Self Destruction, Thy Name Is Sorenson In NYPD Blue Season 8

The Good: Good character development, Wonderful performances, Plot development
The Bad: No DVD extras, Moments of awkward character mix, Some repetitive-feeling plots
The Basics: NYPD Blue The Complete Season Eight was one of the more tumultuous seasons with characters coming and going, but is still a wonderful season of developing interesting characters!


There are few shows that successfully reinvented themselves over their long runs like NYPD Blue. NYPD Blue not only switched up partners for Andy Sipowicz, but as the series went on, the show managed to reinvent themselves with bringing on new bosses for the 15th Precinct. Season Eight of NYPD Blue was arguably one of the most tumultuous - opening down one character and losing three of the main cast be season's end. The eighth season of NYPD Blue seemed to illustrate that the show was feeling some competition from Law & Order in that it immediately introduced a new District Attorney character, in the form of Valerie Heywood, before changing up any members of the 15th Precinct.

The eighth season of NYPD Blue has its rocky moments, but is surprisingly solid on DVD. While the season largely neglects Greg Medavoy and puts Andy Sipowicz squarely in the middle of romantic problems, the overall arc of Season Eight is the downfall of Danny Sorenson. NYPD Blue Season Eight picks up where the seventh season (reviewed here!) ended and it is impossible to discuss the eighth season without some references to where the seventh season ended. Following Kirkendall's departure and the way Sorenson led the squad to nab her ex-husband and his disgraced cop buddy, Denby, NYPD Blue got mired in the consequences of that and sorting those consequences out takes pretty much the entire season.

Six months after Kirkendall fled New York and Theo Sipowicz began to experience severe health problems that worried Andy, Andy leaves work early to get tests for Theo (even though the doctors want to wait a week). Andy's continued absence and insecurities lead Danny Sorenson and Diane Russell to work closer and when Kirkendall's case is reopened by Internal Affairs, Russell and Sorenson have to rely upon Harry Denby to exonerate the Squad. But, when Don Kirkendall is killed in prison, the 15th Precinct is allowed to get back to business on its own. Denby, fired off the job, continues to get in deeper and deeper with the drug cartel that Don Kirkendall was involved with. That leads to an exceptionally bad day for Russell - who has to stop Denby in a hostage situation - and Sorenson, who (influenced by a remark by Denby) roughs up a suspect and is suspended.

While Sorenson is suspended, the squad gets a floater, Detective Connie McDowell and Fancy thinks she fits in well, keeping her on even after Sorenson returns. Fancy takes his Captain's test and after helping Captain Bass out on a case where his wife is implicated in the crime, he is promoted out of the squad. After a potential new Lieutenant is proven to be a very poor fit for the 15th Precinct, Fancy calls in a favor that gets Lieutenant Tony Rodriguez assigned to lead after he leaves. Rodriguez is an initially excellent fit, but when the ramifications of her grief and her fall-out with Sorenson weighs upon her, Diane Russell takes a medical leave. In the wake of her leaving, Sorenson falls in with a topless dancer who is working out of a mob-run club and Sipowicz gets worried about him when he goes missing.

Blended throughout the main plot is a subplot involving Andy Sipowicz and his romantic life. At the season's outset, he is leaning heavily on Katie Sipowicz to help him keep care of Theo. Katie starts to want more and when Andy goes on a date with Eddie Gibson's niece, Cynthia. But when Cynthia and Gibson have a grapevine behind Sipowicz's back, it becomes too much for him to handle and he ends the relationship. That leaves the door open for Katie to return and she does, wanting to be a real family with Andy and Theo.

Amidst the overall arcs are episodic cases that act as a medium for the police squad setting of NYPD Blue. In the eighth season, cases involve a john who slices off half a man's penis, a drug dealer is given a baby as collateral for a deal, Andy is involved in confronting suspects while off duty, a cold case is brought to the squad by a twitchy suspect who is trying to avoid a minor charge of his own, and Medavoy tries to help one of his friends with his story until a shooting goes very wrong for him.

NYPD Blue is more about characters than it is the episodic elements of the weekly cases. In the eighth season of NYPD Blue, the characters are:

Andy Sipowicz - Relying more on Katy during Theo's illness, he becomes fully paranoid that Theo might die. After a crisis of faith, he pushes to have Theo's tests done early and when Theo's tests show his health is improving, he has a day where he is outright giddy. When Katy leaves because of how emotionally difficult her relationship with Andy is getting, he starts dating, overcoming his discomfort and using John as his sitter. Shortly thereafter, he starts worrying about Sorenson and Russell. When Sorenson is suspended, he cuts his partner out. Despite that, he finds what he needs to exonerate Sorenson and tries to give him another chance. He makes peace with Fancy once and for all after he shoots at a car full of thieves. As his personal relationships fall apart, he tries to rescue Sorenson from himself,

Danny Sorenson - Acting as a liaison between Russell and Denby, he discovers that Russell is being pulled by a number of different people (including Bobby's childhood friend Ray Salvo). He and Russell have sex, but when Russell is made uncomfortable about how it makes her feel, Sorenson reacts poorly to the break-up. When a man he has in protective custody is released by an inattentive desk sergeant, he throws a tantrum which leads to a very awkward apology for him. After getting reamed out by Fancy shortly after Denby implies he and Diane had hooked up, he gets violent on a coked-out suspect, corrupting a very public case. After being suspended and exonerated through other evidence on the case, he is brought back in time to return the favor to Andy. But when Diane starts dating someone else, he wigs out and starts dating a topless dancer, going undercover in a dangerous situation,

Arthur Fancy - When Russell and Sorenson are outed publicly, he has to call them on the carpet. He goes to take a computer course, which puts him fairly high on the list to make Captain's list. When his replacement is a ballbreaking Lieutenant who does not fit with the squad, he calls in his favor with Captain Bass before moving on,

Greg Medavoy - Working fairly well with Baldwin, he is the first called for an Internal Affairs interview and manages to give up nothing, though he is able to bring a message back to the Squad from the interview. He helps his old buddy recover a victim of a Chinese kidnapping ring, against all odds. He nudges Jones and Heywood together and when a bodega owner who he has helped before gets into a jam, he tries very hard to help the man with his story in order to help him out, though it goes wrong for him,

Baldwin "D" Jones - While working with Medavoy, he hooks up with a reporter briefly. He is sensitive to a suspect's racism and is able to keep an innocent man out of prison by pushing the racial angle of the case. He and Heywood clash over her desire to get convictions and he initially resents Greg trying to hook them up, ostensibly because they are both black. He comes to respect Heywood and pushes to socialize with her outside work,

Valerie Heywood - A new Assistant District Attorney, she is tough as nails and promises to deliver convictions if the members of the 15th Precinct give her good facts. She and Baldwin spar over a case where a black man is framed by a rich white woman and she leans toward charging the man. She leaps on Sorenson when he beats a suspect. She works very hard to keep work and her relationships separate, which is made difficult when she starts seeing Jones and they both have bad days that wiegh on them outside work,

Detective Connie McDowell - Initially brought on as a floater, she resists the idea of working under Lieutenant Dalto. She finds Rodriguez attractive and happily works for him. She starts working with Sipowicz to track down Sorenson when he goes missing. She and Diane have to recover a witness for a case Heywood has to retry, which leads her to confess that she has a daughter she once gave up, but still keeps an eye upon,

Lieutenant Tony Rodriguez - An easygoing squad leader, he takes over at the last minute when Fancy gets Dalto replaced. He is a legend in Narcotics Division and he comes to the 15th Precinct as his first Detective Squad. He is kind and watches as much as possible initially, though he stands up for his squad when others come in to claim jurisdiction on his new turf. He authorizes Sorenson going undercover,

John Irving - He starts babysitting for Theo when Andy starts dating. He clues the squad into Dalto's nature before she arrives and instantly assesses her as a bad fit for the 15th Precinct. He stands up for Sipowicz and the other detectives when a gay IRS agent alledges a bias,

and Diane Russell - Troubled by Denby manipulating her and her coworkers, she falls into bed with Sorenson. Uncomfortable at how that makes her feel, especially when he is protective of her on the street, she tries to break up with him gently before things get worse for them. After they break up, they work on developing a friendship. It is going all right until Bobby's cardiologist comes back into her life and she decides to make a go of that relationship. On McDowell's advice, she takes a hardship leave.

