Results tagged “nypdblue”

A look at some noteworthy televison shows this week:

If you've ever been interested in the mafia, either the real live mob or the movie kind, Gothamist highly recommends that you follow the trial of former NYPD detectives Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito, who are accused of racketeering (and being involved in eight murders), which is going on in Brooklyn Federal Court right now. The lead witness for the prosecution was a 72 year old convicted pot dealer, another witness said one of the cops used mob money to launch his screenwriting dreams in Hollywood and one of the defendants eats lunch at the Park Place diner - Newsday notes Eppolito likes pastrami on rye with mustard (but who doesn't?). All the local papers have had coverage that goes beyond colorful - it's like you're watching an episode of The Sopranos, only if that were crossed wtih NYPD Blue and The Shield. Today, the NY Times looks at how Eppolito's autobiography, Mafia Cop, is at the center of the trial, since Eppolito comes out seeming like a very "conflicted but ultimately dedicated" (NY Times) police officer as well as an imaginative writer; the Daily News' Denis Hamill mentioned a Mafia Cop quote: "I learned something about myself during that gunfight. I not only had the capacity to kill. I had the capacity to forget about it, to not let it bother me." Huh. [Fitting for this digital age, Pocket Books is offering the Mafia Cop for download on Amazon - and you don't have to feel like you might be supporting a possible murderer, as Eppolito doesn't get any residuals.]

The dirty secrets of the detective's squad room are being revealed during hearings for a lawsuit a retired detective has brought against the city. Joann Karmel claims that she was sexually harassed by fellow detectives, with her lawyer contending that Karmel went from "full functioning" to "not being fit for duty" after the ribbing. Or as the Daily News puts it:

At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Karmel was dubbed Big Bird by fellow detectives. But that was mild compared with comments that ranged from nastiness about her body to suggestions her husband had sex with their dog.

Tonight is the last episode of NYPD Blue. Once upon a time, NYPD Blue was known as the "other cop show" against fellow newbie (it had been one season) Law & Order, but quickly, NYPD Blue emerged as a sadder, more complicated, and even more intimate companion to creator Steven Bochco's Hill Street Blues. Gothamist had watched NYPD Blue in the early days, from David Caruso's naked butt to Jimmy Smits (always Victor Sifuentes in our hearts, but a great Bobby Simone), from Rick Schroeder to Zack Attack. But, as most people can acknowledge, the messy heart of the show was Dennis Franz, possibly the best casting for a city detective this side of Jerry Orbach, who endured Job-like situations. Gothamist had wondered about NYPD Blue's endurance, because we stopped watching a couple years ago; the Daily News' David Bianculli make a very good point that other "groundbreaking" shows started to emerge in 1998, like The Sopranos and Oz. Gothamist could never get over NYPD Blue filming in L.A. (the streets on the show were way too clean), but we did enjoy it very much. Tonight's finale airs at 10PM, but there's a special tribute show at 9PM hosted by Jimmy Smits.