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| "Hill Street Blues", "N.Y.P.D. Blue" and "Doogie Howser, M.D." were just three of the shows created by Steven Bochco. Source: Getty Images on https://www.vox.com/culture/ 2018/4/2/17188376/steven-bochco-dies-nypd-blue-hill-street-blues (May be subject to copyright) |
Delivered by an imposing police sergeant, it was the call that punctuated every briefing that started the drama “Hill Street Blues”.
The man behind the voice was actor Michael Conrad, but the man behind the words was creator Steven Bochco.
He pioneered a new era of gritty, realistic police drama, then branched out to law and even a musical, all on the way to a bushel of Emmy nominations. He also mentored other writers who met and exceeded their mentor’s success, right up to this day.
It was with great sadness I heard awhile back that Steven Bochco had died after an extended battle with leukemia. He was 74 years old.
The years before
Steven Bochco had his first success early in the 1970s writing at Universal Studios for established shows such as “Ironside”, “Columbo” and “McMillan and Wife”.
Steven Bochco had his first success early in the 1970s writing at Universal Studios for established shows such as “Ironside”, “Columbo” and “McMillan and Wife”.
In 1978, he moved over to MTM Enterprises, the production company established by Mary Tyler Moore that would go on to produce shows such as “St. Elsewhere”, “Remington Steele”, “The White Shadow”, “Newhart”, and “WKRP in Cincinnati”.
His first show there, where he had a greater hand in its production, was “Paris”, a short-lived police drama that starred James Earl Jones. It was the actor’s first series where he played the lead role. The show, which aired in 1979, lasted just 13 episodes, with 11 hitting the air.
That set the stage for what was to come.
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| Steven Bochco was a pioneer in television drama, with much of his best work staring in the 1980s. Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ steven-bochco-dead-hill-street-blues-la-law-nypd-blue-creator-741199 (May be subject to copyright) |
Bochco would revolutionize television in 1981 when he launched “Hill Street Blues”. It was a gritty police drama that looked into the lives of its characters. It achieved a realism, not seen before, and pioneered a new form of story-telling. “Hill Street Blues” was one of the first shows to carry a story arc over many weeks. Before that, each episode of most dramas was a self-contained unit, unless it was a night-time soap opera like “Dallas”. “Hill Street Blues” carried a story over weeks at a time – something that is so common today, you can’t miss an episode. If you do you won’t totally understand what is going on. You can thank Steven Bochco for that.
One story I remember in particular was about “Captain Freedom”, a vigilante played by Dennis Dugan, who appeared on the scene to stop a robber fleeing the scene of a crime. He continued to make appearances over several episodes until he was killed trying to stop a crime in an episode entitled “Freedom’s Last Stand”. It was pretty powerful stuff.
Bochco also pioneered having a large ensemble cast. One of Bochco’s trademarks was that he had a kind of stable of actors who would appear in different productions of his.
For his efforts, “Hill Street Blues” was nominated for 98 Emmys over its six-year run from 1981 to 1987. In particular, he won Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984; and Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series in 1981 for “Hill Street Station”, the pilot episode, and in 1982 for the aforementioned “Freedom’s Last Stand”.
Really singing the Blues
Although Bochco hit a home run with “Hill Street Blues”, he struck out with some different Blues, the “Bay City Blues”. It was another night-time drama, this one about a minor league baseball team. True to form, it featured Dennis Franz and Pat Corley, two actors who had appeared on “Hill Street Blues”. “Bay City Blues” debuted in 1983, on CBC in Canada, but never caught on and was cancelled after four episodes, although eight were made. It led to Bochco’s firing in 1985 from MTM.
Although Bochco hit a home run with “Hill Street Blues”, he struck out with some different Blues, the “Bay City Blues”. It was another night-time drama, this one about a minor league baseball team. True to form, it featured Dennis Franz and Pat Corley, two actors who had appeared on “Hill Street Blues”. “Bay City Blues” debuted in 1983, on CBC in Canada, but never caught on and was cancelled after four episodes, although eight were made. It led to Bochco’s firing in 1985 from MTM.
But the end was just the beginning.
Legal eagle
Bochco joined 20th Century Fox and was back in 1986 with another ground-breaking drama, this one set in the offices of a Los Angeles law firm. “L.A. Law” would go on to lock up the 11 p.m. Thursday night time slot for close to a decade, garnering more awards.
Bochco joined 20th Century Fox and was back in 1986 with another ground-breaking drama, this one set in the offices of a Los Angeles law firm. “L.A. Law” would go on to lock up the 11 p.m. Thursday night time slot for close to a decade, garnering more awards.
It chronicled the exploits of idealistic lawyers Michael Kuzak and Victor Sifuentes, sleazy divorce attorney Arnie Becker, pragmatic and stuffy managing partner Douglas Brackman, married lawyers Ann Kelsey and Stewart Markowitz, patriarch Leland McKenzie, and African-American lawyer Jonathan Rollins, a ground-breaking role. Never afraid to tackle tough issues, “L.A. Law” dealt with everything from the death penalty and race relations to victims’ rights, the terminally ill, gay rights and much more.
