I thought that Andy Sipowicz, as played by Dennis Franz on NYPD Blue, was the best character ever written for a TV series. Over the decade (actually, 12 seasons) of the series' run, the character grew from an aging, alcoholic bad cop and all-around lousy person to a warm, kind, understanding, caring man, father, and mentor to younger detectives, and every step of the way was believable. Possible it was so believable because we got to see the character fail, got to see him warts and all. We saw him through re-establishing a relationship with a son he had all but abandoned, court and marry a prosecution lawyer whom he had hated (The feeling was mutual. Remember "Hey, ipsa this, you ***** ****** *****"?), have a child, lose a child, lose a wife, fall off the wagon, raise a child on his own, find love again, and every step of the way was real, full of doubts just as our real lives are. Det. Sipowicz grew, he evolved, he became what we had come to hope he would.
Compare the character development in Sipowicz to any other character in recent popular TV shows. None of the characters in "Friends" really evolved, although a couple had abrupt changes as if the writers suddenly realized that they needed growth. No one in "Cheers", with the exception of Sam, changed in any way, and he did only at the end of the run. On Frasier, the only change was Frasier's acceptance of his father's coming to live with him, again, except for the end of the run. Mulder and Scully really didn't change much; Scully was the only change, and it was to an acceptance of the possible, a change necessitated by the nature of the series. (But Sipowicz's change was not necessary. It developed as a natural way for the character.) "Seinfeld" made a point of showing that no one changed.
I don't know who should get most of the credit for the quality of NYPD Blue, but it far outshines what was on early series TV (Basically, back then, every story was the same, just with different guests.*) and a cut or two above the best of what has been on since early TV.
* Plot Outline for every Lucy show: Lucy wants X, but screws up when she tried it. SHe bawls while Desi fixes things, yelling as he does so.
Plot Outline for every Leave it to Beaver show: Jine (or Ward) teach Beaver a lesson in life.
Plot Outline for every All in the Family episode: There is a crisis, and Archie shows himself to be a homophobic racist, but since he doesn't know it, he is still lovable. Mike show his Liberal bias at times but it usually right. Edith says something simple that has a great deal of meaning.
Plot Outline for every M*A*S*H episode: The wacky surgeons hate the war, find a way to achieve peace in their small world, and save some lives while teaching us lessons on how we should live.
Plot Outline for every Happy Days episode: Richie and friends are good kids, Fonzie is cool, and MrsC teaches someone something about life.
Plot Outline for every Dallas episode: Some people are good, some are bad, and some of the good have a little bad in them, but JR has no good in him. Money is everything.
Plot Outline for every Miami Vice: Tubbs and Crockett are cool, and everyone involved with dope is both stupid and evil, unless she is an attractive young female who appears to just need an older man to guide her. Crockett can't be that man because he is married to his job.
Look at the years of watching bad TV I have saved you!
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