Line #4 YMMV/NYPDBlue


1	* EnsembleDarkhorse: Medavoy (Creator/GordonClapp), who quickly went from a borderline extra to a fan favorite and became the only character (besides Sipowicz) to last all twelve seasons of the show.
2	** [=PAA=]s Donna (Creator/GailOGrady) and John (Bill Brochtrup) were both originally signed for only a handful of episodes. Both were so popular with viewers that they were eventually made members of the regular cast (though for Brochtrup, it took several seasons as an infrequently recurring character before that).
3	* {{Fanon}}: Although it isn't explicitly depicted, fans like to think that Kelly and Janice did end up together after he had to leave the police force and once she got out of jail, as he leaves the show only two episodes after she does and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QNRwqQl9oA Janice's last scene]] had her theorizing that she would only be in for six months, with the implication that Kelly would visit her in the meantime.
4	* GrowingTheBeard: Season 12 is seen as an improvement over several of the preceding seasons. Most would agree that, even if it didn't reach the heights of the first six seasons, it at least allowed the show to go out with some dignity.
5	* HarsherInHindsight: Diane Russell's alcoholism is this since her actress, Kim Delaney, has struggled with alcoholism herself, including three notable incidents in 2002, 2005, and 2011.
6	* JerkassWoobie: Sipowicz, eventually evolving into ''merely'' TheWoobie.
7	* NeverLiveItDown: Sipowicz has become famous for showing his butt. On the entire run of the show, it actually happened ''twice'' (and one of those was during a prostate exam).
8	** ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CZdxN4DcCkE even parodied it.]]
9	* OnceOriginalNowCommon: When it premiered the show was ground-breaking not only for its gritty depictions of police work but also for the fact that it was willing to push the envelope with the stuff that could be shown on network television, making full use of a FCC clause that claims networks can show whatever they want after 11pm. The show earned the ire of conservative parent groups for its depictions of swearing, violence, sex and nudity (although why Parent groups would target something obviously not intended for children defies all logic). Whilst network television has (at least with regards to sex, nudity and profanity) never been as daring (Blue gained ABC some heavy FCC fines), all of the stuff it was known for can be seen almost ubiquitously on cable television.
10	* RetroactiveRecognition:
11	** Creator/DavidSchwimmer appeared in the first few episodes as John and Laura Kelly's divorce lawyer.
12	** Laura herself was played by Creator/SherryStringfield.
13	** You see pre-''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' Carol Ann Susi in a season one guest role.
14	** Creator/RichardSchiff and Creator/BradleyWhitford appeared in early season episodes.
15	** Donna's sister was Creator/DebraMessing.
16	** Before ''Series/{{Castle\|2009}}'', Ruben Santiago-Hudson played a homeless guy named Otis.
17	** Creator/AnthonyHead was a [[ShakespearianActors pompous theater actor]].
18	** Creator/MichaelHarney played Mike Roberts throughout the first five seasons.
19	** Creator/PedroPascal played Dio in the episode "Oh Golly Goth", credited instead as [[StageNames Alexander Pascal]]. Coincidentally, he would eventually turn ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'' into the first show since ''NYPD Blue'' to boast a Latino nominee for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy award, following in Jimmy Smits' footsteps.
20	** Creator/JurneeSmollett appeared when she was around ten years old in "Where's 'Swaldo."
21	** Creator/AdamScott was in "The Nutty Confessor."
22	** Creator/JonahHill appears as a clerk in the final season episode "You're Buggin' Me."
23	** Creator/PaulGiamatti appears in the ColdOpen of a first season episode as a homeless man.
24	** Quite a few of the actors on David Milch's later series, ''Series/{{Deadwood}}'', appeared in small roles on this show, including Creator/WEarlBrown, Creator/DaytonCallie, Creator/JimBeaver (as ''[[Literature/TheBible Jesus]]''), Creator/TitusWelliver, Creator/AnnaGunn, Creator/KeoneYoung, Creator/PashaLychnikoff, and Creator/RayMcKinnon.
25	* SeasonalRot:
26	** While there is a VocalMinority that thinks the show was never as good as it was in the first season with Creator/DavidCaruso as the star, it's usually agreed that the show lost its luster somewhere between the departure of Creator/JimmySmits in season 6 and season 8, by the end of which the entire original cast (as well as the popular Kim Delaney) save Creator/DennisFranz had left the show and Sipowicz had entered into a ludicrous UglyGuyHotWife relationship with Connie (Creator/CharlotteRoss). There's some other opinions floating around but there's very few fans that think all 12 seasons of the show are worth seeking out and watching.
27	** Regardless of what you think of the quality of the later seasons, the show did lose some very colorful characters (and good actors), and its tone did change a lot, going from edgy and avant-garde to being one CrimeTimeSoap among many. [[FollowTheLeader How much of this is actually the show's own fault with respect to the latter point is debatable.]]
28	** David Milch ending his active involvement with the show after season seven is seen by many as the end of the really great period.
29	** The last few seasons (10 and later) also seem increasingly disconnected, with the writers throwing random problems at the characters, and then resolving them in one or two episodes, without this leading to further character or plot development.
30	* TearJerker:
31	** Simone's [[ADeathInTheLimelight Death Episode]] (though Andy Jr. and Sylvia's deaths hit hard as well).
32	** The "Lost Israel" 2-parter. '''All of it.'''
33	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Andy Jr. being killed for the sake of a RoaringRampageOfRevenge episode can feel this way. Making it worse is the show runners admission that they'd been trying to find a way to kill him off for years, since before he made such an emotional impact with the fanbase.
34	* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The fact that cars and fashions in the first six seasons are typical for TheNineties is not unexpected. There are also the inevitable cultural references (for instance, billboards for ''Theatre/{{Cats}}'' and ''Theatre/MissSaigon'' are visible in the original opening credits) that place the early seasons, in particular, into a particular timeframe. However, the show also documents [[TechnologyMarchesOn the cellphone revolution]]: In the first seasons, the detectives don't have cellphones but have to look for payphones if they are not carrying a walkie-talkie. The squad later gets ''one'' cellphone that has to be checked out if a detective needs it, and towards the end of the series everybody has their own personal cellphone.

Context YMMV / NYPDBlue