As one might expect from the eighth season of NYPD Blue, the established actors all know their roles. Garcelle Beauvais, Charlotte Ross, and Esai Morales each hit the ground running and gel remarkably quickly with the established cast members. Bill Brotchrup and Gordon Clapp are largely neglected as Irving and Medavoy for the season, but they do decent supporting work when given the opportunity.

As with the prior seasons since Shout! Factory started producing the DVD sets of NYPD Blue, there are no bonus features on the eighth season discs. This is disappointing as the initial seasons had both commentary tracks and featurettes and they are missed at this point in the series.

Ultimately, though, NYPD Blue Season Eight is an important transition season that reorders the characters to set up the last great era of the show with a solid foundation.

For other works from the 2000 - 2001 television season, please visit my reviews of:
The X-Files - Season 8
The West Wing - Season 2
Frasier - Season 8
Once & Again - Season 2
Angel - Season 2
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 5
Family Guy - Season 3
Friends - Season 7
Gilmore Girls - Season 1
The Simpsons - Season 12
Sex And The City - Season 3
Strangers With Candy - Season 3
Star Trek: Voyager - Season 7

5/10

For other television reviews, please be sure to check out my Television Review Index Page for an organized list of all my television and movie reviews!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Long Fall Of Jill Kirkendall Preoccupies NYPD Blue Season 7

The Good: Performances, Most of the character development, Some interesting cases
The Bad: No DVD extras, Kirkendall is almost entirely redefined to make her arc work
The Basics: NYPD Blue The Complete Season Seven continues to redefine the crime drama while deepening the character of Sipowicz and giving Sorenson more depth!


NYPD Blue went through a number of peaks and ebbs, which is somewhat understandable given its duration and the sheer number of characters in the show. In season six of NYPD Blue (reviewed here!), two of the characters who were neglected were James Martinez and Jill Kirkendall. Relegated to support characters in the overall narrative, those two appeared in the sixth season in a somewhat diminished capacity. As a result, it is no surprise that the seventh season of NYPD Blue was the final one for both characters. While Martinez is written out rather quickly, the surprise for fans of NYPD Blue might be how Jill Kirkendall's storyline dominates much of the seventh season.

Unfortunately, to bring Jill Kirkendall to the forefront of the seventh season of NYPD Blue, her character is severely weakened and the plotline with Dornan - built up the entire previous season - is dropped entirely. Kirkendall was, in previous seasons, a very strong, independent character; she begins season seven of NYPD Blue diminished, obsessing from the outset with her ex-husband who appears to have turned over a new leaf. Kirkendall's storyline has ramifications on most of the serialized elements of the plot for the seventh season.

Andy Sipowicz is dealing with being a single parent and taking the usual cases that present themselves in New York City, which forces him to rely upon his ex-wife, Katy. Danny Sorenson finds himself involved with an officer from a nearby precinct, while Jill Kirkendall begins pining for her ex-husband, Don. Don is under investigation, which Andy, Danny, Diane and Fancy learn about and tip Jill off about. Jill advises Don to stop delivering packages for the cartel he works for, but Don rolls the dice and gets himself arrested. While dealing with cases like a baby found in a dumpster and a murder with a gun used in a cold case, Don tries to extort Jill and he flees the custody of an incompetent detective who tries to reach out to Russell.

After Martinez is promoted out of the 15th Precinct, Fancy receives a new transfer, Detective Baldwin Jones, as an act of revenge from a black lieutenant angry that Fancy has not found cause to fire Sipowicz. While the squad adapts to its new detective, Fancy starts to worry about the lieutenant who sent Baldwin to the squad and Sorenson begins to experience horrible nightmares as his past becomes unrepressed. When Sorenson's C.I. falls into a life of drugs and Sorenson is unable to save him, he gets severely drunk and relies on Russell to put him back together. When Don turns up alive at the same time Theo gets ill and Sipowicz finds himself paralyzed with fear, the detectives of the 15th Precinct come together to take dramatic measures to save Kirkendall.

The episodic elements of the seventh season of NYPD Blue continue an escalation of gruesomeness. Cases investigated by the 15th Precinct's detectives in the season range from the scamming of an old man that Russell helps to finding a corpse of a pregnant woman stuffed in a barrel. There are a number of cases that highlight ethnicity as both a motivator in the crimes or as an element of the case that complicates the relationships in the 15th Precinct.

At its core, NYPD Blue is more about characters than it is the cases. In the seventh season of NYPD Blue, the characters are:

Andy Sipowicz - Now on his own, he finds dealing with Theo to be more difficult than he expected. As a result, he turns to his ex-wife, Katy, for help in raising his son. Having overcome his lifelong racism, he is wary of breaking his word to the mother of a black suspect who gives up her son when the investigation points in his direction. He reluctantly does a favor for another officer, Gibson, and in the process upsets Katy. He tries to help Danny, but gets upset when Sorenson gets upset over J.D. He advises Danny on how to dispose of a body while he gets obsessed with his son's health,

Danny Sorenson - Thrown on a case by a police officer who has some information about him, he begins dating the cop, Franco. His c.i., J.D. resurfaces, disillusioned and on drugs. Shortly thereafter, he begins experiencing nightmares about his childhood and he keeps turning to Russell for help. He and Andy bond when J.D. overdoses and he falls apart. He does what he can to help Russell when Jill obsesses on her partner's actions, including preparing to murder Don,

Arthur Fancy - He attempts to keep Jill on the job after her ex-husband is arrested, going so far as to have an off-the-record conversation with Don himself. He is saddled with Jones as a vendetta from another lieutenant. That lieutenant, Abner, starts to exhibit an erratic quality that makes him suspect that he has been on the job too long. He takes Baldwin under his wing and tries to protect Russell when he is unable to save Kirkendall from herself,

Greg Medavoy - Abandoned by James and now paired with Jones, he starts to recognize his age when he takes a young paramedic out on a date and understands how it must look to other people. To bond with D, he starts exercising with him. He starts to feel left out of the loop when people in the squad start conspiring to save Kirkendall,

James Martinez - He takes the Sergeant's test and is excited to discover just how well he did on it. Pressured by Gina to keep more regular hours, he accepts promotion and a new position, leaving Greg on his own,

Baldwin "D" Jones - Abruptly transferred to the 15th Precinct after Martinez accepts promotion, he is used to investigating bias-related crimes. He is paired with Medavoy and illustrates a willingness to use force when necessary to get information out of suspects. He also tries to take people as they come, as opposed to assuming the worst about them, which gives him a point of bonding with Fancy right away. He has heard a thing or two about Sipowicz and - despite Sipowicz not treating him poorly - makes an unfortunate comment about Sipowicz's past attitudes. Fancy uses him as a liaison between himself and Lieutenant Abner when D's former boss starts to act erratically.

