So, what is today’s topic you ask. Great question. Today I thought we would talk about the one style of show that seems to have continuously been on the air since the dawn of television. I am talking about the cop show. The police procedural feels like the backbone of any network line up. You have to have a cop show, but that should not be confused with the private detective show. In addition, your network should possibly have a medical drama, a legal drama, a teen drama. You might also want to look into having a family sitcom and at least one workplace sitcom. See running a network is not that hard.

Today I want to focus on the cop show. I am also going to limit this to the one-hour cop show, so no Barney Miller or Brooklyn 99. I promise I will find somewhere to put those; they are both excellent shows. Also sticking to the straight cop show so no supernatural items, not the X-files or Fringe. Again, that is a list for another time.

I think my first real experience with the cop show was in fact Barney Miller. My father loved this show. I actually think he loved the theme song as much as the show. It was one of the two shows whose theme song we all had to be quiet for when it came on. The other one was taxi. I believe I have a blog post about theme songs if you are interested in that. I would find dragnet years later on my own. Something about watching Joe Friday rousting hippies that I just love. Then I learned that dragnet actually started as a radio show then a tv show. There is a long history of the cop show. I love a good cop show. In the early days, we dealt with the simple right and wrong but as we have grown as a society, we have seen the cop show get into more of a morally grey area. This has really made the cop show grow. This is not necessarily new but a slow change and hopefully we can look at those changes as we go.

I am starting with probably one of the longest running cop shows. Law and Order (Chu Chung). Law and order was a very simple concept. We would follow a single case through the entire process. The show is really two half hour shows. The first half we have detectives investigating the crime, you know your basic police procedural. The second half of the show is the legal drama as we prosecute the case. We start with detective Logan, Played by Chris Noth, and detective Greevy played by George Dzunda. This is our first detective team and they are good. Greevy is the older experienced detective, and the Logan is a bit of a hot head. We lose Greevy then we get Cerreta played by Paul Sorvino, and he is more the neighborhood guy. Of course, he is the calm to Logan’s storm. We lose Cerreta and then we get Jerry Orbach as Lenny Briscoe. I think he may have been on the show longer than any other single detective we see. Briscoe is the typical old curmudgeon. Remember those wonderful zinger lines from Grissom on CSI; well Lenny is the master at that. We do lose Logan; his hot head gets the better of him and he is removed. This is when we Get Green, played By Jesse L Martin, from rent and the flash. And that Is not to mention Anthony Anderson, Denis Farina, Benjamin Bratt, Michael Imperioli, and Jeremy Sisto. I am betting I am missing a couple and it is going to bother me the whole time. Also remember this is just the police side. We also had lots of main characters in the DA’s office as well. We start the show with DA Adam Schiff. Very levelheaded and politically minded. He was always so insulted when politics are brought up, but he also always did the right thing. Under him is Michael Moriarty as ADA Stone, one of my favorites. His dry and very serious delivery makes you feel like you are in trouble for watching. This man knew the law inside and out and he was going to adhere to it no matter what. Under him Was Robinette, played wonderfully by Richard Brooks. He was a great balance of Stone’s sort of rigid adherence to the law and Robinette’s own real world look at the law. A wonderful character that maybe does not get talked about that often. Later in the run we get Sam Waterson, did everyone just hear that like Joey’s Italian grandma on friends said it? as Jack McCoy. Now jack McCoy plays a little fast and loose with the law. That’s not to say he is corruptible or anything he can just seem to stretch it to fit just what he needs it to. There is a wonderful episode about gun control where he takes this case, that everyone says he shouldn’t, through to the supreme court, state supreme court I think, looking for an interpretation in the current gun laws that would allow him to actually prosecute gun manufacturers. Now no matter where you are on the issue the writing in this episode is wonderful, and Sam Waterston delivers. We get short term big names playing the DA throughout the run. Fred Thompson as the gruff southern lawyer. I swear he is channeling his inner frog horn leghorn and I love every second of that character on screen. Diane Wiest, who most will remember from the movies Parenthood and Lost boys. There is no shortage of assistant district attorneys either. Jill Hennessy plays Clair Kincaid. She is new, not completely green but she definitely might be in over her head from time to time. Elisabeth Rohm as Serena Southerland is a full headstrong street fighter, and she is ready for that fight. Abbey Carmichael, played by Angie Harmon, is this very calculating sort of lawyer. She is playing chess while everyone else is playing poker. She is always thinking several steps ahead. So out of all these characters we all have our favorites, like any show. I have saved my favorite for last. one cast member that should have the honor of being in the most seasons, if not episodes. From season one until season twenty-one, they always mentioned him, if he was not shown, Profacci. John Fiore did a wonderful job even though he was only in a scene or two each episode he was very believable. If you do a rewatch, and good luck with that, watch very close he is usually in the background like an extra even in episodes where he is only mentioned. I would bet good money to say has appeared in more episodes than any other cast member.

