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Hill Street Blues - Season 2
Other dramatic developments: LaRue (Keil Martin) falls off the wagon and endangers his partner, Washington (Taurean Blacque), during a drug bust ("Zen and the Art of Law Enforcement"); Goldblume (Joe Spano) gets personally involved in the case of an abusive slumlord ("Of Mouse and Man," featuring future Miami Vice star Edward James Olmos as a threatened tenant); Esterhaus (Michael Conrad) is still bedeviled by sexual siren Grace Gardner (Barbara Babcock); and Precinct Capt. Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti, who earned his second Emmy for Best Actor) and Joyce bring their clandestine affair out into the open. Other ongoing storylines involve realistic depictions of police corruption and inter-partner race relations. Hill Street's second season fulfilled the promise of its auspicious first, and repeated as TV's Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmy Awards. No roll call of classic, trendsetting TV series would be complete without it. --Donald Liebenson
RRP: £34.99
Our Price: £14.93 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Despite critical acclaim, Hill Street Blues could not get arrested ratings-wise its first season. Far from being careful out there, the superb second season did nothing to tinker with the integrity of this groundbreaking series to make it more audience friendly. Multiple storylines, overlapping dialogue, gritty language, and a pseudo-documentary style capture the palpable chaos and tension of what one character calls "the rat-infested, poverty-stricken urban reality." From the precinct-house shooting rampage that opens the season to a hijacked hearse in the season-ending episode, Hill Street Blues deftly walks the line between police procedural and personal drama, further fleshing out its gallery of compelling and colorful characters. Belker (Bruce Weitz) is still a growling mad dog who takes bites out of perps. But in one of the series' most memorable story arcs, he forms a surprising bond with the delusional costumed citizen Captain Freedom (Dennis Dugan), Public defender Joyce (Victoria Hamel)'s steamroller persona breaks down when a colleague is murdered and the case is thrown out because of a technicality.
Great series - must see - where is series 3?
Review date: 2008-06-03 Rating: 8 out of 10
I bought these discs in a moment of weakness and I am looking forward to another.
I remember these programmes from my youth and they are still great. But why are they edited like this?
Are we going to see Series 3? I remember a poignant moment when Michael 'Let's be careful out there' Conrad died in real life and the event was factored into the series.
Come on! Let's have the next series.
Similar Products
- Hill Street Blues - Series 1
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- NYPD Blue - Season 2 [1994]
Reviews
"The Complete Series"? - I don't think so....
Review date: 2007-11-11 Rating: 2 out of 10
"Hill Street Blues" was, and still is, my absolute favourite television series. When first transmitted in the 1980's the comments you read here about the ground-breaking format of the show are absolutely true: multi-thread storylines, a huge cast ensemble, documentary-style direction, humour, realism and ACTION.
After settling down for a serious couch-fest of memories with these DVD's it was quickly apparent something was missing. Scenes weren't making sense. Edits were skipping around. Events were being referenced that the viewer hadn't seen.
As has been mentioned here elsewhere, these are the edited versions of the show suitable for early-evening transmission on Channel 4. And they haven't been edited at all well. The action, gritty and realistic for its time but tame by today's standards, has been all but totally deleted. A key ingredient of what made the show so good isn't there any more. Just what is the point of releasing a cult series to enthusiasts if you then remove one of the facets that made it so memorable? I expect better from the channel that prides itself on providing innovative, controversial programming.
It got so bad that I gave up watching half way through the second series. I'm even thinking about flogging both boxed sets on the Amazon resellers market.
Great programme, lousy DVD's...
Hill Street Blues DVDs
Review date: 2006-08-19 Rating: 8 out of 10
I am a massive fan of Hill Street Blues and was delighted when I found out they were available to buy on DVD.As I watched the first episode it was like meeting old friends again having not seen them for many years.The dialogue and the performances still feels fresh after 20 years.Hill Street Blues can still shock,surprise and sadden you in equal proportions after all these years.The reason I only rated 4 out 5 is because the episodes on DVD are edited versions of the originals.This is purley down to Channel 4 whom, When I contacted them denied it.If any Hill Street Blues fans feel so inclined I would ask the to complain to Channel 4.
redryan
Hill Street Blues season 2
Review date: 2006-06-30 Rating: 10 out of 10
I thought that watching the first series through - not quite but nearly in one sitting - would have "scratched the itch!" How wrong could I be. It was just as good as I remembered - rather like meeting old friends again. I was chuffed to bits to find that the second series was nearly out and about and almost available. Again, I was delighted - now I have to introduce my younger friends to the delights of Hill Street - how lucky are they??!!
If I had any (slight) complaint it would be that Amazon - who usually spoil us with super efficient and speedy deliveries etc were sluggish on the delivery (which would ONLY happen when you are all but mugging the postman everyday for your Hill Street DVD's) - they seem to have gone through a bit of a slow patch. Things seem to be back to normal again!
If you haven't bought it yet go out and do so - you know what your missing...
(isn't it great to know that some older TV series' can "take a licking & keep on ticking")
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Taurean Blacque
Barbara Babcock
Daniel J. Travanti
Barbara Bosson
Michael Conrad
Creators:
Daniel J. Travanti (Primary Contributor)
Barbara Babcock (Primary Contributor)
Recording label: 4dvd
Manufacturer: 4dvd
EAN: 6867441002895
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 5
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2006-06-12
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 864 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)