DISC 1, SIDE A: MOBY GREG/ THICK STU/ YES, WE HAVE NO CANNOLIS/ WHERE'S SWALDO?
DISC 1, SIDE B: WHERE'D THE VAN GOGH?/ YES SIR, THAT'S MY BABY
DISC 2, SIDE A: TED AND CAREY'S BOGUS ADVENTURE/ UNEMBRACEABLE YOU/ CAULKMANSHIP/ MY WILD IRISH NOSE
DISC 2, SIDE B: ALICE DOESN'T FIT HERE ANYMORE/ UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS
DISC 3, SIDE A: TOM AND GERI/ A REMINGTON ORIGINAL/ TAILLIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING/ WHAT A DUMP!
DISC 3, SIDE B: A WRENCHING EXPERIENCE/ I LOVE LUCY
DISC 4, SIDE A: A BAD RAP/ EMISSION IMPOSSIBLE/ PARIS IS BURNING?/ A DRAINING EXPERIENCE
DISC 4, SIDE B: two featurettes
note: disc 4 sleeve listing wrong- the four episodes aren't divided between both sides of disc.
NYPD BLUE continues to develop the lives of the cops in the fourth season. No matter how the lives of other cops were shown,
Detective Amdy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) is the center of the show as it continues his story of redemption as he grows into
a better cop and man. However, his partner Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Detective Russell (Simone's lover) give Andy a run
for his money. Bobby inherits an apartment building and Russell reveals her father sexually molested her when she was a kid.
meanwhile, a hot looking lesbian cop (played by the very attractive Paige Turco) asks Detective Greg Medavoy (Gordon Clapp)
to donate sperm so that she can become pregnant. Greg's partner, Martinez becomes squad delegate and gets involved with one
of the office secretaries after she is attacked and scarred. Earlier in the season, Andy gets sexually harassed by a fat secretary,
Geri. I remember more about the lives of the detectives than what cases they investigated. The two things that stand out about
season 4 are Andrea Thompson as Detective Kirkendall (before Andrea went to be an anchor on CNN) and Russell being drugged
while undercover.
I'm glad Fox has decided to continue with releasing this show to DVD. Only 8 more seasons to go and it looks like at least
season 5 will be released to DVD later this year.
VIDEO: 1.33:1 (Full frame)
The episodes look as good or better than when they were first shown on TV. If you want the uncut episodes (that were shown
on ABC and FX) and not the censored versions that popped up on TNT and Court TV later on, buy this set.
AUDIO: English 2. Dolby Surround, French DS, Spanish DS
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Dialogue and sound is crisp and clear.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Audio commentaries were recorded for three episodes-
WHERE'S SWALDO by Director Mark Tinker and Writer Bill Clark
ALICE DOESN'T FIT HERE ANYMORE by Mark Tinker and Bill Clark
TOM AND GERI by Andrea Thompson and Debbie Christofferson
Out of three tracks, the one with Andrea and Debbie is the best. They relate how it was to work on the show and how great
the cast were. The other two tracks are a little dry, but they do provide plenty of production info.
Two featurette are on side B of disc 4:
THROUGH THE LENS- The way NYPD BLUE was shot by the camera operators and how the camera movements were used less when the
guy who originated the look left the show, how they shot the show with zoom lens and two cameras, the set design of NYPD BLUE
from how they did set dressing, filmed 5 days in New York while the rest was done in LA, how cleverly designed the 15th Precinct
set was, and the lighting (mostly focusing on how the squad house was lit on set.
IN WITH THE NEW- The actors talk about the role of their characters when they came on the show: Andrea Thompson, Debbie
Christofferson (the rubber bustier came from a suggestion of hers), Paige Turco, and the guy who played Henry (he jokes about
how people kept dying in his apartment building).
FINAL ANALYSIS: season 4 continues the great run of episodes NYPD BLUE had and any fan should buy this set because season
5 is coming out soon to DVD.
Related DVD reviews:
NYPD Blue Season 3-
http://enterline2.tripod.com/nypd_blue_season3.html
NCIS Season 1-
http://enterline2.tripod.com/ncis_season1.html
this review is (c)6-29-2006 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission (except for excerpts and a link
to the review). Look for additional content at http://enterlinemedia.livejournal.com and send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com