Jill Kirkendall - She reaches out to Diane for advice when Don, the father of her children, comes back into her life. She makes mistake after mistake in dealing with him, giving him the means to flee and using Diane in the process. To try to protect her children, she keeps Don resurfacing from her coworkers, even as it puts her career in jeopardy,

John Irving - He tries to keep himself out of other people's business better, which is made difficult by Don calling the squad a lot. He gives Andy haircuts and advises him as best he can when Andy starts dating. He advises Sipowicz and Sorenson on motive for a gay suspect,

and Diane Russell - She tries to give Jill good advice in dealing with Don and keeps trying when Jill ignores her advice. In trying to help Jill, she falls in with Denby, an alcoholic detective who is on Don's case. When Don steals Bobby's ring from her apartment, she is able to identify his corpse, putting her in an awkward position with Jill once again. She is kind to Sorenson and acknowledges that he is the first new friend she has made since Bobby died. She takes Sorenson in for the night when he gets fall-down drunk. Her moral dilemma reaches its peak when she sees Denby with Don after Don is supposed to be dead.

The acting in the seventh season of NYPD Blue is predictably wonderful. While Dennis Franz is a known quantity whose portrayal of Andy Sipowicz had won him a slew of acting awards before the seventh season, he does not slack of in the seventh season, especially at its climax. While Rick Schroder continues to show off serious dramatic chops that he could not as a child actor in a comedy series as Sorenson becomes more and more twitchy. Henry Simmons bursts into the cast as Baldwin Jones and the real magic of his acting is how easily he integrates with the cast that is so used to working off each other. His entrance into the 15th Precinct is seamless and Jones makes for an interesting partner for Medavoy . . . if only the producers can figure out how to make it work!

As with the prior seasons since Shout! Factory started producing the DVD sets of NYPD Blue, there are no bonus features on the seventh season discs. This is disappointing as some of the stories involve some pretty inflammatory lines and it would have been wonderful to have commentary tracks or featurettes from the actors involved discussing their thoughts on those episodes, arcs and even specific lines!

All in all, though, NYPD Blue Season Seven is still a decent season of television with engaging characters and some wonderful stories, even if they occasionally drop the ball on the overall continuity.

For other works from the 1999 - 2000 television season, please visit my reviews of:
The X-Files - Season 7
The West Wing - Season 1
Frasier - Season 7
Once & Again - Season 1
Angel - Season 1
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 4
Family Guy - Season 2
Friends - Season 6
The Simpsons - Season 11
Clerks: The Animated Series
Freaks & Geeks
Strangers With Candy - Season 2
Sex And The City - Season 2
Star Trek: Voyager - Season 6

6/10

For other television reviews, please be sure to check out my Television Review Index Page for an organized list of all my television and movie reviews!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Worst Year Of Andy Sipowicz's Life Makes For A Great Sixth Season Of NYPD Blue!

The Good: Wonderful new character, Good character development, Decent plot serialization, Great acting
The Bad: Imbalance in the characters (some seriously underused/neglected main characters!), No DVD extras
The Basics: NYPD Blue The Complete Sixth Season has the potential to lose its audience when Jimmy Smits departs, but instead creates a surprisingly enduring transition season for the series!


When a television series has an especially long television run, it is fascinating to return to it years later to look at its impact and depth. With most television series that last more than seven years, there comes a point where casual viewers give up on it. In the case of NYPD Blue, one of the most common fall-off points for those who are not die-hard fans of the series is Season Six. Season Six of NYPD Blue was where Jimmy Smits left the show and was replaced by Rick Schroder, who played Andy Sipowicz's new partner, Danny Sorenson. The departure of Smits from the cast left many viewers feeling burned, but for those who stuck with the show, the reward was one of the best seasons of NYPD Blue. It is no coincidence that the sixth season of NYPD Blue was a season Dennis Franz won the Emmy for playing Sipowicz (it was his final win).

Now on DVD, thanks to Shout! Factory, NYPD Blue Season Six continues where NYPD Blue Season Five (reviewed here!) and the season progresses from an often-surreal series of events to a progression of serialized stories that make for the worst year in the life of Detective Andy Sipowicz. After a season that focused very heavily on Bobby Simone and his deepening relationship with Diane Russell, Sipowicz dominates the sixth season of NYPD Blue. Season Six is a long, slow descent for Andy Sipowicz and Dennis Franz does not disappoint in his portrayal of Sipowicz experiencing loss, epiphany, and love.

NYPD Blue Season Six is burdened with trying to effectively introduce Danny Sorenson and Rick Schroder to the cast, which pulls attention away from supporting characters like Medavoy, Martinez, and Kirkendall. Ironically, given how there are significant long, serialized arcs in the sixth season of NYPD Blue, there is a weird disconnect between the fifth and sixth seasons of the show. One moment, Simone and Russell are marrying, the next, Bobby is fatigued and dying.

After experiencing vivid dreams, centered around his old mentor and his birds, Bobby Simone starts to feel tired and tight in the chest. In an altercation on the street, Simone's arm is cut by a perp and soon after, he develops congestion in his chest. Simone's heart is badly damaged and, even after a heart transplant, his body is not strong enough to recover. When Simone dies, the 15th Squad mourns heavily, no one more than Diane Russell. Fancy gets a transfer from the Narcotics Division, Danny Sorenson, to fill Simone's empty desk, much to the ire of Russell. Sipowicz's new partner is fairly young and that leads most of the squad to be wary of him and his abilities, but Sorenson's patient manner and network of informants on the street quickly pay off for the squad in closing cases.

While Kirkendall and Russell attempt to aid the PAA, Dolores Mayo, as she begins to act out, Sipowicz has to reach out to Sergant Dornan on a case Sylvia wants re-opened. Sylvia believes she has a case where the wrong man is serving a prison sentence for a crime someone else committed. Sipowicz and Dornan re-open the case and discover that she is right, but in the process, Dornan antagonizes his political enemies, is demoted, and falls off the wagon. When Dolores Mayo is killed by a wealthy socialite and, soon after, Mike Roberts (who was hired by the creep) winds up dead, Kirkendall, Costas, and Sipowicz are put in situations that turn their lives in completely different directions.

Season Six of NYPD Blue is a season that includes significant losses of characters, both main and supporting. The demise of Mike Roberts brings the end of one of the show's most intriguing supporting characters and while Dolores Mayo is a comparatively minor character, her death sets off a plot arc that changes the course of the entire series! In the sixth season of NYPD Blue, the characters are:

Andy Sipowicz - After losing Simone, he starts to take on the role of mentor to Sorenson. His new partner reminds him some of his dead son, which causes emotional complications for him. He is initially reluctant to re-open the Suarez case for Sylvia because it means that he has to enlist the aid of Dornan, a cop who does not like him. Through a series of dreams, he comes to understand the root of his racism and he attempts to make peace with Dornan and Fancy. He comes to loathe the criminal who killed Dolores and when A.D.A. Cohen has to recuse himself, he is put in a bind when Sylvia takes over the case. In prosecuting the millionaire murderer, he is put in the uncomfortable position of having to face off attorney James Sinclaire again,

Bobby Simone - After a very brief illness, his heart gives out and he struggles to hold on to life as long as he can,

Danny Sorenson - Taking over after Simone dies, the young Narcotics officer is met by hostility by most in the 15th Precinct. He is an extremely competent detective, but when he becomes nervous, he exhibits obsessive compulsive traits surrounding rearranging office supplies. He is casually dating a young woman when she gets pregnant, then loses the fetus, causing a fall-out in the relationship. He gets especially twitchy in cases involving childhood sexual abuse and he has a noticeably estranged relationship with his own family. He begins to show interest in Diane Russell,

Arthur Fancy - After an impassioned attempt to get a police widow to donate her husband's heart to Simone, he tries to keep Dolores Mayo on the job as long as he can, while she screws up more and more. When Dolores is killed, he brings John Irvin back to the squad. He and Sipowicz gets into a fistfight that leads to them actually talking out their differences. He finds it hard to deal with Dornan, especially when Dornan's alcoholism causes him to recall the way he was helpless to aid his own alcoholic father,

