NBC’s Era-Defining 7-Part Crime Procedural Was Built To Last

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As a network, NBC has built a reputation as a powerhouse when it comes to procedural storytelling, including a classic series that helped shape what the network’s future would look like from its start. The network’s reputation didn’t happen overnight by any means. Long before audiences got used to and expected the sprawling TV universes that most networks have come to be known for, Hill Street Blues, which aired for seven seasons on NBC from 1981 through 1987, avoided common procedural pitfalls, cementing its place in history.

As one of the most influential and important TV procedurals ever created, NBC’s Hill Street Blues Was Consistently Outstanding Across Its 7 Seasons

Premiering in January 1981, The Legacy Of Hill Street Blues Is Felt Across TV Crime Procedurals Today

Hill Street Blues was on the air during a time when police procedurals were defined in a specific light. , which pushed other procedurals to move from entirely episodic shows to more serialized stories. Hill Street Blues also paved the way for more stylistic stories in a procedural setting, bringing in more personal stakes for the characters and allowing the narratives to be less cut and dry than its predecessors. More than 40 years after its debut, Hill Street Blues has inspired the entire genre.

Release Date

1981 - 1987-00-00

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  Daniel J. Travanti

  Frank Furillo

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  Michael Warren

  Robert Hill

Creator(s)

Steven Bochco