If you have been in a coma since 1990 then you have to check this out. The rest of us will just be on our one-millionth re-watch.  

Our next show began by pushing boundaries of what was acceptable on television. I am of course talking about NYPD Blue. This was a return to the hardnosed cop show. Start with Dennis Franz, who I will talk more about in another item on the list, and his partner David Caruso. Dennis Franz plays detective Sipowicz on the surface he is the stereotype cop we were all familiar with in media. He is overweight, a drinker, and maybe his best days are behind him. That first episode paints this guy in not the best light. We see him testifying in a case that does not go his way. David Caruso plays Sipowicz partner detective Kelly, and he is only around for the first season. He was good on the show, as he usually is. he was a nice balance for the off the rails Sipowicz. NYPD Blue followed a single house and the crimes they investigated. This was, for me anyway, one of the first shows to delve into the personal lives of the detectives we see. That is no shock since it has Steven Bothcko involved, and we will talk about him later in the list. We will also bring back Franz and Caruso later in the list as well. The drama of the personal lives of our detectives expands the view on many of the cases they have. Like I said this is one of the early cops shows to go beyond the case and do it well. I know law and order tried this for a season, I think, but it just was not what law and order was.

The lieutenant that runs the house, Lt. Fancy played by James McDaniel, is the very opposite of what we were seeing in the role at the time. More stoic than yeller. He was in charge and did not need to yell. It was refreshing to see his take on the character. I think this is excellent as a counterbalance to what was out there. Amy Brenneman plays Officer Lecalsi who, at the end of episode one, is revealed to be working with the mob. Nicholas Turturro as Detective Martinez is the young and hungry cop looking to move from his current position. They put him through his paces. The ADA Costas played by Sharon Lawrence does not figure to heavy in the first episode, but I need to mention her as she does play a bigger role throughout the series. Such a deep cast of characters here, far too many to go into. I will say though for me I think Jimmy Smits was probably my favorite paring with Dennis Franz. Now that’s not to say the others were bad, but for my money Smits was the top of the list, and I think was the longest run as Sipowicz partner. Right? I mean we get Caruso in season one, Smits from season 2 until almost the end. I think Rick Schroeder was on for a couple of seasons, and also Mark Paul Gosselaar, yes from Saved by the bell, was for a few seasons. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I was truly surprised at how good he was. Of course, I only knew of him form saved by the bell which I did not watch regularly. With NYPD Blue, we did get all the gritty crime New York has to offer. We get to see new guys come and grow as well. We also get a lot of involvement with IA in the show. How detective Fancy was able to keep that house together I will never know. That had to be one of the toughest places to work. It seems like every week or so there was yet another accusation against someone in the house. Between the work investigations and the absolutely debilitating personal stories this show was really good. I will have to add this one to the list for a re-watch.

Justified was a great series on FX in 2010. Remember when FX was leading the charge in all those wonderful dramas in the early two thousands. This one is definitely a must see. We have a stellar cast, excellent music and probably some of the best writing on television. Also, nice cinematography for a show. I have family in Kentucky near where this was set and when I tell you I think I want to move there I am not even kidding, not even a little bit. 

