New York Undercover

I thought this show was very good. When I saw the first season, I was somewhat iffy about where it was going. The next season they added the beautiful Lauren Velez, and I think it was then that the show took off. I became a New York Undercover addict! I even enjoyed the episodes in which they brought in Detective Macnamara, played by Jonathan LaPaglia. The next thing I know, New York Undercover just went down hill due to the killing off of the characters Torres and Macnamara. I thought for sure that the season after Macnamara was introduced, that it would get better just as the show always seemed to do at the start of every new season. Well, Mr. Wolf handed fans a HUGE disappointment. I agree with the person who stated that this show could have survived at least two or three more seasons had they kept the Eddie Torres character. Dick Wolf should have seen disaster on the rise. Viewers were used to seeing Torres and Williams. You can't kill off one of the lead characters and expect to have a chance at good ratings. Not only did they kill off Torres and Macnamara, but they killed the spirit of the show. Tommy Ford as Lt. Barker looked more like a pimp than a cop. And who were these other rejects? Even Lt. Cooper left the show. I think fans only watched the very FIRST episode of the last season because they wanted to know if in fact Torres' character was really dead. Once they found out, that was it. Dick Wolf has learned his lesson I'm sure. When you've got a good thing, keep it the way it is. Nobody likes drastic changes to something that they're used to. He's learning that with Law & Order.

This series was without a doubt, the best police drama made in the 90's. It was action packed, contemporary, well written, cutting edge material. The show evolved around the characters of J.C.Williams & Eddie Torres who were so connected with the gritty streets of N.Y.C., it made them naturals for the undercover work that they were assigned. Lt. Cooper was perfect as the no nonsense commander of the unit who gave them just enough flexibility to get the job done. The story lines read out of the newspaper of the day and every week, they would have whoever was the top current musical artist perform at "Natalie's", so the show stay current with the times.

The show went south when the stars tried to pull a "Friends" and demand higher salaries and wanted their contracts renegotiated. The producers responded by killing off Torres and replacing Cooper. It was a shame, because the show was a hit. After DeLorenzo & D'Arbanville left the show, it only lasted one more season, and it was not as good as the first three seasons. I'm not sure if it is on DVD, but if it is, it's worth the price.

This was one of those unique shows that should have acquired more praise. While white-dominated cop shows seem to be the norm, this show broke new ground with a diverse cast and minority related issues. Sadly, the whiteness of Hollywood was far too much to overcome in regards to the shelf life of this show. Malik Yoba and Michael DeLorenzo were especially excellent in this series, demonstrating their talent as they were constantly torn between race, culture and the police force. I especially felt the opening montages to the show provided quite a trademark within the series, using no words and only the pulsating beats of contemporary hip-hop and R&B artists to tell the story in a neo-silent film fashion. Whenever I can catch this show at 1 a.m. (and this is only on the weekends), I am rarely disappointed.

I caught a few reruns back few years ago. If you are a fan of shows like the wire then you will love this. If only it was available to stream

Dick Wolf struck gold in this 90s drama centering around the personal and professional lives of two New York cops. Realistic, gritty, clever, and so hip it was almost ahead of its own time, New York Undercover did for inner city minorities what the Cosby show did for middle class minorities in the 80s and 90s: It depicted strong non-stereotypical characters living through reality.

Guest stars, particularly musical guest stars, were the punch-line to almost every episode; the smooth buttercream frosting on the cake. And Natalie's was the perfect place to showcase all the talent. Gladys Knight, B.B. King, Notorious B.I.G.--on any given night anyone could be at Natalie's--and you sure didn't want to miss it. In fact, the way the characters flocked to Natalie's provided a fun parallel for the way we all flocked each week to the show. Smiles on our faces, ready to be entertained, wondering what was in store tonight. And who could forget Ice T's non-musical stint as the deliciously criminal Danny-Up? I never have, and probably never will, see a television villain more believable and more entertaining than this one, and the story line he brought to the show was a masterpiece.

It was hard to see the show go. Possibly even harder, though, was that last season after Detective Torres was killed off and they tried to revamp the show into something else. New characters, new focuses, a new feel. It had lost its spark, its magic. The lights were dimming, the music had stopped. It was time to go. I like to imagine the season before that as having been the last one. Watching Eddie die, seeing J.C.'s face, knowing what it all meant. Those were the characters we loved and the ones we would miss because we knew them. Dick Wolf, you did something right, and thanks for that. It WAS hard to see the show go. But it's just like leaving the club: it was a wonderful night and you're tired, but that last song is still in your head. And you can't stop singing it.