Dellaventura

Dellaventura was a short-lived, very innovative and very entertaining detective yarn. Danny Aiello gave fourteen bravura performances as the title character. He helped the little guy and had a loyal group of people with which to work. Like too many good people, it died too young. I loved how he closed out every episode: "If you need me, I'll be around." I just wish he'd been around longer.

What a great detective show. Danny Aiello solves crimes, helps the common man, kicks ass on bad guys, and still has time to give a cool little wrap-up monologue while looking tough during his walk through New York. He even got his brother Rick into the action. What's not to love? My dad and I watched every episode.

This show aired on a Pre-CSI CBS. During the 90's CBS had a formula for tough Crime shows that appealed to fans of Murder One and Homicide: Life on the Street. Shows like EZ Streets, Feds and the Donnie Brasco miniseries. All were short lived.

Fall 1997 saw CBS pairing the David Caruso vehicle "Micheal Hayes" with this Danny Aiello show. The first 3 episodes hit it out of the park. Punch-in-the-face tough. With episode 4 the show softened up. And by the 6th episode it had turned into a Matlock clone.

It appears they retooled the show to appeal to an older demographic. KInd of a reverse Encyclopedia Brown. Hey look, old people can solve crimes too.

I think I gave up before the end series, but the end was not far off.

As badly as they messed up this show, I would love to see it again, as well as these other shows.