Baseball, Las Vegas, and Area 51

Glitz, glamour, and gambling—escalated, somewhat, by gaudiness, garishness, and greed—fuel Las Vegas.  It is, after all, a desert metropolis built on a foundation of fantasy.  It is also where Elvis Presley made his live performance comeback after eight years of...

The Reign of Brandon Tartikoff

Brandon Tartikoff saw the best of times and the worst of times during his reign as the programming chief for NBC in the 1980s. The best of times:  Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, Miami Vice, Cheers, St. Elsewhere, Family Ties, The Cosby Show, Hunter, Late Night with...

The Peacock Becomes a Phoenix

In the 1980s, NBC’s peacock rose like a phoenix after startling programming disasters, including Pink Lady and Jeff, Supertrain, and the departure of the original Not Ready for Prime Time cast of Saturday Night Live.  Under programming guru Brandon Tartikoff and...

NYPD TV

The NYPD is a staple of television programming. Naked City.  NYPD Blue.  Law & Order.  Eischeid.  NYPD.  Cagney & Lacey.  Brooklyn South.  Barney Miller.  Car 54, Where Are You?  Blue Bloods.  Kojak.  McCloud.  Law & Order: SVU.  New York Undercover....

“Crime Story”

In the 1980s, an NBC show about cops had it all. A new look.  Story arcs existing through several episodes.  And the elevation of lesser known actors to household name status. Hill Street Blues?  No. Miami Vice?  No. Crime Story?  Yes. Michael Mann’s production...