The show ran from 1986 to 1994, garnering another handful of Emmys for Bochco including Outstanding Drama Series in 1987 and 1989; and Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series in 1987 for “The Venus Butterfly”.
Hooperman
A year after “L.A. Law” debuted, Bochco launched “Hooperman” in 1987. It starred John Ritter as police detective Harry Hooperman. It pioneered another form, coined the “dramedy”, which was a combination comedy and drama. Part of its style was having no laugh track.
A year after “L.A. Law” debuted, Bochco launched “Hooperman” in 1987. It starred John Ritter as police detective Harry Hooperman. It pioneered another form, coined the “dramedy”, which was a combination comedy and drama. Part of its style was having no laugh track.
The show started just as I left home for university, so I only saw a handful of episodes, including the pilot. It had one memorable line I won’t forget. Hooperman was getting intimate with a woman when she said, “We need protection.” In his haste, Hooperman responded, “That’s okay, I have my gun.” As funny as it was, I remember just as much for it having no laugh track.
“Hooperman” lasted two season, from 1987 to 1989, and 42 episodes. It won an Emmy in 1988 for Outstanding Direction in a Comedy Series.
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Once again Bochco was breaking ground in 1989 when he cast an unknown 16-year-old actor named Neil Patrick Harris as a child prodigy who survived cancer and is starting a career as a doctor. It tackled its share of tough subjects, both medical and dealing with Doogie's struggles growing up. It ran from 1989 to 1993 for a total of 97 episodes. It had some of the same characteristics as “Hooperman”, mixing drama and comedy.
Once again Bochco was breaking ground in 1989 when he cast an unknown 16-year-old actor named Neil Patrick Harris as a child prodigy who survived cancer and is starting a career as a doctor. It tackled its share of tough subjects, both medical and dealing with Doogie's struggles growing up. It ran from 1989 to 1993 for a total of 97 episodes. It had some of the same characteristics as “Hooperman”, mixing drama and comedy.
It also had James Sikking, who had played Howard Hunter in “Hill Street Blues”, playing Doogie’s father.
The years after
Bochco would continue on writing, directing and producing virtually right up until his death in 2018, including “NYPD Blue” which won him another Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series in 1995. True to form, “NYPD Blue” had Dennis Franz, who worked for Bochco in “Hill Street Blues” and “Bay City Blues”, and Jimmy Smits, who worked for him in “L.A. Law”.
Bochco would continue on writing, directing and producing virtually right up until his death in 2018, including “NYPD Blue” which won him another Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series in 1995. True to form, “NYPD Blue” had Dennis Franz, who worked for Bochco in “Hill Street Blues” and “Bay City Blues”, and Jimmy Smits, who worked for him in “L.A. Law”.
The writing and directing tree
Steven Bochco’s influence will be felt for years to come because not only did he create great writing, he created great writers.
Steven Bochco’s influence will be felt for years to come because not only did he create great writing, he created great writers.
The first one to really strike out on his own and make his mark was Anthony Yerkovich, who created “Miami Vice” in 1984. In fact, in the promos for “Miami Vice” on Channel 7 on the peasant dial, it was billed as “from the creator of ‘Hill Street Blues’.” However, after six episodes he handed over full executive responsibilities to Michael Mann.
Another one was David E. Kelley, a lawyer from Boston who Bochco hired for his legal background. Kelley would go on to work with Bochco on “Doogie Howser” then strike out on his own with a string of shows – “Picket Fences”, “Chicago Hope”, “The Practice”, “Ally McBeal”, “Boston Public”, and “Boston Legal”. He continues to work with current shows “Mr. Mercedes” and “Big Sky”.
Finally, there is David Milch who wrote his first script for “Hill Street Blues” in 1982, and stayed with the show five years, working up to executive producer and winning an Emmy award. He went on to create “NYPD Blue”with Bochco, where he earned three more Emmy awards. He would go on to create “Deadwood” and has kept on working.
Parting thoughts
Steven Bochco is one of my favourite writers on television. I can think of countless episodes of “Hill Street Blues”, “L.A. Law”, and “Doogie Howser” that made me think, and even made me cry.
Steven Bochco is one of my favourite writers on television. I can think of countless episodes of “Hill Street Blues”, “L.A. Law”, and “Doogie Howser” that made me think, and even made me cry.
He was a pioneer in so many ways too. Before he came along, stories rarely carried on from one episode to another. If they did, it was usually a two parter with “To Be Continued” scrawled on the screen at the end of part one. Before he came along, the casts were small, not the ensemble casts of eight or more characters that populate drama now. And he brought a gritty realism with him. His stories were ripped from the headlines long before that phrase was coined.
Steven Bochco also mentored the next generation of writers who continue to make their mark today.
He truly was a pioneer.
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