'The Chicago Code' Premiere Promising for Lovers of Police Dramas

Monday, February 7, 2011, Fox, 10 PM (ET): "Chicago Code," a new series starring Jennifer Beals ("Flashdance") and Jason Clark ("Public Enemies," "Providence") premiered with promise on Monday night. Chicago, the city, is beautifully photographed in the series, and, as I sit here looking out at the Chicago skyline from my condo window, I'd like to quote this premiere line from creator Shawn Ryan, who grew up in nearby Rockford, Illinois: "If you can't love Chicago, you can't love anything. This city survived the Chicago fire and ended up building the world's most beautiful skyline. If it's one thing Chicago knows, it's how to hit back."

HERE IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO

My son walked into a bar in Bridgeport (a Chicago suburb) last summer and was told they were shooting a new TV series to be called "Ride-along." Since then, the name of the series has changed to reflect the increasingly important role that Chicago, the city, is taking in the production.

Ryan himself has said he realized, as the series filmed (after being greenlighted in January of 2010) that the entire production was going to be about many important issues. He reached out to technical officer John Folio (Badge #8659), whom he knew from a walk-on role Folio played on "The Shield." (Folio says he has no desire to be in front of the cameras this time, but will be heard in voice-overs off-camera).

Interviewed on Fox news after the show's premiere, Folio shared the fact that he was able to get 114 real Chicago police officers into various scenes. He also insisted that the female Police Superintendent had to have come up through the ranks as a beat cop. I talked with a Chicago police officer recently (who shall remain nameless) and the current police chief Jody Weis, is not well-liked by the men in the department precisely because he did not come up through the ranks of Chicago's finest. Another thing that Folio noted is that, in Chicago, criminals are not called "perps" as they are in New York City shows.

Chicago is definitely a character in this show, and will remain so. There was a scene with main character Jarek Wysocki (Jason Clarke) in a police car racing alongside an informant, Luis Esperanza, and convincing him to surrender peacefully. They first go to the flower shop where Luis' pregnant girlfriend is working, so he can propose. Yes, it was a bit hokey, I'll admit and nobody would really put themselves and their partner in harm's way by driving 80 mph alongside a guy with a gun pointed at each through an open window, but, hey, it's television! It's entertainment! Deal with it. [I hate to break it to you, butTom Cruise wasn't really on top of that train in "Mission Impossible," either, and Daniel Craig doesn't really do all those stunts in the Bond movies. and "Hawaii 5-0"isn't quite the way it really is, nor was "Miami Vice," in its day.]

What is good about the show, if it has moments of hocum like the above?

THE CAST

First, the cast: Jason Clarke, Jennifer Beals, DelRoy Lindo, 114 real Chicago police officers. This cast will come through.

Second: the commitment of Rockford (IL) native Shawn Ryan ("The Shield"). He loves Chicago, and it shows and he's right about Chicago having one of the most beautiful skylines in the world. Aside from San Franciso and Geneva, Switzerland, it's one of the most beautiful cities in the world and that remains true when you drive the streets filled with flowers in now-Mayor Daley's city. (soon to be Mayor Rahm's?)

QUIRKS ARE GOOD FOR CHARACTERS

Giving the main character (Jason Clarke's Jarek Wysocki) a few quirks like his dislike for profanity and his constant rotation through a number of partners is a good hook. Perhaps Jennifer Beals isn't as rough looking as some reviewers felt she should be, but that seems like stereotyping of a certain sort in itself. Having the traditional Cubs vs. the White Sox digs was genius.

BEST LINES SO FAR

Consider these lines from the premiere episode:

Jennifer Beals, talking about how she is going to deal with corruption in the city and face down DelRoy Lindo's dirty Alderman Ronin Gibbons: "He thinks I'm his puppet. I'm going to cut the strings."

Of 2 dead bodies found in Grant Park, husband and wife joggers, the police on the scene pronounce: "TBD. They Be Dead."

When one of the responding officers suggests that the crime might have been theft, since the female jogger's Ipod is missing, Clarke's character says it's possible, but adds, "So is the Cubs winning the World Series, but I'm not going to call my bookie." (Clarke also refers to his partner as a "dirty, lying filthy Cubs fan" at one point and later says, "Too bad he's a Cubs fan."

When a suspect seems very nervous he is asked, "Why are you sweating like we just entered you in a spelling bee?"

"This isn't a who-dunit. This is a Wh0-did-it. You need to know these people."

"Sometimes you stomp on the bear; sometimes he stomps on your picnic."

The episode was scripted by Shawn Ryan and directed by Charles McDougall.

Next week's good line: "You can judge a person by the enemies he's made."

The city photographed beautifully, and Jason Clarke, Jennifer Beals and DelRoy Lindo are just getting warmed up. And, no. It's not exactly the way real cops in the real world work. This is television, Kids. It's supposed to be entertaining. And it sure was on Premiere Night.