Police proceduralshave become a cool staple on television, but it wasn’t always the case.New York Undercover,which graced the screens on Fox between ‘94 and ‘99, pioneered the stylish police procedurals as we know them now. Following two young undercover detectives, J.C. Williams (Malik Yoba), and Eddie Torres (Michael DeLorenzo),New York Undercoverwas like a pitch to you to become a cop. With a diverse cast ensemble and even more realistic storylines, the show was more relatable to a much wider audience. Coming on the heels of theCold War when spying had ruled the world and shaped film and TV, the show reminded us of the ingenuity of undercover operatives.New York Undercoverwas also not afraid to tackle issues such as parenting, identity, racism, sexism, and drug abuse, which made the show more than just a police procedural but a social commentary too. Its refreshing look at police procedurals paved the way for shows such asTheShieldandTheWire.
‘New York Undercover’ Was One of the First Shows To Star People of Color in Leading Roles
At a time when many television shows were still not representative of the diversity of the American population,Kevin ArkadieandDick Wolf’sNew York Undercover’s decision to cast actors with these diverse backgrounds was refreshing. The lead characters, Detectives J.C. Williams and Eddie Torres were played by Malik Yoba, an African American, and Michael DeLorenzo, an American with Puerto Rican-Italian roots. Its supporting cast was also just as diverse, with Lt. Virginia Cooper, the police boss of the two lead characters being played by actressPatti D’Arbanville, a white woman, and other people of color such asLauren Vélezas Nina Moreno.
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The diverse cast ofNew York Undercoverdrew in a new audience, especially African Americans, to Fox, givingNBC’s “Must See TV”— a campaign slogan promoting the network’s primetime blocks — a run for its money on Thursday nights. AlongsideNew York Undercover, Fox also had people of color-led showsMartinandLiving Singleairing the same night.
Another popular show at the time that starred people of color was ABC’sSister, Sister, a sitcom that followed identical twins separated at birth and adopted by different parents who had a chance encounter and were reunited. But while these shows had a cast ensemble that was predominantly of people of color,New York Undercoverwas among the first that was representative of America with people of color driving the show’s narrative as leads.
‘New York Undercover’ Was Fearless in Handling Tough Social Issues
Perhaps ahead of its time,New York Undercoverwas already tackling topics such as gender identity in the ’90s when such was a no-go-zone for most television shows. In one of its episodes, J.C. Williams, and Eddie Torres pose as drag queens to investigate the murder of a transvestite. While not explicit on gender identity, the episode shed light on the experiences of trans people at the time. By having the police detectives go undercover as drag queens, the show provided a window into what trans people went through from the eyes of non-trans people. And that was one of the beauties of the show. The detectives were like the audience’s eyes in an unfamiliar world, letting the audience walk the path of those in that world, bringing about an understanding of some of the divisive issues at the time.
With HIV/AIDS still a misunderstood and stigmatized subject,New York Undercoverdid not shy away from it. The show brought the illness’ prominence by making it closer to one of the main characters, Eddie Torres. In the show, Torres’ father had been diagnosed as HIV-positive, a result that at the time was like a death sentence in the eyes of the public. But the show addressed the issue with grace, making Torres, who was conflicted about his family heritage, even closer to his father. By so doing, the show encouraged empathy and highlighted the stigmatization of the illness.
New York Undercoveralso dealt with other social issues such rape, child molestation, racially-instigated murders and crimes, and one of the challenges that continues to beuniquely American, painkiller addiction. Through the show’s episodes, with each episode handling at least one social issue,New York Undercoverproved to be a show that was fearless and representative of the real-life happenings in American society. The storylines too were believable with characters representing the diversity of the society itself.
‘New York Undercover’ Showed the Human Side of Cops
BeforeNew York Undercover, cops had mostly been depicted on television as hard-core human beings incapable of feeling with their storylines hardly delving into their struggles. ButNew York Undercoverunraveled the personal lives of its cop characters. By so doing, audiences identified with the characters even more and saw them beyond their job. Seeing Malik Yoba’s Detective J.C. Williams struggle with his teenage son, Gregory (George O. Gore II) showed that Detective Williams was just as human as the rest of us. The situation also had the same empathy effect with Detective Torres' estranged relationship with his family. Also, Torres' internal conflict when he had to deal with a childhood friend who had turned to organized crime felt just as human, and something that we could all relate to. The cops' romantic relations also added a cap to their human side, with the murder of Williams’s pregnant fiancée, Sandra Gill (Michael Michele), on the eve of their wedding heartbreaking, while Torres' death at the hands of gangs after marrying his love interest and fellow detective, Nina Moreno, even more chilling. This other side of cops presented characters that had depth and were sympathetic.
In 2019, talks emerged of areboot ofNew York Undercoverat ABCwith reports indicating that the network had ordered a pilot for the same. While it is unclear what transpired, this could have been an interesting development for fans of the popular show. With actors such asMalik Yoba expected to reprisetheir roles in the reboot, the show would have provided a nostalgic feel of the good old ’90s when television was the queen of American homes.
New York Undercoverwas a show that brought coolness to the men and women ensuring law and order. By showcasing dynamic characters with depth, the show depicted cops not just as law enforcers, but as real people—a brother with their faults, a beloved sister, a father trying to be a better dad, a smitten lover, a wife, and a husband. As an undercover show, it provided insights into what it was like for espionage operatives that had dominated the then-just-ended era of the Cold War.New York Undercoverwas a show that subverted its genre, paving the way for police procedurals that are cool and more than just about the law.
