Sipowicz (with McDowell watching) works with the lawyer on his testimony in the custody hearing that is going to be held later in the day.
The other detectives are on the scene of a woman who was murdered in her ow...
NYPD Blue
Show summary:
"This police drama contains adult language and scenes with partial nudity. Viewer discretion is advised."
The potential images those words created alone caused more controversy for this series, before it had even premiered. The "Bible Belt" was up in arms and no-one had even seen an episode. In most of those southern states the local ABC affiliates refused to carry the show, which was a shame because aside from a "little" bare flesh and a couple of harsh words, they missed out on a quality television show. Of course it wasn't long before they realized it really was no big deal.
Late during the first season, Steven Bochco said during an acceptance speech at the 20th Annual People's Choice Awards:
"In spite of those who seek to legislate what we can and cannot see on our own television sets in the privacy of our own homes. NYPD Blue has succeeded because the American people, properly so, prefer to judge for themselves."
At those awards the show was voted "favorite new television dramatic series" and "favorite television dramatic series" the first year it was eligible. The show has been nominated for and won numerous awards. Check out this IMDb link for more information. Most notably the series has been nominated for an Emmy 84 times and has won 20 of those times and Dennis Franz has claim to four of those statues.
Before this series, some of the stars had an affiliation with Steven Bochco from his previous highly acclaimed series Hill Street Blues. David Caruso had guest starred in two episodes and during the 3rd season, Dennis Franz guest starred as Det. Sal Benedetto in 5 episodes and was killed off in his last appearance. Franz officially joined the cast in that show's 6th season as Lt. Norman Buntz and stayed with the show until it ended. Then the Buntz character was brought back for a short-lived comedy series called Beverly Hills Buntz the following season. This series didn't last because it was erratically scheduled as a fill-in and then couldn't build an audience. James McDaniel also appeared in a Hill Street Blues episode and then also appeared in Steven Bochco's attempt at something new, a musical police drama called Cop Rock. When Caruso left early on in the series, another Bochco veteran was called upon; Jimmy Smits who played Victor Sifuentes on Bochco's L.A. Law was brought in to play new detective Bobby Simone.
While other actors have left with big screen ambitions, two actors have left the series to move onto other Bochco created programs. In 1996 there was an attempt to launch a comedy that featured as one of the characters in the ensemble PAA John Irvin played by Bill Brochtrup. Public Morals only aired one episode and was pulled. I would hesitate to call it a spin-off, since only one (at that time) minor character from this series appeared on it, but I suppose an argument could be made. After all, Dennis Franz did take his Norman Buntz character from Hill Street Blues to Beverly Hills Buntz, a comedy series that lasted much longer than Public Morals did. Bill Brochtrup returned back to the 15th and made several guest appearances before becoming a full cast member in the 6th season. In 2001 Kim Delaney left this series (with a loophole that would allow her to come back) to star in Philly. That series wasn't too long lived and Det. Russell has subsequently returned for a guest spot or two.
While this cast has undergone a rotation of lead actors, Dennis Franz was the glue that held this series together.
Most of the show's run was at Tuesdays at 10pm ET on ABC. The show was simulcast in HDTV. With the 2000-2001 TV season, the show became ABC's first regularly scheduled entertainment series to be broadcast in high definition.
First air date: September 21, 1993
Last air date: March 1, 2005
Original air time: Tuesday 10:00:00 pm (Eastern)
"This police drama contains adult language and scenes with partial nudity. Viewer discretion is advised."
The potential images those words created alone caused more controversy for this series, before it had even premiered. The "Bible Belt" was up in arms and no-one had even seen an episode. In most of those southern states the local ABC affiliates refused to carry the show, which was a shame because aside from a "little" bare flesh and a couple of harsh words, they missed out on a quality television show. Of course it wasn't long before they realized it really was no big deal.
Late during the first season, Steven Bochco said during an acceptance speech at the 20th Annual People's Choice Awards:
"In spite of those who seek to legislate what we can and cannot see on our own television sets in the privacy of our own homes. NYPD Blue has succeeded because the American people, properly so, prefer to judge for themselves."
At those awards the show was voted "favorite new television dramatic series" and "favorite television dramatic series" the first year it was eligible. The show has been nominated for and won numerous awards. Check out this IMDb link for more information. Most notably the series has been nominated for an Emmy 84 times and has won 20 of those times and Dennis Franz has claim to four of those statues.
