 On January 15, 1981, "Hill Street Blues" premiered on NBC and changed the face of television forever. The irreverent, fast-paced series revolved around the dramatic turns in the lives of the officers of Hill Street Station. An average day at Hill Street was anything but usual, ranging from humorous to wacky to tragic to grisly--but always realistic.
During its seven-year run, the consistently top-rated program collected 26 Emmy Awards, including "Best Series" four years in a row. The theme song, by Mike Post, likewise was a smash hit and ranked #10 in Billboard Magazine's Top TV Theme Songs of 1985.
"Hill Street Blues" concluded its original run on May 19, 1987. (additional below)
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Subdued yet forceful, Captain Frank Furillo led the motley police force. The crazy assortment of cops included: Detective Mick Belker, the unkempt, slightly deranged undercover officer, known as a "biter"  who often received calls from his mother; Lt. Howard Hunter, a trigger-happy, arrogant leader of the precinct's SWAT unit; Joyce Davenport, the determined and intelligent public defender, who was also Furillo's secret lover, creating tension as well as sparks; Officers Bobby Hill and Andy Renko, shot in the
first episode (they formed a bond in their struggle to face life each day); the constantly worrying Lt. Ray Calletano, second-in-command of the chaotic precinct; and Head Sergeant Phil Esterhaus, a kindly man providing a refuge of sanity in an otherwise insane world.
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