Hill Street Blues was a revolutionary crime drama. The show was one of the most critically acclaimed and innovative series in television history. Hill Street Blues first aired in 1981 on NBC and continued until 1987. The ratings were never through the roof, however, the fans were loyal and consistent.  Hill Street Blues combined elements from all forms of TV entertainment, from Sitcoms to Soap Operas.  The show incorporated fast-paced, realistic drama in urban America.

Hill Street‘s creators treated the show as a war story on the urban streets. The workplace dynamic and ensemble writing allowed viewers to experience many story lines at once.

Hill Street was created by Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll, and they decide to debut the show as a mid-season replacement in January 1981.

The series was set in the Hill Street police station. The station was riddled with crime in the neighborhoods around it. The Station itself was always in an uproar, with criminals. Hill Street was set in an anonymous metropolitan town. The story was like looking in on a day in the lives of these police officers. The writing was intertwining and complex. Each show had a “roll call” at the beginning that got viewers in on all the cases of the day.  The regular street officers included; Hill, Renko, Coffee, and Bates. My favorite character was undercover detective Norm Buntz (Dennis Franz).

Each show had a number of cases and story lines.  Some would be resolved at the end of the hour while other would take a few episodes to solve. The characters on the show were always trying to balance their work and private lives.  The way the show was filmed made viewers think they may have been watching a documentary. The show also utilized slang and real life issues that were never before approached on TV.

The show received an array of nominations for a variety of awards. In the first season of the show, it received eight Primetime Emmy Awards. Over the seven year run, the show had a total of 98 Emmy nominations.

Hill Street Blues had a variety of spin-offs and even a computer game. The writing and style of Hill Street Blues has influenced almost all crime drama since. This show was one of many that you either love or hate. The people that loved the show tuned in each week to keep it on the air.