Hi folks.
Welcome to NEW YORK UNDERCOVER REWIND, the podcast that discusses all things related to the hit 1990’s television show, New York Undercover. I’m your host, Chris Rose.
As always, thank you for listening. Be sure to Subscribe, Like, Rate and Review us!
Now before we discuss specific episodes of New York Undercover, I want to provide a sense of what was happening culturally before the series premiered on FOX back in 1994.
Specifically, in the world of TV, FILM and MUSIC.
Only 7 years earlier..in April of 1987, Rupert Murdoch’s FOX network launched in primetime, with programming on ONLY 2 nights of the week (Saturdays and Sundays). Series on the network were targeted to a younger demographic and in its earliest days included programs such as:
21 Jump Street
Married..With Children
and The Tracey Ullman Show.
It’s also important to note that FOX was not considered a full-fledged network at the time in comparison to the big 3-ABC, CBS and NBC. In addition, FOX was not yet fully distributed across the country, limiting the amount of viewers who had access to the network.
It did, however, have strong distribution in larger urban markets (NY, LA, Chicago, etc.) where a high percentage of African AmericanS lived.
As FOX entered the 1990’s, network executives would begin to develop a series of shows targeting African Americans- including the 1990 premiere of sketch comedy show In Living Color…
Roc starring Charles S. Dutton launched in 1991
Martin: starring comedian Martin Lawrence in 1992
And Living Single, led by Queen Latifah and Kim Fields, launched in 1993.
On the theatrical front, the early 1990’s ushered in a series of films that still resonate with audiences to this day, including two Los Angeles-set films- BOYZ-N-THE-HOOD and MENACE II SOCIETY.
Meanwhile, two films set in the Big Apple made waves as well
- JUICE (starring Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur)
- and NEW JACK CITY (directed by Mario Van Peebles).
BOTH films were set in Harlem.. and while JUICE focused on four African American teenagers caught up in a crime that goes terribly wrong, NEW JACK CITY was centered around the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980’s and the attempted takedown of powerful crime lord by a NYPD detective (played by Ice-T).
The film also co-starred Wesly Snipes, Van Peebles, Allen Payne, Chris Rock, Vanessa Williams and Michael Michele.
Ice-T and Michael Michele would later cross paths on NEW YORK UNDERCOVER….but more on that later.
AND HERE’s A FUN FACT: George Gore, who would later star on NEW YORK UNDERCOVER as G- played Omar Epps’ younger brother in JUICE.
In 1986 Andre Harrell, a former rapper and Vice President at Def Jam Recordings, launched Uptown Records.
The record label catered to hip hop and R&B audiences.
Artists in the label’s early years included Heavy D & The Boys, Guy, Al B. Sure, Jodeci and Mary J. Blige. Sean “Puffy” Combs famously worked as an intern at Uptown in the early 90’s.
After success as an exec producer on the 1991 film “Strictly Business” with Tommy Davidson and Halle Berry (and its corresponding soundtrack) and with Blige’s debut album “What’s the 411?, Harrell signed a deal with MCA Universal to develop television and film projects.
TV One’s “Unsung Hollywood” profiled New York Undercover in a episode broadcast in 2016 and former producers and development execs noted that they wanted to QUOTE “create a drama that infused the music of the culture inside the tv show” and feature “characters that represented where the viewers grew up and lived in.”
Harrell wanted a cop show, set in Harlem, with two black leads.
And by 1993.. producer Dick Wolf entered the picture.
Next time on NEW YORK UNDERCOVER REWIND, we’ll discuss Dick Wolf’s tie to the show and the NFL’s connection to the show.
Make sure you subscribe to NEW YORK UNDERCOVER REWIND…available now..wherever you listen to podcasts.
I’m Chris Rose.
BA-DOW!!
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