Dark Blue (TV series)

Bgcolour	#4169E1
Show name	Dark Blue
Genre	DramaActionThriller
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Runtime	Approx. 43 minutes
Creator	Danny Cannon
Developer	Doug Jung
Executive producer	Jerry BruckheimerJonathan LittmanDanny CannonDoug Jung
Starring	Dylan McDermottOmari HardwickLogan Marshall-GreenNicki AycoxTricia Helfer
Country	United States
Language	English
Company	Warner Horizon Television
Network	TNT
First aired
Last aired
Num seasons	2
Num episodes	20
List episodes	List of Dark Blue episodes
Runtime	43 minutes
Location	Los Angeles
Website	http://www.tnt.tv/series/darkblue/

Dark Blue is an action/drama television series which premiered on TNT on July 15, 2009, at 10 pm (9 pm central). It ended its run on September 15, 2010. The series is set in Los Angeles, California. It revolves around Carter Shaw, the leader of an undercover unit. He is an officer who has dedicated his life to take down the worst criminals in L.A. to the point that it has cost him his marriage. His team involves Ty Curtis, a newlywed who struggles between his job and his new life; Dean Bendis, an officer who is so deep in his undercover role that his team is never entirely sure what side he is on; and finally Jaimie Allen, a green patrol cop recruited into the undercover unit because of her dark past and criminal skills.

Premise

Carter Shaw (played by Dylan McDermott) is the head of a crack undercover team of LAPD officers who are so covert, many of their own colleagues do not even know they are involved. His team includes a recently married cop (played by Omari Hardwick from TNT’s Saved) who struggles with personal relationships he has developed while undercover; a shoot-from-the-hip officer (played by Logan Marshall-Green) whose activities make fellow team members wonder if he has gone over to the other side; and a callow patrolwoman (played by Nicki Aycox) brought in because of her excellent skill in lying and her shady past.

Production

Dark Blue comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television, with prolific producer Jerry Bruckheimer who produced and its spin-offs, as well as Cold Case and Without A Trace; Jonathan Littman, Danny Cannon, and Doug Jung serving as executive producers. KristieAnne Reed is co-executive producer. Cannon directed the pilot episode, The season finale was watched by 1.61 million viewers, a series low. The first season average was 2.589 million viewers. It was cancelled by TNT on November 16, 2010.

Carter Shaw

Lieutenant Carter Shaw attended undergraduate school at UCLA. Following in the footsteps of two generations before him, he quickly rose through the LAPD while continually making a large number of arrests which consisted of many high profile criminals in a variety of areas throughout his eighteen years on the force. Shaw frequently uses criminal contacts to further leads and add substance to his team's covers during investigations; Carter's team members are often shocked at how friendly and casual he seems with them. He is currently in charge of three other police officers in an undercover unit that operates independent of normal LAPD jurisdictions, and they pursue many different types of criminals. Carter was previously married before he went undercover with a wife and child in order to catch a drug dealer associated with a Mexican cartel. His wife claims this double life was the reason their marriage dissolved. After their divorce, his wife went on to be involved with a DEA agent who previously worked with Shaw. This earlier part of his life is far different from and often contrasted with the one he now leads, which includes hardly any personal relationships.

Cast

Dylan McDermott as Lt. Carter Shaw

Omari Hardwick as Ty Curtis

Logan Marshall-Green as Dean Bendis

Nicki Aycox as Jaimie Allen (real name Jaimie Anderson according to her Detroit Juvenile Authority file)

Tricia Helfer as FBI Special Agent Alex Rice (Season 2)

Episodes

Music

Composer Graeme Revell, who frequently composes music on and Eleventh Hour, along with David Russo III, who also composed Eleventh Hour.

Reception

Since the premiere, the series has gained mixed reviews. Verne Gay of Newsday praised the series, saying "This is a solid and particularly well-produced cop show—and should be, with Jerry Bruckheimer topping the credits—although we take off points for extreme violence..."; he gave the show 83 out of 100. Philadelphia Inquirers Jonathan Storm gave it 70 out of 100, saying "If you're looking for unencumbered tough-guy entertainment, you won't be disappointed." Mary McNamara at the Los Angeles Times also gave the series a 70, saying "It's going to take more than an unshaven cheek and a few hollow coughs to make the character real, but Dark Blue's great supporting cast and high production values may buy its star enough time to disappear as effectively into his role as his undercover team disappears into theirs." The Boston Globe, however, criticized the show, saying "The characters are not especially dimensional, and McDermott's flat edginess as Carter doesn't help. But what's worse about Dark Blue is the sloppy plotting."

International broadcasting

References

External links

Official TNT website

Category:2000s American television series Category:2009 American television series debuts Category:2010s American television series Category:2010 American television series endings Category:American drama television series Category:Crime television series Category:English-language television series Category:Police procedural television series Category:Television shows set in Los Angeles, California Category:Turner Network Television shows Category:Fictional portrayals of the Los Angeles Police Department