Cagney & Lacey (1981–1988) User Reviews (25)

When network TV was worth watching

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 1 May 2010]

This show was unique in that it was the first time that two basically average looking women played the leads in a TV show that was not about the fact that they were just average looking women. The show was also ground-breaking in that both detectives in the partnership were women - smart, capable women. Women had gradually been integrated into TV police forces over the 15 years prior to this series, but they were usually part of a crime-solving team such as on "Ironside". The balance in this show was not through the well-known old cop/young cop formula. Instead, both detectives were 30-something women. The contrast came in the form of their marital status and their personal situations. Lacey was married and a mother, and Cagney was single.

There was a pilot and six episodes during the 1981-1982 season starring an actress other than Sharon Gless as Detective Christine Cagney. In the 1982-1983 season the show settled into the dynamic that made it so popular and which most people remember.

One of a handful of Cop shows from the 80's I loved

[nomoons11 · 7/10 · 4 January 2012]

Most from the 80's will throw out Hill Street Blues as the greatest but to me there were others that were equally good but just never got the recognition. This was one of those shows.

This show really hit hard with issues like drug addiction to killers to the gay issue and even teenage prostitution. It ran the gamut. And it was no white-washed make everything rosy by the end of the show typical of usual TV shows of the day.

From Dt. Cagney, the single can never find the right guy who happens to be beautiful and hard nosed to Dt. Lacey, who was a wife, mother and housewife...on the side. Both characters gelled together. Couldn't have been a better yin and yang type duo. Both were women but both were totally different in personality.

I think my biggest complaint about the show is that it got to "political" towards the end of its run. Too many shows where the topic was preachy. You know, where they'll deal with a topic where it's pretty clear what their agenda was. I don't care for those types of shows as I can make up my mind on issues without any help.

To me, this was a great cop show of the 80's. Don't be off-put by the show having 2 female leads. If you are, you'll miss out because this was a really good show in it's day.

6.8 stars is a joke

[willandcharlenebrown · 8/10 · 16 February 2022]

This was an amazing series with Mom and Alcoholic Dad Drama, Sister Drama, Father Son Drama, Racism Drama, Divorce Drama...... it was so deep! Not a lot of shows like this. And the casting was superb!!!!!

One of the best police shows in TV history

[david-bartlett · 5 December 2005]

Cagney and Lacey was one of the best acted, best written, best conceived police shows in TV history. Ranking alongside Hill Street Blues and Morse in terms of its quality, I would suggest it is one of the finest television series ever made, greatly surpassing most TV made today. Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless kept this series going so beautifully, with never a dull moment, and never anything less than perfect performances. So instinctive, so moving, so engaging and so charming - the two are among the great television partnerships. The gritty, honest dynamic those two wonderful actors generated is a beautiful achievement. It is actors like this that make television occasionally magnificent. What a shame we don't have anything to compare these days to this.

A couple of feminist heroines

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 30 October 2020]

In the Eighties Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly played a pair of feminist icons, Starsky And Hutch on the distaff side two female police detective partners Cagney And Lacey.

These two when not solving crimes were just as good with the locker room banter as some of their male counterparts. Especially Martin Kove who made a career out of playing obnoxious louts as fellow Detective Isbecki. Others in the squad were Carl Lumbly as Detective Petrie and Sidney Clute who died midst the first season. He must have been well loved because they kept him in the credits for the rest of the series run. The head of the squad was Al Waxman.

Sharon Gless came from a police family and she had some great scenes with her father Dick O'Neill. O'Neill had an an alcohol problem, but he was ever there for his daughter in a crisis.

Tyne Daly was your typical working mom with two kids and a husband John Karlen who was a construction worker. Karleen was a real favorite of mine who backed up his wife completely in her chosen profession. They also had the typical family problems as any other working class New Yorkers.

I liked the emphasis this show placed on home and hearth as well as police work. It set it somewhat apart from other police dramas.

