There are a few things going for this new crime drama revolving around the SFPD and a tech billionaire. 1. San Francisco is a happening city now and it's always interesting to show the contrast between the homelessness and despair and the dizzying high tech boom. The last few SF based shows have been cancelled like Alcatraz and 9 Lives of Chloe King. Hopefully this series showcases more of the scenic beauty of the city and not just the seamy side. 2. Sympathetic looking leads Kathleen Robertson and Taye Diggs and a multi ethnic supporting cast are watchable and not abrasive like some crime dramas. 3. After 4 episodes the central villain? played by Tom Felton or Malfoy from Harry Potter is an interesting and enigmatic character. At first he seemed to be still too teenage looking (like the rest of the Harry Potter cast) to be effective in his role but he is actually quite good. Since Steven Bochco is behind this I'm going to give this one a chance.
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phd_travel7 July 2014
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gramboo16 June 2014I disagree with most of the other reviews. I thought it was a fine show. I'm happy to see Tommie Schlamme and the rest of the group together again. Nothing can please everybody first time out. I like getting to know the back story on the various characters, it forms more interest for me. Looks like this is a summer replacement, because when I looked it up on IMDb, the three stars are listed for 10 shows, perfect for summer, but it is certainly better than a lot of the other stuff on TV at this time. I like Taye Diggs and hope to see a lot more of Ian Anthony Dale. I don't know anything about the young leading lady, but like her for my first look, although I do agree about the gun being in a bad place, although as I said, nothing is perfect. Good luck to the show.
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This summer I've been watching the new TNT series "Murder in the 1st" and I must say that creator Steven Bochco has this series keeping viewers on the edge of their seat. A single murder case starts it off only the case leads to a world of sex, drugs, and cover up beat it all it happens to be tied to a young rich computer business genius young boy! The setting of the series is in the city by the bay the scenes and images of the golden gate bridge and San Francisco are beautiful. Those images treat the viewer to a good sight after the eyes are salted with blood and murder scenes. Leading the way are two S.F. detectives Terry English(Taye Diggs)and divorced mother Hildy(the sexy Kathleen Robertson it's nice to see her getting work again I remember her Beverly Hills 90210 days). Thru it all the case takes twist with new characters and new leads and a pilot named Bill Wilkerson(the terrific Steven Weber)seems to play a supporting connection to it all. Overall the series is a pretty good suspense and drama thriller one that changes week to week with new things as hidden secrets are uncovered this all makes for an interesting watch!
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dnolan7144 September 2014First, I'm a 30 year retired cop. This excellent screenplay and acting really set me back on my heels. This is a pretty accurate show on procedures and politics. In reality the norm is heads will roll if you push as hard as these two cops do. Pressure from the top would squelch any further digging into the main bad guy. He's connected and has his entourage of people connected.
Keep in mind, this is t.v. but this is one well put together show. The underlying heat between partners of the opposite sex can and does occur and it's portrayed very well by the two main actors. Their mannerisms are very accurate also in areas of interviews and interrogations. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and hope it continues with the excellent writing and cast. -
lynne_ryan8 July 2014I love Murder in the First. Other reviewers have complained about it's slow pace but I like the fact that the story takes it's time to be told. It's a cat and mouse game with lots of twists and turns. It's not a cookie cutter model of network TV (a good thing!). The characters are well developed. Taye Diggs and Katherine Robertson are an unlikely pairing but it works. The other characters complement these two and it's an interesting dynamic. Stephen Boccho is a master and it's good to see him back. I have recommended this show to my friends and family and hope it's renewed for next season. Monday night is now my favourite night for TV watching.
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alannon1910 June 2014I went into this thinking it was just another Law & Order clone, like a million other shows out there these days, and I suppose I was somewhat pleasantly surprised.
The main detectives, played by Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson, don't initially seem like that great of a combination. She is a single mom who seems to have trouble with even getting a date, and he is married to a dying woman which is putting a lot of strain on his job, and that was primarily the focus of the show. The crime itself seemed to be secondary in nature, which is weird considering the name of the show, but most of time was dedicated to fleshing out the detectives and their lives.
Usually, that would cheese me off; I generally only watch these for interesting homicides and those classic action scenes we all know and love, but this was an interesting change of pace. At the end I found myself wondering if Diggs was going to be alright rather than how their case was going, and I think I can live with that.
