Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The main character, Norman Buntz (Dennis Franz) quit Hill Street, moved to Beverly Hills with Sid "The Snitch" Thurston (Peter Jurasik), and became a private investigator. The show received critical acclaim and its production innovations influenced many subsequent dramatic television series produced in the United States and Canada. It deals with realistic scenarios... to a degree but like just about everything on TV in the last 30 years, it tries to influence our perspectives of certain social issues, … Hill Street Blues is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. [17], In 1993, TV Guide named the series The All-Time Best Cop Show in its issue celebrating 40 years of television. The program was also moved to Tuesday nights almost midway through the season after nearly six years to make way for L.A. Law on Thursdays. When a fire breaks out at the Hill Station in the early morning, I.A.D. However, it was only renewed for ten episodes. Robin Tattaglia Belker (Lisa Sutton, 1982–87), Celeste Patterson (Judith Hansen, 1985–86), Daryl Ann Renko (Deborah Richter, sometimes billed as Debi Richter, 1983–87), "Hill Street Station" is the only episode in television history to have won the two major best director (, Over its seven seasons, the show earned 98, This page was last edited on 30 April 2021, at 20:40. In 1991, Krisalis Software (developed by Simeon Pashley and Rob Hill) released the computer game Hill Street Blues, based on the TV show. Bruce Weitz Mick Belker. [4] "[3] Sgt. They subsequently released Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series on DVD on April 29, 2014. Play. there comes, once in a while, a beacon of greatness. Season 7: Up until now, each episode of the series started with the morning roll call. The lives and work of the staff of a major Los Angeles law firm. Although it did not register at the time, it was entertainment that would change television for ever. Portraying the realities of urban living in the 80s, ‘Hill Street Blues’ was landmark television programming. The network promoted Thursdays as "the best night of television on television." In early episodes, the opening theme had several clearly audible edits; this was replaced by a longer, unedited version partway through the second season. Belker is forced to finally take a look at his mother's paperwork. 30 of 42 people found this review helpful. Season 1: The pilot aired on Thursday, January 15, 1981, at 10:00 pm, which would be the show's time slot for nearly its entire run. Hill Street Blues refers to the blue uniforms worn by many police officers in the United States and, by extension, the depressing nature of inner-city police work. People's Choice Awards for Favorite New TV Drama, David W. Rintels for "A Continual Roar of Musketry" (1970), Herb Bermann & Thomas Y. Drake & Jerrold Freedman & Bo May for "Par for the Course" (1971), Jim Byrnes for "Thirty a Month and Found" (1974), Georgia Jeffries for "An Unusual Occurrence" /, Georgia Jeffries for "Turn, Turn, Turn" / Debra Frank &, Racelle Rosett Schaefer for "Photo Opportunity" (1991), Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of awards and nominations received by Hill Street Blues, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Drama Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Drama, "Let's Be Careful Out There: The Legacy Of 'Hill Street Blues", "Bosson Leaving 'Hill St.' In Salary, Role Disputes", "The Very (Very) Slow Rise of Lesbianism on TV – The New York Times", "Exploring the Depths of the 'Hill Street Blues, "Revival for a Black Enclave in Pittsburgh", https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0601687/?ref_=ttep_ep10, "TV View; 'Hill Street Blues'- A Hit with Problems", "Review: 'Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series' on DVD/The groundbreaking '80s cop drama still holds up after decades of imitators", "TV Guide Magazine's 60 Best Series of All Time", "Release Information for Hill Street Blues", "Hill Street Blues DVD news: Box Art for Hill Street Blues - The Complete Series - TVShowsOnDVD.com", "Hill Street Blues DVD news: Announcement for Hill Street Blues - Season 4 - TVShowsOnDVD.com", "Hill Street Blues DVD news: Announcement for Hill Street Blues – Season 5", "Hill Street Blues DVD news: Announcement for Hill Street Blues - Season 6 - TVShowsOnDVD.com", "Hill Street Blues DVD news: Box Art and Details for Hill Street Blues - The Final Season - TVShowsOnDVD.com", "Hill Street Blues – Complete Collection", The Interviews: An Oral History of Television, Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hill_Street_Blues&oldid=1020751892, 1980s American crime drama television series, 1980s American police procedural television series, Peabody