The Rise and Drama of NYPD Blue: The 90s Hit That Got BIGGER After Losing Its Star
Late Night Vault
97,938 views
What happened to NYPD Blue?
It is widely considered one of the greatest cop shows in television history, running 12 seasons and winning 20 Emmys.
But, the behind-the-scenes drama was often just as intense as the action on screen!
When powerhouse producers Steven Bochco and David Milch launched this gritty 90s hit, they immediately faced unprecedented network panic, affiliate boycotts, and public backlash.
Then, after an explosive first season, the series lost its breakout star, David Caruso, in one of the messiest and most public exits in Hollywood history.
But somehow, with Dennis Franz’s Andy Sipowicz emerging as the unlikely hero, the show went the distance — surviving major cast changes from Jimmy Smits to Ricky Schroder to Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and the departure of its creative mastermind, David Milch.
Here’s what happened to NYPD Blue.
20 Comments
It's fair to say that NYPD Blue and Homicide: Life on the Streets were the real start of the prestige TV drama era.
He talked about how many takes it took to get through that attempted murder scene and the restaurant scene was done in only 10 mins.
1) I'd never known about Sipowicz slated to die after first episode. The funny thing is that exactly mirrors what happened with Bochco's breakthrough hit Hill Street Blues. The first ep ended with Renko and Hill being ambushed, and both were supposed to die, but Bocho and co. changed their minds at the last minute.
2) The really wild thing about the way they killed off Simone is it took five or six episodes to play out. I don't remember who, but one critic at the time said when it came to Simone's passing "it was not sweet sorrow but downright torture." And that's the truth. Some years back, I managed to watch all five of those eps back to back, and by the end I was emotionally exhausted. Great acting and writing all around.
Also, I'm proud to say, Captain Fancy is also on that list. He may be the best "human" ever, on tv. What a good man!
The Rise and Drama of NYPD Blue: The 90s Hit That Got BIGGER After Losing Its Star
Late Night Vault
97,938 views
What happened to NYPD Blue?
It is widely considered one of the greatest cop shows in television history, running 12 seasons and winning 20 Emmys.
But, the behind-the-scenes drama was often just as intense as the action on screen!
When powerhouse producers Steven Bochco and David Milch launched this gritty 90s hit, they immediately faced unprecedented network panic, affiliate boycotts, and public backlash.
Then, after an explosive first season, the series lost its breakout star, David Caruso, in one of the messiest and most public exits in Hollywood history.
But somehow, with Dennis Franz’s Andy Sipowicz emerging as the unlikely hero, the show went the distance — surviving major cast changes from Jimmy Smits to Ricky Schroder to Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and the departure of its creative mastermind, David Milch.
Here’s what happened to NYPD Blue.