Public Morals

I decided to give Public Morals a shot and I was not disappointed. This show is great! It feels authentic to the times, everything from the accents to the set. Not too overdone either, it doesn't look costume-y nor doesn't it feel like they are trying to hard.

Basically the show is about cops in the 60's and how they deal with crime. Actually, most importantly, it's about how they are a part of crime. They play the line between cops and criminals. Just in the first episode we see them taking bribes, lying, playing illegal games, etc. Yet (so far) they seem like good cops when it matters.

I see it as a show about how people dealt with crime in a time when the law was too restrictive to be enforced. Even gay bars were illegal! These cops are trying to keep the city in order, knowing the law as it is can not be properly enforced. Of course there are some points that cross the line and have us wondering on which side they actually stand.

With plenty of good characters, Public Morals explores not only the crime scene in 1960's New York, but also the family life, values, and the sense of morality of the times.

The show has an interesting premise, and I for one am excited to see where it goes.

When I saw the previews I expected just another cop show set in the past.. This is a great series.. How great it truly is will be lost on some folks.. but if you grew up in N.Y.C. in the 60s you will know exactly what I mean.. They even had a Skelly's board in the street.. The emerald and black cars.. There were little things that were off that only someone who lived through it would pick up.. and one scene where they had a 68 Impala, which of course did not exist in 1965.. but some of that is to be expected.. The park benches and the street signs were off but they did an absolutely amazing job of transporting you to 60s N.Y. The writing is good.. the acting is very good.. and the story has a lot of potential. I like what they did with the music also.. there was one scene where someone was singing a Sinatra song.. It was not Sinatra but the singer sounded like him... and they did that with some other songs from the times.. to great effect. I look forward to seeing where this series will go... it has a lot of potential.. Michael Rappaport finally has a role that goes beyond a character role and every time I see him in this (I watched all 3 episodes On Demand and saw the first two twice..) I cannot help but think of Popeye Doyle. Must be the hat. I would not be surprised if I see some kids playing Ringolivio or playing in the Johnny Pump when things move into summer.. Ed Burns has done a great job with this .. and the strong supporting cast makes this series in my opinion one to watch. If you like crime shows.. and period pieces.. this series is for you. It actually does a better job of taking you back than a certain recently finished series about advertising moguls.. This series is the next best thing to Mr. Peadody's way back machine of you want to get a glimpse of life in New York City in the 60s..

Although only 1 episode has aired on TNT so far 3 more are "on demand"on my cable system so I've seen 4, and while I love the 60's setting of the series I'm not sure where the plot is going.I've seen enough series to know a first season can often be that way so as long as the surroundings hold and the acting is good,stay with it for awhile.I'm hoping eventually for a Serpico meets Goodfellas or something along those lines down the road.The show seems to stand on Edward Burns as a actor and creator of the show with a push from Steven Spielbergs production company.So there's not much to say other than I feel good about its chances and recommend as a gritty NYC cops and criminals set peace

If you want to know who writer, director Ed Burns is please see the wonderful, recent story on CBS Sunday Morning. Burns is a great example of being persistent in following his dream of being a writer. Along the way he was resourceful and self deprecating which helped in his success. Public Morals is set in NY in the 1960's and revolves around the Public Morals Division in the police department. I love it when I barely recognize the cast as it gives us an opportunity to see fresh faces and their work. Some faces will resonate like veterans Brian Dennehy and Timothy Hutton. Public Morals with it's mature theme, language etc is for adult audiences.

OK, I'm not saying this is the best show on TV but it does have potential. As with all TV shows first episode it's setting the scene. This is 1960's new york... there is corruption which in my eyes can lead to thrilling story lines. Let us hope this show can deliver.

I vow to give this show at least another two episodes before considering ditching. I don't think it's fair to write off any TV show after the first episode unless it's about something you have absolutely no interest in.

On the down side I do think the "fight" scenes could have been better done. They looked too fake.