Before this series, some of the stars had an affiliation with Steven Bochco from his previous highly acclaimed series Hill Street Blues. David Caruso had guest starred in two episodes and during the 3rd season, Dennis Franz guest starred as Det. Sal Benedetto in 5 episodes and was killed off in his last appearance. Franz officially joined the cast in that show's 6th season as Lt. Norman Buntz and stayed with the show until it ended. Then the Buntz character was brought back for a short-lived comedy series called Beverly Hills Buntz the following season. This series didn't last because it was erratically scheduled as a fill-in and then couldn't build an audience. James McDaniel also appeared in a Hill Street Blues episode and then also appeared in Steven Bochco's attempt at something new, a musical police drama called Cop Rock. When Caruso left early on in the series, another Bochco veteran was called upon; Jimmy Smits who played Victor Sifuentes on Bochco's L.A. Law was brought in to play new detective Bobby Simone.
While other actors have left with big screen ambitions, two actors have left the series to move onto other Bochco created programs. In 1996 there was an attempt to launch a comedy that featured as one of the characters in the ensemble PAA John Irvin played by Bill Brochtrup. Public Morals only aired one episode and was pulled. I would hesitate to call it a spin-off, since only one (at that time) minor character from this series appeared on it, but I suppose an argument could be made. After all, Dennis Franz did take his Norman Buntz character from Hill Street Blues to Beverly Hills Buntz, a comedy series that lasted much longer than Public Morals did. Bill Brochtrup returned back to the 15th and made several guest appearances before becoming a full cast member in the 6th season. In 2001 Kim Delaney left this series (with a loophole that would allow her to come back) to star in Philly. That series wasn't too long lived and Det. Russell has subsequently returned for a guest spot or two.
While this cast has undergone a rotation of lead actors, Dennis Franz was the glue that held this series together.
Most of the show's run was at Tuesdays at 10pm ET on ABC. The show was simulcast in HDTV. With the 2000-2001 TV season, the show became ABC's first regularly scheduled entertainment series to be broadcast in high definition.
First air date: September 21, 1993
Last air date: March 1, 2005
Original air time: Tuesday 10:00:00 pm (Eastern)
Sipowicz meets Clark at the scene of a homicide and tells him that his meeting with Frank Colohan gave him no useful information that would help in his and McDowell's defense against Colohan's parents for custody of Mich...
The morning after their breakup and Clark and Ortiz are on the scene of a homicide and there is a hint of tension. Aware of what has transpired, Sipowicz tells McDowell that it is just a matter of time before it hits th...
Clark Sr. stops by to see his son. He offers to help, but he is denied his request when his son tells him that it is being taken care of in house. Clark Sr. realizes that Sipowicz is probably on the job. Meanwhile out...
At the Sipowicz/McDowell household all is not right with the world as Theo has wet the bed for the 3rd night in a row and Andy hasn't made the time to pick up the detergent to get the sheets clean from the previous event...
Officer Laughlin is back on the job when the detectives arrive on the scene of the murder of a carjacker. The carjacker was shot in a struggle with an unknown man who went running off after the shot was fired. The carj...
The Sipowicz's have moved out of their apartment and Andy has sublet it to John Irvin, which will allow him to keep his same address with the department and avoid any ""jackpots"" with him and Connie living together. Si...
Sipowicz and Clark Jr. are on the scene of the death of a caseworker in child services, it's not clear whether she committed suicide or was the victim of foul play. The uniforms on the scene and back at the house have c...
Theo tells his father that he misses having Connie around. Andy tells him that Connie has other responsibilities with the new baby but they will get to see her again, eventually. At the squad McDowell is on the phone c...
The detectives are on the scene of a shooting where Officer Maya Anderson's partner was shot to death. Clark Jr. and Sipowicz join Ortiz and McDowell on the trail of one of the perps that Anderson wounded during the sho...
Clark Jr. and Sipowicz respond the scene of the death a boy who was murdered for his bicycle. Jones and Medavoy join them and start the canvas, while Clark Jr. and Sipowicz deal with the boy's bereaved father who's just...
