon Cypher,1981–87)[24][31]
- Ofc. Leo Schnitz (Robert Hirschfeld,1981–85, promoted to series regular in final season)[24][31]
- Grace Gardner (Barbara Babcock,1981–85)[24]
- Jesús Martinez (Trinidad Silva,1981–87)[24][31]
- Capt. Jerry Fuchs (Vincent Lucchesi, 1981–84)[24]
- Det./Lt. Alf Chesley (Gerry Black,1981–82)[24]
- Attorney/Judge Alan Wachtel (Jeffrey Tambor,1982–87)[24]
- Mayor Ozzie Cleveland (J.A. Preston,1982–85)[24]
- Assistant D.A. Irwin Bernstein (George Wyner,1982–87)[24][31]
- Ofc. Robin Tattaglia Belker (Lisa Sutton, 1983–87)[24][31]
- Det. Sal Benedetto (Dennis Franz,1983. Franz later appeared as series regular Lt. Norman Buntz (see above))[9]
- Celeste Patterson (Judith Hansen, 1985–86)[24]
- Sid "The Snitch" Thurston (Peter Jurasik,1985–87)[24][31]
- Hector Ruiz (Panchito Gomez, 1981–85)
- Judge Lee Oberman (Larry D. Mann,1983–85)[32]
- "Buck Naked" flasher (Lee Weaver,1981–87)
- Daryl Ann Renko (Deborah Richter,sometimes billed as Debi Richter, 1984–87)[31]
- Chief Coroner Wally Nydorf (Pat Corley,1981–1987)[33][32]
- Shamrock Leader Tommy Mann (David Caruso,1981–1983)
- Blood (Bobby Ellerbee, 1981–84)
Guest actors
[edit]Hill Street Bluesfeatured many guest actors who were establishing careers in television and film. It also occasionally featured well-known character actors. Notable guest actors include:
- Terry Alexander[34]
- Jonathan Banks[35]
- Michael Biehn[36]
- Don Cheadle[37]
- Vance Colvig[38]
- Bryan Cranston[39]
- James Cromwell[40]
- Dennis Dugan[41]
- Dominique Dunne
- Hector Elizondo
- Martin Ferrero[42]
- Laurence Fishburne[43]
- Jonathan Frakes[44]
- Robin Gammell
- Andy Garcia[45]
- Paul Gleason
- Crispin Glover[46]
- Danny Glover[47]
- Cuba Gooding Jr.[37]
- Linda Hamilton[48]
- Dan Hedaya[49]
- Penny Johnson Jerald
- Anne-Marie Johnson
- Jane Kaczmarek[50]
- Stanley Kamel
- Terry Kiser
- Yaphet Kotto[51]
- Michael Lerner[35]
- Whitman Mayo
- Barney Martin
- Paul McCrane
- James McDaniel
- Frances McDormand[52]
- Chuck Mitchell
- Chris Noth
- Edward James Olmos[44]
- Chazz Palminteri
- Joe Pantoliano
- Felton Perry[52]
- Joaquin Phoenix[53]
- CCH Pounder[54]
- Daphne Reid
- James Remar
- Michael Richards[55]
- Ron Rifkin
- Tim Robbins[56]
- Mimi Rogers[57]
- Leo Rossi
- Saul Rubinek
- Joe Santos[32]
- Dwight Schultz
- Helen Shaver[58]
- Ally Sheedy[59]
- Armin Shimerman
- Brent Spiner
- Dolph Sweet[32]
- Joe E. Tata
- Lawrence Tierney[60]
- Jennifer Tilly[52]
- Meg Tilly
- James Tolkan
- George Wallace
- Tracey Walter
- Keenen Ivory Wayans
- Forest Whitaker[61]
- Alfre Woodard[62]
Critical reception
[edit]Initially,Hill Street Bluesreceived rave reviews from critics but had dismal Nielsen ratings. Early schedule switching did not help; the show was broadcast once weekly on four different nights during its first season alone but gradually settled into a Thursday night time slot. The NBC Broadcast Standards Unit deemed it "too violent, too sexy, too grim." The producers described the show as "an hour drama with 13 continuing characters living through a Gordian knot of personal and professional relationships." In a May 1981 review,John J. O'Connorcharted the show's growing popularity and called it "a comfortable balance between comedy and drama."[63]
The choice to include African-Americans as mainstays in the core ensemble cast and to feature several interracial and interethnic cop partnerships drew notice and praise, as did the overlapping plots and examinations of moral conundrums such as police corruption, racism, alcoholism and both interpersonal and institutional forgiveness.[64]