Greg Medavoy - Still partnered with James, he largely parrots his partner's views. He becomes fascinated with the journals Mike Roberts kept that he reads obsessively following Roberts's murder. In them, he discovers new information about his lost love, Donna Abandando,

James Martinez - Occasionally not eager to return home to his wife and kid, he and Greg act as support staff more than primary investigators this season,

Sylvia - She helps Andy deal with the death of Bobby and when she goes back to work, she implores Andy to help her re-open the Suarez case. In the process, she gets the evidence needed to take down a major drug kingpin. When Cohen has to be taken off a case because of his attachment to Kirkendall, she takes over, which puts her in court against James Sinclaire,

Jill Kirkendall - Trying to raise her two children alone becomes hard for her when she loses Cohen as a friend and asset. She tries hard to help Dolores Mayo and when Mayo is killed, she leaps at the opportunity to go undercover to get the killer. In the process, she potentially taints the investigation, which leads Cohen to get short with her and for their relationship to fall apart. She does her best to keep things professional and she acts as Diane Russell's primary support, especially when Russell buys a bottle,

Dolores Mayo - Her life begins to spin out of control as she begins stripping on the side. She relies upon John Irving as a friend and she loses her job by simply failing to show up repeatedly. She gets into drugs and then is murdered by a millionaire,

John Irving - He returns to the squad when Dolores begins acting erratically and is killed. He turns to faith after Dolores's death, going so far as attempting to counsel James Mayo (Dolores's father). He lets critical information slip to James Mayo and is deeply relieved when Fancy does not fire him for his indiscretion,

and Diane Russell - After finally getting Bobby, she loses him when his heart gives out. After a period of mourning, she returns to work, but after working a particularly tough case well, she feels guilty after going out for the night with her co-workers and she buys a bottle. After Jill sees her through that crisis, she slowly supports Sorenson as he investigates cases that increasingly trouble him.

In NYPD Blue Season Six, Jimmy Smits earns his paycheck for his brief arc as Bobby Simone. Smits's performance is absolutely agonizing to watch and anyone who has lived through the death of a loved one who needed an organ transplant is likely to be triggered by how precisely Smits plays the role of Simone dying. James McDaniel plays Fancy as deeply wounded and emotional for one of the first times in the series in the sixth season and the result is an amazing performance by him. McDaniel's part on NYPD Blue seldom gives him the chance to plumb the emotional depths of his character, but in season six, he does and he does it amazingly well. Kim Delaney continues to portray Diane Russell exceptionally, though it does not take long before her role in the sixth season of NYPD Blue is diminished.

The real surprise of the sixth season of NYPD Blue comes in the form of Rick Schroder as Danny Sorenson. Schroder was best known before this as a child actor for the 1980s comedy Silver Spoons. In the sixth season of NYPD Blue, he proves himself an adept dramatic actor with a powerful knack for physically acting. While Sorenson is characterized as inherently good and kind by his lines, Schroeder adds depth to him by making Sorenson twitchy and physically nervous through many of the scenes. It is Schroder's performance, more than anything else, that implies Sorenson's childhood sexual abuse - which is not made explicit in this season. Instead, Schroder hints repeatedly at the root of his character's dysfunction through the course of the season with his occasionally unsettling physical performance.

What is not surprising is how Dennis Franz continues to dominate the show as Andy Sipowicz. For the first season, Franz is top-billed on NYPD Blue and he continues to bring new layers to Sipowicz, not simply through what is written for him. Franz plays Andy's father in dream sequences and he is given the chance to portray Sipowicz along the full width of the emotional spectrum. Viewers might have abandoned NYPD Blue in the sixth season, but Franz not only showed up, he delivered an exceptional performance.

On DVD, NYPD Blue Season Six has no bonus features. This is a huge disappointment as there are some key episodes that commentary tracks would have been great for. It is understandable, given that Shout! Factory had to pay for the primary show, but some featurettes would have been nice.

While it might be neglected, NYPD Blue Season Six is an essential season in the long-running show and one well worth being picked up by fans, regardless of how difficult some of its best moments are!

For other works from the 1998 - 1999 television season, please visit my reviews of:
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Season 7
The X-Files - Season 6
Frasier - Season 6
Ally McBeal - Season 2
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 3
Family Guy - Season 1
Friends - Season 5
Homicide: Life On The Street - Season 7
Millennium - Season 3
NewsRadio - Season 5
The Simpsons - Season 10
Spin City - Season 3
Star Trek: Voyager - Season 5

8/10

For other television reviews, please be sure to check out my Television Review Index Page for an organized list of all my television and movie reviews!

© 2016 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Finally Here: NYPD Blue Season Five On DVD Delights (In Its Own Weird Way)!

The Good: Good character development, Some truly engaging stories/plots, Great acting
The Bad: Showrunners are clearly unsure how to keep balance for the whole cast
The Basics: After years since the last NYPD Blue DVD set release, NYPD Blue The Complete Fifth Season was released by Shout! Factory and finally resolves one of the few cliffhangers of the series!


With longrunning television shows, it is hard for those who release such series' on permanent mediums, like DVD and Blu-Ray, to know what will sell. After all, television series's inevitably get cancelled when they lose relevance with their audience; a show that runs for twelve seasons is bound to disconnect from its original audience and, in the case of something like NYPD Blue, that usually means that those who would release it on a permanent medium have to remind the fans why they fell in love with the show in the first place . . . without giving them a chance to tire of the series a second time. Unfortunately, ABC seemed to hit a wall in releasing NYPD Blue on DVD when it dropped NYPD Blue Season Four (reviewed here!) and the season did not do as well in the marketplace as they hoped it would. So, ABC scrapped its plan to keep releasing seasons of NYPD Blue on DVD. Last year, Shout! Factory picked up the license and started releasing seasons of NYPD Blue on DVD again.

It's a good thing, too; the fourth season of NYPD Blue was one of the few seasons of the show that ended on a legitimate cliffhanger. So, when Shout! Factory released the fifth season of NYPD Blue, not only were they taking a bit of a financial risk in reinvigorating the love many fans had for NYPD Blue, they were ending a years-long storytelling stalemate that most fans had in their DVD collection! And NYPD Blue Season Five is a decent season of television, though it does illustrate a number of the long-term fractures in the series. By this point in NYPD Blue, there are a significant number of regular cast/characters (along with a few significant recurring characters who were downgraded out of the main cast, most notably Sharon Lawrence) and the challenge the writers and executive producers had was in keeping all of them relevant, interesting, and integral to the ongoing narrative. Far too often, characters like Medavoy and Kirkendall are relegated to very distant b-plots that placehold in the story so time can reasonably pass in the a-plot.

But, even so, there is a lot to recommend NYPD Blue Season Five. Opening months after Bobby Simone was relieved of duty under suspicion of working with a local criminal, while the Internal Affairs Bureau attempts to root out a mole in their ranks, the 15th Squad continues to solve cases involving violent crimes in New York City. While suspicions surround Andy Sipowicz, Bobby manages to clear his name and return to active duty as the squad's lead police detective.

Cases in the fourth season involve things like a mute who witnesses a murder and tries to communicate what he saw through bible passages, a uniform officer who may have murdered his first girlfriend after trying to pin the murder on her new, mentally ill boyfriend, and a gun deal that went horribly awry and resulted in one of the people being thrown off the roof of a building! This season finds James Martinez marrying Gina (whom he has gotten pregnant) and Sipowicz dealing with his urination problems straight on (as he is diagnosed with cancer), as well as Simone and Russell dancing around marriage and crushed by a miscarriage. The detectives investigate a case wherein a maid donated a precious diamond from one of her employers (because it was hidden in a soup can) and a weird case that involves a man who is either suffering from a multiple personality disorder or is impersonating his own twin! The season climaxes with the long-awaited marriage of Simone and Russell!

