NYPD Blue, Murder in the First’s Steven Bochco dead at 74
According to a new report via TMZ, Bochco has died at the age of 74 after battling leukemia for many years. He is one of the most prolific television producers out there, having worked recently on Murder in the First (pictured above) but being responsible for countless other series over the course of his long career — think in terms of NYPD Blue, L.A. Law, and Murder One. We’re not sure that a single person has done as much for cop shows over the past 30 years as Bochco has. His shows were dark and gritty, and he certainly was not afraid to push the envelope or do things that were different than just about any other show out there. He was a trail blazer.
There are certainly many within the producing community who owe a great deal to Bochco, as they studied under him and he may have helped to give some of them their first jobs in the industry. However, the same could be said for actors — many of his shows helped to give people jobs early on in their career. His work was a jumping-off point to many other projects. He allowed so many different people to take on captivating material and he was revered by many.
Given that the news of Bochco’s passing is still new, we imagine that even more tributes are going to be coming. What we do feel like is that television today wouldn’t be what it is without him, especially in terms of all of the different police dramas that are out there. They may be unique, but at the same time they all do owe a certain something to the work that he has done.
We only wish that Murder in the First, which he co-created, was on the air longer so we could’ve seen more of where that series could’ve gone in the end.
Bochco will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and condolences go out to everyone who knew him during this difficult time. (Photo: TNT.)