The show was very influential, with many others imitating its use of handheld cameras, ensemble casts, and multiple overlapping story lines lasting for several episodes, set inurban decay.Alan Sepinwallwrote in 2014 that it "is on the short list of the most influential TV shows ever made. Whether through shared actors, writers, directors or through stylistic and thematic complexity, its DNA can be found in nearly every great drama produced in the 30-plus years since it debuted." He comparedHill Street BluestoCasablanca,which was so influential on other films that "if you come to see it for the first time after a lifetime of watching the copies, it could be at risk of playing like a bundle of clichés—even though it invented those clichés."[65]
In 1993,TV Guidenamed the series its All-Time Best Cop Show in an issue celebrating 40 years of television.[66]In 1997, the episode "Grace Under Pressure" was ranked number 49 onTV Guide's100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.[67]When the list was revised in 2009, "Freedom's Last Stand" was ranked number 57. In 1998,Entertainment Weeklynamed it in the top 20 television shows of all time, saying it "...took the cop show and turned it upside down".[3]In 2002,Hill Street Bluesranked number 14 onTV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time,[68]and in 2013TV Guideranked it #1 in its list of the 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time[69]and #23 of the 60 Best Series.[70]Also in 2013, theWriters Guild of Americaranked it #15 on their list of the 101 Best Written TV Series.[71]
Awards
[edit]- The show shares the record forPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Serieswins (4, 1981–84) withMad Men(2008–11),L.A. Law(1987, 1989–91),Game of Thrones(2015–16, 2018–19) andThe West Wing(2000–03).[72]
- It has been nominated for the mostPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series(16) andPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series(13).
- The series set theEmmy Awardrecord for most acting nominations by regular cast members (excluding the guest performer category) for a single series in one year, later matched byL.A. LawandThe West Wing.At the34th Primetime Emmy Awards,for the 1981–82 season, nine cast members were nominated for Emmys. Daniel J. Travanti and Michael Conrad were the only ones to win (for Lead Actor and Supporting Actor respectively). The others nominated were Veronica Hamel (for Lead Actress), Taurean Blacque, Michael Warren, Bruce Weitz, and Charles Haid (for Supporting Actor), and Barbara Bosson and Betty Thomas (for Supporting Actress).
- At the34th Primetime Emmy Awards,for the only time in Emmy Award history, all five nominees in an acting category (in this case,Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series) were from a single series.
- Thepilotepisode, "Hill Street Station,"was awarded anEdgar Awardfor Best Teleplay from a Series.
- "Hill Street Station" is the only episode in television history to have won the two major best director (Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama SeriesandDirectors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Drama Series) and the two major best writer awards (Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama SeriesandWriters Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Drama).
- Over its seven seasons, the show won 24Emmy Awardsfrom 96 nominations, an average of 14 nominations per year.
- Betty Thomaswas the sole cast member nominated in every season and the only one to be nominated in the last season.[66]
- In 1997, the episode "Grace Under Pressure" was ranked number 49 onTV Guide's100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.[67]When the list was revised in 2009, "Freedom's Last Stand" was ranked number 57.
- In 2007,Channel 4(UK) rankedHill Street BluesNo. 19 on their list of the "50 Greatest TV Dramas."[73]
Home media
[edit]20th Century Foxreleased the first two seasons ofHill Street Blueson DVD in Region 1 in 2006.[74]Both releases contain special features including gag reel, deleted scenes, commentary tracks and featurettes.