Award-winning television programs, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series winners, Television series created by Steven Bochco, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017, Articles needing additional references from June 2018, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2011, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from June 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Capt. Everybody loves Hill Street Blues. Norman Buntz, a gruff and somewhat ethically questionable detective, leaves the inner city and heads to the sunny climes of Southern California where he opens up a detective agency. (The character would eventually be killed in the sixth season) This echoes the shooting and resurrection of Renko and Hill at the beginning of the season, providing unintentional thematic bookends to the first season. Hill Street Blues Photos. Most every disc so far skips at some point on first watch as if the disc is dirty in some way, though there are no obvious defects I can see. Hill Street Blues Doris in Wonderland 3:00 am: Hill Street Blues Praise Dilaudid 4:00 am: Lancer A Person Unknown 5:00 am: Maverick Cruise of the Cynthia B 6:00 am: KPOMCD 14.1: new E.A.T featuring Kitchen Favorites 10:00 pm: new Fashion & Accessories Clearance Up to 60% Off 11:00 pm: new The Download On Electronics with Adam J.D. Here are some of the favorites from this ensemble cast, then and now. He later stated he was already feeling burnt out, and in fact was relying more on car chases and action to fill the scripts. ", Frank McRae Dies: Actor In ‘License To Kill’ And ‘Last Action Hero’ Was 80, Starport by George R.R. It was like friends with Cops, and a neat crime or situation every episode. It was first broadcast in 1981 and was entertainment like none of us around the world, had ever seen before. He compared Hill Street Blues to Casablanca, which was so influential on other films that "if you come to see it for the first time after a lifetime of watching the copies, it could be at risk of playing like a bundle of clichés—even though it invented those clichés". Jerry Fuchs (Vincent Lucchesi, 1981–84), Ofc. The show regularly garnered awards during it's original run. Initially, Hill Street Blues received rave reviews from critics alongside dismal Nielsen ratings. Officers are listed by the rank they held at first appearance on the program; some officers later held higher ranks. Looking to watch Hill Street Blues? Resplendent with authentic 1980s music, fashion, and vibe, "Miami Vice" follows two undercover detectives and their extended team through the mean streets of Miami, Florida. Created by Steven Bochco, Michael Kozoll. [citation needed], Betty Thomas won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series this season. The original "ensemble drama," this is the story of an overworked, under-staffed police precinct in an anonymous inner city patterned after Chicago. There are several mentions through the series of characters going down to "the shore", which implies a lake or waterfront setting. Where to Watch. [9], This was the only season that Bruce Weitz (Det. Before "NYPD Blue" and "The Shield" came "Hill Street Blues," the series that revolutionized the TV cop show by giving television viewers a realistic glimpse into the daily lives of the officers and detectives at an urban police station. [27][28][29][30][31], In Region 2, Channel 4 DVD released the first two seasons on DVD in the UK in 2006. The lives and work of the staff of an inner city police precinct. In its debut season, the series won eight Emmy Awards, a debut season record later surpassed only by The West Wing. Rather than studio (floor) cameras, handhelds were used to enhance this style. Robert Butler directed the pilot and developed a look and style inspired by the 1977 documentary The Police Tapes, in which filmmakers used handheld cameras to follow police officers in the South Bronx. Running from 1981 to 1987, the show earned a record 98 Emmy nominations during its time on the air. The conflicts between the work lives and private lives of the characters were also significant. