When somebody says “Western,” the first American city that comes to mind usually isn’t Los Angeles. The City of Angels is best known for noir pictures and crime dramas rather than traditional horse operas, but that’s exactly what the short-lived Fox seriesDeputysought to change. Headlined byTrue DetectivestarStephen Dorff,Deputytells the story of Bill Hollister, the longest-serving mounted deputy in the Los Angeles Police Department, who, due to a loophole in the state’s constitution, is promoted to sheriff when his predecessor dies of a heart attack. With his new badge, Hollister takes to the streets to fight crime head-on in the same vein as an Old West lawman.
‘Deputy’ Pushed the Boundaries of What a Modern Western Could Be
From the creative minds ofGangster SquadscribeWill Beall(who created the show),Training DaydirectorDavid Ayer(who directed the pilot), and producers likeJohn CoveneyofLongmirefame,Deputyhighlighted the true crime of Los Angeles with a modern Western flair that offered a new perspective on the city. Cut from the same cloth as shows likeJustifiedandWalker, the series tackled real-world issues with a more traditional lens, with Bill Hollister our stand-in for a typical Western sheriff. The problem is, Hollister is not the political sort — and he has no time for the bureaucracy and red tape that would keep him from doing his job effectively. Instead,he’s a no-nonsense lawman who aims to see justice done and the law upheld, no matter the danger. For 13 action-packed episodes, the show was able to effectivelybring neo-Western sensibilitiesto the urban streets of modern-day LA — a fascinating combination that works a little better than you’d think.
With a leading man who kicks butt and takes names, and a concept that is just outlandish enough to feel possible,Deputywas a mid-season replacement that never got the chance to shine. Though it certainly showed potential to be the nextMcCloud— a show with a vaguely similar premise where a Western-like lawman found himself embedded into the New York Police Department — the problem was that it never took off the same way. Fox was clearly riding off the success of shows likeYellowstoneandLongmire, butDeputyfelt a bit too average by comparison. It didn’t help that the show suffered from a bad case of expositional dialogue and genre clichés. Still, many of the issues that critics had with the show could have been resolved had it been given more time to develop. The potential was certainly there, and the show continued to get better with each new episode;it simply wasn’t afforded the chance to go further. Nevertheless, there is one element ofDeputythat worked from the very beginning, and that was the show’s leading man.
Stephen Dorff Was Perfect as Lawman Bill Hollister
Perhaps the reason thatDeputydeserves a second look is due to the powerhouse star leading the show.Stephen Dorff was justthe right fit for Bill Hollister, a man who famously quotesTombstonethe very first moment he’s introduced. He’s headstrong, determined, and old-fashioned in many respects while still appealing to the people of Los Angeles. He holds himself to clear Western ideals (not to mention a simple Old West aesthetic) while managing to navigate the modern world without too much trouble. He’s charismatic and simple, tough-as-nails and vulnerable. It’s easy to become attached to a character like Hollister, especially as we see him in both the work and family contexts. In many ways, Dorff’s character is the complete package, able to relate to or draw in any member of Fox’s television audience with his “badge, gun, and heart” — talk about what it means to be a good law enforcement officer. It’s just too bad his time as sheriff was cut off so soon.
From the beginning,Deputyrefuses to play Hollister as a small-town hick in a big city. This is where theMcCloudcomparison falls apart, allowingDeputyto adjust more to the times and stand apart as its own thing entirely. Rather, Hollister is very clearly a Los Angeles native, but one who aims to see change happen in the big city,change that he believes can only happen if the LAPDlearn to play cowboy a bit more oftenthan they play the political game. During his tenure as sheriff, Hollister’s goal was to turn LA around, reform the police department to become more effective, and get violent offenders off the streets. The concept should’ve been a knockout for the network, if only the show had been a bit more effective from the get-go.
Before ‘Justified,’ This Neo-Western Was a Mega Hit on NBC
The seven-season 1970s NBC Western featured plenty of exciting (and often mysterious) adventures.
‘Deputy’ Was Cancelled After Only One Season on Fox
After receivinggenerally poor reviewsfrom critics — though,we gave the show a solid three stars— and failing to draw in a large enough audience, Fox pulled the plug onDeputybefore the show really grew legs.Deadlinereported that the show was the second-lowest-rated drama on the network that season, due to either poor promotion or poor reviews. Although it was a mid-season replacement,it felt like thetype of police proceduralthat could’ve easily expanded to 20-something episodes, though it was ultimately axed with little fanfare or protest. While there are plenty ofgreat neo-Western television dramas out there,Deputywas unique; it was just dealt a bad hand.
Deputyis available for streaming on Tubi.