We first meet our hero, Raylan Givens played by timothy Olyphant, when he is working in Miami. He has told this criminal that he had twenty-four hours to leave the state, and of course, he did not. Just a wonderful quiet little scene between these two people. Yes, it is a crowded restaurant, and no one even knows what is going on. The bad guy says he is not leaving. As he draws his gun, Raylan puts him down. Now through the scene you can tell Raylan is prepared for this guy; he does not even get his gun above the table before taking three rounds in the chest. Of course, this draws a lot of attention, and they decide to get rid of Raylan. The best way they think is to give him the impossible choice. They send him home to Kentucky. Not his first choice of assignment but he likes what he does so he accepts the transfer. Which works out since he is from Kentucky, he is now the expert, more so than he would normally be. 

Once in Kentucky we meet Art Mullins, Played by Nick Searcy. Now you have seen him in a ton of things. He is a wonderful actor and is excellent in this. He gets all the good lines. He is the man in charge of this group, as much as anyone can be in charge of this cast of headstrong characters. We have a former military sniper played by Jacob Pitts. He has a great line in the pilot. He and art are pinned down, he pulls out his rifle and looks to Art and says, “You want me to wing ‘em or kill ‘em?” Art replies with “let’s start with winging them”. I love the writing on this show it is wonderful. Of course, he wings both men, which gives enough time for Marshal Brooks, played by Erica Tazel, to flank the bad guys. These three are regular cast members, but they are not out in front. 

Wynona Crowder is the recently widowed wife of Bowman Crowder. I say recently widowed as she just shot him prior to the start of the episode. He was abusive and she had had enough. Therefore, she set him a nice dinner and put him down while he was eating. Her growth over the series is wonderful. Walking a line between independent strong woman and victim of abuse. That is always there with her, and I think she intentionally leans into it, as a character choice, when needed. She plays this part so well. 

Boyd Crowder, Walton Goggin’s’ second appearance on this list, is just the right amount of psychopath mix with country bad boy. We meet him and he presents as your sort of standard backwoods good ole’ boy. However, he is a bit of a criminal mastermind. Not in the bond villain way but more of what a real-world criminal mastermind might be. He is being investigated for a series of church bombings and it is revealed he is using them as a distraction to tie up police while he robs a bank. In the pilot, we see him blow up a black church with a rocket launcher, and we hear him yell “Fire in the hole!” before shooting off the rocket. Later it is revealed that it was not necessarily a church but a front for dealing drugs. Boyd is no hero he is a criminal, and he does behave as such. But we do get to see him as more than what he appears. Some of the best scenes in this show are between Walton Goggin’s and Timothy Olyphant. In the pilot there is a nice scene between these two characters, it plays as a bit of a low-key power struggle. It is shot wonderfully with those tight close ups like the old spaghetti westerns. Focus on the eyes; focus tight on the hand on the glass.  As I said this is some of the best writing I have ever seen on television. These actors expertly deliver the lines. You almost forget it is a show, well almost. The cinematography is out of this world for a TV show. I would bet you could watch this show with no dialogue and fully understand what is happening, I mean do not do that as you will miss the great writing and acting. One last thing I have to mention the music. The theme is awesome, one of the few themes I have to listen to when I watch. The background music that runs through the episode is excellent. I cannot recommend this show enough. Yes, it is a cop show; it is not your standard procedural. These people are US Marshals, they are stationed in and around Kentucky, but the show is really more about the relations between the casts. The crime of the week seems to take a back seat to the character drama, but not quite as it is usually very relevant to what is happening on screen. I would say turn off the phone for this one; you do not want any interruptions while watching.

The Shield is so classically early 2000’s it is not even funny. First of all, before I go down this path let me just say I am a fan of the shield. I loved this show when it was on. I did not miss a single episode and it is wonderful. So early 2000’s checklist time. Shaky hand cam that gives an almost documentary style? Check. Edgy theme song? Check. Street shots of lower income neighborhoods but with kids playing in the street. Check. This show has it all. Use a kid Rock song to end the episode? Check. I mean at least it was not another use of Marylyn Manson’s version of Sweet Dreams.  Even the cover art for each season looks like an edgy teen diary from the time. I mean seriously I love this show. 