I would have given the show higher marks, but I honestly do want to see a bit more action out of this first. Once they pick up the pace a little bit, this might easily turn into a new favorite. -
klamut19602 July 2014I am really enjoying the new TNT show Murder in the First and can't believe the negative reviews. It's well written, suspenseful, has complex multi-layered characters and is perfectly cast. I have my DVR set every Monday night and can't wait for the next episode.
Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson are superb in their roles and Tom Felton and James Cromwell are great as well. James Cromwell is particularly effective playing the seasoned, high-priced defense lawyer. Even the supporting players do a great job in the smallest roles.
It's a perfect show for fans of Law and Order, Chicago PD, Blue Bloods and NYPD Blue. I highly recommend watching this show. Don't believe the negative reviews - watching this show is time well spent and I've been sorry when each episode ends. -
jdonalds-515 December 2018My wife and I watch one or two episodes of police procedurals every night. It's the only video we do watch. I usually pre-screen the programs, making sure of a few things we prefer, and seeing how many total episodes there are. When I pre-screened Murder in the First I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, nor my wife.
I started binge watching Murder in the First, then slowly began to like it. It isn't like any other series we've watched. It is a mix of cop show, detective show, courtroom drama, and soap opera. Fortunately there is a balance of these modes.
I'm now viewing the 8th episode of season 3 and wishing the series had gone on for more seasons.
Pros:- The acting is good
- Direction is good
- Story lines are plausible
- Character building is good
Cons:- We like programs that are fully contained within one episode. We don't care for formats where the murder mystery persists through several episodes or seasons. Murder in the First does have the format of a single mystery spanning an entire season. In most cases we find this style ends up with a lot of "filler" just for the sake of fitting into a whole season.
- A little too much sex. It simply isn't needed.
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kols8 July 2014Robertson and Diggs are terrific as English and Mulligan, in the same class as Brennan and Booth and Castle and Beckett. Direction is outstanding as is cinematography, both filling each episode with visual nuances that Diggs and Robertson perform flawlessly. Secondary characters are equally good, for the most part. So - Well crafted, well acted and a pleasure to watch.
But, as always, detest repeat villains and drawn-out to the point of soap-opry-ness plots. And, it seems, the whole first season is going to be the Saga of Blunt. Wish they'd have opted for a more traditional episodic format.
That said, I'll take it since, while tiresome, Blunt doesn't succeed in blunting (sorry, irresistible) the pleasure of watching all of the other parts mesh.
One of those parts is Steven Weber, formerly of Wings and a short stint on Without a Trace, as Bill Wilkerson. MIF completes his trifecta; he's actually able to play out-of-control hysteria with understatement. Part of that nuance I mentioned. As is Tom Felton, who pushes Blunt right up to the edge of "strangle-him-on-sight", regardless of his guilt.
Like Bones, Castle and, to a lesser degree, The Mentalist, the point is the interaction between the characters. For me, MIF matches the best while adding its own, unique style of getting there. -
pmlucore23 June 2014I really like the two main detective characters, Taye Diggs & Kathleen Robertson. They both have very interesting private lives that can be developed into future story lines. The plot has my attention so far. Blount was an easy target to begin with however there are many leads to follow. If Blount's right hand man/lawyer is the killer it will be a let down, very predictable. Hopefully it is at least someone like the pilot's wife or the new person Anna. I am expecting some twist & turns please don't let me down!! I am very intrigued so far and will continue to watch although I do have a few reservations. I am a huge fan of the original Law and Order and hoping to find another show to match that originality.
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osanders6914 August 2015Solid cable TV police procedural that takes place with San Francisco as the backdrop. Entertaining and fast paced with believable characters. Some of the standard cop show tropes remain but no TV cop show is without some. Speaking mainly about season 2 which was a bit deeper then season one as part of the season deals with a mass shooting and its effects on a community and at least tries to present a scenario of how or why it would happen. The show does a yeoman's service of unveiling the season's story arc all the while introducing secondary stories that ultimately intertwine with the main season story arc. Its done in a straight forward fashion while avoiding too much predictability. In other words its not an "A,B,C" procedural like "Law and order" but its not a extremely hidden clue mystery like "True Detective" which I think makes the payoff and resolution at the end of the season a lot more satisfying. its a good binge watch (which is how i viewed it) it seemed a lot more satisfying watching it in that fashion. I think the show's "Bochco-isms" are apparent in the way the police struggle with personal issues while they tackle the dilemma of "brothers in blue" versus doing the legal good and how that often still opposes the moral good.