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Peter Jurasik played a new recurring character ("Sid the Snitch"), who often teamed with Buntz. In Season 2, Episode 3, Sgt. Following the staff at an inner-city police station, 'Hill Street Blues' revolutionized television drama in its unflinching portrayal of the gritty realities of 1980s urban living. Hill Street Blues, was a stand out police drama show of the 1980's. [32][33], In Region 4, Shock Records released the first three seasons on DVD in Australia on December 4, 2013,[34][35][36] and the remaining four seasons on April 30, 2014. The quirky cases of a former model and a smart aleck detective who manage a private detective agency. The series featured a strong focus on the workplace struggle between what is right and what works. Det. Hill Street Blues (1981–1987) Series Cast & Crew. Kozoll was now listed as a consultant, signifying his diminished role in the show. Alan Sepinwall wrote in 2014 that it "is on the short list of the most influential TV shows ever made. However, in the penultimate episode of season 2, a street sign for Los Angeles St – a major thoroughfare in downtown LA – is clearly visible outside the fictitious Hotel Doane. [26], In late 2014, they began releasing season sets; they have subsequently released seasons 3–7. A bald, lollipop sucking police detective with a fiery righteous attitude battles crime in his city. Rap music and TV shows like Hill Street Blues and The Wire have glorified gang members as heroes and survivors, but in real life, those who have been the victims of gang violence have a different perspective. the xtra feature has cast reunion (no Travanti or Betty Thomas). Stanislaus Jablonski (Robert Prosky) and Det. Furillo breaks the news of Esterhaus's death. The focus on the bitter realities of 1980s urban living was revolutionary for its time. This was the first season that Travanti and Hamel were not nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor/Actress in a Drama Series. Hill Street Blues: Betty Thomas (I), Kiel Martin, Taurean Blacque, Bruce Weitz, Dennis Franz, Mimi Kuzyk, Peter Jurasik, Joe Spano It pertains to the shoddiness of the set I received from CG Movies and Games for $98 no less. Charles Haid Andy Renko. The pilot was produced in 1980, but was held back as a mid-season replacement so as not to get lost among the other programs debuting in the fall of 1980. The lives and work of the staff of an inner city police precinct. Hill Street Blues was a great show, my rating is no reflection on that. Michael Conrad, 58, winner of two Emmys for his role as the tough but fatherly Sgt. It pertains to the shoddiness of the set I received from CG Movies and Games for $98 no less. ‘Hill Street Blues’ left us heartbroken. Jennifer Tilly – … She left after a salary conflict with the new executive producer who, according to the actress, had also wanted her character, Fay, to go back to being a shrewish "thorn in her ex-husband's side". [further explanation needed] Bosson's departure, however, was voluntary. The trials of a former television station manager, turned newspaper city editor, and his journalist staff. From Season 5 until the show's end, Sgt. [44] The game is still available for download at computer game sites and outlets, and has received mixed reviews. Overheard, off-screen dialogue aurally-augmented the "documentary" feel with respect to the filmed action of a scene. The show chronicles the lives of the staff of a single police station located on Hill Street in an unnamed large city. The tall (she says six foot one) comic actress, finally found fame with a drama part in HSB, winning an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1985 Since leaving HSB she has become an accomplished Director / Producer in films like I Spy, Doctor Dolittle, The Brady Bunch Movie, the new Dallas and in 2009 will be on the new Chipmunk sequel. ", Hill Street Blues employed what was, at that time, a unique style of camera usage for weeknight television productions, such as filming close in with action cuts rapidly between stories. [2], Each week after roll call, from Season 1 until Michael Conrad's death, partway through Season 4, Sgt. The show received great critical acclaim, winning four consecutive Emmy Awards for outstanding dramatic series, and it is recognized as a pioneer in the crime and police television genre. The show chronicles the lives of the staff of a single police station located on Hill Street in an unnamed large city. He would return to direct just one further episode, "The Second Oldest Profession" in season two. The show chronicled the lives of the staff of a single police station located on the fictional Hill Street, in an unnamed large city, with "blues" being a slang term for police officers for their blue uniforms. We follow the lives of many characters, from the lowly beat and traffic cops to the captain of the precinct himself. The roll call becomes a minor part of the beginning. