Okay, let's talk Hill Street Blues. That gritty, groundbreaking cop show. We all know and love it (or at least respect it!).
But where was it set? That's the question that keeps me up at night. Well, not really, but you get my drift.
The Official Answer: A Big Gray City
The "official" answer is always so vague. It's supposed to be an anonymous, unnamed city. Some kind of urban melting pot. A stand-in for all struggling American metropolises.
Think Chicago, New York, Detroit all rolled into one. Basically, Anywhere, USA... if Anywhere, USA had a serious crime problem.
The Problem With That Answer
I call baloney! It's a cop-out (pun intended!). Television just doesn't work that way. There are details, vibes, and certain things you can't fake.
Let's be honest, every show has a personality. And Hill Street Blues' personality reeks of somewhere specific.
Steven Bochco and Others on Creating ‘Hill Street Blues’ - The New York
My Unpopular Opinion: It's Pittsburgh!
Hear me out. I know, I know. Most people lean towards Chicago or New York. But Pittsburgh just fits.
Think about the show's aesthetic. The industrial feel. The brick buildings. The slightly downtrodden vibe.
Pittsburgh had all that in spades back in the 80s. It was a city in transition, dealing with economic hardship and urban decay. Sound familiar?
Dominique Dunne Hill Street Blues
The Evidence (Okay, Maybe Just Gut Feeling)
Here's where I'm going to get less factual and more... intuitive. It's all about the feeling.
The working-class attitude. The grit and determination. The sense that everyone's just trying to make it through another day. It screams Pittsburgh.
And remember Sergeant Phil Esterhaus, played by Michael Conrad? Something about his gruffness and his accent just feels...right.
"Let's be careful out there." - Sergeant Phil Esterhaus
The opening scenes of "Hill Street Blues" make me wonder, now: were the
Plus, there's this certain quality to the show's humor. A dark, self-deprecating kind of wit. I think that style is very Pittsburgh.
The Counterarguments (And Why They're Wrong)
Okay, fine. I know there's no direct mention of Pittsburgh. No Primanti Bros. sandwiches in the precinct break room.
And yes, the show was filmed in Los Angeles. But, I'm talking about the spirit of the show. The soul.
The HILL STREET BLUES WebSite (Open to all fans)
Los Angeles provided the infrastructure but Pittsburgh provided the inspiration. A city to base on, a place to emulate. That's my take.
Am I Crazy? Maybe. But Hear Me Out One More Time.
I'm not saying the creators consciously based it on Pittsburgh. Maybe it was a subconscious influence. A feeling they couldn't shake.
Or maybe it was a happy accident. But to me, Hill Street Blues is Pittsburgh in disguise. A Steel City story told through the lens of fictional cops and criminals.
So, next time you're watching Hill Street Blues, close your eyes and think about Pittsburgh. You might just see what I mean.
