'NYPD Blue' deserves to bow out gracefully

Katie Den Bleyker

Daily Arts Writer

The critically lauded show, "NYPD Blue" is back on ABC for another season. In the past, NYPD Blue has won several Emmy awards. Now, however, the show's January debut filling the current Emmy-winning show "Once and Again's" time slot suggests that ABC is growing tired of its former critically lauded hit. In the past, any personal dramas the show's characters had were mixed in with interesting police cases. Now, however, the show's main focus seems to be on the characters' problems and not on their police work.

Perhaps the reason ABC is tiring of the show is because the show's quality has declined in recent years. Instead of the gritty, realistic scenarios the show's cops were faced with in previous seasons, the officers of the 15th precinct are now dealing with over-dramatic problems. Detective Sipowicz is dealing with his young son possibly having leukemia (this while fighting charges of corruption along with the other members of his team). Sorenson is trying to get into Diane Russell's pants. The whole squad is abducted by the evil twin of an ex-officer and taken to a desert island. Well, that last part is made up, but the scenario isn't much more outlandish than some of the show's recent plots.

This is not the same Emmy-winning writing that NYPD Blue has been known for. In the past, the show was so gripping that you couldn't help being drawn into the character's lives. Who among us didn't cry when Jimmy Smits' character died or when Andy Sipowicz's wife got shot? But now you feel a certain apathy towards the show's characters because you know that whatever problem they are currently working to overcome, another one is waiting just around the corner. One wonders how these characters avoid a nervous breakdown with all of the work and social trauma that they endure at the hands of the show's writers.

On the positive side, the acting is still excellent, although the writing has reduced Emmy-winning actors to the Susan Luccis of prime time. Rick Schroder in particular has made a nice transition into the show, blending well with NYPD Blue vets like Dennis Franz and giving the show some new life.

NYPD Blue was a great show in its day, but that day has passed. The creators need to avoid the trap that many shows fall into by gracefully bowing out of the TV lineup before their show becomes more stale than it already is and loses viewers.

Courtesy of ABC

Even Sipowicz can't hide his attraction to little Ricky Schroder, all grown up.