It Took Its Influence From A Documentary
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In 1977 the documentary The Police Tapes was released and became a massive influence on the direction Hill Street Blues took. The documentary followed a South Bronx police precinct in one of New York’s most violent neighborhoods.
Looking to be more realistic than other cop shows, Steven Bochco was inspired to shoot his new show with more handheld cameras. The new take on an old standard tested miserably with audiences, and NBC almost never picked it up.
