User Reviews

Norman Buntz (Dennis Franz, foreshadowing his Andy Sipowicz character in "NYPD Blue") was a tough, somewhat unprincipled, often violent streetwise detective from "Hill Street Blues," the 1980s' seminal cop show. Sid (Peter Jurasik) was a small-time, not particularly successful crook who moonlighted as Buntz's snitch, and the two developed somewhat of a reluctant affection for each other, if not an actual friendship. Franz and Jurasik worked so well together in "Hill Street" that when the show ended, their two characters were given their own series, in which they were transplanted to Beverly Hills and opened up their own detective agency. Apparently the producers were going for the TV version of Eddie Murphy's "Beverly Hills Cop". Not a very good move. Murphy's Axel Foley was a wild Detroit detective, a tough enough cop but one who used his wits and his outrageous sense of humor more than his fists and his gun to get things done. Norman Buntz was not noted for his sense of humor, and the producers unfortunately made this series a comedy first and a cop show second, and it didn't work at all. "Hill Street Blues" fans liked Buntz' breaking of the rules when he thought it was called for, and his single-minded, legalities-be-damned method of hunting down criminals. Making a Teddy Bear or even somewhat of a buffoon out of him, which is what this show did, turned off the fans expecting to see the Norman Buntz they knew and loved, and the series never got off the ground. It's too bad, because Franz and Jurasik really did have great chemistry together, and the right type of showcase for them would have been a big hit, but the producers blew it by trying to turn them into The Two Stooges. The show deservedly sank without much of a trace.

My thoughts on BHB differ greatly from most others' dim recollections. I was fortunate to have taped two episodes on the sole occasions they aired. Sure wish I had grabbed the other ones.

I'll spare you the details of the shows since they are unavailable anyway. They are good enough for me to have watched several times, though. The writing is excellent, the characters are well drawn (for a 30 minute show) and the casting just about perfect. Dana Wheeler-Nicholson is fabulous, beautiful beyond description and with much subtlety brought to her character. Joe Pantoliano (missed completely by IMDb) puts in a fine performance as a corrupt P.I. who tries to hire Buntz for a job he soon walks away from.

Dennis Franz and Peter Jurasik are superb in their lead roles. These reviews of the Buntz character as ethically or morally corrupt are WRONG in my opinion. Though rough around the edges and willing to cut a few corners, ultimately Buntz is good hearted with a strong sense of fairness. The best comparisons I can make with the Norman Buntz and Sid Thurston characters are to the Jim Rockford and Angel Martin characters in The Rockford Files. Could one say that either are morally corrupt? Okay, maybe a little with Angel, but you get my drift. In the end, Norman and Sid see to it that the good guys win and the crooks end up in jail.

This poor show never had a chance, the way it got jerked around in it's time slot and canceled before the audience had a chance to catch up and appreciate it. That's too bad for all of us.

EXTRA EXTRA! As of November 2017 several Buntz episodes are available on YouTube! I just watched the pilot and cannot wait to see the others, especially the ones I never saw before. Yes!