The excellent, landmark TV cop show 'Hill Street Blues' began here, and it was a landmark show because it didn't try to glamourize this profession. It attempted to be as truthful and realistic as possible (while still indulging in some dramatic licence, to be sure). Here, the ongoing professional and personal lives of the officers and detectives at Hill Street Station begin with a bang.
You have to give a lot of credit to the weary but dedicated Captain Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti), who kept a level head while being handed a steady diet of chaos. Among the story threads here: high-strung Renko (Charles Haid) and easygoing Hill (Michael Warren) enter into a dangerous situation after their car has been stolen, the fairly shady LaRue (Kiel Martin) tries to win the hand of feisty public defender Joyce Davenport (Veronica Hamel), a hostage situation develops inside a liquor store, and Franks' ex-wife Fay (Barbara Bosson) makes the first of her appearances wherein she nags at him in front of everyone.
Also making the first of his appearances is a hilarious Nick Savage (Ali in "Friday the 13th Part III") as a pickpocket, who always gives a different name to the grizzled tough guy Belker (Bruce Weitz), who will then typically get an annoying phone call from his mother. Yes, 'Hill Street Blues' had a healthy amount of humour to go with its very serious drama, which just made it more endearing of a series.
Travanti is excellent, but the entire ensemble cast shines, as this pilot introduces the aforementioned characters as well as people like Sergeant Esterhaus (Michael Conrad), whose roll calls begin each episode, James B. Sikking as the hilariously gung-ho SWAT team leader, Joe Spano as Lieutenant Goldblume, Taurean Blacque as Detective Washington, and Rene Enriquez as Lieutenant Calletano. Guest starring are other familiar faces such as Panchito Gomez, Trinidad Silva, Gary Grubbs, and Vernon Washington. Andy Garcia and Steven Bauer (the latter uncredited) have bit parts.
To this date, that main musical theme by TV veteran Mike Post never fails to move this viewer.
10 out of 10.
You have to give a lot of credit to the weary but dedicated Captain Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti), who kept a level head while being handed a steady diet of chaos. Among the story threads here: high-strung Renko (Charles Haid) and easygoing Hill (Michael Warren) enter into a dangerous situation after their car has been stolen, the fairly shady LaRue (Kiel Martin) tries to win the hand of feisty public defender Joyce Davenport (Veronica Hamel), a hostage situation develops inside a liquor store, and Franks' ex-wife Fay (Barbara Bosson) makes the first of her appearances wherein she nags at him in front of everyone.
Also making the first of his appearances is a hilarious Nick Savage (Ali in "Friday the 13th Part III") as a pickpocket, who always gives a different name to the grizzled tough guy Belker (Bruce Weitz), who will then typically get an annoying phone call from his mother. Yes, 'Hill Street Blues' had a healthy amount of humour to go with its very serious drama, which just made it more endearing of a series.
Travanti is excellent, but the entire ensemble cast shines, as this pilot introduces the aforementioned characters as well as people like Sergeant Esterhaus (Michael Conrad), whose roll calls begin each episode, James B. Sikking as the hilariously gung-ho SWAT team leader, Joe Spano as Lieutenant Goldblume, Taurean Blacque as Detective Washington, and Rene Enriquez as Lieutenant Calletano. Guest starring are other familiar faces such as Panchito Gomez, Trinidad Silva, Gary Grubbs, and Vernon Washington. Andy Garcia and Steven Bauer (the latter uncredited) have bit parts.
To this date, that main musical theme by TV veteran Mike Post never fails to move this viewer.
10 out of 10.