On December 5, 2013,Shout! Factoryannounced its acquisition of the rights to the series in Region 1, releasingHill Street Blues: The Complete Serieson DVD on April 29, 2014.[75]In late 2014, Shout! began releasing single-season sets.[76][77][78][79][80]
In Region 2, Channel 4 DVD released the first two seasons on DVD in the UK in 2006.[81][82]
In Region 4,Shock Recordsreleased the first three seasons on DVD in Australia on December 4, 2013,[83][84][85]and the remaining four seasons on April 30, 2014.[86][87][88][89]
On December 4, 2013, Shock Records also released a complete series set.[90]
Season | Episodes | Release Date | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
The Complete 1st Season | 17 | January 31, 2006 | March 25, 2013 | December 4, 2013 |
The Complete 2nd Season | 18 | May 16, 2006 | ||
The Complete 3rd Season | 22 | November 4, 2014 | – | |
The Complete 4th Season | 22 | March 3, 2015 | April 30, 2014 | |
The Complete 5th Season | 23 | May 26, 2015 | ||
The Complete 6th Season | 22 | September 8, 2015 | ||
The Complete 7th Season | 22 | January 12, 2016 | ||
The Complete Series | 146 | April 29, 2014 | – | December 4, 2013 |
Spinoff
[edit]Beverly Hills Buntz
[edit]Beverly Hills Buntzaired onNBCfrom November 5, 1987, to April 22, 1988. It was a half-hour comedy, a hybrid between lightprivate eyefare and asitcom.Main character Norman Buntz (Dennis Franz) quits Hill Street, moves toBeverly Hillswith Sid "The Snitch" Thurston (Peter Jurasik) and becomes a private investigator. Thirteen episodes were filmed, though only nine were broadcast.
In popular culture
[edit]Hill Street Blueshas inspired parodies, storylines, characters, and cultural references in numerous media vehicles.
- Second City Television- In 1981, the Canadian comedy series SCTV created a parody skit, 'The Benny Hill Street Blues,' a cross between The Benny Hill Show and Hill Street Blues.
- The Simpsonsepisode "The Springfield Connection"(S6E23), in whichMargebecomes a cop, uses and ends with a mix ofThe SimpsonsandHill Street Bluesthemes.
- Spider-Man and His Amazing Friendsepisode "The X-Men Adventure" (S3E7), in which Spider-Man says to the heroes who are about to separate to search for Cyberiad, "Let's be careful out there."
- Issue 60 ofFirestorm,published by DC Comics in 1987, featured thinly veiled references toHill Street Bluescharacters in a story taking place in a police precinct.[91]
- Southern rockband38 Special's music video for "Back Where You Belong"stars the band members as bumbling plainclothes police officers pursuing a female suspect. An affectionate homage toHill Street Blues,the video begins with a morning rollcall scene in which a police sergeant implores the band members to "be extra careful out there today."[92]
- Black Flagmentions the show in their song "TV Party" on their satirical eponymous EPTV Party.
Computer game
[edit]In 1991,Krisalis Softwarereleased the computer gameHill Street Blues,[93]based on the TV show. The game runs on theAmiga,Atari STandDOSplatforms, and places the player in charge of Hill Street Station and its surroundingneighborhoodwith the aim of promptly dispatching officers to reported crimes, apprehending criminals, and making them testify at court. If certain areas have less serious crimes unresolved, such as bagsnatching,they soon escalate to more serious ones, such asmurderin broad daylight. The game received mixed reviews.[93][94][95]The game can be downloaded from abandonware websites.
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abStarr, Michael (May 24, 2021)."How 'Hill Street Blues' made us care about the police".New York Post.RetrievedSeptember 11,2022.
- ^Shales, Tom (May 12, 1987)."'HILL STREET,' HAIL AND FAREWELL ".The Washington Post.RetrievedSeptember 11,2022.
- ^abThe 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time(Collector's ed.). New York: Entertainment Weekly Books. 1998. pp. 22–23.ISBN1883013429.
- ^"TV Guide Names Top 50 Shows".CBS.
- ^Roush, Matt (February 25, 2013). "Showstoppers: The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time".TV Guide.pp. 16–17.
- ^"TV Guide Magazine's 60 Best Series of All Time".tvguide. December 23, 2013.
- ^"101 Best Written TV Series".Writers Guild of America West.June 2, 2013.
- ^Leopold, Todd (May 1, 2014)."'Hill Street Blues': The most influential TV show ever ".CNN.RetrievedSeptember 11,2022.
- ^abcdCollins, Max Alan;Javna, John (1988).The Best of Crime & Detective TV.New York: Harmony Books. pp. 56–60.ISBN0517570556.
- ^Braxton, Greg (May 3, 2014)."'Hill Street Blues' paved the way for today's golden era of TV drama ".Baltimore Sun.Los Angeles Times. Archived fromthe originalon November 6, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 11,2022.
