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Special Features
- Commentary on 2 episodes
- "The Hill Street Blues Story" featurette
- "Belker Unleashed" featurette
- "Confessions of Captain Freedom" featurette
- "A Cowboy on the Hill" featurette
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| Hill Street Blues Season 2 |
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Despite critical acclaim, Hill Street Blues could not get arrested ratings-wise its first season. Far from being careful out there, the superb second season did nothing to tinker with the integrity of this groundbreaking series to make it more audience friendly. Multiple storylines, overlapping dialogue, gritty language, and a pseudo-documentary style capture the palpable chaos and tension of what one character calls "the rat-infested, poverty-stricken urban reality." From the precinct-house shooting rampage that opens the season to a hijacked hearse in the season-ending episode, Hill Street Blues deftly walks the line between police procedural and personal drama, further fleshing out its gallery of compelling and colorful characters. Belker (Bruce Weitz) is still a growling mad dog who takes bites out of perps. But in one of the series' most memorable story arcs, he forms a surprising bond with the delusional costumed citizen Captain Freedom (Dennis Dugan), Public defender Joyce (Victoria Hamel)'s steamroller persona breaks down when a colleague is murdered and the case is thrown out because of a technicality.
Other dramatic developments: LaRue (Keil Martin) falls off the wagon and endangers his partner, Washington (Taurean Blacque), during a drug bust ("Zen and the Art of Law Enforcement"); Goldblume (Joe Spano) gets personally involved in the case of an abusive slumlord ("Of Mouse and Man," featuring future Miami Vice star Edward James Olmos as a threatened tenant); Esterhaus (Michael Conrad) is still bedeviled by sexual siren Grace Gardner (Barbara Babcock); and Precinct Capt. Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti, who earned his second Emmy for Best Actor) and Joyce bring their clandestine affair out into the open. Other ongoing storylines involve realistic depictions of police corruption and inter-partner race relations. Hill Street's second season fulfilled the promise of its auspicious first, and repeated as TV's Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmy Awards. No roll call of classic, trendsetting TV series would be complete without it. --Donald Liebenson
Product Description
Created by Steven Bochco (?Murder One,? ?NYPD Blue?) and Michael Kozoll, and featuring an ensemble cast including Daniel J. Travanti, Veronica Hamel, Bruce Weitz, Charles Haid, Betty Thomas and James Sikking, each episode chronicled a day-in-the-life of the cops on the beat, starting with the infamous morning roll call and ending with a recap of the day?s events. The first hard-hitting series of its kind, ?Hill Street Blues? garnered 26 Emmy® Awards ? including four for Outstanding Drama ? won two Golden Globes®, and is credited with inspiring beloved dramas such as ?St. Elsewhere,? ?Law & Order? and ?NYPD Blue.?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
92 of 94 people found the following review helpful
By C. Aubry
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Please, please release season 3 and the other seasons of Hill Street Blues. The first two season were excellent and I want more!
Other fans, please click on my review as helpful so the powers that be can see we want more HSB.
Other fans, please click on my review as helpful so the powers that be can see we want more HSB.
41 of 42 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Hill Street Blues is not a happy show per se. Sure, it is frequently funny, but it is a MASH brand of gallows humor. The show is also tragic, violent, gritty, at times it is even emotionally overwhelming. So why do I call it feel good television? Because watching it makes me feel good. I can't describe it exactly, all I can say is that I have turned into a Hill Street Blues addict. It has reached a point where I can't sit down and watch a single episode, I have to watch two, three, even four. God help me, Hill Street Blues is wrecking my social life! But I'm loving every minute of it.