Sipowicz and Clark Jr. arrive on the scene at a park, where a 5-year-old girl has gone missing, when her father thought that the girl was being watched while he went to the bathroom. Back at the squad, the detectives ar...
Sipowicz and Clark Jr. are on the scene of a homicide, where the victim was shot in the groin and the head. The two witnesses on the scene don't offer them much help. Jones and Medavoy look into a robbery where the sto...
John Irvin is showing off a picture the new car he plans on buying with his inheritance. Clark Jr. tells Rodriguez that he is fit to catch cases. Rodriguez agrees, but doesn't care or want to know the details of Clark ...
Joe Mantegna, goes behind the scenes with writers, producers, cast and crew for an exclusive look at their personal evolution and that of the show.
Simone and Sipowicz work with Cohen to investigate the death of one of Cohen's witnesses and her son. Evidence points to the opposing attorney having some involvement with the arrangement of the homicide. Bobby and Diane...
Bobby and Diane talk about making a long-term commitment to each other. At a murder scene a couple of bodies are found and Medavoy is disgusted by the amount of semen found on one of the corpses. One body belongs to a ca...
Sipowicz returns to active duty, but perhaps a bit too soon as his system hasn't quite adjusted and he has an accident when later interrogating a suspect. He begins to work a case with Russell and Simone, investigating t...
Andy prepares for his prostate surgery. James has recovered from his back problems and returns to duty; 3 weeks earlier it is reporteds that Gina has given birth to James Jr. Greg is also celebrating Abby's birth and is ...
Tommy Richardson's wife, Laurie, stops by to pick up his time records as Tommy has transferred to another precinct. Laurie expresses some concerns about his behavior, especially after she catches him in a phone conversat...
Simone and Sipowicz look into the shooting of two women (one was killed) who were raped by a group of men in an apartment owned by a former crack dealer named Jamal who was crippled in a previous shooting incident. Caugh...
Richardson confronts Sipowicz and Simone about their impending questioning of his wife. The questioning reveals nothing, except that Richardson is a real bastard. Greg goes upstate to Abby's side when she goes into labor...
Bobby and Andy investigate the murder of a nurse. Suspects include an actor, a crazy man and eventually a uniform, Tommy Richardson, from the 15th precinct. During their investigation, Andy's doctor comes to the squad to...
A drugs for guns deal gone bad, results in the death of a white youth in a black neighborhood. Diane begins feeling ill and takes some lost time. The father of the victim comes to the squad and blows up screaming racial ...
Bobby, Diane (and later Andy) investigate two stickup murders held at ATMs. When they get a line on a possible suspect, they use Jill to appeal to his mother to help them reach out to him. Meanwhile, Greg attempts to sor...
A man finds an interesting looking box, only it is oozing a liquid that turns out to be the blood from a woman's body that is stuffed inside. Simone and Sipowicz investigate the crime and meet the victim's brother, a man...
Diane tells Bobby that she is pregnant. The detectives are called to the scene where two women are murdered. Everyone seems to point to the drug-dealing husband. They go to raid the house where some dealers are held up a...
Bobby isn't quite sure, but he thinks he overheard Naomi speaking with an Australian accent. An old friend from his school days stops by to ask Andy to talk to his daughter about the company she is keeping. The daughter ...
Simone and Sipowicz investigate the murder of two roommates. A guy that Medavoy knows comes in with story about a man wanting to hire a hit man. Medavoy wants to play the part of the hit man when they go to arrest him; s...
A family's home is broken into it, the wife and baby are shot in the head and the father only has a belly wound. Simone and Sipowicz like the father for the crime, theorizing he may have done it for insurance money. Reti...
A son is bitter about his father's death and offers $5000 in cash to anyone who can produce the killer. Andy avoids getting the eye surgery he needs. Simone and Kirkendall try to work the case, despite the impedance to t...
Andy and Bobby investigate the murder of man where the only witness is woman who's a little off the deep end. Meanwhile, Andy also contemplates the meaning of ""Pop Goes the Weasel."" A cab driver reports a robbery that ...
Greg receives a disturbing call, Abby's been shot and Kathy is dead. The investigation puts a strain on Greg's relationship with Abby as he must ask the hard questions about what happened. Eventually Abby points to an ob...
