"John Frank Williams, 899!"
My memories of Police Story (I was 14 when it debuted in 1973) had convinced me that it was groundbreaking, realistic and documentary-like in its execution.
Having just bought the DVD, I can state assuredly that it *was* groundbreaking. However, one must keep in mind that it didn't take much to shatter the ubiquitous, cliché-ridden terrain of prime time TV dramas from the 50 to the 70s!
As far as realism goes, I'll have to take it on faith that Wambaugh's involvement assured that Police Story's plots hewed more closely to actual police-work. There's more internal politics at play than, say, a straight-laced show like Dragnet or Adam 12... but nothing particularly controversial to my eyes.
The plots and dialogue (replete with hilarious, antiquated 70s jargon!) are still very much "on the nose," lacking in the kind of subtextual elements regularly enjoyed by Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, The Shield and The Wire. But I never expected it to live up to those shows; they were made possible by Police Story. I was just surprised that the non-procedural, family/home elements were more FAR melodramatic than I remembered.
I'm not putting the show down by any means! I'd love to see more seasons released. (If for nothing else, it's a fascinating time capsule for 70s TV actors & production technique.) Recommended!
My memories of Police Story (I was 14 when it debuted in 1973) had convinced me that it was groundbreaking, realistic and documentary-like in its execution.
Having just bought the DVD, I can state assuredly that it *was* groundbreaking. However, one must keep in mind that it didn't take much to shatter the ubiquitous, cliché-ridden terrain of prime time TV dramas from the 50 to the 70s!
As far as realism goes, I'll have to take it on faith that Wambaugh's involvement assured that Police Story's plots hewed more closely to actual police-work. There's more internal politics at play than, say, a straight-laced show like Dragnet or Adam 12... but nothing particularly controversial to my eyes.
The plots and dialogue (replete with hilarious, antiquated 70s jargon!) are still very much "on the nose," lacking in the kind of subtextual elements regularly enjoyed by Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, The Shield and The Wire. But I never expected it to live up to those shows; they were made possible by Police Story. I was just surprised that the non-procedural, family/home elements were more FAR melodramatic than I remembered.
I'm not putting the show down by any means! I'd love to see more seasons released. (If for nothing else, it's a fascinating time capsule for 70s TV actors & production technique.) Recommended!