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SnoopyStyle12 August 2014This series follows a single case from beginning to end for each season. It's produced by Steven Bochco, the granddaddy of modern TV cop shows. It lasted 3 seasons on TNT. Terry English (Taye Diggs) and Hildy Mulligan (Kathleen Robertson) are San Francisco police investigating partners. In the first season, they're investigating internet entrepreneur Erich Blunt (Tom Felton) after the deaths of his father and the flight attendant of his private jet.
As a police procedural, there isn't anything ground breaking or anything that Bochco hasn't done himself countless times. Following a single case for the whole season is not necessarily new either. It's good enough for a TV show even thought the genre is saturated. The two leads are capable TV actors but there was a few missteps. They try a romantic subplot which crash and burn. It's a little bit of a struggle but I think they start developing chemistry after they drop the romance. Tom Felton is still not a big presence and he's sometimes overshadowed by the bigger actors. That works sometimes but I think he needs another gear which is still beyond him for now. This promises to be a proficient procedural but not much more. -
droszel2 July 2014I watched it because of who's involved in its creation. I stopped because, regardless of who's behind this and what his past credentials are, this thing was conceived on cruise control. Flat acting, story line that makes the willing suspension of disbelief almost impossible, and plot twists you can see coming 2 or 3 commercial breaks away. Too bad.
Now, that's really all I have to say, but apparently I have to say more: I have to generate 10 lines of text. Given how weak this show is, after you say it's weak, there really isn't all that much more to say.
It's weak. It's predictable. It's unbelievable. The characters are uninteresting.
What more can one say? -
MovieIQTest11 June 2014This is a terribly scripted dreary drama series. it should be cut and shelved immediately after the first episode. And by doing so, TNT and Turner Original Production should fire all people related to this series. Casting was also so poor and disastrous, none of them looked convincing; those male and female inspectors? absolutely a joke! There's no charisma or any attractive strong character in this series that could make the viewers keep watching.
Kathleen Robertson's Hildy Mulligan role is very unconvincing. Her high heel shoes look so dumb and so inappropriate, her satchel on her shoulder looks more like cosmetic arrangement instead of any practical use, both were stupidly and heavily copied from the European mystery drama series, Anikka Bentzon: Crime Reporter.
What a shame, dude. -
energyimages24 August 2015Let's just say it: although MitF is not as dynamically captivating as Breaking Bad—in terms of plotting, writing, characterization, and acting, it is every bit the equal of BB. In BB, dynamism is front and center; in MitF, subtlety rules. The producers and writers took a big chance on this season (2015). The first episode was almost an overload in terms of dramatic action. Then the next three or four episodes slowed W A Y down—seemingly. In fact, those episodes were establishing plot points and fleshing out characters in preparation for things to come. Now, as we're getting well into the season, the narrative arc is increasing in intensity with each episode. The smallest bits matter; the finesse is astonishing. Especially masterful is the symmetry between the primary hero, Hildy, and the key villain, Dustin. Both parts are remarkable for their underplayed restraint. Boring? Definitely not. Totally the opposite. This has to be one of the most intelligently crafted series ever on the tube. (Just remember: no good deed goes unpunished.) Jus' sayin'.
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cinc413 August 2014I really loved this show. I am a Law & Order fanatic and never really find a show that I can compare to it, however I was so in tune with this show, that all week I couldn't wait for the next episode. I really hope they continue this series. I found that the show consistently had a little twist to it. That's what made it very interesting, and although you might have known the way the ending would happen, it still made you wonder right up to the end weather you were right or wrong. I think that all the actors and actresses were superb. I would suggest that anyone that has not seen this series go back and find the repeats on TNT and watch it for yourself. If you like crime shows than this is one I am sure you will enjoy!