Things are back to ""normal"" at the squad when Bobby returns to work. Gina still hasn't officially announced anything; however, after thinking it over she accepts James' proposal for marriage. Bobby and Andy look into a...
Four months have passed since the death of Jimmy Salvo. Bobby's working odd jobs while he's been suspended pending IAB's investigation. Bobby stops by the station to talk to Andy, while there he notices that Gina's showi...
Andy meets with Father Kankarides. Andy, Bobby and Diane investigate a holdup turned homicide. The new PAA isn't working out. Greg's on the verge of getting a new apartment. Upstairs John passes out farewell notices; he ...
Sylvia confronts Andy about his ""late night walks."" The new administrative assistant arrives to take Donna's place. Andy's return to drinking affects him at home and on the job, where Fancy sends him home. Bobby fulfil...
A robbery-homicide sends Bobby and Andy to the hospital; however the victim is Andy Jr. Andy wants Bobby to lead the case and he also wants the opportunity for restitution. Diane doesn't like the way Bobby is handling th...
Sylvia is close to giving birth and Andy is on edge. When isn't he? Donna contemplates a California job offer. The nephew of the victim of a robbery-homicide is found holding the stolen goods. Andy and Bobby (with observ...
Simone and Sipowicz are forced to commit robbery while working with an FBI agent to place a bug in a mob hangout. The wiseguys come to the precinct to file a robbery complaint; Diane and Greg catch the complaint. Andy Jr...
Simone makes contact with old snitch. Martinez and Medavoy catch a murder case involving ""white magic."" Russell is paired up with a ""blow hard"" (who also knows Andy) from the federal anti-drug unit, who's more intere...
A rapist-murderer is throwing small children from the tops of buildings and a cop from another precinct joins Simone and Sipowicz with their investigation. The only thing Andy knows about this cop is ""she got her 1st gr...
A mild mannered professor is found decapitated in his apartment. James helps out a former porn star, who is getting harassing phone calls. I wonder what Adrianne thinks about that? Andy Jr. is in town with some surprisin...
Donna and Bobby give Adrianne and James advice, respectively, on their plans for their first night ""together."" Simone and Sipowicz investigate the death of a young woman who was brutally murdered. A surgeon's wife want...
Diane worries about her mother's pending grand jury trial. Andy and Bobby search for the killer of a mobster's son, which reveals a family affair. The lawyer of a suspect in a murder impedes Greg and Diane's investigatio...
A woman comes into the precinct and gives Andy some information about a murder that may have occurred 8 years ago. Greg and Andy look into the situation, but question a lot of people who don't care that the victim is mis...
Simone and Sipowicz look into the death of a young woman whose body is found burned well beyond recognition, except for a tattoo on her back. Gotelli puts his two cents in, much to Andy's delight. One of the victim's tem...
A basketball game, held in the memory of a young boy, erupts into violence. 2 dead, 7 wounded. Andy has a race relation's problem with the organizer of the event that was witnessed by a reporter. Fancy and Sipowicz's rel...
Greg and Marie split up again and she comes down to the station and sees Donna for the first time. Andy is also in the doghouse with Sylvia when he chooses not to accompany her for one of her tests that involves a large ...
Simone and IAB share the suspect after Bobby gets some information from his incarcerated friend, Ray, about a case that Mike Roberts once worked. Fancy and Sipowicz both work the case of a self-confessed gunman in a neig...
Sipowicz is annoyed when federal agents take over their investigation of the disappearance of a millionaire. Simone aids an old prizefighter friend, the guy who started him with birds, and who doesn't think he needs any ...
An Indian woman is found dead in a car and Andy is full of theories about who and why. Donna is off at a computer course and her temporary replacement is a real character who clashes with Andy. James and Greg are nearby ...
Fancy is less than enthused when a detective under surveillance by IAB is assigned to the squad. Bobby is asked to keep an eye on him. They pull a case where an elderly man has been accused of exposing himself. Later the...
Lesniak's preference gets around the precinct. Sylvia's morning sickness, Russell falling off the wagon & calling Bobby, not him, and the senseless murder of two kids makes it a really bad day for Andy. Bobby and Andy cl...
Medavoy and Lesniak pair up to identify who's launched a series of vicious attacks on a man. James returns to duty. Simone spots a possible suspect in a series of rapes. Russell tries to maintain her sobriety and it is t...