We are in the Farmington district, a fictional area of Los Angeles. The pilot does well at introducing the cast. We see our new Lt. David Acevedo, played wonderfully by Benito Martinez. He is clearly the face they want to put here. A Hispanic cop in charge of the predominantly minority area of Farmington. This even creates some tension inside the house, most think he is, and I am quoting “A test taker who did not earn it on the street”, and so he is already an outsider.  However, he does want to clean up, not only the district but the cops in the house as well. CCH Pounder plays detective Claudette Wyms. Now she has been through a few of these and seems to keep an even keel through the entire run of the series, which only serves to give her more power when she does decide to step up and challenge others. Her partner is this wannabe FBI agent type. Jay Karnes play detective Wagenbach, aka Dutch boy, to perfection. I have seen him in a couple of things, and he is really good in all of them. He always seems to have a bigger theory than what is needed. I may be a little out of line with that. He is pushing to be better and therefore comes off as if he thinks he is better than everyone is. On patrol, we have Officer Sofer, Katherine Dent brings her to life very well. She is trying to fit in with this male dominated world and still stay as feminine as possible. There is a wonderful scene at the end of the pilot where she is about to go on a blind date, and she puts her back up weapon in a drawer in her house. Her date arrives and she sees him; she then retrieves her weapon and puts it in her bag. She is walking this line. Trying to keep the job at the office and her life outside, this will be an ongoing struggle for her throughout. Her partner, Julian Lowe played by Michael Jace, is clearly new to the job. He is a rookie and trying to find his way. Through all these seasons anyone new coming in has to feel like the first day of camp. Deciding which group, you will be in. these are our “good” guys. Now let us meet the strike team. 

Obviously, we are in the midst of the war on drugs. While at this time it is not making the headlines like the war on terror is, we are still neck deep in the war on drugs. Therefore, we got a group of hard chargers in play. Now are they dirty cops? Maybe, I mean there is a line, and we all have that line, but when or if the line should be crossed seems to be a little different for all of us. As well as the team. So let us start with Ronnie, played by David Reese Snell, is partnered usually with Lem, played by Kenny Johnson who you may know currently on SWAT. These two do most of the grunt work for the group. These people set up the low-level buy busts to help flip to the bigger fish. Next, the second in command on the strike team is Shane, played wonderfully by Walton Goggins who already showed up in another show on this episode. The character Shane is a cheap imitation of our lead. Michael Chiklis plays Vic Mackey to perfection. This is a perfect storm of right actor, right role, right time, and right show. We all want Vic Mackey out there we just do not want to see his antics in the paper. He plays it fast and loose with the rules. He is actually having dealers inform on other dealers while he ignores their crimes. He will protect “citizens” from criminals all day long. I believe he thinks this is right. 

Now in episode one they do a wonderful job of setting up this power struggle between Acevedo and Mackey. Obviously, Mackey is the kind of cop Acevedo wants to rid the department of, however we get a wonderful scene where Acevedo realizes that we need Vic Mackey out on the streets. He is as real for the time period as Joe Friday was on dragnet. I often look at these two as ends of the continuum. Acevedo gets Vic to interrogate a child predator. Obviously, we get the girl back. This is wonderful in showing that yes there is a line, but that line is a little different for us all. Obviously when a child is missing, all bets are off. However, this little piece of hope is dashed in the next scene. As we close out the episode, we hear the kid rock hit form the early 2000’s. This is intercut with scenes of our characters returning home. Then the music comes down and our team is about to hit a known drug dealer. With them, this time is the undercover officer that Acevedo has placed on the team to keep an eye on Mackey. Of course, they kill the dealer. Then Mackey grabs the dealer’s gun and kills the new guy. Very powerful, even if most shows at the time seemed to kill off a main character in the first episode. 

Such a good show. If you like your cop shows to be a little comic book, some of what they do is so over the top and unrealistic, with a good edge this is a good pick. I know I have had many discussions with people about this show. The morality of it is what always gets me. Yes, we have laws and due process but sometimes we all wonder, especially when it is personal, if it is worth it. I mean many of these people are arrested and back out the same day. Mackey does go too for over the course of the show, but he starts from the right place. The ending of this series is wonderful. Very fitting end to Vic, a punishment worse than death for him. 

