Steven Bochco
From "Hill Street Blues" to "NYPD Blue," “Doogie
Howser M.D.” to “Cop Rock,” these shows have been called groundbreaking,
risqué, and provocative. Creator Steven Bochco says
he's guilty on all charges.
“I don't even think of it so much as breaking rules, as making new rules," Bochno said.
After coming to Hollywood to be a writer in the 1960’s, Bochco found his beat producing 1980’s hits like "Hill Street Blues" and "L.A. Law." “L.A. Law’s” Former star of “L.A Law,” Harry Hamlin says of his former boss, “Steven has an extraordinary sense of humor and his ability to take real issues kind of ripped from the headlines, and spin a tale. I think that's what makes him so great."
ABC agreed, handing Bochco a 50-million dollar development deal in 1987. At ABC, Bochco, and fellow producer David E. Kelley, scrubbed-in with the quirky drama "Doogie Howser, M.D." But in 1990, he hit a sour note with the unorthodox show, “Cop Rock.” Bochco says, “I loved that show. It was the most fun, the most pure fun I ever had."
But the fun was over fast. The musical cop drama lasted for only 11 episodes. He says, “I just think that people were embarrassed by it. You know it's like when your drunk uncle Herbie gets up and sings something on Thanksgiving.”
To compete with the onslaught of uninhibited cable programs, in 1993 Bochco came up with the gritty "NYPD Blue." He says, “The first episode, that was the one that just caused an uproar because aside from the language, there was a sequence of lovemaking that was the hottest thing I think that had ever been seen on series television."
In fact, it was too hot for some TV's. Several stations simply refused to air it.
“NYPD Blue” star Dennis Franz says, “I don't know what I say about a guy who has given me a career.”
But the show nearly went into cardiac arrest when breakout star David Caruso left after one season. Bochco says, “With all due respect to how talented David is, I was sorry he was so unhappy and made everybody else around him so unhappy that it was an inevitable consequence of that instability that he had to go. You know, I originally offered the show to Jimmy Smits and he turned us down. Then after David Caruso left, I went back to Jimmy and he agreed to come and do it."
Now, Bochco hopes to continue pushing boundaries. Not that he'd cop to any new shows he has on the drawing board.
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