Dark Blue (2009–2010) User Reviews (16)

A PG-13 version of The Shield...

[letterblush · 8/10 · 16 July 2009]

I'm always wary of any production that has Jerry Bruckheimer attached to it - I never know if things will turn out for the best (CSI: Las Vegas) or for the worst (Transformers 2). When I heard Dylan McDermott was going to star, I decided to give the pilot a chance...and I'm glad I did.

The show centers around Lt. Shaw's (McDermott) undercover unit, comprised of himself and two other cops, Curtis (Hardwick) and Bendis (Marshall-Green). Along the way, Shaw recruits a bright-eyed street cop with a dubious past, Allen (Aycox). The unit walks the line between committing felonies that could land them in jail for a considerable amount of time and nailing the criminal enterprises they have infiltrated.

The writing is sharp, if a little predictable when it comes to the "Federal Bureau of Intimidation," but the show works. I hope it becomes serialized like 24 and The Shield, and not procedural like NYPD Blue, as I think that'll give the show more of a chance to delve into the psychology of what it takes to be an undercover cop and remain the person you were when you entered into a cover.

All in all, a good start with a lot of potential. I hope they focus on the characters as much as they do on plot in the episodes to come.

8/10

dark crime police procedural

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 14 September 2015]

Unconventional LAPD officer Lt. Carter Shaw (Dylan McDermott) leads an undercover unit employing questionable tactics. Ty Curtis (Omari Hardwick) is struggling to maintain both his work and his marriage to Melissa. Dean Bendis (Logan Marshall-Green) is on the edge of his dark side. Carter recruits Jaimie Allen (Nicki Aycox) into the team counting on her abilities to lie such as her new identity hiding from her criminal past. In the second season, they are joined by FBI agent Alex Rice (Tricia Helfer).

This show relies on a dark crime gangster sense in a police procedural. It's very manufactured at times. Luckily, McDermott has the intensity to pull it off. The gangster lowlife sensibility gets a bit tired. I like Nicki Aycox's storyline. However, the rest of it blends into one giant mishmash of tough guy bravado.

DARK BLUE picks up where New York Undercover left off

[Blacquereighn · 7/10 · 17 July 2009]

First off, I'd like to know how you guys were able to swipe the name I had registered for the last eight years! :) Secondly,I'd like to say congrats to your writers and actors for putting together a nice piece of work. Dark Blue clearly defines the fine line between what an 'undercover' and a 'plainclothes'cop. Most of your viewers will catch on if they haven't already. Although you've taken police genre in a new direction, I've seen several flaws in some of the action scenes. I know this because I'm an ex-NYPD undercover cop. I wonder how much more gritty your show would be if you infused outside help from someone who's actually been a real 'undercover'. Click here: Welcome to Derek Wright Associates

Great start!

Now This Is A Winner

[Tactrix · 10/10 · 16 July 2009]

This is a undercover cop show that truly takes action where its supposed to be, right back to the streets.

Carter is the head of an undercover unit of cops that are more like rogues then cops which is exactly what is needed to get the job done. False identities, resumes, all the perks you would have if you were put undercover the right way, he works entirely off the grid which makes his job both easier and harder.

This show brings to light a lot of elements which a lot of cop shows seem to miss. First and foremost they have a solid cast, people who really know what criminals/UC's would act like. Second the stories bring the characters to life making you want to both sympathize and yet see the reality of their situations. Finally there's an element mystery around every episode which makes this the show to watch. I give it a solid 10/10 for having all the key elements to a good show.

real potential

[smfilm · 9 August 2009]

internet haters crawl out of the woodwork on this one... wow, maybe they should watch more than 5 minutes of something before they write a comment....

most of the TV series that have been most engrossing for me have been tough to get in sync with, then after a couple of episodes, I save em on tivo and am a devoted fan for years... Dark Blue is one of these..

It's imperfect as most are, cramming a case per episode is a little contrary to the serious nature of the delivery and feels rushed for example... but everything else is spot on... the actors do themselves great credit with interesting and fresh delivery of a overdone genre...

Well shot, well acted, a better emotional hook than other TV crime shows.. can't wait to see it through.....

EDIT: Season 2 update....

With Season 2 well under way and the addition of Battlestar Galactica alumni Tricia Helfer, Dark Blue has really taken off. Season long subplot arcs have been added and it puts the show over the edge for a long run. It truly feels like a great show now...

Sleek and gritty - A new kind of cop show.

[keefus-1 · 9/10 · 31 October 2009]

When I first sat down to watch this show I was expecting another formulaic, "fast and loose with the rules but always just on the right side of the line" cop show. I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised.

Dark Blue is indeed refreshingly dark; the characters are predictably tortured souls with an interesting mix of personalities and histories that add to the depth of the plot lines, they are all superbly written and acted to the degree that sometimes the plot becomes something of a happenstance as we follow the personal journeys of the protagonists.

the plots themselves have all been seen before in numerous guises, but Dark Blue puts a new and slightly twisted slant on them that can fool you into thinking that you have never seen them before, but it is worth remembering that the case is not really the important thing here; it is what the case does to the characters that defines the show.

