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An absolute cracker of a cop series, "Wiseguy" only occasionally had stand-alone episodes, for the most part telling its stories in arcs that could run for up to 10 episodes; it's not every show that ends its first season with the hero being arrested by his partner! (Obviously they were just doing their jobs, but still...)
With the great triple act of Ken Wahl as Vinnie, Jonathan Banks as his friend and partner McPike, and Jim Byrnes (pre-"Highlander") as liasion Lifeguard - a rare television role for the handicapped in that his affliction was never even mentioned - the best arc by far was the first one with Sonny Steelgrave (the late Ray Sharkey), which occupied practically the entire first season; then the incestuous Proffitts - my first exposure to Kevin Spacey as the mad Mel ("Only the toes knows...") and the staggeringly sexy Joan Severance (pre-Black Scorpion) as his equally disturbed sister Susan; the enigmatic Roger Lococco (William Russ, better here than on "Boy Meets World"); even the venture into the music world was effective.
Stephen J. Cannell and his team of writers and directors spun gripping and tense tales of the battles between good and evil, bringing you so close into the world of Vinnie Terranova that you found yourself sympathising with the heavies without ever turning against the people who were, after all, the good guys - kudos to them all, but especially David J. Burke and Stephen Kronish. The show also boasted one of Mike Post's greatest ever themes; heavy brass and strings instead of rock'n'roll or synths set the tone perfectly.
So effective was this series that I can even forgive the degeneration of the show in its third year, when Ken Wahl's squabbles with the producers began to affect the end result; as far as I'm concerned, the episodes with Steven Bauer don't exist. (As for the TV movie, the less said about that sorry affair the better.) "CSI"'s Carol Mendelsohn used to write for this show; she hasn't lost her touch.
The series is airing in repeats, it seems; not to be missed.
score /10
Victor Field 27 February 2003
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0240592/ |
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8-11-2020 11:34:03
