La città in controluce

There was no episode of this show that wasn't riveting & first rate. Every NY-based (I'm NY-based & have been off & on since I was a kid) cop show ever made from Kojak through Law & Order & NYPD Blue is totally derivative of Naked City. Interesting that for the first year the characters were based on the movie & they were great, but the replacements were even better. Just a brilliant brilliant show.

Few TV shows in history sustained such a high level of acting, production and writing. Naked City was a showcase for up-and-coming stage actors, such as Robert Duvall, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Ed Asner--the list goes on and on. But leads--Burke, McMahon and Bellaver--were superb. Some episodes were nothing short of breathtaking. A good example is "Hold for Gloria Christmas," starring Burgess Meredith as a Greenwich Village poet. It was filmed entirely in the Village, and the cast included Herschel Bernardi, Eileen Heckhart and--a real treat for theater buffs--a rare appearance by the famed acting teacher and Group theater veteran Sanford Meisner. The best episodes were like that--character studies, filmed in the early Sixties, finely wrought time capsules of a New York that no longer exists.

This is the best of the realistic cop shows of the late 50's and 60's. Heart-wrenching episodes. Many of these episodes featured the debutes of bit actors who were later to become stars on TV and in the movies...you name 'em, they first appeared in Naked City. The two DVD's that are out (hopefully every one of the three years of the award-winning series will be released in the future) feature Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Sylvia Sidney, Walter Matthau, Eli Wallach, George Marahis and Lois Nettleton. Each of the one-hour episodes (four per DVD) are unforgettable. You'll also love the main characters, Paul Burke and Nancy Malone. If you think NYPD Blue and other dramas are good, you are in for a treat, as this series beats them all. Of course the main star is New York City in the late 1950's-early 60's. Gritty, smoggy, black and white, and absolutely gorgeous. Don't miss these DVD's if you believe in realistic drama and incredible performances by all the actors. (OK, and I don't even do PR for them...so trust me..this series is super!)

Naked City is an anthology series. Its stories are realistic and filled with compassion, pathos and immense human interest. The characters honestly portray the ambitions and emotions of people, rich and poor, living in New York.

The city is as much the star of the show as the actors. Filmed in black and white on location, the show visually captures the New York cityscape in the early 1960's, before the major building boom began.

The excellent cinematography, the forthright performances of the cast and guest performers, and the first-rate writing and direction make Naked City a gem to watch.

I wholeheartedly agree with everything said about the show.It was absolutely one of the best ever, cop or no cop TV show. Even the title of each show was original and brilliant IMO. The show stands out even more after being subjected to all the drivel shown nowadays.Even though color hadn't come full circle at that time, I think the b/w format just added to the whole personality of the show and characters. I've got to add to my collection.Stirling Shilliphant was one of the geniuses behind the show's success no doubt.Someone mentioned that Leonard was the narrator but I think Paul Brees narrated most of the shows.His voice-over was a perfect fit too. In fact I can't think of anything that wasn't "perfect". The casting was terrific, the story lines, the on- location shots of Gotham,the title of each show...I could go on and on. The regular detectives actually looked and acted like real detectives compared to what they show today. It may be partly nostalgia but watching the video reminded me of why I liked it so much even back then.