- ^Whittaker, Richard (April 29, 2014)."DVD Watch: 'Hill Street Blues'".The Austin Chronicle.RetrievedSeptember 11,2022.
- ^Javna, John (1985).Cult TV.New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 238.ISBN0312178484.
- ^Johnson, Steven(2005).Everything Bad Is Good for You.New York: Riverhead Books. pp. 65–77.ISBN9781573223072.
- ^Deming, Caren J. (1 March 1985). "Hill Street Blues as Narrative".Critical Studies in Mass Communication.2(1): 8.doi:10.1080/15295038509360058.ISSN0739-3180.
- ^Deggans, Eric (May 8, 2014)."Let's Be Careful Out There: The Legacy Of 'Hill Street Blues".NPR.RetrievedJune 10,2020.
- ^Porter, Michael J. (1 June 1987). "A Comparative Analysis of Directing Styles in Hill Street Blues".Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media.31(3): 325.doi:10.1080/08838158709386667.ISSN0883-8151.
- ^Kronke, David (Summer 2011)."True Grit".DGA Quarterly.Directors Guild of America.RetrievedSeptember 11,2022.
- ^Heldenfels, Rich (May 1, 2014)."DVD in complete-series set".Daily Hampshire Gazette.Associated Press.RetrievedSeptember 11,2022.
- ^Warren, Ellen; Warren, James (1996-08-28)."'Hill Street' Creator Pays 1st Visit To Police Station He Made Famous ".Chicago Tribune.Retrieved2016-06-06.
- ^"Mike Post Featuring Larry Carlton – The Theme From Hill Street Blues".Discogs. 1981.RetrievedSeptember 13,2022.
- ^Fetherston, Drew (May 10, 1987). "Last Call for the Cop Show That Broke All the Rules".Newsday.p. 11.
- ^"Bosson Leaving 'Hill St.' In Salary, Role Disputes".Los Angeles Times.19 August 1985.RetrievedAugust 9,2015.
- ^Salam, Maya (29 November 2019)."The Very (Very) Slow Rise of Lesbianism on TV – The New York Times".The New York Times.Retrieved2019-12-09.
- ^abcdefghijklmBrooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1995).The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present(Sixth ed.). Ballantine Books. pp. 463–464.ISBN9780345397362.
- ^"Hill Street Blues".CrimeTV.Retrieved2018-05-30.
- ^"Exploring the Depths of the 'Hill Street Blues'".PopMatters.2014-05-13.Retrieved2018-05-30.
- ^"Mystery Reader's Walking Guide:Chicago", iUniverseISBN0-595-23021-0.(Excerpt at[1],accessed 2008-06-07)
- ^Clemetson, Lynette (August 9, 2002)."Revival for a Black Enclave in Pittsburgh".New York Times.
- ^"8 gritty facts about 'Hill Street Blues'".Me-TV Network.Retrieved2018-05-30.
- ^"Gatorbait".IMDb.7 March 1981.
- ^abcdefgMcNeil, Alex (1996).Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to the Programming from 1948 to the Present(4th ed.). Penguin. pp. 379–380.ISBN9780140249163.
- ^abcdWojnar, Zak (January 27, 2022)."Hill Street Blues Actors You May Not Know Passed Away".Looper.RetrievedNovember 2,2022.
- ^"Pat Corley, 76; Character Actor Played Bartender Phil on 'Murphy Brown'".Los Angeles Times.September 17, 2006.RetrievedNovember 6,2022.
- ^"HILL STREET BLUES: DORIS IN WONDERLAND (TV)".The Paley Center for Media.RetrievedSeptember 11,2022.
- ^ab"HILL STREET BLUES: BUDDY, CAN YOU SPARE A HEART? (TV)".The Paley Center for Media.RetrievedSeptember 12,2022.
- ^Harris, Will (October 2, 2012)."Michael Biehn on The Victim, William Friedkin, and his favorite antagonist role".AV Club.RetrievedSeptember 12,2022.
- ^abWiese, Jason (January 19, 2021)."Don Cheadle: 8 Movie And TV Roles You May Have Forgotten About".Cinema Blend.RetrievedSeptember 12,2022.
- ^"Deaths: Vance Colvig Jr".March 13, 1991.RetrievedSeptember 14,2022.
- ^"HILL STREET BLUES: A POUND OF FLESH (TV)".The Paley Center for Media.RetrievedSeptember 12,2022.
