# Cagney & Lacey (1982)

> Two New York City detectives, one tough and one sensitive, team up to crack cases and push back against a male-dominated police force.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/4013

## Facts

- Seasons: 7
- Episodes: 125
- Episode runtime: 45 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Barbara Avedon, Barbara Corday
- Network: CBS
- Cast: Tyne Daly, Meg Foster, Sharon Gless, John Karlen, Al Waxman, Carl Lumbly, Martin Kove, Sidney Clute
- TMDB rating: 6.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083395/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: gritty, sincere, character driven, warm, tense

## What critics say

Audiences regard Cagney & Lacey as a mixed but strongly admired police drama whose partnership and character work stand out, with the strongest seasons rated highly.

## Synopsis

Cagney & Lacey (1982-1988) is a United States network crime drama created by Barbara Avedon and Barbara Corday for CBS. Mary Beth Lacey (Tyne Daly) and Christine Cagney (Sharon Gless) are NYPD detectives whose opposing temperaments, one tough and one sensitive, make them an unlikely and effective partnership. Their engine is the daily grind of investigating street crimes while fighting for respect in a male-dominated precinct, and each case pulls at their home lives, including Mary Beth's marriage to Harvey Lacey (John Karlen) and the wider demands on their families. Across seven seasons and 125 episodes, the show is built mostly as a case-of-the-week procedural, with recurring supervisors and colleagues like Lieutenant Bert Samuels (Al Waxman) giving the precinct a steady backbone. The tone is gritty and character focused, with working class New York street realism, sincere emotional stakes, and moments of warmth between the two women. Fans of Hill Street Blues, Prime Suspect and NYPD Blue will find resonance in its blend of police work and personal drama.

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