NYPD Blue

Did you notice Michael Imperioli on the other day?

As far as Stringfield (who I like a lot), it never seems to work on cop shows when dealing with out-of-department spouses. Even Barney Miller couldn't figure out what to do with his wife after the first season. And the one stupid part of Hill Street Blues was Furillo's ex-wife (who Bochco worked into the season 2 NYPD Blue opener).

They always seem to end up like Chuck Cunningham.

 

Yeah, she was consistently awful. Of course, she was Mrs. Bochco at the time.

 

Haven't missed one since they started this run, so, yes, caught Imperioli and started calculating in my brain how many years it was before The Sopranos.

Stringfield was just a weird bird in the business, landing roles on two smash-hit series and then begging to be let out of her contract. In the case of NYPD Blue, they probably could have kept her character even with the departure of Caruso, but she'd already begged out by then. And her departure, return and then departure again on ER just made me wonder why the hell she ever went into acting. Talk about looking opportunity in the eye and saying "No thanks." I guess it just wasn't the life she wanted. She hasn't been heard from since. I hope she's found the life she wants.

 

Hell with her. Maybe she hung out for a while with MacLean Stevenson.

 

Maybe we'll see her on Fox Business Channel in another 10 years, a la Wayne Rogers.

 

Wayne Rogers has a show on Fox Business? I thought he was dead.

 

No, you're thinking of Mister Rogers, not Mister Wayne Rogers.

 

Episode No. 30, as "man in sleeping bag" -- Paul Giamatti.

It's just the fourth credit on his imdb list.

Also features Enrico Colantoni in what is the fifth credit on his imdb list.

 

The guest-starring shots are really good stuff. Some pretty impressive actors and actresses before they were big and established.

Tonight, Susanna Thompson as a nut-job witness with a crush on Bobby Simone, and John Finn as a nutty skell and former friend from Sipowicz's childhood.

 

Geez, I'm outta touch, old_tony. Of the four people you mention above, the only one I've ever heard of is Giamatti. My prime-time TV viewing really has dropped off since NYPD Blue was first-run.

 

Richard Schiff (later Toby on The West Wing) was the crazy Eastern European bomber earlier this week.

 

Season 3, Episode 17: Giancarlo Esposito as an addict and old informant of Bobby Simone's. Also, Daniel Von Bargen (Kruger Industrial Smoothing) as a loudmouthed task force guy.