Cagney and Lacey

[gregoryshnly · 10/10 · 1 August 2006]

I enjoyed this show from the pilot movie with Loretta Swit of MASH fame as Chris Cagney,single and hungry to carve a career in the police force and Tyne Daly,as the sensitive,married mother of two,Mary Beth Lacey,both women recently promoted from uniform to plain clothes and dealing with highly chauvinistic male colleagues. When the TV series started,Tyne Daly was back but an actress with striking blue eyes,Meg Foster was now playing Chris Cagney. Apparently there was a feeling that the two women were now too alike,now,I haven't seen any of the Meg Foster episodes for 20 years,so can't really remember them but always felt Foster got a bit of a raw deal,when she was axed after just six episodes. Anyway,the series came with a catchy new theme tune and Sharon Gless now as Chris Cagney,who funnily enough,was always the production team's first choice for Cagney and the matching of Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless was excellent and according to Miss Gless the secret of playing Cagney was "talking tough and wearing pink!" The writing and acting was always first rate,one of my favourite episodes was "Burn Out" when Lacey,all set for a much needed vacation has her leave cancelled at the last minute and goes AWOL and ends up on a beach and after spending time with a woman of a similar age,who has drifted all her life,Lacey realises although she sometimes has to juggle so many things,she loves her life. Cagney and Lacey were not best friends,they could argue very forcibly,like the time when a member of the public was shot by accident,Cagney said he had a gun,Lacey didn't see it,leading to Cagney saying Lacey was just a cop for the money,not like her for a career,she later had to apologise for that one. I hope this entire series comes out on DVD soon,including the Meg Foster episodes too,I highly recommend it.

They're the Meryl Streep and Glenn Close of Prime Time Television in the 1980s!

[Sylviastel · 10/10 · 9 April 2007]

Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly redefined female relationships. No, they were never lovers and the thought had never occurred back in the 1980s. They were partners, allies, friends, and comrades in a man's profession. They were unlikely heroines. Mary Beth was married to Harvey with two sons and a daughter. Christine was the troubled single woman. Partnered together, they formed a dynamic duo with the likes of Starsky and Hutch and Miami Vice but with estrogen and a women's touch. As Cagney and Lacey, the audience realized that women can be more serious and intelligent than the other female duo of Laverne and Shirley. No, this show was serious, thought-provoking, and entertaining. We loved Cagney and Lacey and it was a show that it's audience fought to bring back to the airwaves with passion. Unfortunately, shows like Cagney and Lacey probably wouldn't come back. The idea of having mature, plain women like Daly and Gless is gone. Although the show garnered plenty of honors including Emmys for both Daly and Gless, it is hard to imagine that nowadays a show like Cagney and Lacey wouldn't be more Police Woman and less serious. On screen, Daly and Gless proved to be a dynamic duo. You knew you had two strong actresses giving the performance of their lives as female cops. Gone was the glamor and present was the seriousness that women should be taken more seriously. Unfortunately, actresses like Daly and Gless who are terrific American actresses of the highest caliber who can turn any guest appearance into an Emmy nomination should not be forgotten and discarded like yesterday's garbage. Daly and Gless proved that audiences didn't always go for glamorous, attractive, but a realistic portrayal of women in a man's department. It's still a man's world but Cagney and Lacey proved that they had what it took to make it there after all.

I can't believe I liked this show

[mindbird · 3/10 · 4 July 2021]

I enjoy reruns of old favorites as much as the first time I saw them-- except this one. It is just painful to watch. Tyne Daly's voice could grate carrots when she is upset, and her character is upset, nay, hysterical about something in every episode. Usually about something pretty ridiculous. Cagney's character is on full boil at all times, exuding all the charm and calm professionalism of a snarling pit bull. Cagney is routinely impatient with the public, dismissive of victims, and rude to coworkers when she's not at home chewing up the unfortunates who intersect her private life. Lacey behaves more professionally when not preoccupied with the numerous personal non-issues that occupy her in most of the shows, although occasionally a case triggers an earth-mother-level of empathy or the hysteria (and that screech). The only relief from the volcanic temperature these two maintain is the few minutes in which they actually do police work. The other police characters mostly just provide a quiet backdrop, and the only other character with meaningful screentime is Lacey's husband, a great character who provides some sense in the family segments of the episodes. At the time this show first aired women were struggling to be accepted in occupations other than mother, teacher, and secretary and so these two were heroes of their time. I think in today's world (and TV shows) their coworkers would be suggesting they take time off and therapy, or some tranquilizers.