Season five of NYPD Blue continues to have and introduce great characters. Despite the Gina plot leading to a number of Administrative Assistants swapping in and out, the show remains generally well-focused on the main members of the 15th Squad. In the fifth season of NYPD Blue, the characters are:

Bobby Simone - Finally able to exonerate himself, he and Diane get closer and he gets back into the swing of things as the lead detective in the 15th Precinct. He remains calm and measured and is saddened and hurt when Diane gets pregnant and loses the fetus. He is very protective of Russell, but tries to give her the space to succeed (and not blow their cover about their relationship). Andy relies upon him when he is diagnosed with cancer,

Andy Sipowicz - Investigated heavily following the death of Joey Salvo, he manages to keep things together while Bobby is away from the Squad. He hides his medical condition from Sylvia long enough for it to get bad. He reluctantly goes in for prostate surgery after his doctor outs him to Sylvia. He and Fancy go a few rounds over a racism case where a white father raised his son to be racist and it got him killed. He continues to be sarcastic and quick-witted,

Arthur Fancy - Captivated by being on a case again when he takes a complaint while the other detectives are out, he generally remains focused on keeping the Squad running properly. That keeps him behind his desk most of the time, though he comes out when a racist comes in screaming racial epitaphs and messing up Sipowicz and Bobby's case. He avoids the flirtatious interest of two PAAs who replace Gina,

Greg Medavoy - Becomes deeply involved in Abby's life when her girlfriend is murdered while Abby is still pregnant. He investigates odd cases, like one involving a man who seems to be impersonating his own twin and the murder of a good Samaritan who tried to help a bike messenger during a bad drug deal. His stutter is virtually gone now,

James Martinez - After knocking Gina up, he eagerly agrees to marry her. As her pregnancy progresses, he hurts his back and is put on medical leave for months. When he returns, his joyful fatherhood news is eclipsed by Greg sharing Abby's birthing video,

Sylvia - Absent most of the season, she returns to work right around the time that Andy's health problem forces him to deal with it. She shows genuine love and support for Andy through his prostate problem,

Jill Kirkendall - Supporting Diane (when Diane is around) through her pregnancy and miscarriage concerns, she is partnered with Medavoy while James is out. She is straightlaced to his wacky and helps move his unproductive interviews forward,

Naomi - A new P.A.A. who has a little secret that she eventually shares with Simone . . . before she has to go on the run,

Dolores - Naomi's replacement, she is flirtatious and interested in Fancy (and either ballet or erotic literature). She is oddly cold to John Irvin when they meet,

and Diane Russell - Stressed while Bobby is forced to do odd jobs to get by during his time as a suspect, she sticks by him. She and Jill investigate some terrible cases involving women before she gets pregnant and then loses the baby. She disagrees with Bobby's assessment that she is engaged in risk behaviors while pregnant and they are slow to come back together after her miscarriage.

NYPD Blue Season Five features the same high level of acting quality that viewers came to expect from the show. Jimmy Smits, Dennis Franz and James McDaniel lead the cast with powerful performances, most notably in "Weaver Of Hate" where they deliver emotionally complicated performances as a racially-motivated crime raises tensions in the squad. While Kim Delaney gives a solid performance throughout, her most impressive role in the season essentially mimics the Russell sobriety arc from earlier seasons.

Still, there is enough going on and the writing remains sharp enough to make returning to the 15th Squad a welcome reunion for fans of NYPD Blue. With the release of season five of NYPD Blue on DVD, Shout! Factory effectively proves that absence makes the heart grow fonder! Fortunately, they aren't keeping us waiting as long for more . . .

For other seasons of NYPD Blue, please visit my reviews of:
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3

7.5/10

For other television reviews, please be sure to check out my Television Review Index Page for an organized list of all my television and movie reviews!

© 2015 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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When In Darkness And In Doubt, Turn Toward The Blue: NYPD Blue Season Four!

The Good: Excellent character development, Great acting, Interesting stories
The Bad: Lousy DVD extras, Formulaic nature of stories sets in
The Basics: With a great deal of character development, wonderful acting and interesting stories, NYPD Blue The Complete Fourth Season is well worth the money.


NYPD Blue started out as a remarkably consistent show. Seasons one through three were solid, with excellent acting, characterization and stories. Season four continues the tradition, while hinting at the cracks that come in the series to come. For the most part, this is a solid season, but where it has its difficulties is in beginning to feel repetitive and formulaic on the plot front. After all, there are only so many ways these type of cases can begin and end. In simple terms, by the time the fourth season of the show comes around, we know the plot drill; something happens, the incident is investigated, witnesses are brought in, the truth is determined, our characters move on.

Season four of NYPD Blue finds the 15th Precinct dealing with the consequences of the prior season. Andy is working to stay sober again while worrying about his new baby, Diane and Bobby navigate treacherous waters when Simone proposes and Russell does not have an immediate answer, and Martinez finds new romance with the new PAA. Medavoy works to diet and exercise, Fancy deals with a racist cop and his wife's new business enterprise, and a new detective arrives in the squad.

Despite the somewhat formulaic notion of the plot to the series, Season four of NYPD Blue succeeds because of the characters. Here is how the fourth season finds them:

Bobby Simone - Feeling miffed over Diane's lack of a response to his marriage proposal, Simone begins to drift away from Diane and into some professional risk-taking,

Andy Sipowicz - Sober once again, Andy is learning to deal with the loss of his son and how to live with his new wife and new son, while dealing with a PAA who is sexually harassing him,

Arthur Fancy - Keeping the squad together, Fancy gets some time away from his desk to help out on the street, to deal with a racist cop and to find himself in the uncomfortable position of trying to sell his wife's products at the precinct for her,

Greg Medavoy - Disturbed by his size, Medavoy begins a diet competition with Andy and ends up meeting a uniformed officer named Abby who he becomes interested in,

James Martinez - After winning a position as Squad Delegate, James helps the new PAA, Gina, cope when she is assaulted,

Sylvia - After deciding to go back to work following the birth of the baby, Sylvia must wrestle with her desire to stay home and raise Theo instead,

Jill Kirkendall - A new detective in the squad, Kirkendall illustrates strength and keen detective skills, while claiming to be a romantic and working to raise her two children,

and Diane Russell - Following her ambivalence toward Simone's proposal, Russell begins to go undercover with a dangerous man, whose relationship with her triggers long-repressed memories.

The fourth season is not even completely repetitive on the plot front; the episode "Taillight's Last Gleaming" finds Andy having bizarre dreams about Andy Jr. The plot does get repetitive, save when character moments like that move into the plot and take over. However, that problem begins to become a problem by the end of this season, though the final episode does lead into a pretty impressive cliffhanger.

No, the real problem in the DVD presentation of season four is the extras. The fact is, this DVD set has some of the weakest extras of any DVD collection I own. There are commentaries, even commentaries on decent episodes like "Where's Swaldo" (a follow-up to the third season episode "The Backboard Jungle") and "Tom and Geri." The problem is that outside the commentary for "Tom and Geri," the commentaries aren't insightful or even interesting. Mark Tinker and Bill Clark sit awkwardly trying to say anything on their two commentaries and the result is disappointing and boring. It's hard to take a quality episode of one of the best shows on television in its heyday and make it into a boring experience, but watching with the commentary track on for "Alice Doesn't Fit Here Anymore" succeeds in being, well, dull.

Overall, this is a great season of television, though more than any prior season of "Blue," it feels like a sequel to the prior season. More than any previous season, this one relies on prior knowledge of the characters and cases. In order to get the most out of season four, the viewer must watch season three.

The acting in season four illustrates the power of great casting and giving great actors material to work with. In season four, we see some of the actors stretch their wings, as it were. Dennis Franz, who has played Sipowicz as a curmudgeon the past three seasons continues the trend while adding new depth and dimension, when Andy gets scared and/or confused. And Franz sells us on it.