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ma-cortes30 March 2020Nice and decent series, but not extraordinary, dealing with San Francisco Investigation cops formed by the following ones : Taye Diggs, Kathleen Robertson, Lombardo, Raphael Sbarge and their chief Ian Anthony Dale . All of them put a lot of strain and effort on their jobs. They are diverse detectives who share their passion and commitment to keep the city safe. Along with the prosecution office, formed by Gordon Currie as prosecutor Mario Siletti, Mimi Kirkland , Corey Reynolds as assistant district . A simple killing case is dissected from the committing of the crime through investigation, detention and trial .This is the brighest light cast and the darkest shadows. All lies lead to truth.
Good series in 3 seasons and formed by 32 episodes developing some interesting stories with complex and multi-layered roles .It follows the traditional and functional police procedural in ups and downs. In the first station focuses on a nasty as well as wealthy internet entrepreneur : Tom Felton, as prime suspect of two murders, his father and the flight attendant of the private jet. The following seasons concern several incidents as detective Terry/Diggs kills a fugitive on the run and he is accused, Detective Mulligan/Robertson has cancer and has to cope with the distress, while both of whom fall in love . The main and support cast are pretty good. Stars Taye Diggs as the skillful and obstinate detective Terry English who is married to a dying spouse . And his colleague Kathleen Robertson as Hildy Mulligan , she is a competent police woman, and a single mom with a daughter and who seem to have a lot of problems . They both perform flawlessly and giving compelling interpretations. Other important characters, many of them multi-ethnic roles, are as follows : Currie Graham as a prosecutor who along with his wife, Jamie Lurner, while they're driving, he runs over a pedestrian, being framed for homicide. Veteran and expert police investigators well played by Lombardo Boyar and Raphael Sbarge, and their Inspector Chief played by Ian Anthony Dale who performed this character while shooting Hawaii 5.0 playing Adam. Furthermore, other guest stars such as : Tom Felton, Sara Paxton, Laila Robins, Steven Weber, Richard Schiff, Nicole Ari Parker, Emmanuel Chiriqui, Michael Gaston, Peter Onorati and James Cromwell as the high-prized defense attorney.
Being well created by Eric Lodal and the prestigious creator/producer Steven Bochco. The notorious TV producer and writer Steven Bochco is considered to be one of the best TV showrunners, who has created successful series as LA Law, NY PD Blue, Murder one, MacMillan and wife, Hill Street Blues. And other less successful as Doogie Houser, Gemini man, Cop rock, The name of the game and many others. -
mathmaniac18 August 2017I stumbled across this show on Hulu. The pilot: kind of interesting. But then everything that followed just got better and better.
It's true that there are some things that are obviously scriptwriter's easy solutions but unrealistic. These are very very few. For the most part, the strength of the series is in the storytelling that pulls in many subplots that involve the viewer emotionally - do you believe in the death penalty? What is good parenting? Should people have romantic relationships in the workplace?
Everyone seems to have an opinion about these issues- few people don't care one way or the other. Whatever you believe, you will feel challenged or vindicated as you see the subplots develop.
Taye Diggs is good in this role. Smooth, so smooth. He's like a velvety mug of chocolate. He plays Terry. His partner on the job, Hildy, is a little like a cup of Tea - warm but slightly astringent. She can be sweet, like that tea. She can be sharp, as when you add a lemon slice to that warm brew.
Together, they make a good team. They are rarely anything but professional as they interact with each other. I am only now watching the last season, so I'm going to make myself a hot beverage and settle in to binge watch! -
bfjb10 June 2014This appears to be a miniseries format, some complain of the slow start but I like that they are building a case to a conclusion. Glad Bachco is not following the old format of 3 parts plus finale, IE: wrong guy, maybe right guy, make case, and get 'em. Has potential, character development will be the key to success.
Sigh, good start but continuity issue with The Jet. Outside is Next Jen 737 BBJ, cockpit shot is Boing 727, round dial engine instruments instead of glass cockpit, glimpse of Flight Engineer seat sideways, and red emergency breaking handle left of engine instruments. At least there wasn't a shot of a B-52 landing gear like was common in the '60's.