Needless to say, I consider Stephen Bochco's series to be one of the hallmarks of television. It is a brilliant, groundbreaking, highly ambitious program that isn't without its flaws, but then how many great works of art are truly flawless? Strangely enough, it reminds me of the original Star Trek, ahead of its time but also very much a product of its time. Sure, the acting isn't always the greatest, but every actor embodies his or her character so thoroughly that it is impossible to imagine these roles being played by anybody else. Sure, the show can be overly melodramatic, or didactic, or dated, or cliched, or juvenile, or even corny...again, so what? Watching Hill Street Blues is like watching the whole art form of TV undergoing an incubation process, gradually evolving into adulthood. Besides, each episode is so varied due to the ensemble cast and the multilayered style of storytelling that even if you're groaning one minute, you know that you are going to be laughing or crying or simply sitting back and admiring the incredible artistry of the whole thing the next. There may be bad moments, but no bad episodes. Even the opening credits are brilliant.... Read more ›
Needless to say, I consider Stephen Bochco's series to be one of the hallmarks of television. It is a brilliant, groundbreaking, highly ambitious program that isn't without its flaws, but then how many great works of art are truly flawless? Strangely enough, it reminds me of the original Star Trek, ahead of its time but also very much a product of its time. Sure, the acting isn't always the greatest, but every actor embodies his or her character so thoroughly that it is impossible to imagine these roles being played by anybody else. Sure, the show can be overly melodramatic, or didactic, or dated, or cliched, or juvenile, or even corny...again, so what? Watching Hill Street Blues is like watching the whole art form of TV undergoing an incubation process, gradually evolving into adulthood. Besides, each episode is so varied due to the ensemble cast and the multilayered style of storytelling that even if you're groaning one minute, you know that you are going to be laughing or crying or simply sitting back and admiring the incredible artistry of the whole thing the next. There may be bad moments, but no bad episodes. Even the opening credits are brilliant.... Read more ›
37 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Half way through season one discs and season two will be a must have. Great characters Capt. Furillo, Sgt. Esterhaus, LaRue, Washington, Hunter, Goldblume, et al. If you're not familiar with these names buy season one and then join me in ordering number two. Entertaining story lines mixed with part grit, humor and lots of pathos. Quality TV that stands up well about an inner city police precint. One of the best TV series ever, winner of multiple Emmeys and highly recommended.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The only reason I can see for Fox to drag their feet in releasing Season 3 is that Season 1 sold great and Season 2's sales fell way below the studio's expectations based on Season 1's sales. Having said this, if this is the case, I would hope that Fox would consider continuing to release seasons of this show and just manufacture far fewer units so that at least the true blue fans of the show can get it in it's entirety. I know Fox did this with The Mary Tyler Moore Show, so they can do it with Hill Street Blues as well.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Hill Street Blues was one of the most inovative shows of it's time. The writer of the show did an excellent job at looking into the daily life of urban america and the troubles of the times. Even though the show did not base the show in one city, it reflected many cities throughout the country. I showed this show to my students at school on our free friday and they loved it. I try to expose them to different things and try to relate things to their time of hip hop.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Ocean Reader
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I just finished watching the complete season 2. It is shocking
just how much better this series was than anything on the major
networks in recent years. First, and foremost, is the quality of
the writing. The cast has a diversity of behavior that simply
would not be permitted today. Some of the great scenes are just
too politically incorreect for today's TV. This show is gritty,
funny, and always entertaining.
just how much better this series was than anything on the major
networks in recent years. First, and foremost, is the quality of
the writing. The cast has a diversity of behavior that simply
would not be permitted today. Some of the great scenes are just
too politically incorreect for today's TV. This show is gritty,
funny, and always entertaining.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By John Capute
Format:DVD
Watching the first season on DVD, I was surprised at how well this great show has withstood the test of time, Belker's epithets withstanding ("Hairball", "Dogbreath", and all the variations of the two the writers could come up with). The secret to Hill Street Blues' greatness? It's the writing! (Okay, and the acting by a hugely talented ensemble of then-unknown actor..and the photography, shot with a film-like eye for detail...and Mike Post's music...okay, it's everything) But the writing is outstanding, even dealing with the restrictions the network censors put in their way (thus, "hairball" and "dogbreath"). If you have seen the first season, who could forget the moment at the end of the last episode of LaRue, finally confronting his alcoholism, attending an AA meeting, and finding Furillo there. What series in 1981 would have had its stalwart, heroic lead be a recovering alcoholic in AA? Today, of course, but then? Of course not. So I'm looking foward to season two, assured that great writing and acting will still entertain, shock, and move me, even after twenty three years.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By H. G. F. B.
Format:DVD
Let all the folks at Fox know how you feel. They claim support was soft for the series' release on DVD. Cannot believe that we will not get to see the addition of Buntz, Sid, and more.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
This was great television.
This is a great story. I would compare it to NYPD Blue which was also great television. A great story.
Published 15 days ago by Mary R. Mier
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great TV!
You forget how good TV can be sometimes. This is Southland before Southland. If you like real cop shows, this is it!
Published 2 months ago by Brian Leonard
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hill Street Blues
We really have enjoyed this! It was all I expected and more! We are still waiting for Season 3 to arrive.
Published 2 months ago by Marilyn Yeager
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wish you could buy
a complete set. This was one of the best police series, if not the best, on TV and well worth the price.
Published 3 months ago by David A. Tester
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
Wonderful, just as we remembered the show. Made my husband happy. Nice set for anyone who is a Hill Street Blues fan.
Published 5 months ago by fisherkid
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great show!
Got this as a Christmas present for my husband. Can't wait for the other seasons to come out on Dvd!
Published 5 months ago by T
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hill street blues
Good show, used to watch it way back, download was quick and clear, recommend it to anyone who likes cop shows.
Published 5 months ago by Rick
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sound a little disappointing
Wonderful to see the old episodes again. Wish there was season 3. Would be nice if it indicated the year of season one.
Published 5 months ago by Twilight
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good dramma
It was a very realistic tv show, it changed the way in what the television represents the real life of a police department
Published 6 months ago by Fernando Guzmán Figueroa
5.0 out of 5 stars
awesome addition
This is a great addition to any DVD collection. I would highly recommend this DVD for anyone who likes this TV series.
Published 6 months ago by Jennifer Bright