Jimmy Smits is given a great deal more to do in this season, opening Simone up to more vulnerability and strength. Smits has to enact Simone more off the job than before and that sense of character and casual ease illustrates ability that he has not been allowed to before now. Similarly, Kim Delaney as Diane Russell does an amazing job of illustrating her acting prowess by switching emotions on a dime. She's pretty fabulous moving from strong to vulnerable, damaged to in control in literally the blink of an eye.

But more than the others, it's refreshing to see James McDaniel come into his own and out from behind the desk. McDaniel is one of the most impressive actors on the show and easily the most underused. He has a dignity and quality to him that is often thrust into the background. In season four, McDaniel is given material to work with and he runs with it. Mr. McDaniel gives Lt. Fancy dignity, frustration, anger, and reserve and he has the ability to moderate it all with a realism that makes his character one of the best defined in the NYPD Blue universe.

All in all, this is a pretty solid DVD collection and any points off are really for the lack of decent DVD extras. Still, for a quality show like NYPD Blue, it's insulting that it's not getting better treatment on DVD with more extras.

For other seasons of NYPD Blue, please visit my reviews of:
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3

9/10

For other television reviews, please be sure to check out my Television Review Index Page for an organized list of all my television and movie reviews!

© 2012, 2007, 2006 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Arguably The Best Season Of NYPD Blue Is The Third Season!

The Good: Great acting, Wonderful character development, Good plots, Excellent direction and writing
The Bad: Weak DVD bonuses, Packaging
The Basics: While Simone and Russell negotiate a new relationship, Sipowicz works cases while mentoring his son in what it means to be a cop.


There are plenty of people who will go into great depth on NYPD Blue to argue that the third season of the show is the very best the show ever achieved. While this is a season of great television that is exceptionally compelling and rewatchable, I find such arguments completely neglect the latter seasons of the show which had a greatness to them that was very different. Regardless, with the third season of NYPD Blue out now on DVD, viewers have a chance to get the 15th Precinct's most controversial season for their home libraries.

Now that Sylvia and Andy are married, Sipowicz begins to get into a daily routine, which is soon broken by Sylvia's announcement that she is pregnant. Life at the 15th Precinct gets instantly more complicated when Martinez is shot, complicating Medavoy and Lesniak's lives. And Diane Russell, now free and open to date Bobby Simone, works to stay on the wagon while dealing with a volatile family situation. And the fairly cool relationship between Lieutenant Fancy and Sipowicz hits a boiling point when a race-related shooting causes mayhem on the streets. And through it, Sipowicz begins to get closer to his estranged son, Andy Jr.

All of the bad with this season of NYPD Blue has to do with the DVDs, not the actual show. The two biggest problems are: the packaging and the DVD extras. The packaging is irksome for those who have not seen this season and want to have a profound shock. If you want to experience a television show and be hit out of the blue like viewers originally were, the back of the DVD box (and the episode summaries on the individual DVDs) give way too much information on both the season and the episodes. In short, the third season is building to an important character event for Andy Sipowicz, which comes in the last three episodes of the season. Yet, right on the back of the box, it mentions what that event is. It's pretty lousy.

As well, the DVD extras are pathetic. The third season of NYPD Blue has three episodes that are mind-blowingly great. "The Backboard Jungle" and the (quasi-) two-part perfect episodes "A Death In The Family" and "Closing Time" are both culturally relevant and astonishing and powerful in the human tragedy portrayed. None of these three episodes has commentary. "The Backboard Jungle" is possibly the most complicated and in-your-face racial exposes, exploring ethnic relations and ethnic conflict, of the 1990s. Yet, no commentary. Instead, there are lackluster commentaries without any real insight on the unextraordinary episodes "Sorry, Wong Suspect" and "Head Case." This is a huge disappointment, as is the lack of a featurette on "The Backboard Jungle."

Barring that, this is a worthy addition to anyone's collection. Anyone who loves great drama will love this season of NYPD Blue. "A Death In The Family" and "Closing Time," when viewed together are a perfect study in human misery and tragedy. "The Backboard Jungle" pulls no punches when exploring a shootout at a basketball game that puts Sipowicz at odds with a black community leader. And outside those three episodes, there is plenty of greatness. "Cold Heaters" has Andy and Fancy working together to help out a father who killed when his ten year-old boy was beaten to death and "We Was Robbed" offers a somewhat comedic relief to the typical drama of the show.

As this is a character-driven series, here is how the third season plays out for the mains:

Bobby Simone - Now able to date Russell, Simone acts as a buffer between Sipowicz and Fancy while solving cases. Still dealing with the death of his wife, he finds conflict with Russell occasionally over risks she takes on the job,

Andy Sipowicz - Domesticated and reforging bonds with his estranged son, Andy begins to look forward to the birth of a new son while trying to stay out of trouble with the job,

Lieutenant Arthur Fancy - Mostly stuck behind his desk, Fancy leads the squad by keeping everyone in line and on focus. Unfortunately, Fancy has little development this season,

James Martinez - Shot early on, James works to recover and return to work, while trying to figure out his relationship (or lack thereof) with Lesniak,

Greg Medavoy - Once again, Medavoy finds conflict at home, which causes him to move into the 15th Precinct's building,

Donna Abandando - Also largely behind a desk for the bulk of the season, Abandando moves the last half of the season when an opportunity comes her way she is not sure she wants to pass up,

Sylvia Costas - Pregnant and working hard to be supportive of Andy, Sylvia is an anchor that keeps Andy grounded and true,

Adrian Lesniak - Frustrated at Martinez's advances, Lesniak begins to explore her own sexuality,

and Diane Russell - Working hard to stay sober, Russell encounters a personal tragedy at home, but finds some salvation in Simone.

This is a season of powerful character arcs and it would not have been pulled off with anything of the success it had were it not for the powerful performances. This is a season that is a model of great acting.

James McBride gives an awesome performance as Fancy in "The Backboard Jungle," easily proving that when the writers give him material, he will rise to the occasion. Similarly, Justine Miceli does wonderful work as a troubled Lesniak, though her character is left with almost nowhere to go after this season. Jimmy Smits does great work, but much of it this season is supporting the work of Dennis Franz and Kim Delaney.

Kim Delaney does an excellent job as the strong, yet scarred Russell. She convinces the viewer that her character is essentially good, but with a shadow in her past that makes things difficult for her. Delaney brings both strength and vulnerability to the role, making her performances diverse and compelling.

It is, however, Dennis Franz who rules this season. It is Franz's portrayal of Sipowicz as the father, mentor, bigot, detective, husband, and friend that makes the season pop. He's given a great role and he sells the viewer entirely on it. Franz plays Andy as both deadpan comic and tormented, easily earning every award he won this season.

But you should not take my word for it entirely, this is a great season of adult television and more adults ought to buy it and enjoy it. It's worth the money, despite it's lack of decent bonus material.

For other great third seasons, be sure to visit my reviews of:
The West Wing - Season Three
Psych - Season 3
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Third Season

10/10

For other television reviews, please be sure to visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing of all my television reviews.

© 2012, 2007, 2006 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Second Season Of A Great Show Maintains Perfection With NYPD Blue Season Two!

The Good: Excellent acting, Great character development, Decent extras, Generally good plots
The Bad: Plots begin to take on formulaic spin in this season
The Basics: With excellent acting and great characters, the second season of NYPD Blue continues a tradition of outstanding achievement and lasting greatness.


Sophomore seasons for a television show are difficult, especially if the first season of the show was fabulous, groundbreaking, and/or started something of a phenomenon. Thus, the pressure on NYPD Blue (outside whatever behind the scenes difficulties leaked into the media) was pretty tremendous going into its second year. The boxed set DVD collection of NYPD Blue for the second season is a real treat as it illustrates the rare achievement of a show that started out with a bang continuing to fly high.

