"Boomtown" was about as close to a perfect drama as you will find on television. The show had everything that that you'd want in a television drama: great ensemble cast, terrific acting, intriguing characters, entertaining and edgy story lines, sharp dialog, near-perfect direction and originality. Its only drawback, if you consider it a drawback, was that it required too much thinking for the average viewer. Proof of that is the fact that mindless garbage like "Fear Factor" stayed on NBC for five seasons while a thought-provoking show like "Boomtown" barely lasted more than one season.
Each week stories focused on a particular storyline from multiple points of view, each one being different. The stories centered around seven characters: two detectives, two uniform cops, a paramedic, a news reporter and an attorney. Every character was very multi-dimensional, with each having their flaws and vulnerabilities.
Joel Stevens, terrifically played by Donnie Wahlberg, was the serious and sometimes hotheaded detective who put on a brave face despite having to deal with the death of his newborn baby and his wife's subsequent suicide attempt. His job always seemed to be interfering with his family life. "Fearless" was a former Desert Storm soldier turned detective who lived life to the fullest. He lived out of a motel, had sex with prostitutes, told war stories, and even had a list of things that he would like to do before he died. Ray Heckler was the old-school cop who was under close investigation for corruption. Although he often spoke too often and frequently put his foot in his mouth, he was one of the most respected cops on the squad. David McNaughton was the cocky district attorney who had problems with alcoholism and fidelity. A "human train wreck", he was universally despised by just about everyone on the squad. Teresa Ortiz was the sensitive and caring EMT who really took things she saw to heart. In one episode, she shot a hostage taker and then felt it necessary to try and revive him. Andrea Little was an attractive and persistent news reporter who always seemed to be first on the scene of a breaking story, thanks to her inside source, David NcNaughton, with whom she was carrying on a secret affair with. She lived lavishly thanks to a trust fund left by her wealthy parents. Tom Turcotte was a young hotshot cop who had the unenviable task of having to follow in the footsteps of his tough father. He was really the only character that was never fully developed, as there were some moments later in the first season where you doubted if he was one of the good guys.
The recurring theme of the show was that "Things aren't always as they same". A typical episode would start off with a sequence of events and what followed would explain what led up to that point through each character's point of view. Many episodes would end with some kind of shocking revelation. That same theme applied to a lot the characters, as with episode, viewers would learn more about each character and there was lot more to them than what meets the eye.
After the first season, despite marginal ratings NBC decided to renew "Boomtown". However, it was moved from its cushy Sunday night slot to a tougher Friday night slot and the format was retooled, making it easier for the viewer to follow. The producers essentially abandoned the unique point of view storyteller that made the show so terrific in its first season. In an effort to boost ratings, the producers brought in Vanessa Williams as detective, Katherine Pierce. In order to make room for her, they axed Andrea Little, who was key part of the show. Though the show was still watchable, it suffered a decline in quality (and ratings). Not surprisingly, the new format did not lead to a "boom" in the ratings and the show was canceled.
"Boomtown" is a prime example of a terrific show that should been given more of a chance to build an audience. Instead of flooding the airwaves with cheap reality garbage, networks need to make more of an effort to keep quality programs on the air even if they don't generate huge ratings from the start. A good, quality show can generate good word of mouth, which in turn may lead to improved ratings in the long run. "Boomtown" would have been more suited to air on F/X as it would have fit in better with the network's edgier series and would not have had the high expectations that it did on NBC.
If you happen to come upon the first season of "Boomtown" on DVD for a reasonable price, I would highly recommend buying it. You will be both amazed and depressed at the same time. You'll be amazed at how great of a dramatic series that it was and depressed at how NBC could cancel such a promising series with such a great cast.
Each week stories focused on a particular storyline from multiple points of view, each one being different. The stories centered around seven characters: two detectives, two uniform cops, a paramedic, a news reporter and an attorney. Every character was very multi-dimensional, with each having their flaws and vulnerabilities.
Joel Stevens, terrifically played by Donnie Wahlberg, was the serious and sometimes hotheaded detective who put on a brave face despite having to deal with the death of his newborn baby and his wife's subsequent suicide attempt. His job always seemed to be interfering with his family life. "Fearless" was a former Desert Storm soldier turned detective who lived life to the fullest. He lived out of a motel, had sex with prostitutes, told war stories, and even had a list of things that he would like to do before he died. Ray Heckler was the old-school cop who was under close investigation for corruption. Although he often spoke too often and frequently put his foot in his mouth, he was one of the most respected cops on the squad. David McNaughton was the cocky district attorney who had problems with alcoholism and fidelity. A "human train wreck", he was universally despised by just about everyone on the squad. Teresa Ortiz was the sensitive and caring EMT who really took things she saw to heart. In one episode, she shot a hostage taker and then felt it necessary to try and revive him. Andrea Little was an attractive and persistent news reporter who always seemed to be first on the scene of a breaking story, thanks to her inside source, David NcNaughton, with whom she was carrying on a secret affair with. She lived lavishly thanks to a trust fund left by her wealthy parents. Tom Turcotte was a young hotshot cop who had the unenviable task of having to follow in the footsteps of his tough father. He was really the only character that was never fully developed, as there were some moments later in the first season where you doubted if he was one of the good guys.
The recurring theme of the show was that "Things aren't always as they same". A typical episode would start off with a sequence of events and what followed would explain what led up to that point through each character's point of view. Many episodes would end with some kind of shocking revelation. That same theme applied to a lot the characters, as with episode, viewers would learn more about each character and there was lot more to them than what meets the eye.
After the first season, despite marginal ratings NBC decided to renew "Boomtown". However, it was moved from its cushy Sunday night slot to a tougher Friday night slot and the format was retooled, making it easier for the viewer to follow. The producers essentially abandoned the unique point of view storyteller that made the show so terrific in its first season. In an effort to boost ratings, the producers brought in Vanessa Williams as detective, Katherine Pierce. In order to make room for her, they axed Andrea Little, who was key part of the show. Though the show was still watchable, it suffered a decline in quality (and ratings). Not surprisingly, the new format did not lead to a "boom" in the ratings and the show was canceled.
"Boomtown" is a prime example of a terrific show that should been given more of a chance to build an audience. Instead of flooding the airwaves with cheap reality garbage, networks need to make more of an effort to keep quality programs on the air even if they don't generate huge ratings from the start. A good, quality show can generate good word of mouth, which in turn may lead to improved ratings in the long run. "Boomtown" would have been more suited to air on F/X as it would have fit in better with the network's edgier series and would not have had the high expectations that it did on NBC.
If you happen to come upon the first season of "Boomtown" on DVD for a reasonable price, I would highly recommend buying it. You will be both amazed and depressed at the same time. You'll be amazed at how great of a dramatic series that it was and depressed at how NBC could cancel such a promising series with such a great cast.