NYPD Blue began in 1993 with a rush of criticism and advertiser boycotts over the then-unusual use of profanity and racy bedroom scenes, but it quickly won viewers with its solid storytelling of the men and women of New York’s 15th Precinct Detective Squad and its superb cast.
Building on creator Steven Bocho’s Hill Street Blues, the gritty series consistently pushed the limits of what was acceptable on television, and such infamous scenes as the one in which Detective Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) dropped his trousers and revealed his backside became landmarks in TV history.
Once the initial shock wore off, the show settled comfortably into its long run, peaking with a weekly audience of around 18 million viewers.
There were worrisome times when star David Caruso bailed out in the second year and again when Jimmy Smits left in 1998. But with Sipowicz as the bulwark, the show stayed on track.
Two one-time kid actors joined the squad, with Rick Schroder (Silver Spoons) followed by Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Saved By The Bell).
Despite the show’s creative consistency and strong Top 20 ratings performance, ABC temporarily benched the show in 1999 in favour of trying out a domestic drama called Once And Again. The network was bombarded with calls and letters from angry fans and NYPD Blue was returned to the air in its rightful timeslot.
NYPD Blue ended its 12-year run on 1 March 2005. Besides Franz, Gordon Clapp was the only other featured cast member on hand from the very beginning, providing a welcome sense of continuity as schlubby Detective Greg Medavoy.
Detective Andy Sipowicz
Dennis Franz Detective Greg Medavoy
Gordon Clapp Lt Arthur Fancy
James McDaniel Detective John Kelly
David Caruso Detective Bobby Simone
Jimmy Smits Detective James Martinez
Nicholas Turturro John Irvin
Bill Brochtrup Detective Diane Russell
Kim Delaney Detective Danny Sorenson
Rick Schroder Detective Baldwin Jones
Henry Simmons A.D.A. Sylvia Costas
Sharon Lawrence Detective John Clark Jr
Mark-Paul Gosselaar A.D.A. Valerie Heywood
Garcelle Beauvais Detective Rita Ortiz
Jacqueline Obradors Detective Jill Kirkendall
Andrea Thompson Detective Connie McDowell
Charlotte Ross Lt. Tony Rodriguez
Esai Morales