Superb and a game changer

[safenoe · 9/10 · 10 November 2021]

I have fond memories of Cagney and Lacey and its trials and tribulations in the early years, but thankfully the network gave it a few chances to survive. And it did and thrive for sure, for which fans are grateful. Very groundbreaking this series for sure, with two female detective leads who broke stereotypes.

I wish there was a reboot with the Al Waxman role played by acclaimed British actor Danny Dyer.

If Only New York Allowed Citizens to Carry a Concealed Weapon

[a_athanas · 4/10 · 17 November 2021]

Pretty well done, but:

(1) there was waaaay too much annoying talk and interruption from Isbecki. A completely useless character and a SPACE FILLER. If he was removed as a character altogether, the show COULD have focused more on issues and important details. But when the Writers were out of ideas and creativity, they would just bring in a few scenes with Isbecki. His existence added nothing to the series.

(2) it was unbelievable that C&L chased perps in dresses and heels,

(3) Mary Beth had too many responsibilities at home to play Detective and a lot of their family problems were actually CAUSED by the fact she wasn't home to take care of her husband/apartment/kids (if the husband could have concentrated on his career instead of homework and pancakes he would have made much more than Mary Beth was earning as a cop, she wouldn't have been under so much stress that she inadvertently gave herself breast cancer, she would have been able to recuperate faster at home, her oldest son wouldn't have gotten into toying with guns, she wouldn't have had to be jealous of their nannies or pretty blonde neighbors, she and Harv wouldn't have had so many stressors and arguments, etc., etc.).

(4) they both spent way too much time blabbing in the locker room, Women's room and at Flannery's to be effective at their jobs. In real life, they would have gotten canned for bringing all their personal drama (about their families, individual lives and relationship with each other as friends/colleagues) to work.

(5) Christine should have disowned her father by Season 3 for refusing to acknowledge his alcoholism or go to A. A.

(6) Christine shouldn't have waited until her father died of alcoholism to join A. A. herself

(7) Christine spent so much time on her career and sleeping around with Major Disappointments, she never got married and ended up an old maid with no children and no legacy, except a dead alcoholic father who used to be a crooked cop. She can walk fast with the wind blowing through her bouncy hair in NYC all she wants rushing to and fro with her pretty face, but she had her priorities all wrong and she ended up with nothing.

(8) the majority of story lines/crimes wouldn't have even EXISTED if New York SIMPLY allowed citizens to conceal carry a gun. Instead, only the criminals had guns, because they don't CARE about gun laws. Next time you watch an episode, think about how the story would have been nonexistent or turned out COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY if NY allowed its citizens to carry a concealed, loaded firearm.

Attempted Rape? BOOM Mugger? BOOM Liquor Store thief? BOOM.

Wonderful Cop Series

[Big Movie Fan · 14 August 2002]

Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless did a great job with Cagney and Lacey in the 1980's. Not only did Cagney and Lacey have a great theme tune but it has great plots and dialogue throughout.

Like a lot of great cop shows, this series presented it's characters as real people with real emotions. Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless were aided by a brilliant supporting cast throughout.

The show wasn't just about police work. Both Cagney and Lacey had their fair share of personal problems outside their job ranging from alcoholism to conflicts of interest with their job. We got to seem them convey a whole range of emotions throughout but we still got to see them do some wonderful detective work. I actually think they were both convincing as detectives.

All in all, this was a great series, possibly the greatest buddy cop series of the 80's.

GroundBreaking Show!

[ShelbyTMItchell · 10/10 · 21 February 2013]

Two cops with different personalities show that two women can be a force in the work force despite some male chauvinistic attitudes like in the police department at NY.

Chris Cagney("MASH" Loretta Swift in the original, Meg Foster now a B-Movie actress, and finally Sharon Gless later of "Burn Notice" who lasted the longest)is a tough and driven single lady who wants to make a name for herself in the police department despite the male dominating population Mary Beth Lacey(Tyne Daly a Broadway and theater actress)is a married mother of two soon to be three later in the series. And the sensitive caring, mother hen and a little more level headed of the two.

As both had to put aside their differences and personalities when they began to work together. And they later become the best of friends and confidantes over time.

