Hill Street Blues

Rating:
Summary: Thank you, TV Land!
Review: Although I never had a chance to watch HSB when it was new, the syndicated showings of it on TV Land got me hooked in the late 90's. But as all good things come to an end, my favorite show has been missing from TV Land's line-up for quite some time. I miss my HSB and still need to see the first few seasons. Help me complete this task: Release the pioneer of modern crime drama. Release Hill Street Blues on DVD!

Rating:
Summary: HPM
Review: Definitely the number 1 show of all time. I have never seen anything better on television... especially during the early seasons! As soon as the ending credits started to roll I couldn't wait for the next episode. Brilliant writing and great acting resulted in incredible character development and made you feel like you knew the characters personally.

I was crushed when Sgt Phil Esterhaus died. I loved how Belker would stalk his prey before growling and pouncing on the bad guys and yet could instantly be transformed into a softy as soon as he picked up the phone and realized it was his elderly mother. I loved the interaction between Furillo and Davenport whether it was on a personal level or a professional one. The partner teams were great... Hill and Renko, LaRue and Washington, Bates and Coffey. All classic combinations who could also switch gears and interact with other partners. In fact, everyone could interact with everyone else, no matter what the role was... street cop, detective, ranking officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, politicians, and even the gang members (Jesus Martinez was great!) and other assorted bad guys. All the stuff that's considered groundbreaking today owes a debt of gratitude to Hill Street... the first show that seemed to really be ripped from the headlines.

It really is hard to believe that they haven't released Hill Street on dvd yet. And yet every piece of **** that has ever been on tv seems to have been released on dvd at this point (even shows that barely made it through a single season). Given that the show always had an incredibly loyal fan base (and a good demographic one at that) it would seem like a natural for release on dvd. In spite of the fact that I probably have over 100 episodes on VHS (from the 3 am reruns back in my law school days), I would buy the entire 7 seasons as soon as it came out. I just can't imagine what they're waiting for!




Rating:
Summary: Hill Street Blues
Review: Hill Street Blues screams out to be reproduced on DVD!!!! This show exemplifies the essence of what police work is all about. The good, the bad, the sick and disgusting!!! This is life as a police officer at its' finest! I'm a police officer and this is the DVD collection that I'm dying to have!!! "Be careful out there!" What more can I say?

Rating:
Summary: Where is the DVD??
Review: I don't understand why garbage like Knight Rider and The A-Team (I use to watch The A-Team as a Kid, I'm not proud of it, but what can I say) is available on DVD, but not a great groundbreaking show like Hill Street Blues? This show is still regarded as one the best shows ever created for television. Someone has got to get their act together and release this show on disk. It's too important to let fade away.

Rating:
Summary: Free HSB From Oblivion!
Review: I loved my Hill Street Blues on Thursday nights. I taped them on VHS when they first ran. When I deployed overseas to the Philippines I would have Hill Street Blues Saturdays where I would put a six hour tape in VCR and let it play, then another. I noticed in the '90s, when they reran them, they cut bits off the scenes out, no doubt to make room for more commercials. It would be great to see the old shows in full.

Steve
Vienna, VA

Rating:
Summary: Best. Cop Show. Ever.
Review: I still can't believe this show has yet to be released on DVD. It is clearly the best Police Drama to hit TV. I hope someone realizes this mistake and gets this title out soon. I would be happy with just the first four seasons. Be careful out there!

Rating:
Summary: Loved Hill Strett Blues-Bring it Back on DVD
Review: I was a cop for 28 years. Somebody just HAD to have spy cameras in station houses while they were filming Hill Street Blues.

I've known a Belker; biting someone out of sheer frustration, and proudly wearing that "jacket" for years afterwards. I've met a Howard Hunter, the out-of-control SWAT Commander. I worked with a Hostage Negotiator who lost a crisis intervention and almost lost themselves in the process. All these episodes and many more were there in HSB and all done beautifully.

HSB was probably the most realistic mix of plot twists, situations, laughter, humanity and terror that every station house across the country faces.

I loved the show and when it comes out on DVD, it's mine. I liked to laugh, commiserate and decompress with people I "knew" from this magnificent series.

It's long past time. Please bring it back.

Rocky Warren Sgt. (ret)



Rating:
Summary: Let's be careful out there
Review: There seems to be little rhyme or reason as to what the studios churn out on DVD. We had to wait an eternity for Seinfeld and Dallas whereas dross like Knight Rider is readily available.

HSB was probably the best show of it's type. It much better but comparable with a show like X-Files. X-Files was released almost immediately so I don't understand why a show collecting dust in the archives cannot also be released.

Rating:
Summary: Momma, buy me this!
Review: Thursday nights.

I use to look forward to Thursday night with anticipation. Some guys, their big night was Friday night, or Saturday night. They'd go clubbing, or just down to the neighborhood bar to shoot a few racks of pool or toss a few beers.

Not me. I wanted every night to be Thursday Night, because that's when Hill Street Blues came on.

Man, that Joyce Davenport was a stone cold one, wasn't she? But a looker. I can imagine why, on one episode, she drove "Pizza Man" back to drink for one night. (And his ex-wife, played by the wife of the producer, I can see how he became an alcoholic in the first place.)

I REALLY miss Sgt. Esterhausen. Was that his name? Whatever. "Hey Hey HEY! Be careful out theah" Jabbing holes in the air with his forefinger to make his point. What a great character. That guy who replaced him, such a wuss. I kept waiting for Belcher to bite him on the ankle.

Remember the night that whatsisname, the swat-team leader, got trapped in an abandoned building with a couple of killer doberman pincers? They milked that for two weeks, in one of the few "Continued Next Week" dirty tricks they played.

I could go on and on and on, but it has been, what, twenty years now? I can't even remember the names of all the characters. I'm losing it.
I'm a grandfather now, and my first grandson and first granddaughter were born last month. It's gonna be a darned crying shame if, when I die, I don't have a huge collection of Hill Street Blues DVDs to leave for them.

On second thought, the heck with the kids. They'll never understand what it was all about, Thursday Night and all.

No, my mind is made up. When they release a season of The Hill on DVD, I'm gonna buy it. And every season they release, I'll buy. And when I die, I'm gonna take 'em with me.

From my cold, dead hands .......