Picket Fences

1 9 9 2 – 1 9 9 6 (USA)
1 x 120 minute episode
87 x 60 minute episodes

Rome, Wisconsin, is a small town characterised by strange citizens and unusual crimes.

There is Peter Breck (Michael Jeter), aka “The Frogman”, a man fascinated by frogs; KC McDonald (Jessica Tuck) – called “The Snake Lady” – who collects snakes and carries a boa with her at all times; Frank Tucker (David Provall) – a man obsessed with potatoes who carries a 5lb bag of Idaho potatoes with him wherever he goes; the mysterious and unknown “Serial Bather” (a man who breaks into people’s homes when they are out to take a bath); and Louise Talbot (Natalija Nagulich), the town’s transsexual schoolteacher who was known as Walter Souder before her sex change.

Dealing out justice to anyone who breaks the law is local sheriff Jimmy Brock (Tom Skerritt) and his deputies, Maxine Stewart (Lauren Holly) and Kenny Locas (Costas Mandylor).

The sheriff’s department is located in the Rome City Hall Building in Hogan County. Maxene (called Max) and Kenny ride in a patrol car with the code 2181.

Max is famous for ending the murdering careers of “The Green Bay Chopper” and “The Cupid Killer” after she was forced to shoot them. Kenny was born in Illinois and was a former Golden Gloves Boxer.

Jimmy is married to Jill (Kathy Baker) and the father of three children: Kimberly (Holly Marie Combs), Matthew (Justin Shenkarow) and Zachary (Adam Wylie). The Brocks live at 211 Willow Road.

Jimmy, the son of criminal attorney Walter Brock (James Coburn), was previously married to a woman named Lydia (Cristine Rose), who is Kimberly’s birth mother.

A year after divorcing Lydia, Jimmy married Jill and moved to Rome because it was safe. Jill is a private practice doctor who is also on call at the local hospital.

Kimberly is 16 and attends Rome High School. She plays the piano and has aspirations of becoming a singer, although later in the series she becomes a clerk to the town’s outspoken Jewish attorney, Douglas Wambaugh (Fyvush Finkel), and sets her sights on becoming a lawyer.

Matthew and Zachary attend Fisher Elementary School where Matthew envisions himself as a detective while Zachary shows promise of becoming a musician.

Carter Pike (Kelly Connell) is the town’s medical examiner or “Chief Pathologist” as he calls himself. He yearns to become a detective but finds he is unable due to his uncontrollable urge to perform autopsies.

Rachel Harris (Leigh-Taylor Young) is the town’s ultra-sexy mayor. She suffers from an inferiority complex and when she becomes troubled she dresses in her cheerleader outfit (She was the Rome High School Cheerleading Champion in 1967).

Henry Bone (Ray Walston) is the tough, no-nonsense judge who rules from the Hogan County Court House.

Jimmy Brock
Tom Skerritt
Jill Brock
Kathy Baker
Kimberly Brock
Holly Marie Combs
Matthew Brock
Justin Shenkarow
Zachary Brock
Adam Wylie
Maxine Stewart
Lauren Holly
Kenny Locas
Costas Mandylor
Douglas Wambaugh
Fyvush Finkel
Carter Pike
Kelly Connell
Rachel Harris
Leigh-Taylor Young
Henry Bone
Ray Walston