This groundbreaking crime drama from super-producer Stephen Bochco aired from 1981 to 1986, and followed one of the first ensemble casts on TV. Set in a fictional town based on Chicago, the action centered on a chaotic police precinct and provided a very realistic view of the private and work lives of characters who occupied every rung of the hierarchical ladder. The first season starts the action with a bang and doesn't let up, as Precinct Captain Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) has to defuse a hostage crisis. The rest of the season keeps up the pace, as Officer Larue (Kiel Martin) battles a drinking problem, Sgt. Esterhaus (Michael Conrad) questions his upcoming marriage, and Furillo finds his chances for promotion compromised by a city councilman's involvement in a murder.