- ^Lawson, Corrina (May 17, 2014)."8 Reasons You Should Binge Watch Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series".geekdad.RetrievedSeptember 14,2022.
- ^Weisman, Jon (December 3, 2010)."Remembering Dennis Dugan and Captain Freedom on 'Hill Street Blues'".Variety.RetrievedNovember 6,2022.
- ^"HILL STREET BLUES: SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAMBO (TV)".The Paley Center for Media.RetrievedSeptember 15,2022.
- ^Tropiano, Stephen (2002).The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV.Applause Books. p. 74.ISBN9781476847993.RetrievedSeptember 15,2022.
- ^ab"HILL STREET BLUES: OF MOUSE AND MAN (TV)".The Paley Center for Media.RetrievedSeptember 15,2022.
- ^"Andy Garcia".Independent Institute.RetrievedSeptember 15,2022.
- ^Johanson, MaryAnn (February 9, 2007)."Previewing Crispin Glover's What Is It? in NYC This Weekend".MTV. Archived fromthe originalon September 16, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 15,2022.
- ^Barker, Cory (June 18, 2012)."Review: Hill Street Blues," Blood Money "and" The Last White Man on East Ferry Avenue "".This Was Television: Flipping Through TV's Past.RetrievedSeptember 15,2022.
- ^Bushman, David (2020).Conversations With Mark Frost: Twin Peaks, Hill Street Blues, and the Education of a Writer.Fayetteville Mafia Press. p. 83.ISBN9781949024111.RetrievedSeptember 26,2022.
- ^Sabin, Roger; Wilson, Ronald; Speidel, Linda (2015).Cop Shows: A Critical History of Police Dramas on Television.McFarland. p. 97.ISBN9780786448197.RetrievedNovember 6,2022.
- ^""Raising the Bar": Catching up with old friends ".Variety.July 2, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 26,2022.
- ^Shales, Tom (September 26, 1985)."TV Preview".Washington Post.RetrievedSeptember 26,2022.
- ^abc"HILL STREET BLUES: QUEEN FOR A DAY (TV)".The Paley Center for Media.RetrievedOctober 3,2022.
- ^"Hill Street Blues: The Rise and Fall of Paul the Wall (TV)".The Paley Center for Media.RetrievedNovember 2,2022.
- ^"The conscience behind" The Shield "".The Tampa Bay Times.March 17, 2003.RetrievedJanuary 11,2023.
- ^Kronke, David (September 20, 1995)."Kramer Gets Serious: Michael Richards Reveals Another Side in 'Heroes'".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedJanuary 11,2023.
- ^Coburn, Randall (October 23, 2019)."Tim Robbins on Shawshank, Howard The Duck, and the Straight To Hell cameo that never was".AV Club.RetrievedOctober 3,2022.
- ^Hornik, Susan (July 2, 2022)."Mimi Rogers Spills Details on 'Bosch: Legacy' Season 2 and Calls the Spinoff a 'Massive Blessing'".Closer Weekly.RetrievedSeptember 26,2022.
- ^"HILL STREET BLUES: A HAIR OF THE DOG (TV)".The Paley Center for Media.RetrievedOctober 2,2022.
- ^Upton, Bryn (October 12, 2019)."Tempered By Her Years: The Work of Ally Sheedy".Society for U.S. Intellectual History.RetrievedOctober 2,2022.
- ^Kearns, Burt (2022).Lawrence Tierney: Hollywood's Real-Life Tough Guy.University Press of Kentucky. p. 286.ISBN9780813196510.RetrievedSeptember 26,2022.
- ^"Actor Forest Whitaker,'The Last King of Scotland'".Fresh Air.National Public Radio. October 17, 2006.RetrievedJanuary 11,2023.
- ^Berkshire, Geoff (June 4, 2015)."Alfre Woodard on Her First Emmy for 'Hill Street Blues'".Variety.RetrievedNovember 6,2022.
- ^O'Connor, John J. (May 10, 1981)."TV View; 'Hill Street Blues'- A Hit with Problems".The New York Times.
- ^Fackler, Mark; Darling, Stephen (January 1, 1987). "Forgiveness on Prime-Time Television a Case Study: Hill Street Blues".Studies in Popular Culture.10(1): 64–73.JSTOR23412926.