A father suspects his retarded son of killing his daughter. Simone and Sipowicz get the case. Lesniak keeps reporting on James' condition. Morrisey's tactics with a suspect in a murder don't sit well with Fancy; however,...
Russell, on the road to recovery, wants Andy to let Bobby know she's doing okay now. James is shot and may be paralyzed for life. His assailant, a government witness, will probably go free. Donna expresses her interest i...
Kelly gets a high priced attorney to defend Janice and helps out with her bail. Andy tries to make amends with Sylvia who's been attending Alanon meetings. Kelly investigates the murder of a priest. While helping his son...
Janice gets promoted and will be working with the other detectives until she can be transferred to the re-organizing intelligence division. Kelly suspects that his friend is being framed for the murder of his mistress, e...
Robin's husband dies, later she is angry when her husband's will seems to stipulate that Kelly should resume his duties as her bodyguard. Sipowicz must clear his son of a drug pushing charge. The detectives check a garba...
Roberts meets with Kelly in search of getting some bodyguard work. A woman whose boyfriend was a material witness is afraid to identify the hit man because she's afraid she'll be next. Laura feels as though she's being s...
LaSalle has a chance to move out of the precinct and into a more regular routine of detective work. A thirteen-year-old boy is shot. Sipowicz suspects a private investigator of bilking a father, for the past six months, ...
Medavoy suffers a stress-related anxiety attack after making into the station. Sipowicz looks into the robbery of a Vietnam veteran, who's confined to a wheelchair. Andy rejects a gift from Sylvia. John starts moonlighti...
Sylvia still has trouble-getting Andy to get their relationship going. One of Det. Roberts' snitches comes to the precinct and causes trouble for him, especially when she later turns up dead. Laura appeals to John to re-...
Medavoy and Martinez work a strangulation murder case that appears to be the work of a cross-dresser. Andy has a bad tooth, hates needles, and tries to prevent a dentist from jumping off a 28th floor ledge; he fails. LaS...
Medavoy leaves his wife and tells Donna about his feelings for her, which it turns out are mutual. An academy classmate of Kelly's joins the squad; then Sipowicz and Kelly investigate the death of her husband, whom was a...
Martinez works his first case, which involves a fake ATM. A foster child that Fancy and his wife had been caring for is ordered back into the custody of his real mother who's just been released from a detox program. Sipo...
Borough Commander Haverill starts to come down on Fancy. Kelly and Sipowicz investigate the kidnapping of a doctor's daughter. A woman claims to have no knowledge of the robbery the man they were riding with committed in...
The detectives investigate the brutal murder of an upper class family. Lastarza orders Janice to cooperate with the mob though it results in the death of the person whose plates she ran through the computer. Kelly deals ...
Janice is asked by the mob to start doing favors for them again or they will expose her past activities. James' father wants to kill the pusher who's responsible for his son's overdose. Medavoy celebrates his 40th birthd...
Kelly suspects a man of murder but tries to get him to confess to the robbery of four taxicabs, so later they can link him to the murder. Sipowicz arrests a topless dancer for prostitution and she offers to help him get ...
A man thinks he is a werewolf and demands to be locked into a cell before he kills someone. Sipowicz discovers that his estranged son's future wife has been sleeping around. A homeless man is suspected in the death of a ...
James goes to visit his brother but finds the super at the building is a cop who is on the take and slowly forcing tenants out. Det. Stillwell's pranks become a nuisance for everyone. Martinez's brother's building is the...
Kelly quits his security job and warns the abusive husband to watch out. A man is arrested for a robbery and double-homicide when Det. Walker is convinced he is guilty, though Sipowicz feels differently. Laura quits her ...
Janice's father comes to visit and warn her about his pending corruption indictment. Sipowicz makes some appearances at the hotel where Giardella is being held. Kelly and Martinez are assigned a case involving the robber...
Lastarza of the Organized Crime Unit tells Fancy & Kelly that they better stop applying pressure on the mob. Sipowicz regains consciousness but has no memory of the shooting. Laura and John become officially separated. "...
Sipowicz's continual harassment of Giardella winds up getting him in trouble. Fancy tells Kelly it may be time for a new partner. Sipowicz is brought up before IAB. Laura wants to process their divorce and the neighbor i...