The second season of NYPD Blue finds the 15th Precinct immediately under siege. With the trial of Janice Licalsi in full swing, Detective John Kelly finds himself under investigation by Internal Affairs. Pressured about his role in concealing evidence, Kelly is forced to resign, despite the efforts of Sipowicz and Fancy. Sipowicz is paired up with a new detective, Bobby Simone, who works to become Andy's friend. As they adjust to being around one another through several cases, Medavoy and Martinez pair up (professionally) while Medavoy and Donna Abandando continue their on-again, off-again relationship.

NYPD Blue prides itself on being a character-driven show and the second season continues the trend of putting the characters up front as the most important aspect. More important than the cases these detectives solve is who the detectives are and how they go about solving the crimes. In the second season, this is how the characters evolve:

Licalsi - Her trial is resolved quickly and Licalsi goes on her merry way, without the merry,

Lesniak - A new, young female detective who catches Martinez's eye arrives as a real professional who is attempting to keep her work and personal lives very much separate,

Diane Russell - Arriving near the end of the season, she is introduced as a smart detective who also has a serious drinking problem,

John Kelly - Suffers the consequences of standing by the woman he loves,

Donna Abandando - Finds that her love for Medavoy is not enough to change the nervous man and she initiates a painful breakup with him,

Martinez - Grows as a detective, now without Kelly. Paired with Medavoy, he starts to become his own man and tries to show that to Lesniak,

Medavoy - His paranoia over having such a good thing as a relationship with Donna surfaces, causing him to spy and lose everything. Outside that, he finds himself going a great deal of good in the City and growing even more as a detective,

Sylvia Costas - Still an ADA, she gets even closer to Andy to the point that when he proposes to her, she finds herself headed toward the aisle, even as she is forced to deal with difficult incidences from her own past,

Fancy - Gets the son he's always wanted and finds himself having to defend both his squad and his brother as he illustrates how competent he is at being the boos of the 15th Squad,

Bobby Simone - Arrives as a widower who has ties to the media which force him to re-evaluate his life. Partnering with Sipowicz compels him to be levelheaded and methodical, but he has his own issues and when Diane arrives, he finds his life even more complicated,

Andy Sipowicz - Still arguably in the shadows of another cop (now Simone), Sipowicz keeps sober with the help of a sponsor, deals with another big loss in his life, and gets both a new partner and a solid love interest when he and Sylvia move in together and decide to take the big plunge.

As with the first season, NYPD Blue finds the second season immersed in murky territory with an impressive number of moral questions being asked and a rather practical approach to the world as it works. NYPD Blue is possibly the show wherein the good guys win the least amount of times. That is to say that while often the 15th Squad finds the correct perpetrator, justice is not always served. For example, after two episodes wherein Simone attempts to catch a serial killer, his suspect is murdered while going to trial. Similarly, as Andy gets entrenched on the road to sobriety, his sponsor's mentally ill son comes back into his sponsor's life.

NYPD Blue continues its tradition of being daring television. Even beyond the language and nudity, the second season of the show pushes the boundaries of what may be talked about and shown on television. For example, in "Double Abandando," one of the most disgusting killers of the entire series is revealed to be a man who knowingly infects women with H.I.V. The episode raises the social conscious about a serious problem and reflects on the lack of consequences in such a case. It's a real eye opener.

And then, of course, there is the nudity and language. The nudity does not seem so gratuitous as it may have in the first season, save in Bobby Simone's first episode, "Simone Says," where writer David Milch admits he lobbied for nudity (in the form of the police investigating a photographer's studio while many people are posing naked) because he knew that the show would be drawing a lot of viewers anyway. The nudity and language do not seem so extreme now, either because of how this show changed television so a lot of this is not shocking today or because I have grown up. Still, it is definitely not kid's fare.

In addition to very realistic, complicated characters, the second season of NYPD Blue captivates using intriguing storylines that are not usually predictable. Some of the interesting cases the 15th Squad must investigate include a homicidal, lecherous chiropractor, a gypsy scam artist, a young man whose approach to meeting women is to send them death threats, a case that depends on the testimony of a woman who wants Simone to love her, and many, many murders. Add to that a side adventure where Sipowicz conceals that a detective died in a prostitute's bed and you have an interesting season!

Part of the reason this series is so engaging and has endured as long as it has it in the quality of the acting. NYPD Blue has a phenomenal cast and many argue that the ensemble that begins with this second season is the strongest (I tend to argue third season and the current one, which is season eleven). These are all professionals and they truly hone their craft here in the second season.

Among the supporting cast of people like Gail O'Grady (Donna) and Nicholas Turturro (Martinez), two actors stand above the rest. Gordon Clapp continues to progress Medavoy into a likable, decent man with a very human range of flaws. Clapp humanizes much of the show making it easy to connect to the bigger, sometimes frightening world that NYPD Blue portrays by playing Medavoy as an emotive man who is competent, but fearful. Clapp's ability to stutter and his use of body language sell the audience on one of the most intriguing characters in the series.

The other standout of the secondary cast is Sharon Lawrence as Sylvia Costas. Lawrence does a phenomenal job of selling the audience on the unlikely pairing of Costas and Sipowicz. Lawrence uses her ability to have her eyes emote a loving expression, her body language to play cool and confident and her voice to be almost parental to add depth to a character who began the series as someone Sipowicz could yell profanities at. Lawrence infuses the relationship with real chemistry and is utterly convincing as the Assistant District Attorney.

Dennis Franz continues to impress as Sipowicz. Perhaps Franz is the luckiest; the expectations on him are not to simply show up and look good, so the show tends to emphasize his character and as a result, he gets a lot of great material. In this season of the show, Franz continues to expand his ability to act by presenting Sipowicz as both a curmudgeon and a guy who has a heart. What Franz does so well is to present dialog that most actors would find reprehensible or complicated with an ease that convinces us it is all his character. That is quality acting.

And in the second season, Jimmy Smits exploded into the series as an acting force to be reckoned with. More than simply the good looking man that many might assume he was cast for, Smits backs up the looks with soothing tones that easily connote a caring man. Smits plays Simone as an intriguing combination of clever and forceful, striking a balance that Sipowicz does not have. Smits seems to take great joy in opening up a place for wry humor in the series, using his eyes to laugh when it might not otherwise be appropriate. As well, Smits can turn on the best of intensity when he plays Simone in interrogation scenes, making his performances possibly the most rounded of the characters this season.

Essential for anyone who loves great drama, those who are not fond of police shows should not be intimidated by NYPD Blue. The second season continues the trend of using a cop show to push the borders of what a family drama can be by mixing crime solving with family-style drama (with the squad essentially dealing with similar problems that a family has behind the scenes and separate from the crime solving).

Fans of NYPD Blue will enjoy the extras this boxed set has. Several episodes have commentary and though David Milch is somewhat of a washout giving commentary (he sits and repeats Sipowicz's lines and adds little else), the rest of the people are pretty interesting. The behind the scenes interviews are both confusing and interesting. On the subject of David Caruso's departure, the information seems to contradict what was said in the first season bonuses (i.e. that Steven Bochco pre-emptively fired Caruso in anticipation of him not wanting to come back due to movie roles, which changes now with Caruso being difficult and wanting to leave on these discs). But the endearing moments are seeing people like Sharon Lawrence and Gail O'Grady talk about the show. Though both actresses eventually left the show, they talk about NYPD Blue as a great experience and in glowing terms. Lawrence, especially, has a particular love of the show that she illustrates by speaking in quite an educated fashion on all sorts of episodes, including scenes she was not even in. It's refreshing to see celebrities excited by the show that made them stars as opposed to trying to distance themselves from it.

