evan@petfe.UUCP (Evan Marcus) (06/25/85)
The following is quoted from this past Saturday's Philadelphia Enquirer...
NBC's Hill Street Blues is feeling the absence of it co-creator and Executive
Producer, Steven Bochco, who had a strict policy of non-interference from
network executives.
His successors, Jeffrey Lewis and Michael Milch, apparently are dealing with a
new set of rules. NBC Entertainment president Brandon Tartikoff acknowledges
that he has already suggested to the duo that they experiment with a new format
next season.
One of the biggest changes viewers can expect is the ELIMINATION OF THE MORNING
ROLL-CALL at the beginning of each episode; some opening segments will take
place at night. Also, the sequential day-in-the-life approach may be scrapped.
Some weeks will revolve around 3 or 4 characters instead of the cast of 14, and
Capt. Furillo, Mick Belker, and Hill, & Renko will appear every episode.
Ray Calletano will be REPLACED on the Hill by a new 'amoral' character played
by Dennis Franz. Ray will finally make Captain and be reassigned, although
he will make occasional appearances. More cast changes are to be announced.
Tartikoff feels he has justification to jump into the Hill Street fray. The
critically acclaimed series lost 3% of its audience last season, slipping to
27th in the Nielsen ratings.
-30-
(I added the capitalization for emphasis.)
Prediction: 1985-86 will be the last season for HSB. It will slip into
mundanity and begin to look like every other show, and vanish.
Thanks Brandon.
--Evan Marcus
PS Notice, no mention of Patsy or Harry. Also, it is worth noting that the
actress who plays Fay Furillo (Barbara Bosson) is Bochco's wife, and since
he left...would that really be such a loss??
--
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