Looking forward to see how they resolve the cliff hanger, the APPLSCN (Jobs clone) is just too obvious. -
spress-3957712 January 2020I find this series compelling, well acted & well thought out. Don't know why others would find it slow or boring. Must be used to sound bites & action hero entertainment. Sometimes a good drama takes time to develop and requires a longer attention span than many are accustomed to these days. The main characters find themselves up against those who are financially powerful, politically motivated & subject to public scrutiny. I find this refreshing & realistic. Taye Diggs is a seasoned actor worth watching.
Yes, the prosecutor missed some obvious points in the trial of Erich Blunt, but the plot is complex enough for a tv procedurql to hold my interest. -
zounds45617 July 2015I'm trying to figure out this series. I've just started watching, during the second season, starting with "Schitzofrenzy." The stories are OK, but the overall production is NOT "knocking my socks off." And, Kathleen Robertson...who really wowed us in "Boss," seems to be just sleepwalking through the scenes. Is she exhausted or does she, maybe, need better direction? She is not "fully present." I'm also not crazy about the ample low-life gang lingo. I guess a bit of this enhances the authenticity, but it doesn't do much for me.
So far, we're not seeing James Cromwell—one of our stellar actors today—in this season. Sounds like they need to sneak him into the next episode. Hm, toward the end of the next episode, "Blue on Blue," I'm finding SOME interest arising in me. Yet, the pacing is decidedly languorous, the plot lines seem to lack cohesion. This series is NOT at the level of your usual Steven Bochco product. -
lcjcus25 December 2015I really enjoy this show, all the main characters are believable. I'm not a Law & Order Fan, and I don't compare Murder in the First to it. I like the so called slow pace. A lot of times shows start off so fast you don't a chance to understand the character. I'm only half way through the first season but so far so good. I don't usually care for cop shows, but this one is a winner. I am a Taye Diggs Fan, I liked him as much if not more in this, than some of his earlier works for example, Private Practice and How Stella Got her Groove back. His costar Im not as familiar with, but she does a good job as well. James Cromwell was great as well, I enjoy several of his movies as well, for instance Six Feet Under.
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wmschoell14 October 2018I applaud the fact that the show has some diversity in its cast, what with women, African-Americans, Latinos, and even a couple of reasonably positive lesbian characters, but for a show set in San Francisco it is completely ridiculous that we never, ever see a gay male character -- not a cop, not a prosecutor, not a defense lawyer, not a suspect, not a witness, nobody, ever, -- stereotypical or non-stereotypical -- throughout three seasons! Are you kidding me?
That being said I found the first season's connected storyline to be very entertaining, with knock-put performances by Tom Felton and James Cromwell. The last two seasons added many more characters, some of which we really didn't need, and many sub-plots, some of which were interesting, making it a more traditional cop show, for better or worse.
Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson are okay in the leads, not bad actors, even if they seem a bit like lightweights compared to, say, Mariska Hargitay of Law and Order SVU. Robertson's model-perfect bobbed nose can be a distraction. Rafael Sbarge, Jamie Lumer, and some other cast members make a positive impression. The scripts have their head-scratching moments, but the show is not bad. With only thirty-two episodes you can binge watch it on Hulu in a number of days. -
snowdogmom-710-80550310 June 2014I agree with jseymour-23-736835. Boring. I had trouble sitting through it until the end and then the story continues next week! None of the actors brought me in to watch this. I just normally like this type of show. However there was nothing different about this procedural that would make me want to watch. The characters were not really interesting just mundane dealing with the same things we all deal with in real life. Kept waiting for the storyline to pick up but it never did. Location, another big city, is just the standard these days. I liked King and Maxwell that was in this time slot last year and it was canceled. At least it had some quirky characters. I'll be switching the channel and watching Longmire instead after Major Crimes.
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old_poker_pro22 April 2016Any of the people who gave this less than 8 stars must have a political or racial agenda or just don't like anything. Can't give it 10 stars only because that's reserved for Breaking Bad, but it's really close. Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson are both brilliant playing out a superb script. I think one reason some people have an issue with the show is the "one case for an entire season" concept. Viewers with a limited attention span will be put off by the concept of watching a 8 hour or so movie, spread out over a couple of months. If you didn't like it the first time try binge watching over a weekend, you'll be amazed much better the show all of a sudden got. Even if you did like it the first time, watch it again and be amazed by what you pick up and how much more enjoyable it is when you know the characters better.