Hill Street Blues Study Notes

In the 1980s, television began to be considered as a form of art, with anthologies of television scripts making their way into literature sections and university courses focused on television imagery.
The respectability of television was significantly influenced by quality dramas such as Hill Street Blues, which showcased television's artistic potential.
Notable literary figures, such as Joyce Carol Oates, praised Hill Street Blues, comparing it favorably to great literature, highlighting its complex character studies and emotional depth.
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet contributed even more to its acclaim by writing an episode for its final season.

The key creators of the series included:
- Michael Kozoll - Co-creator with a background in English and linguistics.
- Jeffrey Lewis - A writer with a degree from Yale and a law degree from Harvard.
- David Milch - A Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Yale, known for being an accomplished literary figure.
- Roger Director - An English literature master's graduate from Columbia with contributions to The New Yorker.
- Mark Frost - A Literary Associate experienced in theater productions.
The team comprised individuals who had worked in literary fields and aimed to create a show that was markedly different from typical television programming.

Hill Street Blues emerged from a unique context:
- Created by a producer looking to challenge network standards.
- Originated from a powerful production company, suggesting an innovative approach to television.
NBC, under Fred Silverman, was looking for a gritty police drama inspired by films like Fort Apache, The Bronx and other television cop shows, aiming to replicate their success.
Silverman's background included earlier hits like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, but he also had a reputation for producing lower quality shows.
The conception of Hill Street Blues was unusual as the writers (Bochco and Kozoll) did not initially want to create a cop show but rather an anthology drama.

Initial meetings involved resistance from Bochco and Kozoll, who expressed disinterest in the cop show format, preferring to create something more innovative.
Their experience in the genre made them well-suited to reinvent it, pushing for creative autonomy and rejecting traditional cop show tropes.
During discussions, they negotiated strong creative control over the narrative structure and thematic content, asserting that they intended to deviate from the norms of police dramas.

After screenings of the pilot, NBC executives reacted negatively to its complexity and perceived flaws in character arcs and narratives, suggesting a return to simpler storytelling.
However, the creative team maintained their direction, leading to initial low ratings despite critical acclaim.
As the show developed, it started to resonate with audiences, particularly affluent viewers aged 18-49, leading NBC to reconsider its strategies around quality programming.

Hill Street Blues faced significant scheduling challenges, airing in undesirable time slots and undergoing frequent changes.
Despite these challenges, the network renewed the show after its first season, recognizing its potential and aligning with evolving audience demands.
The show would later achieve significant success, including historical Emmy nominations and wins, cementing its legacy as a groundbreaking series.
By the 1982-83 season, Hill Street Blues set standards for quality television programming alongside the rise of cable and new viewing habits.

Breaking away from genre classification, Hill Street Blues blended elements of mock documentary, sitcom, and serialized storytelling.
The narrative intertwined multiple plot lines across episodes, allowing for deeper character development in contrast to traditional episodic formats.
Characters in the show were portrayed with significant flaws and complexities, reflecting real societal issues rather than simply resolving conflicts in each episode.
The themes tackled by the show reflected a more realistic, post-liberal perspective, exploring themes of decay and resilience in urban life.

The show employed scatological humor and adult themes, pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable in network television.
Presentations of bodily functions and crude humor were utilized to emphasize the raw realism of the precinct environment, making a statement about societal decay.
Bochco's willingness to challenge censorship norms and push for expansive storytelling ultimately contributed to the evolution of television standards.

Hill Street Blues laid the groundwork for subsequent series, establishing a model for complex, character-driven dramas.
Following its success, other shows like St. Elsewhere sought to emulate and build upon its innovative approaches, adopting similar narrative structures and ensemble casts.
The show's format influenced future quality dramas, redefining the expectations of audience engagement over the duration of a series.
With Bochco's departure and subsequent struggles, the series ended but not without leaving an indelible mark on television history.

Hill Street Blues transformed the landscape of television from formulaic programming to deeper, more artistic narratives, setting a precedent that inspired countless shows to follow.
The legacy it established continues to resonate in the principles guiding modern television production and storytelling, demonstrating the potency of innovative television.