Crime Story

The hard-boiled saga of hair-trigger cop Lieutenant Mike Torello and his obsessive pursuit of ruthless gangster Ray Luca.

Crime Story (1986-1988) is an American network crime drama created by Gustave Reininger and Chuck Adamson for NBC, a two-season serialized series produced by New World Television and Michael Mann Productions. Dennis Farina stars as Lieutenant Mike Torello, a hair-trigger cop whose obsessive pursuit of ruthless gangster Ray Luca, played by Tony Denison, drives the story. Detectives Nate Grossman (Steve Ryan) and Walter Clemmons (Paul Butler) work the streets alongside him, while Stephen Lang plays attorney David Abrams and John Santucci plays Pauli Taglia within the criminal orbit. The engine of the show is a long cat-and-mouse war fought through stakeouts, informants, interrogation rooms, and the violent collisions between cops and mob soldiers. Each season carries one continuing storyline rather than a case of the week, so the investigation builds across its forty-three episodes. The series is set in a 1960s urban underworld rendered with hard boiled grit, smoky nightclub atmosphere, and a brooding, propulsive tension. Its stylized crime tone will appeal to viewers who enjoy gritty police dramas and mob stories in the vein of Miami Vice, The Untouchables, and Hill Street Blues.

Critics and audiences regard the show as a stylish, hard-boiled crime saga whose atmosphere and cast outweigh its uneven plotting.

• Miami Viceshared hard-boiled crime tone, cop versus mobster cat-and-mouse, 1960s organized crime setting
• Hill Street Bluesshared police procedural crime drama with obsessive detective pursuing gangsters, 1980s network crime series
• The Untouchablesshared organized crime and crime-family tradition with morally tangled law enforcement pursuit
• Homicide: Life on the Streetshared gritty urban crime drama tone with a serialized police and mob storyline

Created by

Gustave Reininger, Chuck Adamson

Release Date

1986-09-19

Episode runtime

44 min

Rating

8.3 / 10 (77)

What is Crime Story about?

A hair-trigger cop becomes obsessed with pursuing a ruthless gangster through a hard-boiled 1960s underworld.

What is Crime Story like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Crime Story as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is Crime Story violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Crime Story as moderate.

What did critics think of Crime Story?

Critics and audiences regard the show as a stylish, hard-boiled crime saga whose atmosphere and cast outweigh its uneven plotting.

Which shows are like Crime Story?

Shows with a similar feel include Miami Vice, Hill Street Blues, The Untouchables, and Homicide: Life on the Street.

How long is Crime Story?

Crime Story: 2 seasons, 43 episodes.

Is Crime Story still running?

No, Crime Story was canceled.

Where can I watch Crime Story?

In United States, Crime Story streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.