I've sat thru a ton of films, tv shows exploring this topic and it takes a steady hand to pull it off without coming off cheesy, cliche. 'Corruption' is not a finer example because everything is telecast from a mile away. It's also one of those tales that tries to do it without any preexisting history, background on the villain. You're supposed to be satisfied with a simple setup and be emotionally invested because it involves a main character. It's really an example of episodic tv at it's rushed lazy lowest form.
Det. Briscoe (Orbach) & Curtis (Bratt) are detailed to an undercover drug bust with Lenny's past partner Det. Flynn (Kevin Conway). At the moment of exchange, Flynn call "gun", shots are fired and the suspect is dead. He claims he went for his piece but neither Briscoe, Curtis or other cops as backup saw what really occurred. Curtis digs into it feeling something is off and uncovers a link to a major drug pusher Hector Garcia that goes back to Flynn, Briscoe's days in the 116th precinct. When it becomes clear there's a case of a dirty cop, McCoy (Waterston) goes after him but faces not only issues from the court system, but a man willing to throw old friends under the bus to save himself.
It's hard to be entertained or care when you can predict where the story is going at every point and it isn't done with any real emotional weight. Some history into Briscoe is interesting - his drinking problem explored more, a past girlfriend - but counterbalance that with cliches about cops sticking together, getting their stories straight, mistresses, payoffs, murder for hire, slaps on the wrist. Don't even get me started on that last minute hollow ending meant to deliver a sense of justice, but doesn't. 'Corruption' is as one note as it's title going thru formula paces without any heart.