This DVD set does not have deleted scenes and it is doubtful that any exist; perhaps one of the most intriguing things about watching these episodes is seeing how much longer the running time of the episodes was then than it is now. Maybe one of the signs of the greatness of this show should come from the Nielsen's; season two was so good that they had to start cutting out programming time to make way for more advertising. A real classic and an essential addition to anyone's DVD collection.

For other works with Jimmy Smits, be sure to check out my reviews of:
The West Wing - Season Seven
The West Wing - Season Six
Revenge Of The Sith
Attack Of The Clones

10/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing of all of my television reviews!

© 2012, 2007, 2004 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Close Enough To A Perfect First Season: NYPD Blue Season 1

The Good: Great acting, Wonderful character arcs, Nice stories, Effects
The Bad: Minor sense of repetition
The Basics: The 15th Precinct of New York City deals day in and day out with criminals while the detectives work on relating to one another in the complete first season of NYPD Blue.


Note: This was originally written when the show actually made its debut on DVD. I liked the tone and my snarky comments on ABC, so I have kept most of the original text unchanged. Enjoy!

NYPD Blue has finally started trickling onto DVD. It's about time. Actually, it's the perfect time for the series to be put into this medium: it's the ten year anniversary of the show's start and the current season is doing amazing work when it isn't being pre-empted for whatever current idiotic "reality" show ABC decides to put on. In the rush to get series' out on DVD, studios and networks are putting a premium on current popularity, as opposed to genuine quality. With the advent of NYPD Blue on DVD, Fox is reminding the patrons of this fantastic medium that the real treasure of DVD is capturing forever truly great works.

NYPD Blue tells the story of the 15th Precinct's detective squad. Opening with a drunk officer's vendetta against a notorious gangster, the series becomes more and more complicated in the first season. Detective John Kelly works at bringing down the Mob while his ex-wife finishes divorce proceedings against him. Andy Sipowicz, shot in the pilot, must overcome his hatreds as well as work on staying sober, a task made more difficult by a burgeoning relationship between himself and an ADA. The lieutenant at the 15th Squad is plagued by Sipowicz and his racism as well as the vague threats of other cops looking to bring him down. There is a uniform cop named Licalsi whose ties to organized crime put her in direct conflict with her love for John Kelly. The crew is rounded out by a junior detective named Martinez who is paired with an exceptionally nervous detective named Medavoy. Their pairing keeps life interesting for both of them and through all of their myriad personal problems, the officers of the 15th Squad catch a successive file of rapes, murders, and robberies.

With 22 episodes, the NYPD Blue Complete First Season DVD set is a value at the $55 you're likely to spend on it (It’s cheaper now!). It's worth it, though. The six disc set has commentaries on six episodes, an hour long behind-the-scenes featurette and other exclusives like one on relationships in the first season of NYPD Blue. Between the quality of the episodes and the bonus features, this is a must for any fan of NYPD Blue.

But more than that, it is an opportunity to get into something that is truly extraordinary. NYPD Blue tells stories of the basic human need for justice through the results of that going too far. For example, David Schwimmer plays a resident of Kelly's former apartment building who was mugged in the building and as a result, he buys a gun and becomes a vigilante. The obsession he exhibits seems very realistic. This is a series known for nudity, strong language and radical camera movements, but it is truly, on the most important levels, all about people.

The people in the first season of NYPD Blue are:

Detective John Kelly, a brooding professional with a knack for interrogation, he has an instinct toward protecting women and a sincere desire to help other people. Kelly's marriage fell apart because of his vigilance toward the job and his new relationship with Licalsi is complicated by his personal need to see right and wrong set apart. He's a tortured soul mentored by Sipowicz. A typical problem Kelly faces in the first season is like "Personal Foul" where a friend of his inadvertently kills another friend in a fight on the basketball court.

Andy Sipowicz is a drunk whose life turns around when he is nearly killed by gangster Alphonse Giadello and then finds himself pursued by ADA Sylvia Costas. Sipowicz is a boss-hating racist who finds being dry a challenge and his need to do his work is complicated by a mean streak he has in his soul.

Lt. Fancy runs the squad and in the first season, he finds himself forced to defend his role as a minority in a position of power. He is tough and fair and ultimately wants nothing more than to have every crime committed solved by his detectives.

James Martinez, a young officer whose joining the 15th Squad is a huge learning experience. He's fast and agile and close with his family, a condition which is complicated by his brother, who is a drug user in a lot of trouble.

Laura Michaels, the estranged wife of John Kelly is on a quest to find direction in her life. She leaves working for the city, quits the subsequent law firm and ends up in the DAs office. As John and Licalsi get closer and closer, she has more complications in her dealings with the 15th.

Officer Licalsi is a uniform cop whose ties to organized crime put her in an awkward position when she makes a worse decision, killing an important mobster. Licalsi spends the season searching for redemption from Kelly and trying to escape the ties to the mob. She's a deeply conflicted character who knows what she wants, but not how to get it.

NYPD Blue undergoes a reasonable transition in the first season, progressing from a cop show very focused on procedure and the methods of detective work into a series focused on the individuals and their struggles. It is a sensible development as the characters do detective work all the way through, but it would quickly get tiring to see the entire process that follows each crime every time.

The hallmark of this series, what separates it from all of the other television shows out there is that NYPD Blue is exceptionally well-written and well acted. The writing is tight and every episode has a freshness to it, despite the fact that it is a repetition of crime and discovery. Each episode has a sense of newness to it and the threads of other stories going throughout the entire season lends a nice serialized sense to the series. It's an adult series and adults can commit to watching episode after episode to see how things develop and NYPD Blue does that exceptionally well.

The acting, then, caps off an already amazing show and the casting department and the various directors of the first season episodes have a strong sense of how to use each of the actors to their best ability. While James McDaniel does a fantastic job as Lt. Fancy, he is relegated to more of a supporting role in the first season and thus does not have the opportunity to dominate the way some of the other actors do. Sheri Stringfield is in the same position as Kelly's ex-wife. Because she is around mostly to reflect off Kelly, she never gets the chance to present her character as terribly vital or necessary. The three actors who steal their thunder are Amy Brenneman, David Caruso and Dennis Franz.

Brenneman leaps onto the screen as Licalsi, a fairly young cop who has connections. Brenneman, as seen in the first season of NYPD Blue, has a versatile look that is ultimately very practical and makes it easy for the viewer to believe that she is an officer. She doesn't have a Hollywood beauty to her and it goes a long way to making her intense expressive eyes more of an asset. Brenneman says much throughout the season using undertones in her voice and subtle body language and she creates quite vividly a conflicted character.

David Caruso makes his presence instantly felt on the screen as John Kelly. Caruso has wonderful facial expressions and a voice that modulates with an exceptional amount of expression. As a result, his performances are consistently great. Caruso makes the series very easy to watch at the beginning and for those who are fans of the show, it is somewhat surprising to go back to see how much Caruso dominated the episodes.

But the thunder of the acting in NYPD Blue is in Dennis Franz. His portrayal of the drunk, racist and angry Sipowicz is outstanding. The way we know Franz is such a great actor is that he is completely different from his character. Unlike Sipowicz, in every interview, every public performance, Franz is seen smiling and he has great charisma. He is generous to his fans and gracious at every award ceremony he's been filmed at. In short, he's nothing like Sipowicz, but he makes Sipowicz utterly believable. That's great acting.

If you've never seen NYPD Blue, this is a great chance to get into it at the beginning. There are minor flaws in the first season, a line or two here or there that just doesn't come off, but the truth is, it's a 22 episode single story and it is pulled off as near to perfect as any series has ever done for the first season.

For other reviews of police-related programs, please be sure to visit:
Homicide: Life On The Street
In The Heat Of The Night
Crash

9.5/10

For other television reviews, please be sure to check out my Television Review Index Page by clicking here!

© 2012, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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