All in all, I would recommend this show to anyone who wants to watch a new and gritty take on a genre that has not yet been pushed to these limits.

Humorless, depressing, and violent.

[zttizzl · 7/10 · 16 July 2009]

Just finished watching the season premiere of Dark Blue and decided to do a quick review over the show.

Dylan McDermott... Just isn't right for this role. Every other movie I've seen him in, he naturally plays the part, but in this... I don't like him. Something in the way he acts is different. This may be construed as a minor complaint, but if it's with the protagonist, it foretells of other evils to come.

Aycox wasn't seen enough in the pilot to really form an opinion over. I'm hoping for the best, but gearing up for the less-than-best.

The other two actors are really in their element, aside from the fact that this is basic cable. It seems to me that if the show had been on HBO, they'd be using systematic foul language and vulgar terms. But the censorship doesn't detract from the pilot as much as you'd think.

All in all, a decent show to watch. It's not as good as say, the original Law & Order, or the original CSI. But it's definitely better than all the crap TNT has been spewing out lately, such as Bones and Charmed.

Perhaps this series could develop into something more over time, with the actors fitting into their roles more comfortably (especially McDermott) and a certain style developing. But my prediction is that the strong first season will be epically ruined in the "shocking new season" which usually happens with modern TV shows. Do what I did with this series: Hope for the best, but expect somewhat worse.

the best cop show ever made

[miketaylor2007 · 10/10 · 4 August 2010]

Dark Blue truly takes these cop shows to a whole other level. I have always found the CSI, Law & Order type series to be so dreadfully boring they could actually put me to sleep. Dark Blue makes you feel more like you are watching a movie then a series which is a unique experience. We don't have to wait 45 minutes out of the hour for only a few minutes of action and gun fire because it's always happening and they keep you interested. Unlike focusing on the typical investigate this investigate that Dark Blue is all about a deep undercover unit hitting the streets and putting themselves right into the action. The cops are the ones who are actually committing the crimes so they can make that next bust. Save the put me to sleep and do some paper work garbage for CSI I promise you this one is a big hit and will keep you entertained. I would like to add that this review only applied to season 1. Unfortunately the show took a wrong direction for season 2 resulting in an epic fail and cancel. Everything I said that lacked in the typical cop series is what they applied to season 2. It's a shame because they really had something great here.

As if The Wire had never been made

[donita51 · 1/10 · 26 December 2010]

I started watching the pilot, and after a few minutes got the gist of it - tough-talking cops, bad guys all bluster, girls all pretty and big- chested, drums-filled music to signal approach of meaningful sequences, bad guys shooting at front window (reinforced) of empty cars, head cop taking off his glasses to show compassionate care for his crew, blonde girl cop calling her boss on the phone, saying "it's me" without identifying herself (I can do that trick too), and worst of all - the action AGAIN taking place in Los Angeles, a city which should have already been empty of all its occupants for all the murders and killings TV tells us are happening there (I guess it's cheaper to shoot on location there, for i'ts obvious the city is just an offshoot of the studios as there is no other seeming reason for its existence).

Haven't the makers of this terrible waste seen The Wire? Has laziness to think up fresh approaches to police series taken over completely? I would have given this show a straight 0 had I been allowed to. As it is I am thinking of suing the makers for the hour I have wasted and which I am never getting back.

And BTW, I gave it another shot - tried to watch the second episode but lost all interest after 15 minutes. Please don't bring this back...

The case-by-the-week format is ALL WRONG!!!!

[Tyranthian · 18 July 2009]

This format works for other shows like NYPD Blue, CSI, Law & Order, etc. but I think it really limits a cop show about undercover police officers. Even more so because "Dark Blue" also promises to focus regularly on the characters' personal lives. I don't see how they can do this effectively if they rush through each and every episode. The pilot episode felt so rushed that I felt as if I could hardly keep up with what was happening. The Franzine character, who according to Detective Shaw was "a jack of all trades", could've easily lasted for several more episodes before being wiped out. The writing and the dialog seemed off! I hope the writers realize they can cover a lot more ground with story lines and characters by stretching things out a little.

Please do not tell me this show will be re-newed.

[Angelus2 · 1/10 · 17 December 2009]

A LAPD cop runs a task force that goes deep undercover...I mean deep...So deep that the line of what is right and wrong is blurred to the point that there is no coming back...(Hang on a second)....I swear that's the plot for Miami Vice...

I barely got through the pilot and I have to say, there is far too much to forgive...I like cop shows...I like the undercover aspect...I like action..But this is just....It's the 80's Miami Vice show that has no place in todays world...I mean even Miami Vice evolved with the underrated but amazing 2006 reboot.

None of the actors do any justice to the corny lines and the characters...I've read comments were people have said that it's totally realistic...C'mon, don't make me laugh. Another excessive violent cop show without a good solid story line...