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Although the city is never named, the state flag for Illinois is visible over the judge's left shoulder in the courtroom scenes in Season 2, Episode 5 "Fruits of the Poisonous Tree", suggesting the location is Chicago. Season three can be viewed as streaming video on commercial sites and is also available in many countries from Channel 4 on YouTube. Many episodes took place over the course of a single day, concluding with Capt. [15], The choice to include African-Americans as mainstays in the core ensemble cast and to feature several inter-racial and inter-ethnic cop partnerships drew notice and praise, as did the overlapping plots and examinations of moral conundrums such as police corruption, racism, alcoholism and both interpersonal and institutional forgiveness. Season 2 episode 18 shows an elevated train on which "CTA" can clearly be seen, suggesting Chicago. This was also the birth of "Must See TV", as the show was joined by Cheers, Taxi and Fame. Here are some of the favorites from this ensemble cast, then and now. It was also an Adult Contemporary hit in the US and Canada. [7], Butler went on to direct the first four episodes of the series, and Bosson had hoped he would stay on permanently. The "blues" are the police officers in their blue uniforms. It is spoken by Detective Emil Schneider (Dolph Sweet) in the first-season episode "Gator Bait".[14]. In the first season's original ending, Officer Joe Coffey (Ed Marinaro), is shot dead during a vehicle stop. The "blues" are the police officers in their blue uniforms. Beverly Hills Buntz aired on NBC from November 5, 1987 to April 22, 1988. Hill Street Blues is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBCin prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. However, an episode in season three specifically mentions a radio station of WDPD, suggesting a city east of the Mississippi. Stan Jablonski became a secondary character part way through this season, and when Travanti announced he would not return the next year, the producers decided to end the show in 1987. Harry Garibaldi (Ken Olin) was introduced at the end of the season as a temporary replacement for Det. Stan Jablonski concluded his roll calls with, "Let's go out there and do it to them before they do it to us. From season three on, a "Previously on..." montage of clips of up to six episodes preceded the roll call. "[citation needed], Season 6: Major changes occurred as Det. Esterhaus references guarding "the national guard armory in Newark", implying a location near New Jersey. Hill Street Blues, American television law enforcement drama that aired on NBC for seven seasons (1981–87). Bates is given serious consideration for Sergeant. [citation needed], Season 5: The show changed drastically this season, entering a somewhat "soap opera-ish" period according to Bochco. Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) and public defender Joyce Davenport (Veronica Hamel) in a domestic situation, often in bed, discussing how their respective days went. Although it did not register at the time, it was entertainment that would change television for ever. Factory had acquired the rights to the series in Region 1. The Hill Street Blues Theme, adding to the excitement. For six years, Hill Street Blues thrilled viewers with its depiction of cops on the beat in a gritty neighborhood. Running from 1981 to 1987, the show earned a record 98 Emmy nominations during its time on the air. [8], The season premiere opened with a roll call filled with officers never before seen on the show, briefly fooling viewers into thinking the entire cast had been replaced. The song has no lyrics. But it was very serialized in the sense that each episode was a different story, perhaps with personal stories in the background progressing week to week. Barbara Bosson, who was married to Bochco, had the idea to fashion the series into four- or five-episode story "arcs". Use the HTML below. 1981-1987; 7 seasons NBC Drama TV14 Watchlist. [citation needed], Season 4: Following his death on November 22, 1983, Michael Conrad's final appearance was broadcast halfway through the season in February 1984 in a memorable send-off episode, "Grace Under Pressure". Get directions, reviews and information for Hill Street Blues in Baldwin Park, CA. This was the show's most popular in terms of viewership, as it finished at #21. Contrary to the general take on this series, it isn't very "realistic". The likes of Don Cheadle, Danny Glover, Linda Hamilton and Edward James Olmos had cameos on the show, along with many, many more. Suggesting a city east of the squad room appointing Steven Bochco attended college at the Hill in. 1981–84 ), who often teamed with Buntz during a vehicle stop for Det Outstanding Actor. That blazed the trail followed later by such notable ensemble dramas as `` the shore,... Between the work lives and work of the set I received from CG Movies and Games $. And NuvoTV Weitz ( Det Bochco, had the idea to fashion the series, it became the program... ( February 25, 2013, it was a great show, my rating is no on. Of Technology ( now Carnegie Mellon University ) in the United States and Canada track of you... 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