- ^Sepinwall, Alan (April 28, 2014)."Review: 'Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series' on DVD/The groundbreaking '80s cop drama still holds up after decades of imitators".HitFix.RetrievedJune 8,2018.
- ^abTV Guide April 17–23, 1993.1993. p. 38.
- ^ab"Special Collector's Issue: 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time".TV Guide(June 28 – July 4). 1997.
- ^"TV Guide Names Top 50 Shows".CBS.
- ^Roush, Matt (February 25, 2013). "Showstoppers: The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time".TV Guide.pp. 16–17.
- ^"TV Guide Magazine's 60 Best Series of All Time".tvguide. December 23, 2013.
- ^"101 Best Written TV Series".Writers Guild of America West.June 2, 2013.
- ^O'Neil, Tom (August 31, 2011)."Mad Menmay tie record as Emmy's drama series champ ".Awards Tracker (blog).Los Angeles Times.RetrievedOctober 20,2011.
- ^"50 Greatest TV Dramas".The Stage.Archived fromthe originalon May 29, 2007.
- ^"Release Information for Hill Street Blues".Archived fromthe originalon May 14, 2014.Retrieved14 May2014.
- ^"Hill Street Blues DVD news: Box Art for Hill Street Blues - The Complete Series - TVShowsOnDVD".Archived fromthe originalon 17 October 2015.Retrieved9 August2015.
- ^"Hill Street Blues: Season Three".Shout!Factory.Retrieved2014-08-14.
- ^"Hill Street Blues DVD news: Announcement for Hill Street Blues - Season 4 - TVShowsOnDVD".Archived fromthe originalon October 17, 2015.Retrieved9 August2015.
- ^"Hill Street Blues DVD news: Announcement for Hill Street Blues – Season 5".TVShowsOnDVD. Archived fromthe originalon July 29, 2015.RetrievedAugust 9,2015.
- ^"Hill Street Blues DVD news: Announcement for Hill Street Blues - Season 6 - TVShowsOnDVD".Archived fromthe originalon July 5, 2015.Retrieved9 August2015.
- ^"Hill Street Blues DVD news: Box Art and Details for Hill Street Blues - The Final Season - TVShowsOnDVD".tvshowsondvd.Archived fromthe originalon 2015-10-21.
- ^"Hill Street Blues Season 1".Channel 4 Store.RetrievedMay 14,2014.
- ^"Hill Street Blues Season 2".Channel 4 Store.RetrievedMay 14,2014.
- ^"Hill Street Blues – Season 1".ScreenPop.Archived fromthe originalon November 12, 2013.Retrieved14 May2014.
- ^"Hill Street Blues – Season 2".ScreenPop.Archived fromthe originalon November 12, 2013.RetrievedMay 14,2014.
- ^"Hill Street Blues – Season 3".ScreenPop.Archived fromthe originalon November 12, 2013.RetrievedMay 14,2014.
- ^"Hill Street Blues – Season 4".Archived fromthe originalon May 14, 2014.RetrievedMay 14,2014.
- ^"Hill Street Blues – Season 5".Archived fromthe originalon May 14, 2014.Retrieved14 May2014.
- ^"Hill Street Blues – Season 6".Archived fromthe originalon May 14, 2014.RetrievedMay 14,2014.
- ^"Hill Street Blues – Season 7".Archived fromthe originalon 14 May 2014.RetrievedMay 14,2014.
- ^"Hill Street Blues – Complete Collection".Archived fromthe originalon February 8, 2014.RetrievedMay 14,2014.
- ^"When the Cast of Hill Street Blues Showed Up...in Firestorm?".31 May 2019.
- ^Archived atGhostarchiveand theWayback Machine:"Back Where You Belong Music Video".YouTube.Retrieved16 November2019.
- ^abHill Street BluesatMobyGames
- ^As Seen on TV – Hill Street Blues Videogame Review | Classic PC Games
- ^Hill Street Blues (1991) - PC Game
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
- Serial drama television series
- 1981 American television series debuts
- 1987 American television series endings
- 1980s American crime drama television series
- 1980s American police procedural television series
- American detective television series
- Best Drama Series Golden Globe winners
- Edgar Award-winning works
- American English-language television shows
- Krisalis Software games
- Peabody Award-winning television programs
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series winners
- Television series by MTM Enterprises
- Television series created by Steven Bochco
- NBC television dramas