City Confidential

I was concerned that "City Confidential" would suffer after the untimely death of Paul Winfield, its magnificent narrator. Having seen all but one of the new season's episodes, though, I can safely say that Keith David has stepped in and carried on Winfield's standard of excellence. Much credit, of course, must go to the writers, but as a fan I'd come to consider Winfield's voice the "star" of the show. While I may still miss Winfield as an actor, I no longer have any fears that one of my favorite A&E programs will decline in quality with his passing. Keith David's mellow voice, precise diction and expressive delivery set just the right tone. Kudos to whoever recognized him as the right match of talent to task.

This series is informative and imaginative; Paul Winfield was excellent as the initial narrator. The stories span communities all across the U.S. exploring the ..."It would never happen here"...mechanism of denial that people use to insulate themselves.

Some of the series which are particularly interesting are shown in Lopez Island, Washington; horse country of Northern Illinois (the Helen Brach/Brach candy murder) and several other affluent communities.

This series taps into the American conscience; like Stephen King, the underlying unrest that may exist in some of the most beautiful and "perfect" neighborhoods. 9/10.

Winfield's oily narration is fantastic, and compelling enough on its own to make the show a must-see. Every simple fact he relates seems to be bringing him great pleasure, both sinister and, ahem, lascivious. He can say "Amityville, New York" and it will sound de-li-cious, like he's really a old guy at the bar blessed with a great voice, reminiscing about some tawdry encounter he had as a youth. Good stuff!

Who can forget the deeply resonant voice with a slightly cynical twang narrating "City Confidential"? That narration seemed in integral part of this outstanding series of intriguing case histories.

On the 7th of this month (March, 2004) Paul Winfield died. It's hard to imagine "City Confidential" without him. Although he was never seen, his narration became the series on-going "star," tightly wedded to the well written scrips.

On this month's occasion it seems fitting to pay tribute to the memory of this Emmy-award-winning actor, who so enriched our lives with his rich body of work, from the sixties through this year.

In a period in which many black actors digressed into the "blaxsploitation" genre, Winfield remained completely dignified in his career choices, and steadfastly dedicated to his craft. (His work in "Sounder" and "Roots" are indelibly imprinted in our minds.)

While "Confidential" moves on to another narrator, the Winfield years will remain a lasting, rich legacy in the recollections of many series viewers.

City Confidential is a wonderful show that unfortunately has lost something with the death of its original narrator, Paul Winfield. The heavy sarcasm in the scripts suited his voice beautifully. However, the show's formula goes on without him. Each episode looks at a major scandal in a city - a scandal that usually belies the wealth, beauty, or old money residents of the area. What makes the series a cut above is the history given of each city and a profile of its typical residents at the time of the crime. And the narration! "Why, you could see the sweat roll off him as if it was a July day on the Bayou." The episodes also include interviews with residents, reporters, and witnesses.

All in all, City Confidential is a fascinating series. The new narrator is less intrusive, which says that the producers did not try to replace the flamboyance of Winfield. Probably a good move, because they couldn't have done so.