Groundbreaking show of two women trying to make it in the working world full of men. But they managed to pull it off with pretty much ease despite that.

Great acting and writing. As quality show. Nearly got canceled but tons and tons of viewers saved it!

Thank goodness for reruns!

[sandvette9 · 9/10 · 25 July 2020]

I never watched Gagney and Lacey during its first run but I discovered it just recently on START TV which is over the air using an antenna. I'm paying Directv and watching this channel almost exclusively! I'm glad I discovered it finally. I'm really enjoying the episodes that deal with problems that are still around after all this time. It's also interesting to see how the women detectives are treated when there weren't many around. The shows are really good and I'm enjoying it so much. I know the show had problems at first with different actresses but once they got it straightened out it was a winner. I wish they had produced twice as many episodes.

Female Feminist cop show

[youngkaren-25330 · 4/10 · 8 January 2021]

Cagney and lacey was set in the late 1970s early 1980s women's rights the feminist era

Favorite show ever!

[Tandafla-173-265062 · 10/10 · 16 August 2021]

Loved this show! The acting was the best! Had a girl crush on Cagney!!

Outstanding example of compelling, convincing TV drama

[branlloer · 1 July 2004]

Unlike most cop show on TV, "Cagney and Lacey" did not try and dazzle us with car chases, mind-bending mysteries to be solved or sex kittens posing as police officers (mind the nails!) . It was always about the characters. It was their experiences and reactions to the case and the crime around them, the pressures of the job, the conflicts with each other, that was the focus of the show. And the "Perps", or criminals, had their story, too. At its best, the crime-of-the-week drew you into an issue, a POV , a social problem, whose solution was dramatically argued through the reactions of the police officers involved - primarily the leads, of course.

Besides the writing, what made this work was that we cared about the leads, and we cared what they thought. We especially cared what happened to them. Outstanding, often stunningly realistic, acting from Sharon Gless (Christine Cagney) and Tyne Daly (Mary Beth Lacey) made us feel like we knew these 2 people, and they made us root for them. Their acting rapport was such a lucky happenstance; they complimented each other's styles and characters beautifully. You can't buy that kind of performing chemistry.

Can you tell I'm a fan? Yes, if you want your crime drama with a large dose of humanity, wit, and intelligence thrown in with the obligatory car chases, check it out where you can!

while this was officially a straight show..

[belank-44068 · 10/10 · 13 June 2022]

...it is undeniable that these two women had a powerful dynamic together which can only be classified as kind of "romantic friendship." A relationship without sexual intimacy but still very very intimate on another level..they did not need "sex" to reach this level of intimacy together, it was even stronger than a sexual relationship. Great actresses, wonderful storylines 10/10 always.

TV series proves Feminism = Humanism

[TheReelMovieMaven · 10/10 · 5 August 2019]

I was 29 when this show started; it dovetailed beautifully with my growing identification as a feminist at that time. Besides helping me to see women in an action series who were strong, positive role models, I could realistically identify with them as normal, conflicted human beings with foibles, families and everyday problems and concerns. Gless and Daley made their characters real people. The writing in this show was terrific. Right up there with the best TV series of all time.

Happily Ever After (1985) from Season 4, Episode 13 deals with timeless issues

[Andrew_S_Hatton · 9/10 · 19 September 2008]

The difference between being married or in a relationship, what it means to be a real couple rather than two singles living together, how not to be an actor in our personal lives, living free of addiction and just for today, "He who pays the piper calls the tune", "Sufficient until the day is the evil thereof".

These are just some of the themes explored in this fast moving drama.

I saw it early one morning when I was trying to avoid my day.A day I had avoided my morning meditation because I am feeling particularly lazy.

And yet, what I turned to for light relief offered all these challenges.

It was written in 1985, I guess the reason it is being repeated in 2008 on ITV 3, a UK digital station, is because it still pulls in the viewers so that the shareholders get their return from selling the advertising space. Today the whole daytime TV being sponsored by a diet company. To keep us spending they have to keep us believing that their diet method works, as my wife told me it did when she joined me. However, for me no diet works because I am an addict and I need a programme of recovery, that helps me make the best of today, whatever is going on around me. Chris Cagney reinforces that lesson as she opts for singledom rather than acting up to the man who wants her to marry him.