Wanna-be critics get off Timothy Hutton!

[lisadope · 25 October 2009]

You know, I never watched TNT prior to dark blue, too much hype. Then here comes the first show on the station with some actual depth in all areas and not some quirky Monk style lead character, and it's being largely panned by audiences from what I'm reading. People think it's too dark? ( implied in title, duh. ) Go watch The Disney Channel. I was very impressed with season one of Dark Blue and was especially taken in by the emotion, extreme character depth and the many unexpected sub-plots that were set up for future episodes. It seems the show has the potential to carry on a number of entertaining story lines for seasons to come. Perhaps the show would have done better on a station more geared to it's genre. Long live Dark Blue. Oh, and if Christian Slater's 'My Own Worst Enemy' can get a DVD release, this show has earned that at the very least.

Good idea, lousy delivery

[kimberly-turner · 2/10 · 6 August 2009]

This show had promise, but it gets worse each time I watch it. The male actors are fine, but the actress has been badly miscast. Her acting is alright, but she's in the wrong roll. The show is trying too hard to be serious and dark with dark difficult characters. They pour on the posturing and hostility too strong and too often. With the third episode they started shoving sexual tension and now we have a cop soap-opera. After the third episode I debated watching the next episode, but started it and stopped it within a few minutes. I won't be watching again. It's too bad as I wanted to like this show, but the writing is so poor it's just not worth the effort to suffer through it.

Another Bruckheimer/Littman piece of crap to bring down TNT

[ken-522 · 1/10 · 30 July 2009]

You think they would have learned with E-Ring. BUT NO!! First, this is TNT, not some watered-down 5 minute attention CBS show. You cannot have a serious, undercover cop show where everything is solved in 50 minutes. I wanted to like this show. It's shot beautifully. It has potential if they'd just not try and compact it for an hour. And TNT...such potential...The Closer and now Leverage. You notice they don't show Leverage previews until partway into Dark Blue. They (TNT) know it's a piece of crap. And now...oooohh...let's draw it out with a bad girl character. We've seen that. It's just weak writing and producing. They can't make the stories work so they want you care about the character. Doesn't work. Dylan McDermott is not Jeff Goldblum (and we all know Dark Blue is no Law and Order...not even L&O:CI). As USA put it...Dark Blue should fade to black.

brilliant actor in the wrong role

[parkavenue · 18 July 2009]

The script is not bad, the directing and all not bad either ... but although Dylan McDermott was brilliant--if not perfect--in playing his character in every setting in The Practice, Lt Carter Shaw in Dark Blue is one role which should never have been offered to him/which he should never have accepted.

Let us face it, nearly every actor/actress has roles they cannot possibly play convincingly--Streep can pull off Sophie's Choice, The Devil Wears Prada and Mamma Mia, but that does not mean that everyone else can.

If you adore Dylan McDermott even if he just sat there watching paint dry, then there is no reason for you not to enjoy Dark Blue. But if you are the type of viewer who is distracted by actors playing roles which do not suit them--as in Michael Weston in BURN NOTICE Season 3-Episode 5 "Signals and Codes"--then you will be distracted throughout much of Dark Blue.

How can they show this trash on TV?

[smallrage1 · 1/10 · 6 August 2009]

How can they show this trash on TV? If this show lasts more than 10 episodes I'll have a heart attack. This has got to be one of the worst shows on TV right now, no doubt it. The only reason I gave it a 2 and not a 1 was because of the pilot was poor and not very bad like the rest of the episodes, after you have watched the pilot you basically seen all 7 episodes. The only the difference is gangsters and how much more corrupt cops they really are nothing else sets these episodes apart.

The acting is not only horrible they just don't fit the parts which makes it so unbelievable and phony, they're basically corrupt cops who are free to do what ever they feel like doing with no fear of reprisals, as if. Sure some Cops are corrupt but not to this extent

Someone mentioned Jeffrey Donovan/Michael Westen as being the wrong actor for his role. I sorry but he plays his part very well and the support cast are perfectly balanced and have great chemistry. This series the actors have zero and I mean zero chemistry how dare someone compare Burn Notice with this trash. Yet great shows like Point Pleasant, Carnivàle for example get axed in the middle of the series without any explanation. I know the didn't play on TNT I'm just making a point that great shows get canceled to make room for trash shows like Dark Blue.

The best thing they could do for us viewers is to have mercy on us and pull the plug on this show today if TNT are to compete with the Big networks they better cancel this before the new fall season starts. I'm sorry if I have offended people with my comments but sometimes the truth hurts, just like this show hurts me to watch it. I gave it a chance to develop but nothing has happened since the pilot even after 6 episodes nothing at all in the way of character building.

The only reason why someone would like this show is because they too believe Police are that corruptible, I can see no other reason why someone would like this show. Your much better served watching real good science fiction like Eureka, then watching this cheap version of fiction like dark blue. Bruckheimer does make good shows clearly this is his worst one to date