Now we get to the whole reason I wanted to do this list. Whenever I meet a police officer in a social setting, I always have to ask, “Which cop show do you think gets it right?” I am always so interested in the authenticity of what I am watching. Sometimes I want a show that is true to the experience, and sometimes I just want a good comic book version. Real is always preferred but sometimes I want over the top fantasy of what it really could/should be. The one show I hear more often than not about the reality of police work being captured on film is Hill Street Blues. Hill Street Blues was one of my early favorites. These people felt real. They had lives beyond the work. Many shows try to convey that, but this show does it with the cop show. Until Hill Street blues most cop shows were simply cops and robbers. No grey area. Most characters on these shows felt very one dimensional. I truly enjoy dragnet, but those characters are very flat. With hill street blues, we get this wonderful mix of characters throughout.

Let us start at the top of the ladder Daniel J. Travanti plays Captain Frank Furillo at hill street station. He is a good boss. He will take the hit from the higher ups over his officers. Sometimes they are right and he will acknowledge that. Sometimes they are wrong, and he will let them have it. I remember early on in the series one of the characters was having issues with drinking. Frank chews him a new one and strongly, as a boss, encourages him to get help or else. At the end of the show, we see the detective at an AA meeting admitting his problem. Then we hear this little voice from just behind and see it is Frank, who also went through AA for his drinking problem. The little things like that make this show so good.

Next, we have the desk sergeant played by Michael Conrad. Phil Esterhaus is the gatekeeper for frank Furillo. You got to go through Phil first. He often has great advice from his many years on the force. He is a true believer. You see these guys at the office. They spend their lunch breaks talking about how to make it better. They are the ones who should be promoted but never are. Phil handles everything from morning roll call to helping sort personal problems. He is the one that gives us the iconic “be careful out there” line that we all know.

Next, up I want to talk about Joe Spano playing henry Goldblum. I think this character can only really exist in the late 70’s early 80’s. You can tell he is a true liberal, I do not mean that to be degrading in anyway. We need more people like henry in charge. He is always thinking about how this will hurt or help the community. He seems more concerned with getting justice than with closing cases. He wants the right person to pay. You can tell he takes this home at night. He feels this in his soul.

He has an ally in Lt. Calletano, played by Rene’ Enriqeuz, he is very similar to Henry in that they both really care about this community. However, Ray has a little bit different of a view that is more realistic. He is not tilting at windmills the way Henry does. He is also a really good bridge between Henry and the swat leader.

Oh, the swat leader that is Lt. Howard Hunter, played superbly by James Sikking. Here is a Viet Nam vet with aspirations of being Mac Arthur. He is ready to use a show of force whenever possible. Always in the pressed uniform while, everybody else looks like they never went home. Always smoking his pipe and offering the staunch conservative opinion. He believes that everyone else is too soft on all these criminals.

As a kid, and probably too young to be watching this, I always loved detective Belker. Bruce Weitz will always and forever be Belker to me. This character was so fully realized that you could not separate it from the actor. I saw him many years later as a senator on west wing and it just did not fit in my head, as all I could see was Belker. He was undercover, most of the time. He tended to work with the homeless people and crimes committed against them. Probably one of the slowest typist I have ever seen, and probably a little better at it than me. He always seems so much smaller than the people he was bringing down. He would grunt and growl, and always had a cigar hanging off his lip. In addition, of course always with the calls from his mom. This was always fun to see. He would be tough and hard with the suspect and then his phone would ring and suddenly he is ten years old talking to his mom. Perfection. In addition, worthy of noting here Betty Thomas plays a uniform officer who eventually take over the sergeant’s position. She would go on to do more behind the camera. This is the king daddy of them all. Find it watch it. The show was cancelled and then it won a bunch of Emmys, so they brought it back. Truly the greatest.

that is my favorite cop shows. I hope you enjoyed. for more craziness like this please listen to my podcast, That and a Dollar, available wherever you find your podcasts. please be sure to vote in the poll bellow. you can follow me on twitter @thatandadollar.