It gives me much food for thought as I revalue my relationship that has lasted for 44 years. I wonder if I had really thought about the issues involved as portrayed so accurately, would I have ever got started on my lifetime relationship? Is this is the first posting about this episode, have you seen it, what do you think?

One of the greatest dramas on television.

[siderius · 29 July 2001]

Cagney and Lacey was an amazing television series that addressed several tough issues through the eyes of two women protagonists. One of the only dramas on television to star two women, Cagney and Lacey was remarkable in portraying women as serious participants in a tough and dangerous profession. The series starred Tyne Daly (4 Emmys) and Sharon Gless (2 Emmys) - in my opinion the best acting team on television. The show featured two very different women bickering, laughing, crying together and backing each other up through a series of triumphs and crises. The women were not victims - they were ordinary women doing a rough job and doing it well. The characters and the story line developed over the run of the show. Mary Beth had a baby; almost lost a son and fought cancer. Chris struggled through a series of unsuccessful relationships; was promoted to sergeant and faced her alcoholism. This show wasn't just a cop show - it was a show about two women who happened to be cops. The series was canceled three times and has the distinction of being the first series to returned to the schedule because of massive fan protest at the original cancelation. Well worth watching if you get the chance. It is, however, rarely shown on television.

Loved this show

[tkjunkmail-34015 · 8/10 · 11 April 2021]

I really liked this show. It had great actors playing very interesting characters, especially Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless. The only character that failed for me was Harvey Lacey. The actor was ok, but the character was pretty much a loser and added nothing to the episodes he was in.

What a great trip down memory lane, thank God for reruns!

[shellymacmillan · 10/10 · 8 April 2023]

Cagney and Lacey features two female cop partners who are completely different from each other - Ying/Yang. Lacey is married with two kids and Cagney is the single female not crazy about marriage. Their conflicting views on subjects is what makes this show interesting. Shows how people with these views can debate them respectfully but always maintain the friendship. They brace hard topics about abortion, cancer, substance abuse.

And no cell phones! What a treat to see people communicate the old fashioned way with wall phones and pay phones.

Both Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless portrayed these women so well, they made these characters completely relatable.

Today, you might scratch your head wondering how were they able to keep their purses on the shoulder and hold a gun, or run in their high heels. Probably wouldn't fly today.

Loved this show, thank god reruns are on Roku!

A very nice television series.

[macpherr · 18 September 1999]

Tyne Daly (Christy) played Detective Mary Beth Lacey. Sharon Gless, (The trials of Rosie O"Neill) was Detective Christine Cagney. This was a show about two women who worked together and became good friends outside their job. Harvey Lacey,Tony LaTorre, was a nice and understanding husband.This show was really well done and we enjoyed watching it. It is always good to see women playing that type of role. There is one episode that stuck with me. It was about Hispanic illegal aliens in the United States living in horrible conditions, even in the attic of a building. They were chasing them and purposefully missed them, by saying: "there is nobody here." That was a nice episode where they showed a lot of compassion.

Harvey Atkin and the actors are the best

[jprice-4 · 24 June 2000]

It's too bad that Harvey Atkin (Desk Sgt. Ronald Coleman) wasn't invited to the 4 Cagney & Lacey reunion movies. He was a good actor. This show was great and thanks to TNN for showing the reruns of the show.

I like Tyne Daly (Juddging Amy) as Lacey ,and Sharon Gless as Cagney. I like John Karlen(Dark Shadows)he was talented. Martin Kove, Carl Lumbly, and the late Sidney Clue was great.

I was great.

I give it *****.

Where it might be seen

[Mart-13 · 27 June 2003]

I saw and also happened to follow Cagney and Lacey on German or Finnish TV a few years back. What had me interested was the dynamic of the series and its lead characters, though I don't remember much else than emotions of seeing it.

As for availability, then I don't rule out that it might be shown somewhere in Europe. Since the show is about 20 years old now (as of 2003), few TV channels are likely to put it on their prime time slot. If possible, grab a chance to take a look at it, because I feel that the show was in many ways ahead of its time.